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butterfingers

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Everything posted by butterfingers

  1. Hey everyone, Does anyone know what kind of answer they are looking for when they ask for a list of faculty members according to the research interest, and WHY they are listed in that order? What am I supposed to say? "Most interested in p53 pathway", "not as much, but a high enough, interest in oncogene addiction" etc etc?? The response is supposed to be very brief (1 sentence) so I don't really get what they're asking here.
  2. Hi Viva, I was in the same position as you are. I applied for Master's program exactly because I did not feel I could handle the stress of PhD. I did get the same advice as you did, that I should go as far as I can as well as the encouragements that I am well-prepared for PhD. I stuck with my decision, even rejecting the offer of PhD that came from a school despite me applying for its Master's program. I did get into a really good school for my Master's, and there I was able to deal with my depression. I wouldn't say I wasn't stressed out, because the whole year was pretty difficult for me, but I don't know what would have happened if I had been in a PhD program. I know that if I do apply, I want to be as confident and motivated as can be, because ultimately I want to get into a good school with the right fit. Now that I have finished the Master's program, I can say that I am in that place now, and really feel that the time is right for PhD. Having said that, it ultimately comes down to what program you want to do. You did mention that it's hard to find Master's program that fits your interest. And I feel that you are now already leaning towards PhD. If encouragements are what you need, then I think you should know that yes, you are very capable, you have a respectable background in research, and you already have an idea of what you want to study. YOU CAN DO IT. Do visit the schools, maybe talk to the resident psychiatrist, and get a feel for the people you will be working with. They're gonna be the ones who will take care of you. I depended a lot on my gut feelings because depression can really mess up with your rationality. Don't feel like you have to push yourself to your limits, and be very loving to yourself. And lastly, don't regret any decisions you have made, because either way you are taking steps towards improving yourself. I'm rooting for you. Good luck!
  3. I've been wondering about this too. While studying for my MS degree last year I was diagnosed with depression. I know this is a relatively mild difficulty compared to johndilligent's (which I'm truly truly sorry for... nobody should be put through that) but I have also thought if I should incorporate this into my personal statement. Some schools ask for another essay (in addition to SOP) relating to personal background that contributes to who you are now, and how that contributes to their diversity. I was wondering if it's a right decision to reveal this. My undergrad CGPA was excellent (3.97, 4.00 major), my grad CGPA however was only fair (3.24). It's hard to say whether I didn't get good grades because of depression or I got depressed because of I didn't get good grades. The grad experience was definitely much more difficult academically and socially. My concerns are: a) like KieBelle and others pointed out, it might make me seem emotionally unfit for PhD, or worse, it might make me seem academically unfit I should note that I didn't make the decision to apply for PhD until after I am well. Thankfully, a lot of good things have happened that helped me go back to normal. I feel much more secure with myself and my capabilities, and having gone through this I know what to expect if (knock on wood!) it resurfaces. Also, I feel like I didn't perform to the best of my abilities (depression or not) and believe that I am more prepared now for the scary PhD world. What do you guys think? Should I go into details or just say that I had difficulties and leave it at that? P/S Thanks so much for any feedback and to everyone: I've been lurking in this forum a lot and I have to say it helped a lot! Great job everyone
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