talkcherty2me Posted February 24, 2015 Posted February 24, 2015 Speaking of http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2015/02/university_hiring_if_you_didn_t_get_your_ph_d_at_an_elite_university_good.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top Thoughts, anyone?
columbia09 Posted February 24, 2015 Posted February 24, 2015 Well the University of Wisconsin is officially out of the running.....
GeoDUDE! Posted February 24, 2015 Posted February 24, 2015 Thoughts, anyone? Earth sciences fits that description pretty well, but its also different in the sense that the field is changing. Geology from inception until about 25 years or so ago was a descriptive science, and is now turning into a quantitative science. At my department, ~50% come from geology departments, but the other 50% come from physics, computer science, mathematics, chemistry and biology. Your connections will be more important than where you go to graduate school, but also the flavor of your research (are you studying something that is hip and fits many departments?). Another thing is that most people with a lot of connections and most people who do trendy research come from top departments. Another thing is the rankings for industry vs academia of departments is pretty different. My department has almost no industry connections, and that lowers its overall ranking, but sends a lot of their students to top postdocs ect. For example, Almost any school in texas is better than my school at placing students in industry. What I would do, is look at where your POis graduate students are going. That is indicative of how good his/her research/graduate program is. But those good POIs are overwhelmingly at the top schools (i dont know how big, probably 1-30 schools imo). idiochromatic 1
C_def Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 Earth sciences fits that description pretty well, but its also different in the sense that the field is changing. Geology from inception until about 25 years or so ago was a descriptive science, and is now turning into a quantitative science. At my department, ~50% come from geology departments, but the other 50% come from physics, computer science, mathematics, chemistry and biology. Your connections will be more important than where you go to graduate school, but also the flavor of your research (are you studying something that is hip and fits many departments?). Another thing is that most people with a lot of connections and most people who do trendy research come from top departments. Another thing is the rankings for industry vs academia of departments is pretty different. My department has almost no industry connections, and that lowers its overall ranking, but sends a lot of their students to top postdocs ect. For example, Almost any school in texas is better than my school at placing students in industry. What I would do, is look at where your POis graduate students are going. That is indicative of how good his/her research/graduate program is. But those good POIs are overwhelmingly at the top schools (i dont know how big, probably 1-30 schools imo). This is my thought as well. From what I understand from my faculty, ranging from recently granted PhDs to others close to retirement, have told me that the ranking isn't as important as it once used to be. If you have a good network of people who think highly of you, the school on your degree doesn't matter. Keep in touch with past faculty, friends you make in grad school. Collaborate. Increase the network of people who know you. I feel this is what will get me a job post grad school. A lot of schools now have the capability to perform the same quality research as the top-tier schools. This is speaking academically of course. If you go into industry, you probably need a recognizable name attached to you.
darkstar Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 Was anyone from here at the UT Austin prospective weekend in the Solid Earth & Tectonics group?
programmingWeather Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 Is it true that Stanford just accepts or primarily accept PhD candidates ? I was told this by my advisor and I wouldn't be surprised since the first faculty member I spoke to only takes PhD students Yep. That's what it seems like for all of the School of Earth Science. I know that's what it is for EESS for sure.
columbia09 Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 Yep. That's what it seems like for all of the School of Earth Science. I know that's what it is for EESS for sure. He said I wasn't the right "fit" for the program. I'm interpreting that as your GRE scores sucked so much that we didn't even bother looking at the rest of your application.........sorry I had to. jamesy1116 and columbia09 1 1
prospecting Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 He said I wasn't the right "fit" for the program. I'm interpreting that as your GRE scores sucked so much that we didn't even bother looking at the rest of your application.........sorry I had to. lol teddybrosevelt, geographyrocks, jamesy1116 and 2 others 5
idiochromatic Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 This is my thought as well. From what I understand from my faculty, ranging from recently granted PhDs to others close to retirement, have told me that the ranking isn't as important as it once used to be. If you have a good network of people who think highly of you, the school on your degree doesn't matter. Keep in touch with past faculty, friends you make in grad school. Collaborate. Increase the network of people who know you. I feel this is what will get me a job post grad school. A lot of schools now have the capability to perform the same quality research as the top-tier schools. This is speaking academically of course. If you go into industry, you probably need a recognizable name attached to you. With industry, it's less about name and more about industry connections, I think. I think it's important to be somewhat prestige-conscious--or at least realistic about your career prospects based on outcomes for other students who have been through the program you attend. Everybody wants to believe they are an outlier, but of course, most aren't.
idiochromatic Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 He said I wasn't the right "fit" for the program. I'm interpreting that as your GRE scores sucked so much that we didn't even bother looking at the rest of your application.........sorry I had to. I feel like my best advice for you is somewhat contradictory... 1) you should try to improve your GRE and 2) you should not blame everything that happens to you this application cycle on your GRE. I would take the comment about "fit" to heart (because I think he would have said "GRE" if he had to, the fact that he went with something as nebulous as "fit" is interesting). Are you communicating something you don't intend in your application materials? Based on your posts here, I think you may communicate well in person but have trouble signaling your intent in written materials.
columbia09 Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) I feel like my best advice for you is somewhat contradictory... 1) you should try to improve your GRE and 2) you should not blame everything that happens to you this application cycle on your GRE. I would take the comment about "fit" to heart (because I think he would have said "GRE" if he had to, the fact that he went with something as nebulous as "fit" is interesting). Are you communicating something you don't intend in your application materials? Based on your posts here, I think you may communicate well in person but have trouble signaling your intent in written materials. I don't believe so as I said my application was looked at by multiple professors in my department. In all honesty, and I know how this sounds, the GRE is not worth another 200$ to retake (this is for me personally and doesn't apply to everyone). So far none of my schools I got bad news from mentioned the GRE so perhaps there is something else. It could also be that since it's Stanford they usually only take PhD students (he even said that he, and the other evaluators were very impressed with my application but I don't know if they were just saying that). The situation at Texas A&M was mostly a funding issue since both of my POIs couldn't take on new students. My advisor at Wisconsin did mention that it was my GRE scores however. I have 5 more schools left so it isn't official yet but if rejected everywhere, I would like a year or two to evaluate myself and see what the best course of action will be for me. As for prospecting, I'm glad that you have the dignity to lol at my comment as you sit in your big ivory tower over there at Rice (I'm assuming that you go to Rice since you have the Texas flag and your older comment "I hope to God you don't get into Rice" makes me think so). If you do go to Rice and you're the typical grad student there then I do hope I don't get into Rice too. That's enough of this though, I have a thesis to write and midterms to study for. Thank you to everyone else who has been a support to me, I appreciate it Edited February 25, 2015 by columbia09 columbia09 and jamesy1116 1 1
jamesy1116 Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 And I thought I was over-thinking. ssynny, idiochromatic, AKGeo and 2 others 4 1
sjoh197 Posted February 25, 2015 Posted February 25, 2015 All the hostility. Can't we all just be friends. If we all self reflect, we can all see what is wrong with our applications. Also, if we sit and look at academia, we can see when nothing was wrong with our application, and there simply wasn't a match. Also, let us all remember, that as geologists... we are not known for our social graces, and the internet can make it seem worse. jamesy1116 1
sjoh197 Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Have anybody contacted their POI at UH? I haven't yet. At least, not since applications were due. I've seen that their stuff doesn't really start to go until march?
columbia09 Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 In relation to industry, how many connections does U of Nebraska have ? My advisor said its one of the top schools to go to for oil
darkstar Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Oregon sent out rejection letters today if anyone is waiting on them.
Deepwater Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 In relation to industry, how many connections does U of Nebraska have ? My advisor said its one of the top schools to go to for oil I honestly don't qualify to answer that but yes, I know people from there are in the industry.
columbia09 Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 I honestly don't qualify to answer that but yes, I know people from there are in the industry. Did you hear from Rice ? Or email your POI ?
ssynny Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Any other non-rock/geology people out there? Earth science is so broad and diverse
turbidite Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 In relation to industry, how many connections does U of Nebraska have ? My advisor said its one of the top schools to go to for oil Hm that's interesting. I've been to several industry-related student expos (where you interview for oil & gas internships/jobs) and didn't recall seeing many students from Nebraska. In general, petroleum industry connections are strongest in schools that are close to the jobs (i.e. Houston). That's one of the reasons why so many people apply to schools like Texas, OU, A&M, Rice, LSU, UH, etc. They are all close to the source so companies don't have to travel far to recruit. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule and Nebraska may be one of them, idk.
Deepwater Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Did you hear from Rice ? Or email your POI ? Rice, no. I actually never heard from any POIs from Rice. I am counting only on my application material there. Aside, I heard back from UT Austin. The phase 1 decisions are made and I did not made the cut. Second phase will run by April and technically there are chances. But don't we all know the probability? What about your responses from Rice? Anything? Ever?
Deepwater Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 When I say, I never got a response from Rice, I don't mean to sound rude. It might be well shortcomings of my application and research interest.
columbia09 Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Hm that's interesting. I've been to several industry-related student expos (where you interview for oil & gas internships/jobs) and didn't recall seeing many students from Nebraska. In general, petroleum industry connections are strongest in schools that are close to the jobs (i.e. Houston). That's one of the reasons why so many people apply to schools like Texas, OU, A&M, Rice, LSU, UH, etc. They are all close to the source so companies don't have to travel far to recruit. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule and Nebraska may be one of them, idk. Penn State is a big oil recruiter school and so is U Mass (actually I'm unsure about U Mass.....). Obviously though they are quite far from Texas so they are exceptions probably.
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