Questions tagged [graduate-school]
On schools that award advanced academic degrees, such as masters and doctoral degrees. This tag is mainly for questions about the structure and organization of a graduate school or the fundamental experience of being a graduate student. Do not use this tag for questions about research in graduate school (use [research] instead), coursework in graduate school (use [coursework] instead), gaining admissions to graduate school (use [graduate-admissions]), etc.
2,162
questions
0
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2answers
58 views
Transferring out of a Masters
I am planning to complete a Masters in Physics (thesis based research) at my undergraduate institution after being rejected during PhD applications. I feel like this will bolster my research ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
PhD transfer during first year [closed]
This year I was accepted into two PhD programs (USC and WashU). I had a very specific research interest, and the USC program used to be my first choice, because there were so many professors in the ...
2
votes
1answer
114 views
How to ask current grad student in a lab for advice about getting a position in the lab?
There is this lab that I want to work for as a graduate research assistant (I'm a masters and hoping for research experience and funding) and before I email the PI, I thought of emailing the grad ...
-2
votes
1answer
173 views
Would it be possible to rank North American graduate schools from “most competitive” to “least competitive” (in terms of admission)? [closed]
I would like to understand if it is possible to rank graduate schools in the US and/or Canada by the entry/admission standards/requirements (this could be based on GPA/GRE/etc). While it seems that ...
-1
votes
0answers
66 views
Loan or Scholarship Options for International Students Looking to Study in US [closed]
About one year ago, I finished my bachelor's degree for computer science in India. I am interested in attending a small university in the eastern United States for a master's degree in statistics but ...
1
vote
3answers
337 views
Seeking advice: Failed PhD due to academic + psychological reasons. Should I apply two years later?
Failed my PhD in Physics after 3 years in graduate school. I spent the whole first and a half year on foundation (courses and some learning projects) since I jumped in from a completely different ...
0
votes
1answer
75 views
Advice for Further Study
I am currently taking a master by research in biostatistics in my home country (Not really well-known though). I recently saw the importance of machine and deep learning in the field of biostatistics ...
7
votes
3answers
248 views
For my PhD, should I go with the more prestigious university, or the one that is a better research match? [closed]
I will be starting a PhD in computer science in the UK this year, but have to decide between two offers that I'm pretty torn about. I've communicated with the supervisors from both universities in ...
36
votes
12answers
9k views
How to deal with professors who don't follow the text
I'm a first year math grad student. As an undergrad, all my professors followed the given text book closely, making lecture easy to prepare for and very predictable. As a grad student, my professors ...
1
vote
0answers
50 views
Masters Research versus Undergraduate Research
For PhD programs, do admissions prefer Masters' research (in the case where student focuses more on research / thesis due to less course load) over undergraduate research, in general? Or are they on ...
3
votes
1answer
159 views
Master's Research Thesis vs. PhD Thesis
What are some differences between a Masters' Research Thesis versus a PhD Thesis for STEM fields? From program websites, I learned that a Masters thesis is not as "rigorous, broad, deep" as ...
-4
votes
1answer
156 views
Is My Mentality Good for Academia / Grad School? [closed]
I am wondering if my mentality is good for an academic. Or does my mentality mean I should not go to academia:
(1) I am not an avid reader and I do not read for leisure. I do not read in the free time....
15
votes
6answers
4k views
Concurrent workers independently published part of my results. How to convince the referees that I got the results independently?
In my primary research project (not coauthoring with advisor), I got two results, say result A and result B, back in 2020. I wanted to submit it in 2020, but my advisor says that I need a further ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
Graduate School Topic [closed]
I am an undergraduate student with math and physics majors and I plan to go to graduate school. I am interested in both math and physics, but I want the stuff I work on to have some practical / ...
1
vote
0answers
78 views
How to be a good (Applied) Math graduate student
I am a first year graduate student in applied math at a relatively good school here in the US. I'm looking to concentrate in something at the intersection of CS and Applied Math (quantum computing ...
4
votes
4answers
536 views
Why would an international applicant with a perfect GPA and an undergraduate thesis get rejected from 16 grad schools? [duplicate]
I applied to 16 graduate schools for this coming fall. I am a transfer student at a Top 10 Public US school. I had GPA 4.00 at the time I applied (Not yet took graduate course yet, but I wrote that I ...
48
votes
9answers
6k views
How to reconcile desire to succeed in academia/willingness to prioritize research with ethical concerns about fair work practices?
I'm not 100% sure how to phrase my question, but I've been grappling with this for sometime and thought maybe the responses would provide me some insight.
I'm currently at PhD student soon to be on ...
0
votes
3answers
273 views
What should I do if I do not like research in a particular field?
This is my last semester as an undergraduate and I am taking a graduate course in a physics field I was interested in (won't mention the name since I do not want to offend anyone who is researching in ...
38
votes
10answers
7k views
Promised authorship was not given; am I supposed to get an automatic acknowledgement?
TLDR: I spent a long time helping with a paper from a group at another university. The first author, who was at the same institute as me, promised multiple times I would be one of the coauthors. But, ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
Is it legal to accept this type of scholarship while on an F-1 visa?
So here's my situation: I am a student on F-1 visa who has been offered a scholarship from another university (not the one where I am studying) for a week long workshop in a subject that I research. ...
2
votes
2answers
145 views
What are the inputs and weights for US News grad program ranking?
The US News website states that their process for ranking graduate programs "involves factors ranging from the personal to the objective. [...] U.S. News is able to present the most current ...
2
votes
3answers
182 views
How important are graduate courses to a successful PhD and beyond?
I am enrolled at a small graduate program in the US. I came here because the PhD advisor I will be working with has a great reputation and because I wanted to work with her. However, the courses I am ...
1
vote
1answer
104 views
Do you think it's possible to pay off student debt during a PhD?
I was recently talking to someone who mentioned that they managed to pay off around $40,000 in debt incurred from their masters program, during their PhD. They said they managed to do this from their ...
4
votes
1answer
191 views
Why does the application portal ask 'To what other programs/universities are you applying?' while applying in US universities? [duplicate]
I am applying for higher studies in US universities. Every time I fill up the online form, there is a section where they asked which other universities or programs I am applying too? Why do they ask ...
2
votes
1answer
418 views
Can my school fire me on the grounds that I have applied to another school?
I'm in the middle of a 4-year Ph.D. program on a full scholarship, in a foreign country. Due to expertise issues, lack of community, and other reasons I have decided that this program is not suitable ...
1
vote
0answers
98 views
Graduate School Admissions (Fall 2021): What are the prospects of an international applicant?
These days I have been seeing a lot of chatter on Gradcafe (forum for grad school applicants to discuss results and admission process) about decline in the percentage of admits being offered to ...
3
votes
2answers
289 views
To what extent should I mention unpleasant undergraduate experience in a graduate school statement of purpose? (pure math)
I have not enjoyed my undergraduate math program, primarily because it is not challenging enough - not enough advanced courses offered, too few research opportunities, classes are just not at the ...
-1
votes
3answers
261 views
Do students get rejected if they did bad on a graduate interview despite having a strong cv? [closed]
Long story short, I did bad in a graduate interview because I was not prepared and I am in a depressive episode but was trying to fight it, I am way better than what I presented myself as, I felt that ...
2
votes
2answers
139 views
Sending a second follow-up email for a potential PhD position
Four weeks ago I contacted the department of the University to ask whether there are PhD positions open. They emailed me some questions I needed to fill in and said that they will review my ...
4
votes
1answer
209 views
What if MS advisor pad his wife's name into my conference and journal publications?
My MS advisor who is a tenured professor in a US school is padding his wife's name into my publication papers. His wife is an PhD candidate from the same department too and she didn't have any ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
What are the possible grants/stipends/scholarships that are available in the Republic of Austria? [closed]
Yesterday I was offered to join Central European University (now situated in Vienna, Austria). The dream came true, and I was invited to get a MPA degree.
CEU Admissions Committee gave me a very ...
3
votes
1answer
293 views
Postdoctoral Catch-22
I graduated with my PhD in January. In my field (biophysics) and country (US), we only have a 1 year time window to apply for fellowships.
However, my advisor is sitting on the paper from my ...
4
votes
2answers
588 views
Are there particular areas of mathematical research that attract universities to consider someone over another?
I thought of my question when considering if I wanted to be a math professor.
Background: Currently I’m an undergraduate studying math with a concentration in computer science, and I am interested in ...
2
votes
2answers
87 views
Where Can I Get Certified Copies of Documents for Master's Applications in the United States
So in a few weeks I will be submitting applications for Master's Programs in Germany. I am a resident of the United States living in Ohio and am required to submit certified copies of my Bachelor's ...
36
votes
11answers
10k views
Professor using student paper as an example of what not to do in class?
So a professor used a grad student's paper (anonymously) as an example of what not to do or what she doesn't want to see in the papers. The student was blindsided as the student wasn't notified that ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
Is it it bad to become a part-time student in my 4th year and do a 5th year in my undergrad if i plan on applying for grad school? [duplicate]
I'm currently a 4th-year student at a university in Ontario, Canada. Due to covid starting last year, I realized I wanted to pursue a master's after my undergrad and planned out the courses I would ...
2
votes
1answer
152 views
Choosing between PhD offers - top supervisor at my current institution or good supervisor at new university [closed]
I have offers for a funded PhD at equally prestigious universities in the same country. One is the university I did my undergrad (and doing my masters) in, with a "rising star" PhD ...
3
votes
1answer
80 views
Completing requirements for PhD programs years after undergraduate degree
A few years ago I received a Bachelor's in Computer Science and I'm planning to return to school as a non-degree student. I'd like to complete prerequisite courses for a PhD program in Mathematics ...
15
votes
3answers
5k views
Realizing no one at my school does quite what I want to do
In short: I'm three years into my Ph.D. program, have learned some things about what I seem to be good at and what not so much, and have realized I don't have as much in common with my advisor's ...
1
vote
0answers
97 views
Professor invited me to do research and I agreed, but now I am not so sure
I was invited by the professor to work with him. His area is outside of my background and I agreed because I was curious and haven't found a research area yet. After beginning to read papers and learn ...
1
vote
0answers
90 views
Need advice on options for strong recommendations to Top CS programs [closed]
I am considering applying to competitive PhD programs this year, but I am not certain who/how to ask for strong recommendation letters. I am not even sure the following experiences will yield strong ...
2
votes
0answers
83 views
Changing Fields for Graduate School
During my undergraduate years I was interested in condensed matter theory and string theory and I was debating which topic to choose for my grad school application. I finally decided to go to string ...
3
votes
3answers
254 views
How to build a better positive image of yourself to your Ph.D. advisor
I am currently a first-year Ph.D. student taking a course sequence with my Ph.D. advisor. The first class of the sequence went really well, however, the second class is not going as well. The most ...
5
votes
1answer
754 views
How do you tell a professor you interviewed with you will be going to a different program?
I had an email exchange and interview with this professor and I feel like I should tell her I've been accepted elsewhere to my first choice program, but writing the words down and getting the tone ...
4
votes
2answers
299 views
Acceptance in PhD Program With Unfortunate Background [duplicate]
So here is my situation: I am applying for a PhD for Fall 2022. Not too long I found ago that my ex boyfriend had used my name online to post all kinds of crap. This includes revenge porn, as well as ...
0
votes
1answer
92 views
Masters to PhD Program [duplicate]
If you have done well in undergrad (i.e one of the top students of the graduating class; physics and mathematics major with highest honors; with exposure to engineering) and have done a masters for 1-...
-2
votes
1answer
241 views
Exploitation of foreign graduate students [closed]
During my time in graduate school I have noticed that many foreign graduate students basically view graduate school as a way to get into the US that wouldn't normally exist.
This creates some ...
0
votes
1answer
160 views
Does a Statement of Purpose really matter for Graduate Admissions in 2021?
I'm International Student applying for technical courses to universities in the UK and the USA, this might seem like a frequently asked question but I'm genuinely curious in knowing whether a ...
0
votes
1answer
108 views
Post Undergraduate Research
I am currently an undergraduate student who has a strong interest in becoming a theoretical physicist. I have applied to 4 physics grad schools this year but it seems that my chances for going to grad ...
1
vote
2answers
217 views
What is my graduation date?
I submitted my Master's thesis last December (2020), and it just been accepted (so in 2021), and the university will probably take many (maybe even 6) months before they actually give me the diploma (...
