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dat_nerd

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Everything posted by dat_nerd

  1. You're offering to do their homework for them?
  2. You'll have to give us more information. MS or PhD? Preferred research area?
  3. And on another note, the stress of your PhD is heavily dependent on your advisor and research lab, perhaps more so than the department. Advisor expectations on their students vary widely; within my department, my PI has casual lab meetings every week, whereas another PI in the same department expects to see his students in the lab every day by 9am sharp. The more your working style aligns with that of your advisor, the better.
  4. Ironically, it seems to me that the happiest grad students are the ones who are hard working and graduate quickly (~5 years). It's the "relaxed" students who spend 7+ years in the PhD who seem the most jaded and unhappy. When you say you want to be in a relaxed program, what exactly appeals to you? As an example, I went to the visit weekend for UIUC's CS PhD, a top-ranked and well known program. Their students work hard, and almost all of them graduate within 5 years. They also happened to be the happiest PhD students I have ever met. My hypothesis is that by maintaining a fast pace, they stay more motivated and enjoy the program, rather than letting it drag on without a clear graduation timeline.
  5. I "collaborate" in that I have two advisors, so I have lab mates in two separate labs. The first year or so was very difficult -- both advisors work in different sub-fields, and the vocabulary is different enough that we were having a lot of communication challenges. Over time, I've learned how to better manage the different perspectives, even use them to my advantage. It takes time though.
  6. I got my first, first-author conference paper accepted! Woot!

    1. FinallyAccepted

      FinallyAccepted

      well done, congrats!

  7. That really depends on your research area and lab. My lab uses a number of languages - C, C++, Python, and Java. The expectation is that we're at least familiar with all of these languages and can quickly transition into using one or another. I rarely use C++ nowadays, but when I do, I'm at least familiar and can quickly write code with the help of some online docs for syntax reference. It's also assumed (probably at most programs) that we are very comfortable using Unix-based systems.
  8. Really? What makes you say that? Their PhD program is only 10 years old. I don't know how a program can get to be in the top 20 and have a strong presence in the academic community in just 10 years.
  9. If you find a bag you like, sometimes you can get it used or on a 3rd party site for much less. I ended up finding my originally $120 Timbuk2 messenger for $55 on Newegg.
  10. Have you looked into UIUC's program? They have a strong focus on ML + computer vision.
  11. I didn't have a masters degree either when I applied. I think it's worth applying to a wide range of schools, but do make sure that your SOP is as specific about your research interests as possible. Try to stick to one program, and list a small number of professors who you'd be specifically interested in working with.
  12. I haven't heard of it, and have never met anyone at an AI conference who was from TTIC. Do you have an offer from UCSD or USC? If so, I would definitely recommend taking it over a newer, lesser-known program.
  13. Same here. I went into the exam expecting to get it overwith. I had a similar case where very few people fail, so it was hard to be the only one of my peers who has to retake the exam. What's hardest is that I went into the exam expecting it to be difficult, but also expecting that I would come out of it feeling like victory like my peers had. When that didn't happen… I just didn't know what to think.
  14. I just got my first Timbuk2 bag, and it's been perfect. It's a great mix of ruggedness for biking with it every day, but is also nice enough that I actually bring it to conferences as my laptop briefcase. Here's the bag I got: http://www.timbuk2.com/alchemist-laptop-briefcase/164.html?dwvar_164_size=8&dwvar_164_color=2001
  15. Thanks guys I really appreciate it. I will be taking some time off, so hopefully that'll help me with thinking all this through.
  16. Well I failed part of it. I passed the oral exam, portfolio, and half of the written exam. I have to retake the other half of the written exam next year, and the committee said they're confident I'll do well enough next year. Overall, I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't pass outright, and that I have to worry about all this again in a year from now. I don't have anything particular to say, except that I hope it's some sort of consolation for others in the same boat. It's okay when this sort of stuff happens. We all fall down and it stings, but we've just got to pick ourselves up and try harder next time.
  17. This is exactly the kind of reaction I was referring to in my original post The intent of these topics/polls is never to offend anyone, but topics like this that emphasize the comparison of applicants' ages (which is irrelevant to success in graduate school) only seem to heighten anxiety. It's unfortunate.
  18. True. But should we be making those comparisons? I ask this because I entered grad school knowing I would be much younger than my peers. Starting with that comparison in mind made me less confident in my abilities, and it took me some time to move past that comparison. Two years later, I realize that age simply doesn't matter as I had originally thought.
  19. I see these questions pop up from time to time, but can't help but wonder if they're of any use. All it seems to do is make anyone outside the 23-28 age range feel out of place. Isn't there enough worry already about being able to connect with new peers? One of the things I love about grad school is that it's so transient. For some amount of time, you get to be surrounded by peers who are from different backgrounds, different knowledge bases, different sets of experiences, and so forth. With that, you get a number of students who don't fit the "standard" age range, but it also means that it just doesn't matter any more. What does matter is that you can learn new information quickly, keep up with a hard-working lifestyle, and build relationships with new and interesting people. I don't see how age affects any of that, nor why anyone outside the "standard" age range should feel like they have something to prove.
  20. I got reviews back and I don't think either of my papers are going to be accepted. Sigh. Just gotta keep moving forward, right?

    1. fuzzylogician

      fuzzylogician

      Haters gonna hate. Good work eventually find its home. It just may take longer than we'd like.

  21. My funding is actually sent from the third-party through the school's financial aid department. Simply put, if I don't tell the school, there's no way for me to receive the funds.
  22. You'd be surprised. Sometimes it's a subconscious bias that causes others to view a young student as less capable. Other times, it's a subconscious bias on the student's part to view themselves as less knowledgable, or less confident.
  23. I found that I had to start "dressing the part". By that I don't mean dressing too nicely, but rather, avoiding the hoodies, t-shirts, etc. More importantly though, confidence seems to make the biggest difference. Shoulders back, chin up, and speak up, and you're less likely to be perceived as young.
  24. It does indeed. I guess it is spring break, so a break is definitely in order
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