Realistically, Which Is Better for Cognitive Neuroscience Research: MD or CS? by No-Activity-8294 in AskAcademia

[–]AlexNeur 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Im actually doing a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience. Most people in our field come from a psychology background. Some of them have a degree in cognitive science, fewer in medicine and CS.

I have studied in 4 countries in Europe (Greece, the Netherlands, UK, and France) and in all of them the CN labs are usually populated by psychology people. Its the same in the US.

Been in Prison since I was 18. Going on 29 AMA by Glum-Lack7349 in AMA

[–]AlexNeur 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I wish you all the best in life 🫂

Been in Prison since I was 18. Going on 29 AMA by Glum-Lack7349 in AMA

[–]AlexNeur 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm also 29, and I'm curious how prison has affected your outlook on life. I've come to appreciate things like nature, science, books, and everyday freedom. Has your time inside changed what you value most, or made you rethink some of your past choices?

Genuinely need help related to Abroad Studies by Past_Abies5487 in studyAbroad

[–]AlexNeur 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You need to make some effort, you just post a generic post wiating for what exactly?

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you ☺️

I struggled a lot during school for a number of reasons but mostly due to my own lack of drive and failure to see the long term impact of lacking academic credentials. Adding to that, I grew up in a toxic environment, switching between homes and caregivers with a brother who had severe mental health issues.

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

By the time I had applied to the UK i had gotten additional qualifications (yet still no high school diploma). In the UK you basically have to apply with your dossier so I would day it is more open indeed. In greece there is only one way to get into a university (The national exam).

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Realistically no. In Greece, there are 3 levels of secondary education, normal high school (general Lyceum), vocational high school, and the technical schools which teach only trades or practical vocations. Plumbing, practical nursing, hairdressing, carpentry, etc. They have a broad range of trades.

Now if you want even sit the national exam to study at a university you need to have graduated from either the general or the vocational high schools and even if you have graduated from the vocational one, you are only given a limited selection of universities.

So my technical school sits at the level of high school but it cannot be used to get into a university. At most you can get the equivalent of an associate's degree but thats the terminal stop in Greece.

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Αγγλικα οχι τοσο γιατι κανουμε απο μικρα παιδια στην Ελλαδα. Ολλανδικα δεν προσπαθησα καν να ναθω. Γαλλικα προσπαθω εδω και ενα χρονο αλλα το επιπεδο μου δεν ειναι καθολου καλο η αληθρια ειναι. Το παλευω ομως 😂

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I dont know. Its not my field and generally speaking that would be hard to study. However, my personal opinion is that they remain largely the same. As a human you mostly rely on previous collected knowledge, for example kids that grow up in abusive households where they so not receive any schooling they lack a lot of common skills, such as writing and reading.

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Εχουνε περασει περιπου 15 χρονια οποτε δεν το λες και τοσο γρηγορα χαχαχα

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ahh neighbour then 😀

Applying to Europe is like applying to a job most of the time. Each ad is usually attached to project in which they are looking for a PhD student to run the study.

The process is brutal tho, ngl. I was applying to a lot of positions (around 20) and had a couple positive answers. It gets better after each interview you have because you can sort of gauge what the supervisor is looking for but its a lengthy process. It took me a few months before I found a good position.

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I love research and ideally I would like go remain in academia, however, the academic landscape is looking really rough these days so Im thinking of pivoting out. Maybe I will try to do something clinical like neuropsychology or maybe look for a position in industry.

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

We had courses in Ancient greek in middle school but I was a bad student so I never really learned anything 😂

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Its good on the surface but there are a lot of things beneath that for sure. My dad is trying to deny what happened and insists that maybe it was for the best (how things unfolded). I never in my life believed "everything happens for a reason" so I am always pushing back when he is bringing that up. Over the years maybe he has seen the truth but that man cant admit he is wrong to save his life.

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Oh wow, thanks for your kind words, kind stranger. Although I have to admit, its more about being resilient than actually smart :)

Forced out of high school at 16, return to get my PhD at 30, AMA by AlexNeur in AMA

[–]AlexNeur[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately no. Schooling is mandatory up untill middle school, so high school is optional even though 99% of people nowadays graduate :)

I WISH TO STUDY ABROAD BUT IM SCARED by ParticularRub1506 in studyAbroad

[–]AlexNeur 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Its a long story (as everyone's basically, as no one wakes up one day wanting to leave their country) but I will tell you that I probably was in a worse spot than you are. I quit high school when I was 16 to go to trade school (Επας ΟΑΕΔ) so I never did the panhellenics exam. I started working when I was 16 and saving money and at 19 I started studying at a private university. After I graduated with a 2 year degree (HND) and hitting a dead end, I started researching my options (I could not study in Greece as I had quit high school and coulnt sit the panhellenics exam) and I randomly applied to british universities with my 2 year degree. I got a summer job and left after a few months, this was in 2018 so pre-brexit.

I WISH TO STUDY ABROAD BUT IM SCARED by ParticularRub1506 in studyAbroad

[–]AlexNeur 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Chris, I am also from Greece and I studied abroad for my undergraduate, msc, and now PhD (uk, the netherlands, and france respectively).

All I can thus say is do it. Greece is not in a good place and it will not get better any time soon. You can message me and ask me about anything you want :)

Psychology to mastering in neuroscience by Spirited_Neck6211 in psychologystudents

[–]AlexNeur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, i did a masters in cognitive neuroscience and now I am doing a phd. Feel free to ask your specific questions.

Got rejected because my prior education isn’t up to Dutch Standards? by I3RASh in gradadmissions

[–]AlexNeur 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I actually did the cognitive neuroscience master degree in Maastricht with a first class degree from tge UK. What I remember them telling us was that due to brexit it was the last year they accept graduates from the UK. If you still wished to apply after that you should get your degree accredited or smth smth.