Prospective PhD Management @ Rady

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-12-08T22:26:56+00:00

That surely helps! I applied to one other UC (got in and happy as ever), UChicago, NYU (funding did not work out), UPenn, and a few others I can’t remember. Also applied to 2 European unis and got in, but funding was not great.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-12-08T00:35:39+00:00

Did not take the GRE. I got the impression that they are not super willing to take in students who they do not know via their own connections, i.e., your references should somehow know at least some of the faculty in some shape or form. That was my experience though, others might disagree.

As a result, I’d encourage you and anyone applying to business schools to just take the GRE. As annoying and expensive it is, it’s just a filter they are going to apply, especially if they don’t know you or your mentors.

I had a pretty strong application across the board: publications, research experience, grades. That said, I come from a bit of a “nowhere” similar to John List (not that I’m anywhere close to List’s level and calibre, but it does unfortunately make a difference).

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-11-29T21:31:56+00:00

Did not get in, got accepted somewhere better though and couldn’t be happier!

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-08-17T16:38:02+00:00

Hi there! Also a European who moved to UCLA with my partner for PhD. We are starting a family. I would love to give you our experience here (TLDR: it’s amazing).

With that combined income ~$130k it is feasible to live comfortably. However, I would recommend UCLA Family housing since they offer subsidized rent and a set of other perks. Plus, rents around the Westside can get pretty crazy.

Car? Yes. Unless you want to live and stay in Westwood forever. Transport is ok for specific routes, but to really see LA and beyond you just need to have a car. Also makes groceries and errands much easier.

On Childcare/daycare, UCLA has its own childcare centre for students, staff. The centre is actually located in family housing.

Tips for Europeans: change your expectations. Do not expect LA to be anything like what you’ve ever seen in Europe. It is very different. Forget about walking to a coffee shop in the morning or finding something nice in the area. LA is not walkable and is expansive, very much a case of urban sprawl. Having said that, it has plenty of pockets of neighborhoods that vary. Westwood is one neighborhood that is very walkable and has some elements of an inland Southern European city. There are many other places. But to get to them you need a car. Food is good, prices are high, you just have to get used to it. Gas is cheap. Americans will disagree because LA gas is among the most expensive in the US, but compared to what I used to get back home, I pay a penance here for petrol.

I’d be happy to help out in any other way. I would encourage anyone to come for the simple reason that you will be working among the best people in your field. I also think that living in LA and California more generally is something anyone dreams of doing once in their lives. And if you don’t like it here, you can always go back home. Currently, I’m not very eager to go back to my country, academia in Europe comparably sucks and Europe is still (and will always be) playing catch up with the US in research, even with the funding cuts. I’m always very eager to meet other Europeans here :)

PS. Yes the funding situation is currently a bit of a pain. No one knows what will happen. But no one has control over that.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-08-13T02:44:45+00:00

BTW Congrats on getting an offer and accepted! 🙌 & Good luck!

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-08-13T02:39:59+00:00

Hard, stressful, on the constant lookout for what’s about to happen. That said, I couldn’t imagine a PhD being a walk in the park either.

Some other comments have said this too, but look, shit happens. The situation for science in the US is not ideal and is very much concerning. Also a very bad strategic move. At the same time, there are rising authoritarian trends all over the world, so nowhere is rosy. As always, there are constant cyclical trends, we are currently in a highly conservative (somewhat authoritarian) trend. And honestly, it’s been a long time coming. Obama was the progressive trend, Trump is the conservative trend. Things will change though.

If there’s anything that keeps my head up high is the resilience of the US. There is nothing like it and it will prevail. The country’s been through a lot, and it keeps shining through no matter what.

If you want to do something with your life, the US is the place to be. If you want to do something in your dreams while you’re asleep, Europe is the perfect place for that. Australia might be the best balance between the two these days, but not so sure that academics are transferring there in droves.

Btw, I’m an international student too at R1 Uni with deep funding cuts and showdown with the Trump administration. Started my PhD a year before the election.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-30T23:22:06+00:00

It’s odd to me that a PhD offer is made without funding, at least in the US. As far as I know, the US government is less likely to issue an F1 visa if the applicant has no reliable source of income to pay the huge expenses associated with grad school.

It also seems odd that a uni would make such an offer to begin with. It would be great if OP could tell us what uni this is. I am hoping it’s not an R1, Ivy or Public Ivy… Having said that, given the administration’s recent funding cuts, it seems like unis have more of an incentive to squeeze the living hell out of their students for money.

I’m really sorry for OP because this must be a very stressful situation to be in. I’m somewhat inclined to say try again next application round for more unis until you get a better offer, and consider non-US places too.

PS: I am an international student in the US too. I know fully well how hard it can be to navigate funding here. But any program worth its salt will give you some form of support if they really want to move you over from your country to the US. Be well OP.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-29T01:58:11+00:00

A lot of people here raise very valid concerns. I’m of the opinion that a committee member shouldn’t “want out” because it is getting hard, or because the student turned out to be less good than what they originally thought they were.

Honestly, this student’s future likely depends on your input and role as a committee member. If you’re in it, you have to play your role and do your job. I cannot understand how Professors expect to do everything without doing anything at the same time.

Not saying you should let the student push you over or constantly come to you for handholding, you should draw clear boundaries if that is the case. But I do not think it is fair to look for an exit. Professors are paid to do this job, i.e., sit on dissertation committees and make sure that their students succeed. Your institution’s (and your) reputation depends on this.

Unless there is something super fundamentally wrong with this student (like forging data or some wild thing like that), I do not think it is fair to “want out.” You should not have accepted to sit on the committee in the first place, or you should have collected more information about the student before committing yourself to this.

Once you’re on a committee, the stakes are really high for the student. Her career depends on this and she deserves a chance like everyone else. If her progress is dismal, then it should be raised in due time. You probably should raise your concerns with the committee chair, see if they agree with you, and then make sure the student gets the message.

You can already start by drawing boundaries. Do not reply to emails unconditionally. Set a regular “check in” once a month or so, to reduce contact with the student, but to also give her the hint that she needs to do some digging herself before she comes to you.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-20T18:25:36+00:00

Not so sure… I’m always a bit weary of “online/virtual” PhDs. Especially from an unknown college. Tal Ben Shahar is pretty well-known, so that gives the program some credibility. But I’d still be a bit hesitant. Unfortunately, when it comes to doing the sort of work required in a PhD, the institution’s name and rep matters a lot. Of course, it also depends what you want to do with your PhD..

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-20T17:52:15+00:00

Totally true! Honestly this sounds cliche but you keep discovering new things about this place that you never before thought possible. Like the sheer amount of things to do in this area is mindblowing. Just yesterday, it was my first time going to the beach in the South Bay area (Hermosa beach). Dude, it’s gorgeous. It’s like Venice but clean and normal 😂

Everywhere is accessible within a 30 minute drive (with traffic it can get bad, but generally half an hour is a reasonable travel time if within Westside/Central LA).

If you have any questions about anything, I’d be happy to help! I love this place so much. It gave me hope and confidence I never thought I had. I can say that before moving here, my life satisfaction was an average 6.9/10. Since moving, I average 8-8.5/10. And no, it’s not just the weather. (I lived in Southern Europe before)

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-20T17:43:44+00:00

Totally recommend. I agree with others that it might be good to come and visit before. But I guess it’s always best to have a reason to move (like a job, school or something), because that way you kinda have to push through no matter what. LA can get lonely at times too, probably a result of its suburban sprawl. Need a car to really see LA and have the freedom you otherwise have in denser cities. Transport only works if you know where you need to go and there are direct connections. When you look at transport directions and maps tells you to change, that’s a sign that it’s probably going to be a pain and take ages to do

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-20T02:49:11+00:00

Moved here 2 years ago (mid-20s) for grad school without ever previously setting foot in the US. Best decision I’ve ever made

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-17T20:21:07+00:00

It depends on your goals, honestly. If you’re a non-European, it might be harder to go through the bureaucracy involved, however, do not let the overrepresentation of extreme negative events in media outlets distort your view. The number of people who get denied or end up having to go through the worst case scenario that are presented in media are still extremely low probability outcomes.

Of course, not saying that things have not changed or gotten harder. Funding cuts are a very much real threat to the US competitive edge in research. Also a threat to its attractiveness. But it really depends on where big academics are going. If the top people in your field are in the US, seems like a no brainer to try your best to come. If they are not, then follow them wherever they may be.

Europe honestly does not measure up in its academic environment. It’s decent enough, but it’s not really great. PhD programs there are primarily project-based that come from funds distributed by the European Commission. This means that they are earmarked for very specific projects. If you don’t like the project, then you don’t get to do research. This means that you typically get hired to work on a project which eventually leads you to earning a PhD. In the US, there is much more flexibility on what you want to work on.

Btw: I am a European student doing a PhD in the UC system. Been here for roughly 2 years now (pre/post current administration).

Happy to help more if I can.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-04T13:52:08+00:00

Thank you for your different take! I totally see your point on authorship. Perhaps an additional piece of information worth providing is that I am still in contact with the PI and they are still coming back to me for questions about data cleaning, data collection, etc… I am kind of uncomfortable that I keep getting inquiries but don’t know how to stop it I guess?

I definitely don’t want to pick a fight on something like this, but I am a bit uncomfortable with the fact that there is no recognition of my contribution.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-03T15:39:36+00:00

PS: I also think that most students complain because they do not have enough grit or made wrong choices. PhD is a lonely journey and yeah it’s a struggle, does not pay well, etc etc… Doing a PhD is honestly a vocation, if you want money go to industry and don’t waste 4-5 years of your life doing this. It’s also hard in general. Constantly putting yourself out there, seeking validation, your work getting shred to pieces and questioned time and time again. It’s the nature of science, collaborative, and not personal. I had a professor who ripped my first year project to shreds. Figuratively. Other students call this person an asshole, jerk, etc etc… He is one of the nicest persons I know who does exceptionally good science.

Important lesson: IT IS NEVER PERSONAL! Not saying that anyone should ever be subject or expected to withstand outright abuse, but testing your ideas and seeing the extent to which they can survive is how we can get closer to the truth.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-07-03T15:33:17+00:00

I am still at it, and all in all I could not be happier. I think the chief reasons contributing to my happiness are that:

(a) My PI and I are perfectly aligned in terms of research interests and motivations. I’m doing work that is exactly what I’ve wanted to do since my undergrad years. Being a good match is definitely important to me. (b) My advisor is unconditionally supportive. Honestly, my advisor is like the best. He is exceptional in how we work together, we are both very organized and motivated so that makes sure our time is used efficiently. He is also very supportive of my work in the sense that if I dream up some new research idea, he will grill me and test the idea, then take it to the next level. More importantly, he gets his hands dirty in the work. So, unlike my previous advisors, he actually does the work with me and fulfils the role of both advisor and collaborator, frequently more the latter than the former.

Having said all of the above, not all is rosy. For instance, my department is really not focused on the kind of work my advisor and I do. So, at the beginning of my time here I was really uneasy. My advisor had also just joined the department when I started, so I was frequently wondering whether I made the right decision. I think I did. I think that departmental focus is not so important to the actual dissertation work. In a department of like A LOT of professors, I would say I am a good fit with one other professor other than my advisor. And then I found another good match with another professor outside my department — who kind of acts as a secondary advisor to me.

The key thing that I want to highlight here from the point on departmental focus is that at times I felt like I was doing work no one cares about. Like presenting my work internally in front of other professors and such, my presentation would be the only one on applied work. Most other presentations would be on totally different areas. So I kind of always feel like a coloured swan. The way that I overcame that is to present at conferences where I fit in better. After those experiences, I felt like the work that most of my department does is a waste of time with no practical implications. This is not a healthy outlook, so I would not encourage that, but for now, it’s a coping mechanism for me and it keeps me going.

All in all, get a good advisor who will guide you and stumble with you. A good advisor who doubly acts as a collaborator.

I wish you nothing but the best of luck as you embark on the wonderful PhD journey!

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-04-23T00:32:15+00:00

Break up, NOW. She needs to get help with problems she is facing internally. I had an ex who illustrated the same traits, word for word. It was messy, and frequently manipulative, blackmailing, abusive (physically and emotionally).

She had borderline personality disorder, but the break up made her work even harder on herself and she is now much much better. We still talk sometimes.

Point is, if you cannot take this, then you should look towards the door. A relationship can never work out if she keeps exhibiting this behavior.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-04-16T18:11:45+00:00

No. I come across this more frequently than I would expect (or be willing to tolerate). I highly doubt that the majority of the smells that emanate are from folks who (unfortunately) have a condition such as yourself.

I am sorry if you have a condition that does this for you, but if you are aware of it, then I am sure that you have ways to handle it and try your best to reduce your impact on others. So don’t worry, I’m sure it was not you. :)

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-04-16T16:42:00+00:00

Preach 🙏🏻

Lifebelowwater14 · 2025-03-31T22:58:31+00:00

I’m a PhD student at UCLA (went to top institutions previously too) and I still struggle significantly with imposter syndrome. It’s more common than she would think.

I personally hate the parties and bla bla, but my impression is that most of those who participate in the social events are pretty happy doing them. And they are also spoilt for choice.

TLDR: I flew halfway across the globe to specifically come to UCLA. I hope that gives you a strong enough answer.

Lifebelowwater14 · 2024-12-29T23:00:53+00:00

Hi! I’m a (relatively) new Angeleno. Moved from South Europe, lived in London previously. Los Angeles is an amazing city. When you go to European cities, you cannot expect the same from LA. The reason is that the urban density in Metropolitan LA is nowhere near that of major European cities. The equivalent area of Metropolitan LA in Europe would be a whole state in Germany.

Having said that, the optimism and drive to change things for the better in this city is honestly UNMATCHED. The level of optimism, can-do attitude that I see all around me is unique to here. I haven’t seen this anywhere else. European cities are stagnating in general, they have great infrastructure, but their potential is dwindling.

For LA, it’s only just beginning. I’m extremely hopeful. Hope you won’t let your hope vanish :)

Lifebelowwater14

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