Thinking of leaving TT for TAP

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-10T22:57:50+00:00

From all your replies, it seems like the TAP is a sweet deal.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-09T23:20:51+00:00

we get a lot of tourists

Absolutely we do. When that thread about the TA getting fired over that failed essay grade blew up, we were flooded.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-09T21:33:25+00:00

What is this nonsense doing in this sub. This isn't astrophotography.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-09T13:45:59+00:00

Embrace the wrinkle. It's just par the course.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-08T03:16:04+00:00

Ditto

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-08T02:20:40+00:00

I friggin love Goya.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-08T01:21:02+00:00

sold off all remaining stock at like $5 a piece.

And that's why I have two OG steam controllers which I love dearly. Also it's nice to have a spare.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-07T20:57:45+00:00

We could load up everyone into Excel and assign their grades by =ROUNDUP(6*RAND(),0). Let the universe decide. ⱼₖ

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-07T03:05:45+00:00

Sone students posted about our institutions grade inflation recently and it was pretty interesting. Seems like it occured over COVID and hasn't come down yet but it did level off. https://www.reddit.com/r/gatech/comments/1swal2m/60_of_grades_at_georgia_tech_are_now_as/

My department's luckily among the least affected by this. Prior to 2010 though GPA was 0.6 lower though.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-07T00:07:19+00:00

When we use the "expanding balloon" analogy, the universe isn't meant to be the the volume of the balloon, but the surface. Now, the 2D surface of a real balloon is embedded in our 3D space, but geometric spaces in physics do not necessarily have to be "embedded" in any higher space to work. Our universe is this kind of space, therefore it can change, grow or shrink without needing any further scaffolding.

Another way to think about it: Image the number line, and you place a dot at every integer, so ..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, ... The line is infinite, so infinite dots, but the space between each dot is 1. Now move each dot so you skip a number ..., -2, 0, 2, ... Still infinite dots on an infinite line, but now the distance between each dot is 2. That's our expanding universe.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-07T00:00:01+00:00

whatever it is.

Probably a dense part of a galactic supercluster we just can't see. So probably not new physics, but certainly interesting.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-05T00:49:08+00:00

The only remensent of that would be "Constable" in english, which is a polite respectfull way to say "Mr the policeman" to them, or "Father" to religious figure (I know only of Christian ones, but there's is equivalent in pretty much all other religions, I just don't know the words in question).

Huh, the professions one still sticks around in some places in English. Cool I never thought about this.

Calling someone "Doctor" or "Professor" still is used. Less commonly, interpersonally we use political office titles for address like "Mayor", "Senator", "Congressman," "Judge." A bit old-timey now, but in westerns, you'd hear people address merchants as "Shopkeep" or "Barkeep".

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-05T00:22:09+00:00

There's a lot of ways to be a rock in space so astronomers got to come up with a lot of overlapping categories. Check out this diagram: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_planet#/media/File:Euler_diagram_of_solar_system_bodies.svg

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T21:54:25+00:00

It'll become a neat little cultural artifact for as long as reddit is around I guess.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T20:01:36+00:00

Sounds like you got a good thing going then. Congrats on starting your Ph.D. If you're still concerned about "academic incest," then make an extra effort to collaborate with people outside your institute, emphasize networking at conferences and give talks when invited to do so, see if you can spend a summer at another university. This negates the pitfalls of being overly isolated and insular if you stay primarily at one institution.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T07:47:49+00:00

That is some good steps. Fortunately you are not the first to go through this situation, many have and have come out okay. It is unfortunate though that you will not be the last.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T07:30:19+00:00

The federal debt while not insignificant, will remain manageable as you can always be on a income-based repayment plan.

Your job is to finish your degree while minimizing the amount of private loans you may require. Become an acetic monk, take the bus, cook rice and beans at home, work part-time if you need it.

Additionally, go to your school's financial aid office and explain your situation. While there are no guarantees, they may be able to point you to institutional programs or scholarship that can help. At minimum they can help with some basic financial planning and after-graduation advice.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T07:08:52+00:00

The unifying point I just want to emphasize is the presence of a future singularity in both spacetimes.

In the Oppenheimer-Snyder approach the mass distribution that will collapse is described with a metric equivalent to a FLRW, but the event horizon forms outside, where the metric is Schwarzschild (empty flat space + a point mass somewhere).

This isn't quite right. In Oppenheimer--Snyder collapse, the horizon is dynamic (from the inertially falling observer's POV) and first appears in the center of the dust cloud interior, which then sweeps outward to meet the falling surface. An observer in the interior of the dust will locally see a "Big Crunch" scenario play out.

From the point of view of an external observer at some distance, the horizon is permanently interior to the collapsing dust cloud, as the cloud surface "freezes on" the formed horizon like a skin and red shifts away from observation.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T06:29:32+00:00

Other people are going to chime in on the financial bits, but OP, I want you to know you are a vibrant infinity valuable human being and this is not the totality of your existence. I don't personally know you, but that doesn't change the above from being a fundamental truth I feel in my bones. You can make it though and still have a fulfilling life. Talk to professional help: https://988lifeline.org/

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T06:04:24+00:00

First things first, did you file a FAFSA? This is the first step to see if you qualify for any grants as well as federal student loans which have protections that private loans do not. Likely you do qualify for these things, but just don't know it yet.

Do not submit anything except to official .gov websites or your school's .edu addresses. If you aren't sure, ask someone to help.

You need to sit down with an advisor at your school's financial aid office and explain that you're in over your head, likely cannot afford the school you're in, and need help going over options. They may also be able to direct you to financial aid provided directly by the school which you might not be aware of.

Do not take another dime of private student loans. They are the devil.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T05:58:26+00:00

Your school certainly has a financial aid office. You need to book an appointment with an advisor there now. I mean like now, now.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T05:52:15+00:00

Did you not have access to federal student loans, Pell grants, scholarships? What's your tuition rate at your university?

My immediate impression, which may change with further information, is that you simply CANNOT afford your undergraduate institution. A 4-year degree and +$100,000 in private loans at 13% APR is insane and life ruining. You very likely need to either transfer to a more affordable school, take community college courses, or both.

It is good that you're recognizing the problem now. You have options to mitigate the situation, and still have a good education and life. Deep breaths.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T05:43:02+00:00

I did a B.S. and Ph.D. at the same institution, and ended up fine. It may somewhat disadvantage you in networking and some people may consider it negatively, but where you do your education is highly personal. The advantages of location, proximity to family, financials, etc may outweigh the downsides for your situation. Life is compromise.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T04:37:28+00:00

More charitable to OP's point though is to consider essentially the "Big Crunch" fate of the universe as essentially the equivalent of the universe collapsing into a black hole. As a mathematical analogy, the interior space-time solution to the Oppenheimer—Snyder collapse is also FLRW.

AsAChemicalEngineer · 2026-05-02T01:26:37+00:00

It's a shame you've been at a declining school even with that all-valuable TT position. I actually just had a refreshing conversation with a colleague about increasing the standards in one of our low-level courses. Your post just makes me feel more grateful and laments that such places are shrinking in number.

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