St Andrews Lynx

Part of the issue might just be rude professors in general (as in, they're rude to MAs, PhDs and undergrads in equal quantities). There is a lot of bluntness and poor social skills in academia - it probably isn't a personal thing against you or MA students. Talk to the Director of Graduate Studies to clarify the course issues. Again, on the subject of rude professors, there might be valid reasons why they're discouraging you from taking a course (if it's not directly relevant to your field, or there are other compulsory courses you should be taking) and they're just not being tactful about it.

First thing is to make sure I'm getting enough sleep, food & (non-caffeinated) liquids. A lot of stress I experience can be minimised just by taking care of those 3 things.

If there is a trustworthy older graduate student you might want to discreetly ask them for a second opinion. "I heard that Professor X and Professor Y don't get along well, do you know what's that about?" That might give you a better idea of what's going on - if Professor Y has a history of inappropriate behaviour towards female grad students, or if Professor X is just somebody that complains a lot. I think that the only people who bitch and gossip more than academics are their grad students - academia would be so much more boring without a bit of lively smack-talk over coffee. Even completely neutral questions like "Do you enjoy working with Professor X?" to a grad student will get most of the details out pretty quickly if there is a problem or reputation.

Yes, sure. I'm learning on the go when it comes to teaching, supervising and marking - I feel that mistakes I make impact badly on my students...which isn't really fair at all. That said, the worse TA(s) I've ever come across were in Physical Chemistry labs when I was an undergrad. There were a...special kind of people. From the point of view of myself as a student they were rude (why are you bothering us to ask for questions?!), some had a bad grasp of English/strong accent that meant we couldn't really interact properly, they didn't explain things well...and I don't think I sought much help from them. --> Ergo, I doubt that you are the worst TA ever. The fact that you're actually trying and caring tells me that you're not.

Have just bought my own Nespresso machine, one month into grad school with my first paycheque. This will be what gets me through the next 5-6 years of my PhD.

A simple "Hi, how's it going?" is as good a way as any to break the ice. Ask "Do you mind if I sit with you?" in classes and meetings instead of just sitting by yourself (they almost certainly won't). You don't have to launch into a soliloquy in front of them, just show you're interested in them and desire their company.

Yes, I totalled up 2.5 years of research by the time I was applying to grad school. 10 months I think is OK: it's long enough to get into your stride in the lab and show that you're committed to it.

You'll need a LOR from the prof whose research group you've worked in and who can talk specifically about your research experiences.. World-famous Synthetic Chemist is certainly a good LOR to have - but he can't actually speak about your ability to succeed at research...which is really the most important thing. Nor can any of the letter-writers who taught you in class (unless you did a project with them). A LOR from somebody who knows you and your research capacity very well and who can go into lots of specifics will be equal if not better than something generic from a Famous Professor who taught your class once. A-Grades are important as an undergrad, but in grad school the bulk of your time and success as a future scientist will revolve around successfully conducting research, getting results and working well without the constant prodding of your PI. In that respect I think your application is a little too "coursework heavy, research light"...

The rubric sounds like a great idea - for me as well as the students! Thanks for all your input, folks.

You'd be hard-pushed to find a university that *doesn't* have at least one research group that works on natural products/developing new reactions. Look through recent issues of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Any papers that catch your eye - look at which university the authors come from and the last name author (who is the head of that research group).

Are there other "recommended" or "secondary" readings/textbooks listed for this course? If so I would try finding a different text that uses a different approach to explaining the same material. All textbooks have a slightly different approach - some will be less theory-based. Hunt around for a text that works for you, then just skim the theoretical papers. The other approach would be to borrow/beg course notes from an undergraduate/Honours-level course that introduced these theoretical practices. Then it might be a good idea to read your graduate papers side by side with the undergrad notes as a cheatsheet.

I think you'd have a tough time getting in to places like Harvard without a Chemistry GRE score (and a stellar score at that). I don't see how the speedy undergrad could affect your chances either way - especially if you've got plenty of research experience.

But then again...it *is* coming back in to GRE season...

As I find myself awake past midnight with a pile of lab reports in front of me (now covered in red pen...because I'm a traditionalist like that) I'm wondering where other 1st year or more experienced TAs set aside time to go through their marking? I suspect it's better to try and mark them all at once (so you can remember why you're deducting 0.5 marks on Question 2)...but would fitting in bits and pieces during the day time around other tasks be equally effective for simpler short questions? Also...do you do your marking the day the assignments are handed in...or leave it to the last minute...or pick a time somewhere in between?

Sympathy. Hopefully you'll be a maturing influence on those undergrads...or else I suspect you'll need to buy earplugs...

Going into industry for at least one internship is something I'd strongly recommend. The environment is a lot more "professional" and it will teach you a lot in terms of working safely, being organised/self-disciplined (you can't slouch in to the workplace at 11am everyday) and generally give you another perspective on what "research" means. Plus, it's useful later down the line if you decide not to stay in academia.

So far so good (I started my research project about a month early, so had time to settle into the area/Dept before everything got crazy). The coursework is actually a bit easier than I expected: I completed a Masters in the UK, so pretty much have to learn & get tested on familiar material all over again. Which is probably a good thing in that it will really hammer home the basics...but bad in that I don't find the material especially challenging yet...which leads to complacency. My cohort is really nice and I'm getting on well with the professors and older graduate students. TAing is going to be manageable. The biggest problem I have is that there are a LOT of grad students also interested in the PI I want to work for. On a practical level it means I might have to share a fumehood (MY fumehood! The one I went to all the effort of cleaning/re-arranging when I arrived ). On a more metaphorical level, it means I'm in competition with a handful of fellow newbies already for a place in this lab and can't guarantee to myself that I'll end up with my first choice PI. Which is stressful.

I asked all my potential PIs: "Do you see yourself as a hands-on or a hands-off supervisor?" Their response will give you a good idea of how they view lab management (and how accurately they perceive themselves!) and mentorship. In general, only apply to schools where there are 3 or more PIs whom you think you would be interested in working for. That way if you find out that you don't like a particular PI at one institution, you will still have several alternatives. Spread out your applications across a range of Top 5-Top 100 schools and keep an open mind until you actually visit.

Your best bet is to meet with the PIs in question and talk to them. I could tell fairly quickly after meeting professors what their personalities were like and if I was clicking with them (you'll know). Talk to their current and former students, maybe also ask your current advisors for an opinion (gossip travels fast in academia, after all). I would be careful about using information on group websites to evaluate PIs. All a large number of grad students tells you is that the advisor has a lot of money, small numbers tell you that either the group doesn't have money or is just starting out - it doesn't tell you if the PI and grad students get on well or have constructive relationships. The overall group dynamics will change from year to year as people come and go...and a lot of those group website pictures are several years old!

Don't forget research fit and the chance that your research interests might change along the way! I would prioritise finding a PI that you work well with, who is doing research that excites you and who can bring out the best in you - a PIs personal connections and reputation should come in below that when you're deciding on potential groups. It is quite common to do a "step-up" from your PhD to postdoc, but I would try to keep a more open mind about who you'd want to work for at this point. By the time you get to your PhD defence this senior prof might have run out of open positions or grant money, or something like that.

My belief is that it's vital to have a PI who knows you on a personal level: if only because they won't be able to write a strong LOR for your postdoc/job or help you to network. It is also v. important to have a PI who respects you as a human being and future colleague - it's not going to be fun working 5 years for somebody who treats you like dirt or forgets you exist. It really is down to your own personal preferences if you want to have a hands-off advisor or not (remember there's nothing to stop you from speaking to other faculty in the Dept/members of your thesis committee if you want personal advice, etc). If you've not yet applied to grad school then your preference list for PIs won't be a legally-binding document: you will have the opportunity to rotate through several labs before formally joining a group, and that's a great opportunity to see how you respond to different PI's styles. Hope that helps a bit!