Boron

I disagree to some extend with classes being "important to minimal". While it maymay be true for people already in groups, I see classes during your first semester of your first year as being crucial. Professors have no knowledge of first years and at what level they are at, so they use first semester grades to see what they are getting. I know professors that judges students based on their grades and would not even take a look at them if they had something lower than expected (my friend's PI expected A and A- in all his classes)

I got rejected from University of Oregon and got an email asking for a brief skype interview with Oregon State University, both within a minute of eachother. Any tips on what would be asked in the interview and how to approach it?

Thanks for all the comments on the thread. I really appreciate it. As for why he didn't choose to keep me, I may never know. What I do know at the end of the day is that he didn't want me enough, which I personally think it's his loss. Again, I have yet to speak and meet with this new person, so I can't say much about why he got the job over me. As for the project I am working on and the paper I am currently writing, we have spoken before about submitting it to Chemistry of materials, so I hope it does get approved.

Thanks for your messages guys. I really think you all are right, and I should just look about going on to the next chapter in life. As for whether there is any external support for the new student, I have no clue. I have never met this person yet, and I don't know much. Other people in the group doing my field of research doesn't even know there will be a new student (I guess I was the first to be informed). However, I know my department has a surplus of first years this year, as more students accepted the offer than expected (they send about 100 acceptances, expecting about 30-40 to accept. However, they got about 50-60 students this year), which may be why I was never given an opportunity to stay. As for future publications, I should talk to the professor about soon. I know for sure I will get one publication out, as I am currently co-writing the paper (one of the older PhD students helped with half the analyzing). However, I believe more papers can come out of this, as I think this class of structures can be further looked into, and to me, more promising results can come out.

I'm currently a M.S. student at a certain institution and is aiming to be completed by this May. As some already know, I am currently in the process of applying to PhD programs for Fall 2014. I am only doing this after my PI stated he has no funding to support my further studies. However, I am currently feeling a bit betrayed. I worked my butt off and am currently working on a project I personally proposed, which is currently producing very promising results. Today, I had a talk with him, where he was asking me about graduating, and suddenly tells me he has taken a new PhD student in my area of study, and he would want me to train him to work on my project. I really don't know what to say. He told me he didn't have funding, but then takes a new PhD student? And to take over on the project I proposed? Anyone have any similar experience? I'm just hoping now to just graduate and move on to a better place.

Just wondering, when did you complete your application? My application didn't get sent for review until after New Years (recommendations didn't all get sent in until then).

Personally, I do not comprehend what "better" means. Although the there is a ranking out there labeling schools, I believe you cannot trust these rankings fully. I'm not sure how others applied to schools, but I personally applied looking at specific professors I would like to work with. If you have done research in a type of field and have read tons of papers, you will begin to know which professors are "good" and reliable in your field. You will also know that not all good professors come from the "better" schools. P.S. Of course having Harvard or MIT would be good on your resume, but other schools aren't worse just because they're not the top ranking in a silly ranking system.

Same boat :/ At least they haven't sent anymore acceptances this past week it seems, so maybe there's one more wave coming...

This. I'm currently doing my M.S. in a "younger" lab, and everything you explain is right. First off, funding. The reason I am now applying somewhere else is because the group lacks funding to support my further studies for a PhD. There has actually not been a new PhD student in the past 2 years (possibly next year too from how it seems). Secondly, facilities. Although my current group has funding to have all the instruments we need to do our research, I see the lab have trouble of graduating students, due to the PI's need of the older students to help out with maintaining the instruments (the older students are the ones that started the lab with him, so they know everything about maintenance.) Your point about advising is on point. My PI is still a bit on and off with advising, and it's a bit of a trouble for everyone in my group. Some students have been in the group well over 5 years and still does not seem to have "defending their thesis" in their sight. I somewhat disagree with this. My PI is a "younger" PI and I feel nothing about being close to him. He rarely likes discussing with students outside of emails and I personally feel that we ourselves are our own drive in our projects. I feel it is not a question of "younger" or "older" in regards to their influence and being "close"; it's all about their personality. I personally feel that younger PI's may want you to stick around longer, while I've seen older, more experienced PI's have a solid plan for their students and are able to help them graduate in a certain time frame. I know I haven't helped much, but hope I have contributed something.

I know they have reviewed all the international applications at the beginning of the month. (Over heard one of the admissions committee members talking about it) Not sure about whether or not they have sent the results yet, but good luck!

Everyone is getting me very nervous right now. I have yet to receive any acceptances and it's the end of January already. :/

At least they sent you back an email. Anyways, I just went on to the Q&A page and this is how they answer the question (I guess there's some confusion in their office):

I thought the same thing too! However, I haven't found said status of application. They haven't even replied to my emails with questions I've sent them... P.S. I assume you mean University of Southern California and not University of South Carolina right? My current PI thought I meant South Carolina when I said "USC" before.

Honestly, being 5 years should not be a big problem if, as YaBoyAR said, you found something you would work hard for. I am unsure how your current research group is, but my current research group is pretty strict, and I literally go in early in the morning and get off by the time the sun is down. I barely have time to even noticed if there is nothing or a city outside the department. P.S. I'm wondering what year are you in that requires you to take 2 more years of classes? Assuming that you're a first year, that means you don't complete your courses until your third year?

It sounds very confusing. Like the previous poster said, try to contact them to clarify the situation. If I may decipher it correctly, I think they are trying to say that your application has gone to the next stage, and you may have to visit them to see if the faculties you are interested in would give you a thumbs up.

Yes. Although I am not in a PhD program, but the M.S. program, I can say that you have to reapply to schools again in order to "transfer". I am unsure whether or not schools like/dislike that you have a M.S. in Chemistry already, but I've read from a few schools' FAQ that you must have your current PI as one of the recommendators, as they want to know that you are leaving your PI and the school in good terms (not suddenly ditching the school).

I just created an account, but has been lurking around for awhile. Getting pretty worried about schools, as I haven't gotten "accepted" to any yet. Anyone in inorganic/solid state accepted to any schools yet? The only thing I got at the moment is an offer for a paid flight to MSU to look at their school, talk with faculties, and look at facilities. It's not an acceptance though.

I've been a lurker all this time, but you called me out I made an account. Definitely agree with this. Although I am applying to PhD programs right now for Fall 2014, I am actually already in a Masters program (PI has no funding, tells me to look for other schools) and have experienced graduate life. Throughout these past year and a half, I have seen a few PhD students drop out, meaning they either decided to opt out of the PhD program and to the M.S. program or just literally disappear one day. Take some time thinking about what you want to do, and if a PhD is right for you. Don't get discouraged by posts on the internet about the lack of job market if you don't get a PhD. I know a friend that got a B.S. and did not want to go to graduate school. He got a job at J&J, whom picked him up due to his experience with a few good REU's. He started as a Senior lab tech a year ago and is already "promoted" to become a R&D engineer. A bit off topic: I am a bit annoyed, but to other applicants: if you apply to a PhD program, know what you want to study (what specific field). I know you may say "inorganic" or "organic", etc...but that is too general imo. I see some people whom accept offers to "top schools" but realize a year or two into the program that they aren't studying the area that they want to be in (and none of the professors is studying the topic in the school). Seriously know what you want to study before you take the offer. Do some research and know you will enjoy your experience. You're investing 5 years of your life into it; know that this is what you want to do with your life.