Hello fellow TL netizens. I'm Zaranth, and I'm going to be sharing my graduate school know-how with you.
I'd like to note that this blog pertains mostly to those looking for a PhD in biology in the United States. I'm not sure how the processes work for the other science disciplines (chemistry, physics, etc), though I would think they are pretty similar. I have no idea what the process is like for liberal arts majors.
I'll be posting a series of blogs covering the different aspects of graduate school. Although this blog series will contain mostly my experiences, I'll also talk about some experiences of my fellow students. The series will consist of the following topics: Preparing for Grad School, Applying for Grad School, Interviewing for Grad School, Surviving Grad School, and After Grad School. I hope you enjoy, and I look forward to feedback and questions! Thanks!
You're going to learn a lot about something very specific. You will expand knowledge, but no one else will understand what you are saying. In fact, you might spend five or six years doing research on a topic that only a handful of people really understand or care about. You'll belong to a select group of individuals. Once you've obtained those three letters after your name, there are a lot of options. The most popular ones include continuing on in academics or getting a job in industry. Staying in academics means you will have to do at least one post-doctorate stint (another 3-4 years) before you can think about applying for a faculty position at a university. Please consider this - if you're graduating college now, and you're 23, that means by the time you can get your first faculty position you'll be 32 or 33 years old. If you go into industry, you'll be placed in a higher position, probably like a manager, and get a better salary than you would without a PhD. There are many other avenues to follow after getting a PhD, but those are the main two. I want to point out that it is a very competitive market out there for PhDs. There is actually a glut of us graduating and looking for jobs, and there are not enough (this is not entirely due to the current state of the economy, by the way). Think about that when making your decision - how many years are you willing to put into this career choice, and how hard are you willing to work to get a job when it's all over?
Mixing colored liquids together to make more colored liquids that create smoke (although it should be more like this ... much more fun that way)
Preparing for Grad School - what to do while still in undergrad
First, let me give you my background. I went to Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, and got my B.S. in Genetics. While I was at Purdue, I worked in a lab for two summers and three academic years. I participated in the Women in Science program, but no other official organizations. I was in the marching band for my first semester but then I wised up and quit (just like Neil Armstrong). I was a member of the Purdue swing dance club after that, which was AWESOME. Gentlemen - if you are having a hard time meeting the ladies, JOIN A DANCE CLUB! Not only will you meet chicks, you'll also learn that you have hips, and if you stick with it you'll become swauve. Anyway, I came to the University of Massachusetts Medical School for grad school, and I'm now beginning my 6th year. My research focuses on the transcriptional regulation of the Cystic Fibrosis gene. I hope to graduate next year (2013).
Ok, now for the first question: What do I do as an undergraduate to prepare for graduate school?
Classes and Grades
As far as classes go, the majority of your courses should be biology courses (duh). However, I highly recommend taking at least one programming course. This was not a requirement for me, and I never took one, and now I regret that. A lot of biology data that is generated these days is high throughput, which means that you need a computer to help you analyze results. Even basic programming knowledge is extremely helpful. If you can swing it, learn at least one programming language as an undergrad, and have some understanding of writing programs. I would suggest learning a language like Perl, C++/C, Java/Javascript, Python, R, or Shell [e/n: Shell is a generic term encompassing a bunch of different scripting languages]. Once you know the syntax of one language, it's pretty easy to pick up another.
Get good grades. If you want to get accepted into graduate programs, you're going to need A's and B's in your biology courses, and A's and B's in your other science courses, such as chemistry and physics. I personally got C's in calc and physics, but I got A's and B's in everything else so my GPA was good (3.27/4.0). I also had semester honors twice. I think my GPA was on the low end of acceptable for graduate school, but they take other things into account as well.
Research / Experience
This should be a big part of your collegiate experience. As early as you can manage, try to get a position in a lab. If your school is a big research university, there should be plenty of opportunities. Talk to your guidance counselor and they should point you in the right direction. Alternatively, check out your school's website. All the professors and their research summaries should be present. Pick one or two that sound interesting, and send the professor an e-mail. Ask if they have room in their lab for you, explain why you want to work there, and be patient. If you don't get a response within a week, send them a polite reminder e-mail, including all the information from your first e-mail. Professors are super busy, and they are probably not ignoring you, they just forgot. If the reminder e-mail doesn't work, you could try to stop by their office and talk to them face to face, or contact another professor. Often you can coordinate this through your school's administrative office or your counselor.
During the summer, you should get an internship if possible. I was able to get funding through the Howard Hughes Medical Institution to continue my lab work throughout the summer for two summers in a row. The third summer, I was able to get an internship working at a company that made 3D movies of cellular processes.
Experience is key. I believe that my lab experience tipped the scales during my grad school application process. If I would have had less experience, I don't know that I would have gotten as many interviews … but more on that in the next blog! Here's a word of caution: During your experiences, think critically about how you feel when you're in the lab vs. not in the lab. Are you excited to go to the lab? Every day? Even after two years? Are you good with your hands? Are you producing results or just showing up? If you continue to be excited about lab work after a few years, and if you are producing good results, grad school looks good. If you whine and complain about going to lab, and you are doing only what it takes to get by, then grad school is not for you. Trust me.
Popular Question: Does it matter what research I do as an undergrad? Example: if I think I want to do cancer research as a career, should I only work in a lab that does cancer research?
Answer: Nope! It actually doesn't matter at all what kind of research you do as an undergraduate. The point is that you are actively doing it. I know a classmate who did research on potatoes. I did research on actin dynamics during corn fertilization. Now I do research on a human disease gene. Whatever you can do in undergrad, do it. The point is that you can hold a pipette and accurately measure stuff. Your grad school lab will teach you all the rest.
I thought that I wanted to do cancer research. When I started doing lab rotations, I discovered that I was really more interested in gene function and expression. Don't limit yourself - do what sounds cool!
Clubs / Extracurriculars
As I stated earlier, I was in the Women in Science club at Purdue. I didn't do any other biology-related clubs, or any other official organizations (fraternity, etc). A graduate school will look at these activities, but unless you were the president of the Biology Club or something like that, it doesn't matter that much. If you're passionate about a particular hobby, go be in that club. Do the best you can in the place you are the happiest. The graduate school wants to see that you are not a crazy person, that you have hobbies and enjoy them, and that's about it.
What if I've already graduated and have worked for a few years in a traditional job?
Many of my classmates did not come to graduate school immediately after undergrad. Instead, they got jobs elsewhere, in industry, for a few years before they decided on grad school. For some, this was financial, and for others, it was just their next career choice. Let me explain this a little. From what I understand, one can only progress so far in industry without a PhD. Therefore, to get a high-level position within a company, a PhD is pretty much required. Also, some people find out they hate what they are doing and want to change it up. Graduate schools don't discriminate - in fact, having that extra experience is actually a benefit. If you worked as a technician for a few years, chances are you have a good grasp of lab life and culture, and you know your way around the lab bench. Don't hesitate to apply to graduate school. You'll still have to go through the same application process as an undergraduate, though, and that will be covered in the next posting.
Books
I can recommend two general books about genetics that I have read. They are "Genome" by Matt Ridley and "Abraham Lincoln's DNA" by Philip R. Reilly. These are not textbooks, but they cover some interesting and cool stories about genetics. Feel free to give them a read!
Know-how is ever-growing I'm not into the hard sciences but this was still very interesting and informative, and I look forward to the next installments ^^
Its great to see a knowhow relevant for me! Not sure if Biology is my choice (I'm looking into astrobiology...so double major in molecular/cellular bio + astronomy for my undergrad, so there's actual masters programs for it in a few different schools), but the knowledge is still extremely relevant
It outlines sort of the politics and darker side of science that most of us are not familiar with. Stuff like professors taking credit for years of graduate student work, bitter rivalries, and human beings as human beings no matter their noble professions. One of the post-docs I worked with in undergrad emphasized finding a good and friendly group over a notable professor with a bad attitude.
On September 10 2012 15:29 shindigs wrote: Great write up, I was interested in doing a science PhD as well but decided against it after some consideration.
It outlines sort of the politics and darker side of science that most of us are not familiar with. Stuff like professors taking credit for years of graduate student work, bitter rivalries, and human beings as human beings no matter their noble professions. One of the post-docs I worked with in undergrad emphasized finding a good and friendly group over a notable professor with a bad attitude.
Yea people don't know but some of the drama that goes on in academic departments is on the level of reality TV....shit just got an idea for a show...
This is an awesome write-up! Thanks for taking the time to flesh this all out
While a lot of this is geared towards biology in particular (as expected), I found a lot of it also applicable towards most other graduate studies, especially parts like "What Grad School Is" and "What do I do as an undergraduate to prepare for graduate school?" and "Experience is key."
Great article ^^ Bit late for me, I just finished my Master's degree a few months ago, and just started PhD work.
One thing that I want to highlight for everyone is one of the points made above: PhD work is self-motivated. I can't stress that enough. As someone who is problem-solving driven, this aspect of grad school drives me mad. Your advisor will often provide very little direction, and still expect something out of you at some point. This is something you need to seriously consider before signing up for however many years of grad school you agree to.
And I'd love to hear Zaranth chime in on that. So far, that's been the most difficult part of grad school for me, and I'd appreciate some guidance on that.
On September 10 2012 21:31 ghost_403 wrote: Great article ^^ Bit late for me, I just finished my Master's degree a few months ago, and just started PhD work.
One thing that I want to highlight for everyone is one of the points made above: PhD work is self-motivated. I can't stress that enough. As someone who is problem-solving driven, this aspect of grad school drives me mad. Your advisor will often provide very little direction, and still expect something out of you at some point. This is something you need to seriously consider before signing up for however many years of grad school you agree to.
And I'd love to hear Zaranth chime in on that. So far, that's been the most difficult part of grad school for me, and I'd appreciate some guidance on that.
You're right, ghost. You have to have a good amount of self-motivation. I don't have a boss that comes in the lab to "check up" on us (in reality, making sure we are working the required amount). I count myself lucky in that regard, but I could easily decide to not show up in lab one day out of 5, and my professor wouldn't notice. I end up feeling a lot of guilt if I'm not in the lab working, so I don't give in to that temptation. Some people need a professor that checks in with them daily in order to keep motivated.
If you're feeling like it's hard to keep your motivation high, I would suggest a few things. One is setting weekly meetings with your professor, if possible. Another is to keep a daily calendar of what you want to accomplish. I have a white board with the days of the week on it, and I fill in the whole week Monday morning, so I know what I am doing on each day. I erase things as they are finished, so I also get a sense of accomplishment, even if the thing to finish was "cell culture." Experiments take a long time to complete, and it can feel like you're just going in circles. It can be helpful to take a step back from the mundane experiments and remind yourself of why you are in grad school, and what you hope to accomplish.
I hope that was helpful. If you'd like more ideas, maybe give us a few more details about your lab and project for more specific feedback. Good luck!
Its great that you're writing this up! I would have liked to have this resource like 5 years ago. If there is anything more important than anything in getting a PhD I would say it is choosing the right lab. Funding, tenured or tenure track(?), quality of lab mates (bitchy? cliqueish? nice?), management style of PI, etc. Deserves a full article imo.
On September 11 2012 04:34 ZeaL. wrote: Its great that you're writing this up! I would have liked to have this resource like 5 years ago. If there is anything more important than anything in getting a PhD I would say it is choosing the right lab. Funding, tenured or tenure track(?), quality of lab mates (bitchy? cliqueish? nice?), management style of PI, etc. Deserves a full article imo.
It will come! Future articles include application process, interviews, surviving grad school, and possible careers after grad school. If there's anything you think should be highlighted, let me know and I'll be sure to include it.
On September 10 2012 15:29 shindigs wrote: Great write up, I was interested in doing a science PhD as well but decided against it after some consideration.
It outlines sort of the politics and darker side of science that most of us are not familiar with. Stuff like professors taking credit for years of graduate student work, bitter rivalries, and human beings as human beings no matter their noble professions. One of the post-docs I worked with in undergrad emphasized finding a good and friendly group over a notable professor with a bad attitude.
Yea people don't know but some of the drama that goes on in academic departments is on the level of reality TV....shit just got an idea for a show...
Eh. I think it's pretty obvious that there will be drama no matter where you go. To think otherwise is pretty naive. Nothing changes; not from high school, to university, to academia. If there is competition, there will be drama.
Also, hi from another UMass system doc student! You said you're sixth year so I'm guessing at this point you're an ABD?
No mentioning on PHD comics? That's what make our grad life more tolerable!
I'm a Chemistry grad student in second years at Texas A&M and I really like your post. I am quite lucky as well that our boss is not pushing me everyday, only having progress report meeting once a week (that's what we call lucky in Organic Chemistry ) and literature meeting twice a month.
On September 10 2012 15:29 shindigs wrote: Great write up, I was interested in doing a science PhD as well but decided against it after some consideration.
It outlines sort of the politics and darker side of science that most of us are not familiar with. Stuff like professors taking credit for years of graduate student work, bitter rivalries, and human beings as human beings no matter their noble professions. One of the post-docs I worked with in undergrad emphasized finding a good and friendly group over a notable professor with a bad attitude.
Well, we kinda know that our work will be mostly in our professor name. You don't really see Nobel laureates accepting their prizes with their graduate students, do you We just think that getting a Ph.D and having a name in a good publication is more important. And if you really do the work and come up with the idea, you should get the credit as much as your professor (as long as you have proofs that you come up with the idea).
PS. Writing TL know how is kinda a great way for procrastination
EDIT: Oh one thing about programming. I think everyone who wants to go to grad school should learn the basics of Linux because most, if not all, supercomputers use Linux based system. Knowing how to use Linux shell will come in very handy. Also, get a Mac if you wants to go to a grad school and knows that at some point you need to do computational stuffs. Mac is UNIX based system, which Linux also is. So a Mac can pretty much do almost everything Linux can (but with less stability with a trade off of more GUI). Cygwin/CygwinX can do that for Windows, but it still a pain to use.
Nice article! I thought about grad school in biology before settling on med school (which is where I am now). But I was wondering: what drove you to choose a PhD program at a medical school? Are there any differences between programs at a med school vs. a regular university, aside from med schools doing primarily human disease-related research?
While I'm definitely not planning to go into science, I can definitely appreciate the massive amount of work and dedication one needs to get a phd in a field like that.
Glad to see the TL Knowhow field expanding , especially with more 'different' fields
Hard work High highs and low lows Flexible (usually) self-motivated
You should probably come to visit. If I am won't be enough for you, I will get you in touch with some grad students and show you the "hard work"
I am of the opinion, that the entire ideology of our society that you should "work hard", whatever that means, is bullshit. And it is particularly absurd in basic science - because honestly, it does not matter to anyone. It does not make people's lifes better if we publish an article, nobody dependes on that. So why should there even be any stress? I guess that it is made up by people who need to feel that they are doing something important to stay motivated. But they are seriously hurting my happy life with these ideas!
Honestly, the main reason why I am still a grad student is precisaly because it is NOT hard work. If I wanted to work hard, I could do so, at private sector, for 5x the money I am getting now. But I do not want that and thus I am quite happy with where I am. It is also a big part of the reason I choose science that is NOT in the lab - because lab people are usually under much more stress, because they have to work under time constraints on expensice equipement. My work, on the other hand, takes place on my computer, or somewhere in the fields of Argentina, if I am lucky sometimes.
In much the same way I find it absurd that some people think that we should go to "work" (meaning our offices) at set times of the day and sit there and work. Again, if I wanted such enviroment, I could be happily employed in a company. But considering that most of the time, it is really only my laptop I need to work, I work when and where I want - from home, from the park, whatever ... Luckily I work in an enviroment where nobody really wants me to to "sit out" the hours, but only to show some results once in a while. On the other hand, it actually requires a lot of cooperation from the management of the institution, because the local regulations (that are supposed to HELP the working class...) make that actually quite difficult to do legally.
On September 11 2012 10:58 subV wrote: Nice article! I thought about grad school in biology before settling on med school (which is where I am now). But I was wondering: what drove you to choose a PhD program at a medical school? Are there any differences between programs at a med school vs. a regular university, aside from med schools doing primarily human disease-related research?
hey subV! I chose my school based on the programs they offered and the opportunities for research. Honestly, I didn't really care that the program was a medical school. The school had money, young faculty, energetic grad students, and a great atmosphere. That's why I chose it. One thing to note is that there are no undergrads at the medical school, so there are limited changes for TAing experience. This can be good or bad - you are not required to TA classes, and then again you don't get the experience of teaching.
In my experience, there is a lot of basic science research that happens at medical schools. Yes, there is translational and clinical research, but there is definitely basic science research. One of the coolest research labs here studies the migratory patterns of Monarch butterflies. They take the butterflies and attach them gently to a stick. They fly but don't move forward. They can turn side to side. Then the researchers play with the magnetic field and sunlight angles to see how the butterfly responds. In this way they figured our how the butterflies migrate, and what they do when they can't see the sun. Check out http://reppertlab.org/ for more info.
OP I remember you from your previous blog, which played a role in shaping my decision to not follow the same route. Thanks a lot for that blog.
Of course I've also been working as an RA for some time and being able to understand PHD comics after that, which was really the most depressing kind of joke ever.
Hard work High highs and low lows Flexible (usually) self-motivated
You should probably come to visit. If I am won't be enough for you, I will get you in touch with some grad students and show you the "hard work"
I am of the opinion, that the entire ideology of our society that you should "work hard", whatever that means, is bullshit. And it is particularly absurd in basic science - because honestly, it does not matter to anyone. It does not make people's lifes better if we publish an article, nobody dependes on that. So why should there even be any stress? I guess that it is made up by people who need to feel that they are doing something important to stay motivated. But they are seriously hurting my happy life with these ideas!
Honestly, the main reason why I am still a grad student is precisaly because it is NOT hard work. If I wanted to work hard, I could do so, at private sector, for 5x the money I am getting now. But I do not want that and thus I am quite happy with where I am. It is also a big part of the reason I choose science that is NOT in the lab - because lab people are usually under much more stress, because they have to work under time constraints on expensice equipement. My work, on the other hand, takes place on my computer, or somewhere in the fields of Argentina, if I am lucky sometimes.
In much the same way I find it absurd that some people think that we should go to "work" (meaning our offices) at set times of the day and sit there and work. Again, if I wanted such enviroment, I could be happily employed in a company. But considering that most of the time, it is really only my laptop I need to work, I work when and where I want - from home, from the park, whatever ... Luckily I work in an enviroment where nobody really wants me to to "sit out" the hours, but only to show some results once in a while. On the other hand, it actually requires a lot of cooperation from the management of the institution, because the local regulations (that are supposed to HELP the working class...) make that actually quite difficult to do legally.
So what's the magic field you're in?
Edit: Wait, GPA 4 is 90? So you're expected to get high 80's? Holy shit..
And I watched the second video before. The comparison with Hitler is uncanny... haha
Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
On September 12 2012 03:01 wei2coolman wrote: Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
In the US, they pay you to get a PhD. You will complete Med school in 4 years, and be in debt like crazy. You'll complete a PhD in 6-7 years, and get paid to do it.
The current salary for PhD's at UMass is close to $30,000/year, because Boston has such a high cost of living. In other parts of the country, PhDs can make as low as $17,000/year.
Do you also know there are MD/PhD programs, where you can get both degrees in 6 years or so? I don't know how the cost works for those, though.
On September 12 2012 03:01 wei2coolman wrote: Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
In the US, they pay you to get a PhD. You will complete Med school in 4 years, and be in debt like crazy. You'll complete a PhD in 6-7 years, and get paid to do it.
The current salary for PhD's at UMass is close to $30,000/year, because Boston has such a high cost of living. In other parts of the country, PhDs can make as low as $17,000/year.
Do you also know there are MD/PhD programs, where you can get both degrees in 6 years or so? I don't know how the cost works for those, though.
I'm not too interested in the MD/PhD combos, the PhD offered in those combos are more medically relevant. If I do want to do a PhD it'd be more for going more in depth into a pure academia. I knew PhD students got paid, but I never really knew how much. So it looks like you'd be skating by for those 6 years or so years.
On September 12 2012 03:01 wei2coolman wrote: Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
In the US, they pay you to get a PhD. You will complete Med school in 4 years, and be in debt like crazy. You'll complete a PhD in 6-7 years, and get paid to do it.
The current salary for PhD's at UMass is close to $30,000/year, because Boston has such a high cost of living. In other parts of the country, PhDs can make as low as $17,000/year.
Do you also know there are MD/PhD programs, where you can get both degrees in 6 years or so? I don't know how the cost works for those, though.
I'm only getting $15,000 a year for mine, but I live in rural south carolina and living expense is really low... so it doesn't really matter all that much.
As to the question earlier about self-motivation, in my experience it depends a lot upon your adviser as well. In my department, some of the professors will check in with their students daily making sure they are making progress or doing some work. There are other professors who hardly meet with their students and let them do their own thing. Personally, my adviser meets with once a week and we keep a set pace of work.
The biggest issue I've had with grad school so far is just finding a project. I am technically on a funded project at the moment, but the equipment we bought was supposed to come in last March and as of last estimate it might be here by March of next year. We've had delay after delay after delay and it is starting to get really annoying and is keeping me on edge because I have no absolutely no data after a year of grad school.
On September 12 2012 03:01 wei2coolman wrote: Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
In the US, they pay you to get a PhD. You will complete Med school in 4 years, and be in debt like crazy. You'll complete a PhD in 6-7 years, and get paid to do it.
The current salary for PhD's at UMass is close to $30,000/year, because Boston has such a high cost of living. In other parts of the country, PhDs can make as low as $17,000/year.
Do you also know there are MD/PhD programs, where you can get both degrees in 6 years or so? I don't know how the cost works for those, though.
I'm only getting $15,000 a year for mine, but I live in rural south carolina and living expense is really low... so it doesn't really matter all that much.
As to the question earlier about self-motivation, in my experience it depends a lot upon your adviser as well. In my department, some of the professors will check in with their students daily making sure they are making progress or doing some work. There are other professors who hardly meet with their students and let them do their own thing. Personally, my adviser meets with once a week and we keep a set pace of work.
The biggest issue I've had with grad school so far is just finding a project. I am technically on a funded project at the moment, but the equipment we bought was supposed to come in last March and as of last estimate it might be here by March of next year. We've had delay after delay after delay and it is starting to get really annoying and is keeping me on edge because I have no absolutely no data after a year of grad school.
It's stupid how often this happens, my friend is doing undergrad lab work with a grad student, long story short, pretty much same shit happened.
On September 12 2012 03:01 wei2coolman wrote: Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
In the US, they pay you to get a PhD. You will complete Med school in 4 years, and be in debt like crazy. You'll complete a PhD in 6-7 years, and get paid to do it.
The current salary for PhD's at UMass is close to $30,000/year, because Boston has such a high cost of living. In other parts of the country, PhDs can make as low as $17,000/year.
Do you also know there are MD/PhD programs, where you can get both degrees in 6 years or so? I don't know how the cost works for those, though.
Zarnath: I'm a bit confused about some different things you've said. You said you're at UMass Medical but then you mention the high cost of living in Boston? UMass Medical is out in Worcester which isn't even in the I-95 belt. Outside of the I-95 belt, living expenses are significantly lower.
For a PhD outside of the UMass Medical system but still within UMass, it typically ranges from 15k to 19k depending on what tier you're in.
On September 12 2012 03:01 wei2coolman wrote: Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
In the US, they pay you to get a PhD. You will complete Med school in 4 years, and be in debt like crazy. You'll complete a PhD in 6-7 years, and get paid to do it.
The current salary for PhD's at UMass is close to $30,000/year, because Boston has such a high cost of living. In other parts of the country, PhDs can make as low as $17,000/year.
Do you also know there are MD/PhD programs, where you can get both degrees in 6 years or so? I don't know how the cost works for those, though.
Zarnath: I'm a bit confused about some different things you've said. You said you're at UMass Medical but then you mention the high cost of living in Boston? UMass Medical is out in Worcester which isn't even in the I-95 belt. Outside of the I-95 belt, living expenses are significantly lower.
For a PhD outside of the UMass Medical system but still within UMass, it typically ranges from 15k to 19k depending on what tier you're in.
UMass Medical school is in Worcester, however, the school tries to compete with the graduate programs in Boston. Therefore, they offer a competitive salary compared to those schools.
Since you're studying DNA/genomics, have you possibly read any of Karry Mullis' books? I was thinking about reading them for comical entertainment, but wasn't sure if I should.
Excellent article Zarnath, and actually extermely valuable info at the moment. While i am prefectly happy in my profession, i know someone that is looking to go back to school for a biology degree (well what she really wants is a genetics specialty) as an adult student, but looking at the practical time and money aspects is sort of on the fence about the best way to do it. Motivation and competence not being an issue, but she would be working at least part time through her AS and BS. however it is sort of difficult to find info on if a BS of biology could possibly translate into a real life job, or what sort of work that would be. Also i know that people get stipends for PhD work but how difficult is it to break into a PhD program as a student starting later in life? (think 30-32 at the start of the program). Also would it be possible to find decent work as a simple BS of biology or is a grad degree (MS or PhD) basicly required for industry jobs?
I egarly await your next articles on the subject which i think may cover lots of the questions i just asked, and thank you for taking the time to write this great resource.
On September 12 2012 03:01 wei2coolman wrote: Do you plan on shedding some light on the financial situation when working towards one's PhD? Currently senior Bio major undergrad, not sure if I want to do PhD before applying to med school. Was wondering how costly it would be to get one's PhD~
In the US, they pay you to get a PhD. You will complete Med school in 4 years, and be in debt like crazy. You'll complete a PhD in 6-7 years, and get paid to do it.
I'm pretty sure that most people don't get paid to do their PhD lol. It's more education... you have to pay for it. I wish that I was getting paid to do my PhD o.O
I recognize that there are some ways to get around the costs of professional school though. Some of these include: 1. Working at a place that will help pay for some of your classes if you perform well in them (e.g. some public schools will help pay for your occasional PhD course if you do well) 2. Working at the university you're simultaneously completing your degree in (e.g. as a teaching assistant or part-time professor) 3. Occasionally you might get grant money to fund a research project
But as far as I know, most of the time it's on you, the student. And loans and stuff like that that you're eventually accountable for.
Furthermore, I've found that- per year/ credit/ course/ whatever- PhDs cost more than undergraduate degrees (unless you catch a lucky break again- like being able to get partial funding from your place of business). It may vary by location though.
Nymphaceae - No I have not heard of Karry Mullis. What kind of stuff does she write? I'll put her name on my list of books to check out. Thanks for the suggestion.
Shymon - I love genetics! It's so cool and interesting. I would tell her to go for it! It's always hard to juggle school and a full-time job. It might be wise to start at a community college to get back into the swing of things. A lot of people there would be in a similar situation to your friend. She should be able to get a decent job with a BS in genetics. A lot of intro level positions in industry are prefect for BS degrees. She could probably go on to get a PhD, though it is rare, it's not unheard of for older folks. I have a friend who is almost 40, about to defend and graduate. At the end of the day, she should do something that she loves to do, regardless of age.
DarkPlasmaBall - sorry, I should have been more clear. In the US they do pay you a stipend as a biology PhD student. This money comes from the grant your professor has. I think this is similar for physics and chemistry, though there may be TAing required to obtain the stipend. As far as getting a PhD in anything else, I don't know the cost. What are you getting your degree in?
On September 13 2012 02:50 Zaranth wrote: DarkPlasmaBall - sorry, I should have been more clear. In the US they do pay you a stipend as a biology PhD student. This money comes from the grant your professor has. I think this is similar for physics and chemistry, though there may be TAing required to obtain the stipend. As far as getting a PhD in anything else, I don't know the cost. What are you getting your degree in?
The key to the whole grad school thing isn't listed in your topics:
Why do you want to go to grad school in the first place? What do you reasonably expect to get out of it? Do any careers in academia, industry, science writing/publishing, government policy, consulting, or teaching actually appeal to you? (there's not much else that a PhD in hard science is going to be good for)
AKA before you apply to grad school, make sure you really think about "What the fuck do I want to do with my life again?" If none of the stuff you can do with a PhD sounds interesting to you, then don't get one. You'll find yourself unsatisfied and unmotivated and quickly falling behind. One the other hand, if you're really passionate about it, the rest will come easily.
This is something I didn't do and have regretted. I've always liked science, but never loved it. I chose grad school because it was something I could do and I didn't know what else to do. Don't be lazy like me - think about what the fuck you want to do with your life, or at least what you want to do for the next six years, and then go and do it.
On September 13 2012 02:50 Zaranth wrote: Nymphaceae - No I have not heard of Karry Mullis. What kind of stuff does she write? I'll put her name on my list of books to check out. Thanks for the suggestion.
Shymon - I love genetics! It's so cool and interesting. I would tell her to go for it! It's always hard to juggle school and a full-time job. It might be wise to start at a community college to get back into the swing of things. A lot of people there would be in a similar situation to your friend. She should be able to get a decent job with a BS in genetics. A lot of intro level positions in industry are prefect for BS degrees. She could probably go on to get a PhD, though it is rare, it's not unheard of for older folks. I have a friend who is almost 40, about to defend and graduate. At the end of the day, she should do something that she loves to do, regardless of age.
DarkPlasmaBall - sorry, I should have been more clear. In the US they do pay you a stipend as a biology PhD student. This money comes from the grant your professor has. I think this is similar for physics and chemistry, though there may be TAing required to obtain the stipend. As far as getting a PhD in anything else, I don't know the cost. What are you getting your degree in?
You haven't heard of Karry Mullis, and you're a bio major? Karry Mullis was a crazy guy, who saw some glow in the dark raccoon one night in the woods. This raccoon greeted him at his door, and told him how to do PCR. Then he won the nobel prize for PCR. He's pretty interesting, but extremely crazy. I wouldn't want to share a lab with him lol.
I knew a girl who graduated in polymer engineering when she was 19, and got her phd when she was 22-23. She had lots of extra credits coming into college though.
You can do certain phd programs in about 6 years, if you skipped out of some courses from high school. I know pharmacy school you can do in 7 years, without skipping out of any courses. You can probably also do this with optometry/dental school too, but most of the time the people fall into the field, because they couldn't get into med school.
When you need to detect mutations! When you need to need to find out who the daddy is! When you need to solve some crime!
Oh, my goodness! I have never seen this, but this is hilarious. Don't forget about the pyrosequencing videos too! I ordered one of Karry Mullis' book for .01 off amazon used today. I was shocked to find out that he's like half nude on the cover for his book "Dancing Naked in the Mind Field." It seems interesting for the short things that I've read, and he has some pretty crazy thoughts about things like how HIV doesn't cause AIDS.
I'm actually pretty glad I didn't go for a PhD. I went to a highly ranked liberal arts college for my undergrad in Biology, and I have a lot of friends that went on to do PhD's in biology and chemistry. A lot of them seem to be regretting this choice. Academia is increasingly difficult as funding dries up due to budget shortfalls, and this creates a lot of stress. Furthermore, as the comic in OP illustrated, you focus really really specifically on something. What if you focus poorly? What if what you are studying turns out not to be that interesting/relevant? A lot of my friends report feeling like they are wasting their time, that they are less happy with their lives since starting their PhD, and that they feel their prospects are a lot weaker than when they began.
I went straight to industry, and while I'm not in a senior position yet, at 4 years in I've been getting paid pretty well (instead of accruing debt), I'm learning a lot, and I'm working at an exciting company with a lot of potential in the future. I feel like unless you are very passionate about a small sector of the field, incredibly talented, and really driven to work in academia or start a company based on your PhD research, a PhD is the wrong choice in this day and age. Just my $.02
On September 15 2012 06:53 Rho_ wrote: I'm actually pretty glad I didn't go for a PhD. I went to a highly ranked liberal arts college for my undergrad in Biology, and I have a lot of friends that went on to do PhD's in biology and chemistry. A lot of them seem to be regretting this choice. Academia is increasingly difficult as funding dries up due to budget shortfalls, and this creates a lot of stress. Furthermore, as the comic in OP illustrated, you focus really really specifically on something. What if you focus poorly? What if what you are studying turns out not to be that interesting/relevant? A lot of my friends report feeling like they are wasting their time, that they are less happy with their lives since starting their PhD, and that they feel their prospects are a lot weaker than when they began.
I went straight to industry, and while I'm not in a senior position yet, at 4 years in I've been getting paid pretty well (instead of accruing debt), I'm learning a lot, and I'm working at an exciting company with a lot of potential in the future. I feel like unless you are very passionate about a small sector of the field, incredibly talented, and really driven to work in academia or start a company based on your PhD research, a PhD is the wrong choice in this day and age. Just my $.02
You get a phd for the education. Why else go to school?
What I thought was interesting when it comes to politics and grad school was the fact that for the student essay for the major conference traveling award is on if the president of the US was in an elevator with you how would you justify funding for your science to him. This is probably mostly due to recent attack on my discipline (anthropology) by political figures such as the governor of Florida who famously said "we don't need more anthropologists"/
Side note tonight was the party for 1st year grad students and im drunk as fuck.
On September 15 2012 06:53 Rho_ wrote: I'm actually pretty glad I didn't go for a PhD. I went to a highly ranked liberal arts college for my undergrad in Biology, and I have a lot of friends that went on to do PhD's in biology and chemistry. A lot of them seem to be regretting this choice. Academia is increasingly difficult as funding dries up due to budget shortfalls, and this creates a lot of stress. Furthermore, as the comic in OP illustrated, you focus really really specifically on something. What if you focus poorly? What if what you are studying turns out not to be that interesting/relevant? A lot of my friends report feeling like they are wasting their time, that they are less happy with their lives since starting their PhD, and that they feel their prospects are a lot weaker than when they began.
I went straight to industry, and while I'm not in a senior position yet, at 4 years in I've been getting paid pretty well (instead of accruing debt), I'm learning a lot, and I'm working at an exciting company with a lot of potential in the future. I feel like unless you are very passionate about a small sector of the field, incredibly talented, and really driven to work in academia or start a company based on your PhD research, a PhD is the wrong choice in this day and age. Just my $.02
We all owe a lot to all the passionate academics wth are you talking about
Edit: of course I know where you're coming from but I don't agree with your conclusion.
On September 15 2012 06:53 Rho_ wrote: I'm actually pretty glad I didn't go for a PhD. I went to a highly ranked liberal arts college for my undergrad in Biology, and I have a lot of friends that went on to do PhD's in biology and chemistry. A lot of them seem to be regretting this choice. Academia is increasingly difficult as funding dries up due to budget shortfalls, and this creates a lot of stress. Furthermore, as the comic in OP illustrated, you focus really really specifically on something. What if you focus poorly? What if what you are studying turns out not to be that interesting/relevant? A lot of my friends report feeling like they are wasting their time, that they are less happy with their lives since starting their PhD, and that they feel their prospects are a lot weaker than when they began.
I went straight to industry, and while I'm not in a senior position yet, at 4 years in I've been getting paid pretty well (instead of accruing debt), I'm learning a lot, and I'm working at an exciting company with a lot of potential in the future. I feel like unless you are very passionate about a small sector of the field, incredibly talented, and really driven to work in academia or start a company based on your PhD research, a PhD is the wrong choice in this day and age. Just my $.02
We all owe a lot to all the passionate academics wth are you talking about
Edit: of course I know where you're coming from but I don't agree with your conclusion.
I'm coming from the position of being on the fence about pursuing a PhD when I finished my undergraduate degree, and being glad that I took the path that I did, and not the path my friends took. For me, personally, there wasn't a specific part of biology I wanted to focus on. Furthermore, I wanted to get out and experience life and eventually start a family. Let me be clear: I do not think that PhD is a bad thing. Not at all. I love research, and I think that passionate and talented people should pursue advanced degrees and study what they love. However, it is a choice that some people make when they're not suited for that kind of life/career. Academia is becoming an increasingly difficult environment because funding is drying up. This is really shitty, and I wish it wasn't this way, but it is a fact of life. My point is this: before you go for a PhD, check yourself or you'll wreck yourself.
On September 15 2012 06:53 Rho_ wrote: I'm actually pretty glad I didn't go for a PhD. I went to a highly ranked liberal arts college for my undergrad in Biology, and I have a lot of friends that went on to do PhD's in biology and chemistry. A lot of them seem to be regretting this choice. Academia is increasingly difficult as funding dries up due to budget shortfalls, and this creates a lot of stress. Furthermore, as the comic in OP illustrated, you focus really really specifically on something. What if you focus poorly? What if what you are studying turns out not to be that interesting/relevant? A lot of my friends report feeling like they are wasting their time, that they are less happy with their lives since starting their PhD, and that they feel their prospects are a lot weaker than when they began.
I went straight to industry, and while I'm not in a senior position yet, at 4 years in I've been getting paid pretty well (instead of accruing debt), I'm learning a lot, and I'm working at an exciting company with a lot of potential in the future. I feel like unless you are very passionate about a small sector of the field, incredibly talented, and really driven to work in academia or start a company based on your PhD research, a PhD is the wrong choice in this day and age. Just my $.02
We all owe a lot to all the passionate academics wth are you talking about
Edit: of course I know where you're coming from but I don't agree with your conclusion.
I'm coming from the position of being on the fence about pursuing a PhD when I finished my undergraduate degree, and being glad that I took the path that I did, and not the path my friends took. For me, personally, there wasn't a specific part of biology I wanted to focus on. Furthermore, I wanted to get out and experience life and eventually start a family. Let me be clear: I do not think that PhD is a bad thing. Not at all. I love research, and I think that passionate and talented people should pursue advanced degrees and study what they love. However, it is a choice that some people make when they're not suited for that kind of life/career. Academia is becoming an increasingly difficult environment because funding is drying up. This is really shitty, and I wish it wasn't this way, but it is a fact of life. My point is this: before you go for a PhD, check yourself or you'll wreck yourself.
I agree with your point that one should understand what one gets himself into when pursuing a PhD (btw nice writeup Zarath).
Something that hasn't been mentioned so far but that seems to be very important to me: Biology is an extremely wide-ranging field. You have the more or less "classical" fields of zoology and botany (especially the ecology/evolution/behavior-stuff -this is what many people think you do when you tell them you are a biologist). Then you also have the molecular fields of cell biology (human/medical, microbiological etc.), and of course the newer fields of systems biology and all the biophysical/structural and theoretical stuff (and I surely forgot to mention soo many topics) where people with a strong biological background work/ do their PhD. So it is difficult to discuss about a general opinion like "there is no funding" and "this is a dead-end for your career" (or "there is great funding" and "great career ahead" for that matter) since the career opportunities/funding differ a lot between the general fields (e.g. look at the purely academical behavioral ecology vs. the maybe industrially exploitable molecular cell biology) and even between very closely related topics, also and especially when you look at the ease of transition between university and industry.
Hey Rho_, you're totally right that grad school is a choice that should be researched and well thought through. I also know a lot of students (and count myself among them) who wish they would have taken a different path after graduation. In part, that's why I wanted to write this blog, to give people a better idea of what they are getting into. Thanks for your input, it's important to have all points of view!
@hegeo, You're also right. Although I am trying to cover the broad spectrum of all biology fields in this blog, there are differences in funding for various fields. Similarly, there are differences in funding between various universities! Each case is an individual one, as much as I want to generalize everything. I hope that my blog provides some additional information for those thinking about applying to grad school, and that those individuals will take it upon themselves to research their particular field.
For everyone - Academia is very competitive. I will be covering the topic of what happens after the PhD in my last blog post. I would love to get some input on that too, if any of you are post-PhD's. Please PM me about what you are currently doing and why! There are actually a ton of options outside academia, though they tend to be overlooked by most universities and professors. There are many reasons for this, and I've found there is discrimination against those who choose non-academia careers after PhDs by those that do choose academia careers after PhDs.
Hi, this is the perfect blog for me. I'm currently an undergrad student and hope too someday get my PhD. Can you explain why your undergrad degree is in genetics but you are getting your PhD in biology? I've been told that it's best to get an undergrad degree in a broader subject.
On September 17 2012 10:13 TheSwamp wrote: Hi, this is the perfect blog for me. I'm currently an undergrad student and hope too someday get my PhD. Can you explain why your undergrad degree is in genetics but you are getting your PhD in biology? I've been told that it's best to get an undergrad degree in a broader subject.
It might be labelled biology but I'm the subject she's researching is extremely specific. It's humanly impossible to have a "broad" PhD.
On September 15 2012 06:53 Rho_ wrote: I'm actually pretty glad I didn't go for a PhD. I went to a highly ranked liberal arts college for my undergrad in Biology, and I have a lot of friends that went on to do PhD's in biology and chemistry. A lot of them seem to be regretting this choice. Academia is increasingly difficult as funding dries up due to budget shortfalls, and this creates a lot of stress. Furthermore, as the comic in OP illustrated, you focus really really specifically on something. What if you focus poorly? What if what you are studying turns out not to be that interesting/relevant? A lot of my friends report feeling like they are wasting their time, that they are less happy with their lives since starting their PhD, and that they feel their prospects are a lot weaker than when they began.
I went straight to industry, and while I'm not in a senior position yet, at 4 years in I've been getting paid pretty well (instead of accruing debt), I'm learning a lot, and I'm working at an exciting company with a lot of potential in the future. I feel like unless you are very passionate about a small sector of the field, incredibly talented, and really driven to work in academia or start a company based on your PhD research, a PhD is the wrong choice in this day and age. Just my $.02
We all owe a lot to all the passionate academics wth are you talking about
Edit: of course I know where you're coming from but I don't agree with your conclusion.
I'm coming from the position of being on the fence about pursuing a PhD when I finished my undergraduate degree, and being glad that I took the path that I did, and not the path my friends took. For me, personally, there wasn't a specific part of biology I wanted to focus on. Furthermore, I wanted to get out and experience life and eventually start a family. Let me be clear: I do not think that PhD is a bad thing. Not at all. I love research, and I think that passionate and talented people should pursue advanced degrees and study what they love. However, it is a choice that some people make when they're not suited for that kind of life/career. Academia is becoming an increasingly difficult environment because funding is drying up. This is really shitty, and I wish it wasn't this way, but it is a fact of life. My point is this: before you go for a PhD, check yourself or you'll wreck yourself.
ya I've read your paragraph again and I guess I skimmed over it too fast haha I totally understand that.
On September 17 2012 10:13 TheSwamp wrote: Hi, this is the perfect blog for me. I'm currently an undergrad student and hope too someday get my PhD. Can you explain why your undergrad degree is in genetics but you are getting your PhD in biology? I've been told that it's best to get an undergrad degree in a broader subject.
It might be labelled biology but I'm the subject she's researching is extremely specific. It's humanly impossible to have a "broad" PhD.
On September 15 2012 06:53 Rho_ wrote: I'm actually pretty glad I didn't go for a PhD. I went to a highly ranked liberal arts college for my undergrad in Biology, and I have a lot of friends that went on to do PhD's in biology and chemistry. A lot of them seem to be regretting this choice. Academia is increasingly difficult as funding dries up due to budget shortfalls, and this creates a lot of stress. Furthermore, as the comic in OP illustrated, you focus really really specifically on something. What if you focus poorly? What if what you are studying turns out not to be that interesting/relevant? A lot of my friends report feeling like they are wasting their time, that they are less happy with their lives since starting their PhD, and that they feel their prospects are a lot weaker than when they began.
I went straight to industry, and while I'm not in a senior position yet, at 4 years in I've been getting paid pretty well (instead of accruing debt), I'm learning a lot, and I'm working at an exciting company with a lot of potential in the future. I feel like unless you are very passionate about a small sector of the field, incredibly talented, and really driven to work in academia or start a company based on your PhD research, a PhD is the wrong choice in this day and age. Just my $.02
We all owe a lot to all the passionate academics wth are you talking about
Edit: of course I know where you're coming from but I don't agree with your conclusion.
I'm coming from the position of being on the fence about pursuing a PhD when I finished my undergraduate degree, and being glad that I took the path that I did, and not the path my friends took. For me, personally, there wasn't a specific part of biology I wanted to focus on. Furthermore, I wanted to get out and experience life and eventually start a family. Let me be clear: I do not think that PhD is a bad thing. Not at all. I love research, and I think that passionate and talented people should pursue advanced degrees and study what they love. However, it is a choice that some people make when they're not suited for that kind of life/career. Academia is becoming an increasingly difficult environment because funding is drying up. This is really shitty, and I wish it wasn't this way, but it is a fact of life. My point is this: before you go for a PhD, check yourself or you'll wreck yourself.
ya I've read your paragraph again and I guess I skimmed over it too fast haha I totally understand that.
You could probably get away with having a broad phd if you were getting it in something like math.
Hi! I am a last year high school student and I know it's pretty far in the future for me to even consider, but I was thinking of choosing math as my major and I was wondering if there is any equivalent to "get a lot of lab experience as an undergraduate" if I ever wanted to go into math research?
On September 21 2012 04:13 Daimai wrote: Hi! I am a last year high school student and I know it's pretty far in the future for me to even consider, but I was thinking of choosing math as my major and I was wondering if there is any equivalent to "get a lot of lab experience as an undergraduate" if I ever wanted to go into math research?
I'm not studying math myself, but I know a few undergrads majoring in math that have done math research as undergraduates. My understanding is that the idea is pretty much the same, except that your research experiences likely won't be in a laboratory setting (although there is a lot of cool applied math research that might involve lab work... but I know very little about what that involves).
On September 21 2012 04:13 Daimai wrote: Hi! I am a last year high school student and I know it's pretty far in the future for me to even consider, but I was thinking of choosing math as my major and I was wondering if there is any equivalent to "get a lot of lab experience as an undergraduate" if I ever wanted to go into math research?
I'm not studying math myself, but I know a few undergrads majoring in math that have done math research as undergraduates. My understanding is that the idea is pretty much the same, except that your research experiences likely won't be in a laboratory setting (although there is a lot of cool applied math research that might involve lab work... but I know very little about what that involves).
Well, what would I do as an undergraduate in research? I'm obviously not knowledgeable enough to get the research they are doing, so is my lab experience going to be getting coffee and sharpening pencils for real mathematicians?
On September 21 2012 04:13 Daimai wrote: Hi! I am a last year high school student and I know it's pretty far in the future for me to even consider, but I was thinking of choosing math as my major and I was wondering if there is any equivalent to "get a lot of lab experience as an undergraduate" if I ever wanted to go into math research?
I'm not studying math myself, but I know a few undergrads majoring in math that have done math research as undergraduates. My understanding is that the idea is pretty much the same, except that your research experiences likely won't be in a laboratory setting (although there is a lot of cool applied math research that might involve lab work... but I know very little about what that involves).
Well, what would I do as an undergraduate in research? I'm obviously not knowledgeable enough to get the research they are doing, so is my lab experience going to be getting coffee and sharpening pencils for real mathematicians?
hmmm, I have no idea of what the math people I know are actually doing, but I'm quite sure they're doing actual research while being at an undergraduate math level. I actually have met a few people that did math research as high school students -- granted these were ridiculously smart high school students that were quite ahead in math, but I think they were probably around an undergraduate level.
Anyway, if you find that you're having trouble finding solid research experience, it might be worth looking into some research in a more computational or applied math setting; I feel like in these areas you can get by without as much of a math background. For biology it's definitely quite acceptable to do your undergraduate research in one area and then do graduate work in a fairly different area, and I'd imagine the same applies for math. I met one person doing some cool applied math for orthopedics research, while I'm pretty sure she wants to pursue other kinds of math in the future. I think that what should matter most is that you have a strong understanding of what it's like in research, and can demonstrate that you know what you're getting into and will be able to spend many more years doing research.
sorry I wasn't able to answer your question very aptly... I might be seeing some of my math major friends next week so if I do I'll ask them and let you know what they say!
On September 21 2012 04:13 Daimai wrote: Hi! I am a last year high school student and I know it's pretty far in the future for me to even consider, but I was thinking of choosing math as my major and I was wondering if there is any equivalent to "get a lot of lab experience as an undergraduate" if I ever wanted to go into math research?
Yes, definitely. If you worked in my lab as a freshman, you could get me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You could also get me drinks, and maybe if you're lucky, put away the lab equipment.
What is research to you? Why do you want to do research knowing very little? A good place to start would be by reading all the articles to see what's being researched right now.
Nice guide , I really really want to ditch my masters MCB program and go for a PhD in Cell/Developmental bio. (I love doing cell culture stuff) the only problem is my undergrad grades were super god awful 2.7ish (I failed calc 2 the first time around, a 5 credit course). However I am floating a 3.45 which should be bumped up to a 3.67 for GPA in my masters. I'm applying to Uconn where there's a professor who knows I can do good PhD level work but I'm still not sure if I'll get in because of my undergrad grades :/
I really do need a PhD to have the type of career I want have; to at least have a say in the direction of the research I'm doing. I hope I don't have to wait until after I finish my masters, that's a lot of years of schooling.
On October 10 2012 02:44 Zaranth wrote: Good luck! If you know someone that can vouch for you, that is a big plus.
How long will it take you to complete a masters? I thought it was about 2 years.
Thanks, it's taking a bit longer than that because I'm working full time at the moment so I can only take two 4 credit classes per semester. I would absolutely love to go back to school full time for a PhD doing my own research though. I had some interesting findings with my undergrad thesis, so hopefully I can go back and pick up where I left off and try to figure out why the thing that I found does what it does.
EPT
I'm not into the hard sciences but this was still very interesting and informative, and I look forward to the next installments ^^
) and literature meeting twice a month.
