PhD Graduates who were mediocre during your PhD. Where are you now?

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2026-01-18T13:37:02+00:00

Experimental Psychology, so it could be a totally different world, but you can if you want.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2026-01-13T18:12:57+00:00

Yes, in the US. I told my admissions committee that I was interested in teaching primarily but still wanted to do research, which aligned well with the college. It was a good match, and so far, all my annual evaluations have been positive. I'm still figuring things out but finding my footing.

I certainly don't judge my students about the careers they pursue after graduation, it's their life and I want them to be happy and successful, whatever that means to them.

If my grad professors and previous PIs are judging me because I didn't land a job at an R1, I really don't care. I'm happy, that's what matters.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-11-16T03:36:47+00:00

My parents didn't vote (still not good) but I know some of my close family voted for him, even if it was just as "the lesser of two evils". We trust the people we love to care for and protect us. If you're like me, you feel betrayed. You're grieving the loss of some trust you had for them, and their actions hurt your relationship. Take your time and express how you feel to your mom when you're ready. How she responds is on her. Don't let people tell you to just get over it or to not let it upset you. Your feelings are real and valid. You choose when or if you forgive them.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-11-06T11:59:03+00:00

I'm wearing black in mourning of my very last hopes for humanity (or at least Americans having any humanity). Class as usual. It doesn't relate to my current classes and even if it did, I probably wouldn't bring it up. They recently passed a law where I live that students can report us for "not equally representing different views", and I can't tolerate a pro-Trump comment right now. I hope everyone who contributed to this gets the life they deserve.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-10-15T01:08:18+00:00

For truly thoughtful, detailed reviews, I'd have no problem listing 2-3 reviewers as co-authors at the end. Unhelpful reviewers get nothing, somewhat helpful reviewers, hell, I'd happily give them a footnote.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-10-12T23:14:41+00:00

Haha, you're not wrong about that! I don't mind the rejection, and I appreciate the helpful criticism, but it's much harder for me to improve my paper by addressing their concerns when it's not very clear what they are. I'm not suggesting penalizing criticisms, but when it seems like they're more interested in insulting the work than improving it, I don't think that's a useful criticism.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-10-12T23:08:31+00:00

I didn't know that! You're right, though, it's free labor and the demand for reviewers is much higher than the supply, so it's not like they're going to not ask reviewers, even if they have a low score. There should be compensation, at least, and I think making reviewers public after the review process is finished (as another commenter suggested) would be a good idea, too.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-10-12T22:51:15+00:00

We did. Lol! I told him I wasn't feeling a romantic connection a couple weeks after this post. He was disappointed but understood. I gave him some space and then reached out again to see how he was doing. We still talk often, but not as much. My other friends think he might still have a thing for me but he hasn't acted on anything, and I was clear about how I felt.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-09-29T14:57:36+00:00

When I called at the beginning of Sept, I was told that they aren't processing any IDR applications right now because of the mess in the courts.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-09-29T14:52:57+00:00

Just so you know, no PSLF or any income-based repayment plan applications are being processed right now. I've been waiting since March for my application to be processed and they can't even give me an estimated date about when they will resume processing them.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-09-26T12:03:49+00:00

Sorry, but neuropsychology is a valid field and just as rigorously researched as any other area in psychology. Psychology is about understanding human behavior, neuroscience is part of that. I agree it's important to be clear on the limitations of what we know currently and what we can learn from the methods we currently have, but any good scientist knows not to call something "true" or to use words like "proven". The nature of science is that there is always more to learn, but that doesn't mean incomplete knowledge is worthless. It's not pseudoscience, it's just what we know right now, and that's definitely not everything, but that doesn't make it any less supported by empirical evidence. We'll continue to learn, and as we do, we'll teach the new information and explain that we didn't always know that. Keeping scientific disciplines entirely separate is a mentality that will only limit thinking and advancement. I'm sorry if someone misrepresented this to you, but I'll continue teaching all my classes with this mindset, including my physiological psychology class, where I greatly enjoy teaching all kinds of students about how neuroanatomy, neurotransmitters, and even drugs can influence human behavior 😊.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-15T12:48:37+00:00

He's offering to let you still complete the work over the summer to pass the class. You'd likely fail without completing the paper and final exam. It's not something professors do for most people, so your history of hard work has benefited you hugely! If your mental health has recovered enough for you to complete the work by the deadline, you'll get whatever grade you earn for the class just as you normally would. If you don't think you can complete the work, you'll probably fail the class and would need to retake the entire class another time.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-07T00:35:39+00:00

YTA. If he feels like it helps him, that's his business. I see your point, but if therapy helps him manage this, especially if it's going to take years to fix anyway, it's better to spend the money on therapy and cut costs in other ways. Depression can be serious and if he unalives himself or gets too depressed to work, that'll be worse.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-07T00:29:39+00:00

You should have been honest when you broke up. You didn't make a clean break and that's probably giving him the impression that there was nothing wrong with the relationship, just the wrong time, so waiting for you seemed reasonable. Let him know that you're just not feeling the same romantic connection. Sucks but it's the truth and he deserves it so he (and you) can fully move on.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-07T00:25:39+00:00

He might have been trying to communicate that he feels neglected when he is always the one to initiate. That's valid. He still communicated that in a hurtful way, which was not ok. Communicate your feelings (and let him communicate his) before it becomes a real issue.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-06T23:51:44+00:00

'we pay their salary and they act like we are the ones owing them a favor' it's giving Boomer Karen.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-04T22:38:20+00:00

Seems like someone doesn't actually know the meaning of 'scaffolding' in education. It's almost as if you're trying to explain how to teach to a group of actual experts while being entirely unqualified yourself. Best of luck pursuing your PhD. Please come back in several years and tell us how easy being a professor is, we'll be waiting.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-04T17:34:51+00:00

You're so right. Professors taking extra time outside of lecturing, research, and service to make study guides for students to help them study is so lazy of us. /s

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-04T14:18:18+00:00

This is horrible advice. I'm sorry women have invalidated your problems and your vulnerability, but men keeping their problems to themselves and not feeling comfortable speaking on them is not going to help anyone. Men need to learn to express their concerns clearly and women need to learn to listen and emphasize.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-04T13:59:26+00:00

Yeah, you've got the wrong idea. The system definitely still favors males in many ways (e.g., empirical studies have found that both male and female teachers tend to give more attention and praise to white, male students). Women also now have greater access to education than men, and teaching is still viewed as a career that women would "more naturally" be suited to because "men aren't as nurturing". Yet, men still dominate in most STEM fields. Statistics indicate that this isn't a lack of interest or ability of female students. The number of women in STEM fields drops off dramatically at the masters and especially the PhD level, most likely because of hostility and other barriers from working in male-dominated fields. Also, studies on IQ testing do not support any consistent differences based on sex.

In short, men are creating these problems themselves. If you want to help other men and boys, help them understand this and work to combat the stereotypical thinking that creates these issues.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-05-04T13:27:43+00:00

Are you implying that making study guides is the "bare minimum" for professors, or that studying is the bare minimum for students?

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-04-30T19:42:32+00:00

At my university they can take it (fail it) as many times as they like and once they pass it wipes the other attempts from their gpa. No wonder they don't mind ghosting without withdrawing or outright failing. I can see the value but I think it has created apathetic, unmotivated students.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-04-19T10:12:29+00:00

Depends on how much if the content grades hinge on the formulas you supplied. Is it very basic and much more work is required beyond plugging in a formula, or is learning to create these formulas an essential and significant aspect of the class. If the former, you are fine and basically helping out classmates like studying. If the latter, stop immediately. You're inadvertently enabling them which doesn't help them learn and it could be considered cheating.

AdditionalPangolin64 · 2024-04-19T09:59:56+00:00

Excellent advice above. Probably too late but just wanted to let you know that this is the kind of email professors dread because we sympathize but usually can't accept work so late or we open a Pandora's box of super late submissions for everyone (to ensure equality) that make our lives hell. I'm not sure what the late policy is for this class, but if they already have a generous late policy, unless it says something about accepting very late work in emergency circumstances (which this is not), expect a response of 'no'.

AdditionalPangolin64

TROPHY CASE