MemphisMomma
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Posts posted by MemphisMomma
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Pick your program wisely or make sure to pick a really understanding advisor. I am on the last leg of a degree in biomedical sciences. I currently have a toddler. I am expected to be in lab 40-50 hours a week now but I basically am writing. Anyway, after the baby I shifted my day to come in an hour later. Our campus also has an on-site daycare. My boss is really flexible as I have certain goals to meet in a week but I can break up my time however I want. That means returning to lab some evenings and leaving the baby with his father while I finish an experiment. I think if you choose an advisor with a family or refrain from picking a really competitive lab you can survive. I have had to rely on friends to watch my son until 7 or so in the evening because its after daycare hours. So go for the top notch lab if you have the support system in place
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Well I had a 2.9 GPA but I had the highest GRE score of the incoming students at the school (I only found this out because I got an alumni scholarship that went to the student with the highest GRE score). I chose my program based on funding and the cost of living in the city compared to a graduate stipend. While my PhD is not from a top-tier school, I have a few publications and I am managing to pull postdoc interviews at top-tier schools. So apply (but realistic so you don't spend too much) and hope for the best.
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I came out for my interview before receiving a formal letter of acceptance, but when I got there I learned that almost everyone there on the interview had already gotten an acceptance letter.
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I don't have to teach undergrads but I do the lab for a portion of the medical school classes. I think if your ultimate goal is to have a lab or just to teach at the undergraduate level, then perhaps you want a graduate school that encourages some teaching. However if you want to go into industry, work for a think tank, or use your PhD in an alternative career, teaching is just an additional pain. I'd rather err on the side of caution and get a little teaching under my belt.
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Thoughts?
I think it's ok to be friends, particularly if you are in the same age range. When I was in undergrad, professors with terminal degrees told me that they put in the work to earn the title so I had better address them as Dr. X. Fast forward to grad school and my advisor prefers I address him by his first name, which I never do. He is 20+ years older than myself and my upbringing subconsciously forces me to address him as Dr. On the other hand, I know a graduate student in the department that is 2 years younger than her advisor and they are really good friends and refer to one another on a first name basis. So I personally think it goes with your individual situation. If I was uncertain, I would use a default formal mode and refer to the advisor as Dr. SoAndSuch and minimize the social time to activities that involved a decent portion of the lab.
Discuss: How much do you think grades matter in grad school?
in Coursework, Advising, and Exams
Posted
I think if you are an average grad student that wants an average career, then average grades (for the program- not a C in every course) will suffice. However, if you intend to apply for fellowship, a later grad program, or any position that request you send a transcript- I'd keep those grades up. However, if you have stellar publications, your grades probably don't matter all that much in the long run.