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olv_cpx_plag_mt

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Everything posted by olv_cpx_plag_mt

  1. Hi all, I've been having a hell of a time choosing which school to attend for my PhD in geology this fall. I have full funding at both schools. My dilemma is that I like the advisor and my would-be lab mates at UC Davis more than at UCSB, but I like the research more at UCSB than at UC Davis. Also I think the quality of life is just higher in Santa Barbara. Does any one have any advice? Thanks!
  2. Thank you all again for your thoughts. The PI at school B is tenured and she has a great track record of successful students. I think she's at the top of her game right now. She just had a paper published in the top journal in the field and is likely to have more. She also has a fully funded project for me to work on. Conversely, the PI at school A has already made a name for herself and might be nearing the latter part of her career (I suspect she'll retire in the next 10-15 years). With PI A I would get to help write the grant that will fund me (she has a successful track record of funded proposals) which is a unique opportunity. Although, to be honest, I'm a little nervous about the fate of science funding right now. :/ Both schools have really ramped up the recruitment this week. I've received emails from students and admin asking if they can offer assistance. School A even offered me a "welcome package" to help defray the costs of moving. Have any of you had to deal with this heavy recruitment before? How do you manage it and not let if sway your decision?
  3. Thanks everyone for the advice. I have a tough choice ahead; I appreciate the support.
  4. Hi all, I have applied and been accepted to two schools for my PhD (fully funded), both of which are fantastic schools for my discipline. School A is a top public university and I’d be working with two senior PIs who are legends in the field, and who have very deep pockets. Students at school A always have supplies, instrument time, opportunities to attend domestic and international conferences, etc... School B is also a top public university but with younger PIs and less money. I’m slightly more interested in the research at school A, but I like the department at school B more. Plus, my partner has a pretty high chance of getting a job in the same city as school B. But, I think that working with the advisors at school A might provide more opportunities for me in the long-run. I’m having a hard time weighting these issues. What’s more important: the research that I work on, or the environment of the department and being with my significant other? Has anyone else had to grapple with these issues? Any advice? Thanks!
  5. @speechfan222 I have no idea how my advisor got the GRE waived for me. She is kind of a big deal at my school (lots of successful NSF grants, publications in prestigious journals, etc...). I think the administration lets her do what she wants. Sorry I can't be of more help. Thanks everybody for your support and advice!
  6. @AZMoose I'm glad to know I'm not alone. Have you told your advisor yet? I'm terrified to speak with my advisor; I have a strong feeling that she's going to try and convince me to stay. :/ Any tips for this hard conversation?
  7. Hi everyone. I am in a rough situation and need some advice. I have had a very unconventional journey to grad school. Let me begin by explaining that I am an older student (not over 35, but older than the undergrad crowd), before coming to grad school I lived with my fiancé in a wonderful city on the West Coast. I was accepted to grad school with a year left in my undergrad program (accepted in April 2015, graduated undergrad the following March 2016). My PIs had another student who dropped out at the last minute; they freaked and sent emails to all of their colleagues trying to get a new student. One of my professors received the email, forwarded it to me, and on a whim (completely without thought, I might add. I believe why attitude was “why not?”) I applied just to see what would happen. Well, they accepted me as a PhD student with full funding. The plan is that I spend the academic years at University of X (a state school, not prestigious or rigorous in any way) working with PI1, and the summers conducting research at Institute X (not a university, but a prestigious research institution) with PI2. I accepted for three reasons 1.) full funding is hard to turn down, 2.) I didn’t want to take the GRE (still haven’t, it was waived), and 3.) I was scared I wouldn’t get in anywhere else (this is irrational, I know). I am also interested in the research project that I am on. Or at least I thought I was. I’ve been working on this project for 4 months now (I started in May) and I am already growing weary. I’m learning that what I thought I was coming here to study is not in fact what I’m supposed to be studying. In addition, I am the only student studying subject Z in a school for studying UVXY(and sometimes Z), which is very lonely. All of my peers are studying U, V, X, and Y; their offices are close by and they seem to get along. Many of them also went to undergrad together. I am isolated to a different building. I have no friends here and am isolated in my studies. My PIs never mislead me, I think I misinterpreted the situation, and now I think I’m at the wrong grad school. School has only been in session for three weeks, but I am finding myself falling into a depression. My friends/family keep telling me it’s homesickness or culture shock (grew up on the West Coast, now on the East Coast), but I’m not convinced. I am normally a top student. I had a 3.9 in my undergrad, I have the NSF, etc, etc, the usual list of accolades for top students… Because of this funk I’m in, I’ve started to become academically destructive. I haven’t been turning in homework, I’ve been cutting classes, not doing the reading, not participating in discussions/demonstrations. In addition, I have no interested at all in conducting my research. I can’t even remember what excited me about this field in the first place. I have never felt more lost or depressed in my life. I have been secretly looking at other programs that might be a better fit for me. The Z community is very small, and I don’t want to email any other potential PIs because I’m worried that it might get back to my current PIs. I know I need to talk to my PI at some point, but she’s so kind and generous; I really don’t want to disappoint her, but if I stay here I don’t think that I’ll be the stellar student that I use to be. What should I do? Should I just tell my PI about my unhappiness and continue with my exit strategy?
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