Questions tagged [undergraduate]

On providing academic services (such as teaching, advising, and research mentorship) specifically to undergraduates. Questions about undergraduate-specific issues that could not apply to graduate or post-graduate academicians are off-topic here and will be closed and deleted. Questions about coursework, etiquette, and other academic issues that apply to both undergraduate and post-graduate students should not be tagged [undergraduate].

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What to do with my ideas as an undergraduate

Long time lurker first time poster (to this specific Stack Exchange that is). I think its best to start with some context: I am currently an undergraduate student at a fairly decent computer science ...
ElectricMinimum58's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
177 views

Is it okay to have an additional authors for majority of my work in my undergrad thesis?

Background: My undergrad thesis primarily consists of 4 Methods converted into individual chapters (excluding intro, results, conclusion etc.). One chapter dedicates one specific idea. Each chapter is ...
Academic's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
526 views

Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation?

I am an undergraduate in an engineering field in the United States planning to apply to graduate schools, but am struggling to figure out who I should ask for letters of recommendation. Currently I ...
dan_1's user avatar
  • 485
0 votes
1 answer
123 views

Could it hurt my grad school application if I state a secondary research interest in which I have little experience? [closed]

Background: CS Undergrad applying to CS PhD USA. I am interested in this 'X' domain but have not really invested time to do 'research' in it because it is computationally very demanding and I do not ...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
1 vote
0 answers
105 views

A potential undergraduate research guide seems to have stopped replying

I'm taking this (i.e., officially enrolled in) independent research course which functions like any other class necessarily except that it's, well, independent and you can do the work you're assigned ...
Deb Roy's user avatar
  • 11
3 votes
2 answers
157 views

BSc thesis proposal: how detailed is the norm

I'm in my last semester of a computer science BSc and need to write my thesis. Highly competitive environment, apparently it's the norm here that BSc theses should try for a publication. In Europe. I ...
user138229's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
275 views

For an undergrad, which is more important? LoR or publication

I'm an undergrad studying math and CS at a US college. My plan is to go for a PhD in machine learning afterwards. Currently, I have two research experiences under my belt. The first experience has ...
Adam Wilson's user avatar
68 votes
16 answers
23k views

Why did I receive a negative response from a professor when emailing about course content and prerequisites of a course I am considering taking?

I wrote the following email to a professor (I've removed any personal or specific details): Dear Prof. Last name, Hope this email finds you well. I am Name, an undergraduate in the mathematics ...
stoic-santiago's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
119 views

Undergraduate research: confused about my role

I'm a sophomore student studying Mathematics and Computer Science at an US college. Since I'm considering applying for a PhD program after graduation, I've connected with a professor to work under him....
Adam Wilson's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Should one add a "research statement" in their CV

Background: CS Undergrad applying to CS PhD (USA) My CV is 2 pages long. The second page is only half filled. Question: Should I add two short sentences regarding my research interests? (at the end) *...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
0 votes
1 answer
97 views

Importance of domain selection for undergrad applying to a PhD program (USA CS)

Background: CS undergrad applying to CS PhD programs in the USA right after graduation. As an undergrad, I research on (and will be till applications are submitted) broadly on 3 applications of a ...
Academic's user avatar
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4 votes
4 answers
1k views

I am unable to submit online quizzes on time due to technical difficulties, and it is negatively affecting my mental health. Can I get extra time? [closed]

I am an undergrad student taking a chemistry class. We have a 50 minutes quiz every week during the discussion section. The TA usually emails this quiz to us, and while my class is at 1:00 pm, the TA ...
Darina Maurus's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
342 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 ...
wewewe132's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is blogging experience (on medium) relevant on the CV for PhD CS Admissions? (US)

Background: Undergrad applying to PhD CS Programs in the US I had done a blogging internship in my sophomore year and I had written 10 blogs during the tenure. All the articles are relevant to my ...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
0 votes
1 answer
282 views

What do PhD admission officers look for when evaluating an undergraduate thesis? (CS) [closed]

Background: Undergrad CS Student (Junior year) I have a few problem statements in mind for my undergrad thesis. I have 2 semi-novel ideas (extension works) and 1 novel Idea for my undergrad thesis. ...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
1 vote
1 answer
92 views

Do PhD Committees separate applicants based on whether they are a fresh undergrad or have MS/Work experience? (USA)

Does the PhD admit committee look at applicants differently based on the number of years they have invested? Example: Set 1: Undergraduates directly applying Set 2: Master's applicants Set 3: ...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
3 votes
2 answers
628 views

How bad is it to take another year for my undergraduate degree?

Complex analysis (or more particularly contour integrals) is kicking me downhill (again), and I may need to drop it (again). If I do, I would only have to take a single course in my 5th undergraduate ...
SumsArentDumb's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
122 views

Do LOR writers need to be someone who's taught you a class?

Background: (Undergrad applying For PhD in the US) I need to submit 3 LOR's. I have one in mind from my personal university and 2 from other universities (with whom I have done extensive research with)...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
24 votes
5 answers
4k views

How to take notes during lecture properly?

I am struggling with note taking during lectures for a long time. I find that if I only listen to the lecture I am able to understand the concepts properly. But the downside is that I often forget ...
Noob's user avatar
  • 732
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

How correlated are grades in math courses with potential for research?

This is something that has been troubling me for a long while now. I am an undergraduate mathematics major (a sophomore), and I wish to apply to Ph.D. programs in pure mathematics in the future. I'm ...
stoic-santiago's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
631 views

How to deal with advisor writing a thesis chapter for you?

How would you respond if an advisor writes a chapter of your thesis for you and asks you to rewrite what they wrote? Something seems wrong but I can't pinpoint it. It seems like a grey area. What are ...
user135600's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
120 views

Citing papers in Statement of purpose

I am citing papers in Statement of Purpose. I am only using - "first author et al". instead of the recommend cite as per the paper's norms. Would that be okay or should I just use the normal ...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
0 votes
1 answer
328 views

Is it okay to keep my margs as 0.9 inch instead of 1 inch for my SOP [closed]

My SOP is extending the general 2 page limit by exactly 2 lines. Will it be okay if use a 0.9inch margin (all sides) instead of 1inch? I am using an overleaf template so all the other norms are being ...
Academic's user avatar
  • 1,470
1 vote
0 answers
89 views

My referees are in their Ph.D. final year, can they recommend me for Ph.D. Admission? [duplicate]

Please I need orientation on this issue. All my undergraduate lecturers that know much about me are in their Ph.D. final year, but they all have been in the system since 16years ago with MSc degree. ...
Eyinlojuoluwa's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
445 views

Dealing with a huge number of textbooks

As an undergraduate in the field of biology/Chemistry, I've seen plenty of professors recommending at least two textbooks for a mere credit hour of two, each of which comprised of more than 1000 pages....
Amirreza Mousavi's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
340 views

How much will a terrible freshman undergradate year affect academic future?

I wasn't able to attend university during my freshman year due to personal reasons, so I ended up only barely passing 1 class the whole year (didn't even show up for the finals for all the other ...
Pink Bug's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
520 views

How do I find summer projects in math?

I'm a sophomore undergraduate majoring in mathematics, and I'm pretty sure about eventually applying to graduate school in pure math. However, I haven't done much other than coursework so far, and I'm ...
stoic-santiago's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
377 views

Uploading of projects and theses

I’m an undergraduate currently working on a project with my supervisor. As far as I know, my supervisor is generally reluctant to publish (that includes the university database). I suspect this will ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
152 views

Urgent help to decide on degree choice [closed]

I would really appreciate it if someone could help me!!! Aptitude and background I am from the UK, and for A-levels, I am studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry, and I am predicted ...
Cay's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
3 answers
228 views

How to obtain US Bachelor degree based on my old university credentials?

I learned a math course in a Russian university many years ago. For silly discrimination and other silly reasons I didn't finish it and didn't receive any diploma. Recently (2020 Oct 27) I have ...
porton's user avatar
  • 2,029
2 votes
0 answers
240 views

Should I drop out of the IB Diploma Program if I am about to graduate with an associate's degree? [closed]

I'm a junior in high school who goes to an IB (International Baccalaureate) school in the US. I also have been taking enough community college classes to graduate with an AA in Computer Science before ...
Matthew Lin's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
1k views

Having just started a Master's in Economics degree I am feeling ambivalent, how do I change paths?

This question is from a young person who feels a bit lost and who would like some career advice—and possibly some encouragement, too. I will try to be as concise as possible and get straight to the ...
ahmaquindi's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
243 views

Should you go for computer science if you aren’t interested in it? [closed]

I am from India and am preparing for the JEE exam for admission to engineering colleges in India. I am very much interested in physics, chemistry, biology, and maths. I am not interested much in ...
Srijan's user avatar
  • 121
26 votes
9 answers
7k views

Curving grades without creating competition among students

I've recently taken a new position within a math department at a large university. The department has an official policy that in most lower-level undergraduate classes (let's say anything in the ...
Jared's user avatar
  • 689
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Do I have to cite sources for my opinion when it was formed by reading other people's opinions? (undergraduate)

So I'm new to university and have written like 5 papers in my life, please help! So basically the scenario is, I have a paper about a certain topic which I know nothing about. So I do some research on ...
ba_tog's user avatar
  • 43
0 votes
1 answer
128 views

Guide for Undergraduate Research (trying to find a PDF document) [closed]

Some time ago, a friend showed to me a 3-4 page guide for undergraduate research, which was really good. However, now I am not able to find it online anymore (and do not know anymore, who showed me ...
William's user avatar
  • 773
38 votes
11 answers
6k views

How can I improve undergraduate students' writing skills?

The fact: my students write badly. The source of the problem is, most likely, low quality primary and secondary education, with little emphasis on essays. Long term solutions are beyond the scope of ...
luchonacho's user avatar
  • 2,270
28 votes
11 answers
11k views

How can I deal with a professor with an all-or-nothing grading habit?

In the exams for the course I am taking, all questions are full credit or zero. Specifically, each exam has only 3 questions (approximately 30 points each). The professor only looks at the result. So, ...
Nabla's user avatar
  • 431
-1 votes
1 answer
210 views

Is reading machine learning theory only good for academia? [closed]

I am a computer science student with about one semester left before graduation. Currently, I have some free time — about a month before the final semester begins. I am interested in artificial ...
calveeen's user avatar
  • 107
4 votes
1 answer
343 views

Our final exam has us work in pairs. I am struggling with personal issues and worried about being able to pull my weight. Should I ask to work alone?

I am an undergrad about to graduate this month. I've been dealing with post-traumatic stress and severe depression for almost two years now. This time of year is especially difficult for me due to ...
a-pile-of-cookies's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
165 views

How feasible is it to go back to BS to get a second degree?

I assume it varies from institution to institution, but out of curiosity. If a person graduates, from say computer science, and he wants to go back to his institution after a couple of years of ...
Makogan's user avatar
  • 1,140
2 votes
3 answers
471 views

Is it normal to have grad student instructors for upper division classes?

I'm almost done with my undergraduate degree (B.S. in a physical science) and, looking back, a good portion of my upper division major classes have been taught by grad students. Is this normal? I hope ...
catcookies's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
169 views

How to motivate students to take a "gauge" test that helps us with statistics but does not contribute to their grade?

I am TA-ing for a college class of general physics with currently ~60 enrolled students. We initially (at the beginning of each semester) give them the FCI test ("force concept inventory") ...
user16320's user avatar
  • 119
1 vote
2 answers
310 views

What value does one derive by doing research as an undergrad vs spending that time in coursework/projects

For background, I'm currently enrolled in the honors college for both my majors (CS and Econ) in my university. Honors for each major means that I have to take 1-2 courses per major where the only ...
user760900's user avatar
  • 1,567
-1 votes
1 answer
200 views

Grades in online semester [closed]

Given these times, many universities are having classes and exams online. There are several loopholes and drawbacks to this system, especially if trying to replicate the traditional system. For ...
Iceberry's user avatar
  • 225
0 votes
1 answer
259 views

Undergraduate 3rd year - Advice needed Physics Major [closed]

I needed some help/advice. Would be really grateful, appreciate any advice or information. I am a Math Major at Dickinson College. I am also taking lots of courses in Physics and Philosophy. At this ...
Binam Poudyal's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
215 views

Is there such thing as a person who books guest lectures?

I'm a professional photographer. I have done numerous lectures at colleges and high schools about photography and photo assisting. This has always been for ex-professors or peers that have become ...
Jesse's user avatar
  • 29
1 vote
1 answer
43 views

will a lab feel deterred from hiring me if my undergrad thesis is in a different subfield?

i've interned at the same lab for two summers, and they highly encouraged me to apply for a research assistant position in the spring. however, i am concerned that they will not hire me based on my ...
user131185's user avatar
33 votes
10 answers
8k views

How should I request a professor to restrict communication to email?

My instructor for an undergraduate math course (a professor) has been interacting with me over WhatsApp lately, and I feel that that is very unprofessional (and uncomfortable), since I (and everyone) ...
stoic-santiago's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

To what extent do grades matter when applying to graduate school in mathematics? [duplicate]

I understand that applying to competitive pure math PhD programs in mathematics in the US/UK definitely requires good grades (A or above) in most math courses - but I'm wondering how bad is it if I ...
stoic-santiago's user avatar

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