Teaching Faculty Wannabe
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Posts posted by Teaching Faculty Wannabe
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On 4/16/2019 at 12:42 AM, maxwellhouse said:
So a little about us: both in our mid 20s and have been dating for over 2 years. Ive held a number of good career jobs and have finally found one i am happy in (6 mo into the job). My girlfriend has always been planning to leave the SF bay area to go away for an internship year. Long story short she got placed in Tucson. Having researched the job market, it is less than ideal, plus i finally have a job that I actually ENJOY. In her mind, and probably my own, is that if i do not follow her to Tucson then we break up. I don't want to leave a job i love plus my aging (/sick) parents are still here in the bay area.
I am really conflicted and this stems from alot of personal issues I struggle with in regards to making decisions, but I can't seem to find the answer whether i follow her there.
I've always wanted to leave the bay someday and I do value our relationship. Long distance would be tough on the both of us so I do think its the best call to have a fresh start if i decide to stay back.
Our relationship is deteriorating based on my lack of commitment one way or the other, but can't put it off any longer. We both love and care for eachother, but I am not sure if this is a sacrifice i want to make at this point in my life.
Anyone else go through this dilemma with their bf/gf? did you make the right call in the end?
I would say that if you are not ready for that sort of commitment, then it might be best to break up. Sadly, sometimes love isn't enough. Love is complicated, complex, and can be hard. You really have to be committed to that fact and the person you love in order to make it work, long-distance or not.
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5 hours ago, springsteenfan said:
I want to begin this post by acknowledging the insane amount of luck and privilege that preceded my problem in the first place. In many ways, I feel guilty even voicing how upset I am about this. My feelings probably aren't even legitimate, but I don't really have anyone with whom I can discuss these issues.
Long story short, I applied to PhD programs across multiple disciplines and the choice came down to two top-ranked schools (one was slightly better than the other and is in my home state). I was originally ecstatic, but as the deadline to notify them loomed, I began to panic. Pressed to make a decision, I chose the slightly lesser-ranked one a few states away from where I grew up. It is in a better, cheaper location and the school was a better cultural fit for me. I was nervous about going to school so close to where I grew up and there was definitely an impostor-syndrome-esque response on my part that made me think I "didn't belong" (for context, I come from a low-income background). I almost immediately regretted my decision, for reasons professional and personal. I originally chalked up my reticence to nerves–I was probably going to feel this way no matter what choice I made, right?
However, concerns about being close to family (my father is in remission from colorectal cancer and has a host of other medical issues, I learned this week that my grandmother is going to need intense day-to-day care, etc.) were raised and I realized that I had made a horrible mistake. I reached out to the school I turned down about 2 days after the notification deadline to see if there was anything that could be done and, understandably, they said it was impossible. I am now feeling lost, alone, stupid, reckless, and silly. How could I have thrown away what will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (attending a highly prestigious school and being able to care for my family members)? How could I have been so rash and callous? If I had changed my mind even 36 hours prior, this would have all been preventable.
Once again, I want to reiterate that this is entirely my fault and I have to live with the (absolutely fine!) consequences of my actions. I can always leave this program and re-apply to the better ranked school from back home, though the chances of readmission are probably close to 0%. I'd like to imagine that I was thinking rationally when I picked the first school and maybe this won't turn out so bad. But I feel horrible right now. Sorry for venting, I'm just not sure where to turn.
I am so sorry to hear about your family members. I can only imagine what you and your family are going through, and I hope your father's recovery goes smoothy.
I do know what it is like to live far away from family, even when they are sick. It's not great feeling because you want to be there with them. However, you shouldn't punish yourself for choosing a place further away from them.
Also, you are not alone in questioning your choice of grad school. I still question my choice to this day. I would say give the school you chose a year or so to see if you really like it. It seems like you are currently in a position full of nerves to point where you are questioning everything, especially with everything going on with your family. You seemed to have chosen that place for a reason, right? So, I don't think you should give up on it so quickly.
When it comes to your family, you might not get to be there in person with as much as you want, but there are still ways to contact them.
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On 4/9/2019 at 4:54 PM, jchen25 said:
I'm going to enter my first year of graduate school at Penn State Fall 2019 and have just been offered a Research Assistantship that will begin then as well. It will be approximately 20 hours/week. I just wanted some perspectives or past experiences that people have had in regards to balancing school and work.
Thank you!
Also, having multiple planners is useful. I have a physical planner where I write everything down, then I have a digital planners. I use google calendar for events going at school or just in my life. I use the iStudiez Pro app for my school work, such as assignments, classes, and exams. I think I will use this for my TA position and maybe RA as well. I then have this physical notepad where each page has the seven days of the week where I can write out what I need to do for that week.
It sounds chaotic, but you gotta do what you need to in order to stay organized and have everything planned out.
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23 hours ago, drfigue said:
Until when do we have for the pic? I had given up with GEM but was offered the University-level (Associate)...sooo lol help I’m lost here. ?
It was in February, but I am sure you can still give it to them. Email them to see. Congrats on getting the NSF GRFP and the GEM Associate!
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16 hours ago, lsqw said:
Thank you for replying!
1. I do agree that a two year program will prepare me more for my application, but only under the same circumstances. I have no idea how other factors may influence my PhD application later.
2. I have contacted professors in both programs and they are both willing to let me do research with their group during my MS.
3. I just refer to the astronomy field, considering the information I have got, maybe not so accurate. In Brown there are 3-4 professors doing research concerning astronomy and in NU there are like, 20. I thought it was an important judgement... I really want to get some new and detailed information, though.
4. No scholarships, but I guess one/two years are both fine to me, so I didn't consider financial things.
Some friends asked me to go to NU because they considered its program more competitive and if I fail in applying for PhD this fall, I can still try next year and gap.
Still confused actually... I really have to make up my mind and analyze carefully. I hope I may find a deciding factor and choose without hesitation.
Many thanks for viewing my question and replying!
Well, even though Brown doesn't have as many researchers doesn't mean that the research is worse per se, just that there are less researchers in that area. The good thing about research is that you can easily collaborate with researchers at other universities, so I don't think that should deter you.
I would also consider the classes you have to take for your Master's. Which classes do you like better?
Also, just because a program is more competitive doesn't mean it is better. Both schools are really good. I mean, Brown is an Ivy League. I am not saying to go there because of its prestige, but that doesn't mean you are choosing between an excellent school and a crappy school.
Good luck!
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11 hours ago, lsqw said:
failed in getting admitted to PhD programs this year but got two master admissions; astronomy field
The physics master program in NU requires only one year, which means I have to apply 8 months later. According to the situation this year, I don't think I'll get chances for PhD.
In Brown they require two years, but it seems that the astronomy research at Brown is not as good as that in NU, and I heard that students easily got admitted to their master program.
I still want to apply for PhD in astronomy. Where should I choose then? I have to make my decision this week. Many thanks!!!
I think you should consider these things when deciding between the two:
1. Do you think a two year program will be more beneficial than a one year one? Why is the NU program only one year? Maybe that two year one will be better because it gives you more experience for PhD applications.
2. Do you get to do research in your MS programs?
3. Why do you say the research at Brown is not as good? Also, is it so bad that it is easy to get admitted to their Master's program? I mean, if you still like the research and get a good education, I think it would still be good.
4. Do either programs help you financially?
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35 minutes ago, sgaw10 said:
Thanks for sharing that. Fortunately my grad institution isn't too far from my undergrad, but it's far enough to make returning regularly a bit difficult.
It's hard because my undergraduate community and city as a whole is the first place I've ever felt "home" in my entire life. To the point where I'm kind of considering getting a tattoo related to it, as cheesy as that sounds.
I have heard that post-college depression is more common than people think. I hope that graduate school will distract me from that. Not that I would be using it as a crutch, but being in an exciting new community should help.
I don't think it is cheesy to get a tattoo. I am actually getting a tattoo related to my undergrad school, so I might be biased about it, but I think it is sweet.
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14 minutes ago, ray92 said:
@IceCream & MatSci I have not finished the entire checklist. I guess there is an intern letter that you must send in and I guess you get this from your company sponsor IDK tho lol
Oh, okay. Yeah, I sent it to them in March and again a few days ago because I guess they didn't get it then. I haven't gotten a reply from them since I sent it to them. Oh well. It will get figured out somehow. Thanks for your help!
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10 hours ago, sgaw10 said:
I'm excited about graduate school, but I'm already starting to feel some extreme post-college sadness. I graduate in June. I love my undergrad institution to piece. I've already cried about it twice last weekend.
I also wish my family understood anything about academia...
I am so sorry. I totally understand this. When I graduated last May, I was upset for about six months. I still get a bit upset when I think about it. I considered my undergrad university a home. I made some many good and close friends, and had established myself there. I am used to moving, so I didn't think it would be as hard as it was. I was happy when finals were over, but the day after I took my last final and started packing up my apartment, it all kind of hit me. I cried A LOT. It actually is very common for college students to become depressed for a span of time after graduating because they miss the close community that they developed at school. At least for us, we get to go back to the college environment, just in a different way.
One thing that I try to remember is that I at least can visit my old college and visit my old friends. It may not be as often as I would like and it won't feel the same as when I was a student, but just this even little bit of information reassures me.
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On 4/16/2019 at 3:21 PM, cassidyaxx said:
You're welcome! Any more questions feel free to ask
Do you have any places to visit near the area for newcomers? Such as towns, parks, restaurants, etc. Thanks!
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1 hour ago, StHoly said:
I got accepted to UConn and I accepted the offer. Is it normal to not get a funding letter from them? I heard the funding will come after or am I wrong? I am beyond excited but I don't think I can pay for 5 years of tuition.
I was recommended by my current PI, he is a new UConn Associate Professor and starting up his lab this Fall. He assured me there will be funding and stipend but should I freak out now or wait?
I just got my funding letter from them today and I accepted my offer from them in March. You could contact the department and see when you might receive the letter. You will more than likely not pay tuition. You get a tuition waiver when you get a graduate assistantship. The only thing you will have to pay is student fees and health care, but since the grad students at UConn have a union, things are cheaper for grad students than most other schools. So, the fees would be about $600 per semester, I think, and the healthcare will be about $400 per school year, I remember correctly. It's not too bad and you can have the school automatically take that out of your stipend before you receive the money.
I think it should be fine. I know it may be hard to trust his word, but I feel grad school will require us to do a lot of trusting. You could always email your PI about the funding letter as well.
Good luck and I can't believe we will be in the same cohort! So excited! Go Huskies!
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1 hour ago, StHoly said:
I am also going to UConn for BME starting Fall 2019!!!! Who is your PI?
Yay! I will PM you!
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3 minutes ago, ray92 said:
@IceCream & MatSci You first have to finish the entire checklist from the email they have sent you.
I thought I did *sweats nervously*. What did your letter say?
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23 hours ago, becs_granola said:
so update: The school rep answered and they are trying to figure it out. I was also told today that IBM is considering me so fingers crossed...
I hope it all works out for you!
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Has anyone gotten an official letter from GEM saying they got the fellowship? Do we get that in May?
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Just now, cassidyaxx said:
Manchester area is pretty nice! It can get a bit pricey sometimes depending where you are. That would be much closer to Uconn health. I would also suggest looking into Columbia, Andover, or Hebron areas as they're a bit more rural and tend to be cheaper. Those are fairly in between the two. However, I'd probably recommend Manchester because while the drive from Manchester to Uconn and vice versa isn't terrible, the ride to Uconn health is bad and very traffic heavy. It'd be easier to live closer to Uconn health to save time and stress and just deal with the 30-35 minute commute to Storrs.
Thank you! This really helps!
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On 4/13/2019 at 6:06 PM, cassidyaxx said:
Just accepted my offer to Uconn! For anybody with questions about the Storrs area, PM me! I've lived here my whole life and did my undergrad at Uconn as well.
Do you have any suggestions about living near campus? I am looking into living in Manchester or Vernon because my lab is at UConn Health but my classes are in Storrs so I am trying ti find a place inbetween the two. Thanks!
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On 4/15/2019 at 12:51 AM, Emily Roberts said:
The Kiddie Tax won't apply to you in 2020 but could potentially apply in 2019 as the definition of a student is to be enrolled in "some part of each of any 5 calendar months of the year" (Publication 501 p. 12). You'll have to look at the rest of the criteria to see if you are subject to it or not, which you can find in the instructions for Form 8615. If you aren't in school right now though and are earning (e.g., W-2 income) a salary, there's a good chance that you will pass the "support test," but that will come down to your earned income in this part of the year vs. your living expenses for the year and educational expenses once you start grad school. (Also, the Kiddie Tax is only a concern for fellowship/training grant recipients, not RAs/TAs receiving W-2 pay... Just wanted to make sure that is clear since you didn't say where your funding will come from in the fall.)
Thank you. I will only be receiving fellowship stipends my first year :(. I feel like this is so messed up since grad students make so little money already.
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@Emily Roberts I just found out about the Kiddie Tax because of this forum. This is horrifying, but good to know. I am 23 now, and will be starting graduate school in late August. So, this means that I will have only been a full-time student in 2019 for only a little over four months in 2019 (I did not attend school any other time during 2019). Does this mean that the Kiddie Tax doesn't apply to me for my 2019 tax return? And since I will be 24 in 2020, then I don't have to worry about the Kiddie Tax for the 2020 tax return?
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On 4/7/2019 at 8:21 PM, dreamingotter said:
Is this not normal for most academic fellowships?
Not all of them. Some of them give you the option to say that you are an undergrad or someone applying to grad school, so then that implies that you aren't currently enrolled in grad school and therefore don't have a graduate faculty advisor, so that is why I asked what fellowship you are applying to see if I can help you better or not.
I guess you list the professor you are currently working with, but I would talk to them about it and see what they suggest. Good luck!
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9 hours ago, PotatoesInSeason said:
Hi y'all I know it's late and idk if anyone is still reading this - but I'm having a really difficult time choosing where to go and I don't even know if my rationale is valid anymore or what I want. I was super lucky and got accepted to MIT and UCSF-Berkeley. I initially wanted to go UCSF-UCB because a majority of my friends will be in state, my SO will be in cali and staying there for the next 7 years or so, had a better interview day experience (faculty/cohort/current grad students were all people I wanted to be friends with in contrast to MIT where I really felt uncomfortable and mostly quiet), and there's definitely more faculty/more established faculty there in my field (biomaterials). However MIT is much closer to home (my mom literally was sobbing that I didn't want to go), and I did find the biomaterials research they had more interesting and creative than UCSF-UCB although there was less research overall and with newer faculty. Last point would be that I really enjoy the outdoors and UCSF-UCB is perfect for that with the berkeley hills + national parks + weather while Boston doesn't appeal to me much (I've already lived in that area). Obviously there's a somewhat of a prestige factor (I know UCSF-UCB is amazing but anytime I've tried to talk about this with someone they immediately say it's a no brainier to go to MIT which frustrates me). Funding probably not an issue at either (thank u nsf).
Let me know your thoughts and I'll try to sleep now but probably won't!
Definitely UCSF-Berkeley. Your mom will definitely miss you, but this is not her choice and she should make you feel guilty for going where you want. And MIT may be more prestigious, but so Berkeley is also very prestigious and it seems like you would be much happier there. Congrats on your acceptances!
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36 minutes ago, jchen25 said:
I'm going to enter my first year of graduate school at Penn State Fall 2019 and have just been offered a Research Assistantship that will begin then as well. It will be approximately 20 hours/week. I just wanted some perspectives or past experiences that people have had in regards to balancing school and work.
Thank you!
I will also be a new RA/PhD students and in order to balance it all, I chose my classes to be two days of the week so I can then focus on research the other 3 days instead of having to go back and forth between the two. I know this may be hard to do sometimes, but this is my strategy.
Anyone else not going to a top ranked grad program?
in The Lobby
Posted · Edited by IceCream & MatSci
Agreed.
Also, I don't think this should be a deterrent for the OP to not apply to professorships in the future. Networking is also really important in my mind. Ranking is important, but that's because we view it as important. I think the person's abilities of conducting research and/or teaching a class should be more important than the rank of the school they went to. The school could have a bad-ish rank, but that doesn't meant that the skills they learned in schools aren't good, especially in grad school because what you learn during that time is dependent on various things, such as your PI, conferences you attend, groups, organizations, and societies you join, how well you write research articles/grants/proposals, etc. Sometimes those things are dependent on the program and other things are dependent on the student and their PI. I believe ranking shouldn't be so heavily used in determining if you would be a good professor or not. Just my opinion.