[Politics and your graduate career in science]

@TakeruK Your words are really encouraging, especially since I'm not in the States right now to hear this from US faculty. Watching this happen from across the border has been scary. 

I didn't grow up in Canada, but I spent the latter part of the last decade in Canada. I do remember Harper and his scientist muzzling, and have heard from a couple industry/government scientists about (basically) "book burnings" (?). I was also around when Canada got rid of him for Trudeau My professors in Canada didn't really talk about the Harper government much, though, so I didn't get to hear about how it affected them, funding, etc., which is also probably why the situation in the US may seem worse than it really is. 

Thanks for the reassurance.

PS I have also seen Harper Man (at the suggestion of a couple of my professors). 

 

[Politics and your graduate career in science]

Out of curiosity, how many of you are worried about your career in the sciences in this political climate, because it's been bothering me a lot. Do you have faith that things will turn out alright? How are you coping and does it really affect you? 

I've personally applied to one Canadian school in addition to US schools, and because I'm more in environment-related sciences, I'm having fears and doubts about whether or not I should just go to the Canadian school instead. Honestly, the state of science in the US is worrying me more than my pending applications right now. 

[I think I've been scammed by World Education Services]

I have personally used WES before and didn't have issues with it. As far as I was aware at the time (three years ago), it was part of their policy to send you a copy of your evaluated transcript. I believe it was free of charge, but my memory is hazy. Sorry, I wish I could be of more help. 

 

[Currently reading? (Distraction thread.)]

Currently reading Rashoumon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryuunosuke Akutagawa and I'm almost done with American Gods by Neil Gaiman. 

[Mistakes in SoP]

If you feel that it's a big enough problem, I you may want to email the adcom/grad office and ask if it would be possible to update your statement, as there was a typo. I know some people who have done this, not that I've tried it personally.

[SoP review for MS in Software Engineering/CS]

I'm in a different field of science than you, but would be willing to swap SOPs. 

[Anyone interested in shredding my SOP?]

I would be eternally grateful. Hopefully this is the last time I will have to do this. 

 

 

[PhD or MS?]

Thanks for the response. My reasons for asking this question are because I don't really have publications or literally any science to my name. While I am currently writing a research thesis, I'm still worried that not having publications or even poster presentations (yet) will ruin my chances of getting into a doctoral program. 

[Grad student blogging/tweeting?]

11 hours ago, Eigen said:

 I also have a site some friends from grad school and I run that humorously applies a mock peer review process to non academic things- beer, bourbon, popular articles, etc. 

That sounds hilarious (and fun)! 

[PhD or MS?]

I'm currently applying for a doctoral program and I'm a little worried that I may be unqualified to attend as a doctoral student. However, I'm bent on pursuing doctoral studies in that program (because of the researchers I want to work with).

My questions are:

• How often do you get offered admission to a masters (instead) if you're rejected from PhD programs?
• Should I just apply for a masters instead and roll it over to a PhD?
• Should I ask the program director about this?

Thanks in advance.

[Grad student blogging/tweeting?]

I heard that, as a grad student at some schools, you're required or highly recommended to blog or tweet about your work. How important is this? Do any of you do it as well? What are your guys' thoughts?

[Reading List for 2017]

Entertainment purposes/ just overall great reads too?
Of what I've read recently, I REALLY recommend Han Kang's The Vegetarian and Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life. Also, if you haven't read some of Haruki Murakami's works before, Kafka on the Shore is my favorite, followed by Norwegian Wood. I also recommend The Tin Drum by Gunter Gras and Franz Kafka's The Castle (if you like Kafka).

EDIT: Sorry. Not all of these are classics. The latter two are definitely what I would consider "modern classics". The first three are just recent lit that I really enjoyed.

[Reminding LOR Writer on NYE]

I reminded an LOR writer today regarding my LOR and asking how things were going. The thing is is that they were supposed to submit it by today (Real deadline is Jan 5th, which I informed them of in my recent email). Was this a bad idea?

PS I sent reminders from the applications directly a few days ago (Tuesday). Apparently it wasn't supposed to take my LOR writer long to do this, as they were going to use a previous letter they wrote for me. The panic is setting in.

[How do you turn your brain off?]

Meditation is a huge one that I've picked up recently. Meditation can also be through exercise, but breathing rhythmically/mindfully is working wonders for me in reducing short-term burnout.

[Could someone look over my SOP?]

Hi, would anyone like to review my SOP? I would read yours as well. Any help would be appreciated.

[Can anyone review my SOP for M.S. in geology?]

Would you be willing to do a trade?

[Help choosing last LOR]

There's one caveat here that I forgot to mention: That "professor" hasn't obtained their PhD yet and the lab instructor doesn't have a PhD either. Will that work poorly for me? Or does that not matter as much since I have two recommenders that can attest to my research skills and ability?

 

[Help choosing last LOR]

Hey guys, 

I just need some opinions about choosing a final LOR writer. 

My first two are basically set in stone: 

1) My thesis supervisor (for obvious reasons)

2) A prof for a class that was very quantitative, and I'm intending to send in my final project (expanded and with edits) to try and get it published.

I'm pretty torn about the last one. I have two options, as of now:

1) A previous adviser under whom I did an undergraduate literature review with. Their work is somewhat relevant to what I intend on investigating for my graduate research. However, I haven't spoken with them since 2013/2014. 

2) A joint letter of recommendation from the professor of two of my more recent courses, which involved field work and a paper, and the lab instructor for one of said courses. This would be valuable in that I TA one of her courses and work with the lab instructor.

My struggle here is that, by asking my previous adviser, it would show that I was interested in my field of study for a long time. However, the second recommender would allow me to show more facets aside from research skills.

Any and all advice would be appreciated.