foreignstudent

Why are you trying to read between the lines and jumping to your own conclusions about what I have told and what I have not. I don't need your sarcastic sympathies as they matter zilch. I don't need anybody's approval here not least from Gradschooltruther ( quite a name !!) as to what transpired and what could have happened and how angelic the advisors have been. I am now working on atleast 2 papers and I don't think I have to be so perfect in phrasing and terminology. It's not like I am presenting a case before any justice committee!!. It seems getting a fair unbiased opinion was asking for too much. Pathetic!!!

@Monstercookie and @emmm Thanks for understanding my situation and yes this thread was growing too negative towards me and that is why I stopped visiting this forum. The condescending attitude of some of the users were putting me off and were quite accusative. Its not always the case that the student should be held into account for all the ridiculous expectations of their advisors. Though nothing has changed that much, I did go and talk to another professor about what I was told by my Advisor. He firstly apologized for what I had to go through and told me that it is not how things are done and no PhD student is expected to publish research papers after research papers right from the first semester. He did tell me to look out for other advisors as the one currently does not seem to have the experience of guiding students,going by the tone of what I had said and experienced. He opined that it takes usually 2 years for a PhD student to start on a research topic as there would be core courses and TA-ing activity which would keep us busy for most of the semester. Some of the core courses that I am currently taking do take up a considerable lot of time and I cannot leave it lightly as being a core course, I have to maintain a minimum score to keep my funding. I do agree that nobody is going to spoon feed us though the program, but I feel that as a direct PhD candidate without a Masters degree and with a break in education for about 5 years, one must be given sometime to adjust to the new mode of learning or rather working as some treat PhD like a job. That is what I have read and observed from some of the other PhD students I interacted with. i don't agree with some of the posts here which seem to favor the 'hit or get out at first aim' policy. Any student who is admitted into an advanced program like a PhD would definitely possess the skills to warrant such an admission. Its the environment and the way we are handled by the academia that makes or breaks us.

@piglet. thank you.. I am awake enough to be responding to your post, its way way past midnight where I stay. That being said , I find you being judgemental which is what I was trying to say in my very first post. I am wide awake to know what the journey holds and what I should be doing and what not. i do appreciate and thank Eigen and Telkanuru (@piglet33: happy eh?!!) for further expanding my vision about academia and the world in general. All your posts seems to suggest I lack what it takes. I will try my best to catch up..wish me god speed!!

@Telkanuru and Eigen : I just want what is a reasonable expectation out of a student in his first semester. Seems like academia is a place where the lines between reasonable and unreasonable becomes blurred . However I do not agree that the first semester is a reasonable estimate of time to judge whether a student is capable of doing his PhD or not. @Ventureinto......: I am not asking TGC for any services that you have so astutely gleaned from the posts and suggested. However I do appreciate your sympathies on agreeing with certain other concerns of mine. Like you said academia is a cutthroat world where you live long enough to become one . Thanks for the perspective much appreciated!!!!!

Well judging by your answers you must be in academia hence your defensive stance, but from a fresh and new student's perspective who is new to the land and the culture, getting used to the ethics and rules of the place takes time. How often would you compare your new students with the others you might have worked with when it comes to results? Every student has the potential and the will to see it through otherwise he wouldn't have applied to the program in the first place, but he does need support and guidance, that is what advisors are for and not for pointing a gun at your head everytime you work and bring out results. TAing 2 courses may be the norm but it is no way light when you have assignments almost every week and even into the finals and the strength is about 25 each. I am not justifying anything, I just have not heard anywhere where your advisor deems you not worthy enough in the first semester itself.

I am about to complete my first semester as a CS Phd student. I have not done my masters yet though. I have 5 years of experience in the industry and that's pretty much about me. The starting of the semester seemed fine and being a PhD candidate without a masters meant taking more credit hours and as per the norms, I took 9 credit hours and am a TA for 2 courses. The problems started arising when my advisor (first term as associate professor) asked me to come up with a research idea within the first week of our meetings. As I was just beginning to get my feet wet into the problem statements and the ongoing research, I naturally was not able to come up with one. I was then compared with other students the professor had come across and was told that I was sub par in my performance compared to them. I took it in my stride and explained my situation that, I am being swamped with my own assignments and the TA work for the two courses but it was brushed off. In the meantime I did do some tests and conducted surveys and literature reviews but the comparison did not end. At this time I started to get demotivated and felt my confidence was dipping. Added to this one of the instructors to whom I was the TA was overloading me with heavy loads of assignments to grade without giving me enough time which included coming up with solutions on my own. Now a week ago my advisor told me that there was a faculty meeting as there were some shortages in the funds for the upcoming semesters and they were offloading students who did not perform well. I was told that I could be one of the under-performing PhD student who would be sent back home. The news is yet to sink in but I am pretty sure that no student can be expected to come up with a research paper in the first semester ( I may be wrong though but pronouncing one as an under-performer is unfair) and deemed as an under performer. I am not going to give up on my PhD dreams and I am asking you all on what is expected of a PhD student in the first semester and when does one usually start publishing papers as in during which year or by which semester? I am planning to apply to other universities and how do I mention this episode in the application and would it have a negative impact (which I am sure it would) .

Hey SK I am exactly going through with what all you had to say. I have never been away from home and this is my first time in the US for my PhD. My classes start tomorrow and I am pretty much freaked out. I think I am reeling with homesickness and doubts over my capabilities. I seem to find everyone smarter than me in the department and I feel no way on earth could I compete with them and maintain my grades. I was about to post a similar thread but I am hanging on by a thin margin. I am talking with my friends back home and sort of venting it out to them. I am a TA and I feel I would fail badly in that as well. I am clueless and depressed at the moment and I am just hanging on, reading posts on how to cope with PhD related depression and such similar sorts.

Cool same here.. I have been working for 5 years and going this fall. In fact I too have posted a thread asking for advice

Hi all, I have been a member of this wonderful forum right from the time I started my applications and have received some generous and wonderful advise and help in my applications and opinions. I am happy to say I have been admitted to a PhD CS program at a school in the United States. The posts on beginning graduate school here in the forum were real eye openers and it has helped me in a lot of ways. I come from a different country were the educational system is totally different with no emphasis on research and I was working for close to 5 years after my undergrad before being admitted to the PhD program. It would be wonderful to listen to any advise or tips you may all have on how to close the gap between the students who are already trained to research and someone like me who needs to press the accelerator and needs to catch up and also learn to read research papers. I already feel a bit breathless and I have started looking at assignments from the departments page and also started reading research papers on my area of interests. But I still feel there is something lacking and feel left out To add to my fears I have also been informed that the CS group at my University is so damn tough that it is quite a task to clear the tests. I would love to hear from members who have tackled graduation after a long layoff from academics. Also to the CS specific people : What programming languages am I expected to be a master at? I am quite comfortable programming in a couple of languages but there are some languages which I rarely use like C or Java as I am more into Python now.

You must book your F1 Visa appointment next: First pay your SEVIS fee Fill out your DS 160 next Pay your F1 Visa fee and schedule an appointment That is all you need to do

@Maxtini Wow you had an easy one there..that's glad to hear and I hope mine goes the same way too.. About the TAL my research interest is in Game AI (i.e) Building intelligent agents in games. I hope this wouldn't considered to be too trivial for a PhD as I don't want the VO to think I am just going to go the USA to visit the various game parlors (if they do exist there) but to do some serious study on AI algorithms used in games.. @Crafter: Ohh I should have waited then!!! I hope I don't regret it and get my visa I have no ways about.. One of the main reasons visa get rejected in my country is the possible immigrant notion of the VO. The strong home ties has to be driven in strongly and I don't know how good I will fare

@Crafter thats so true..you have a good point based on common sense there.. I have my visa this month end and hopefully I should get it.. I have already quit my job and they seem to say I did the wrong thing as there are high chances of being rejected!! talk about employee relationship.. they want me so badly!!!! Now this has me worried and I am re-thinking on why I quit and probably ask to be re-instated if I should fail the VI.

@fuzzylogician: I just got a mail now saying my I20 has been dispatched!!.. Hopefully the VO shouldnt ask such questions but I rad in forums where the VO questions the GRE scores and rejected the visa entry!!! @cs_phd: I got a mail saying it has been dispatched and it would take 2-3 days..You are right without the I20 it is not possible to attend a interview @techboy: Wow that is so cool.. I just hope mine goes the same way too!!! i will be scheduling by May end hopefully I should clear it.. Thanks all for your responses....I am glad to hear some assuring replies

BTW I have another question... I do not have any research publications.. Would that stand as a block for me while granting the F1 Visa?? Would it make them think that I am not a worthy candidate?? My GRE and GPA are average also!!... I am really worried now... I have got an admit and if my visa gets cancelled it would be a very cruel joke...

thanks fuzzylogician your reply is very assuring. I am yet to receive the hard copy of my I 20 and I have the soft copy of that. I have checked the status and it says the document is being processed. Now I will be sending a mail to the school, but in case it does not arrive before my Visa Interview would it be fine if I take the printouts of the I 20 sent to me by the University by email? And in the interview do I tell the VO about the DS 160 mistake or wait for them ask me? I really hope they dont question my funding and reject me as a possible immigrant