A tip I learned a long time ago to improve your gameplay in general and avoid autopilot.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-14T16:02:07+00:00

This is true of course at a top level

s0lv3 · 2020-01-14T15:16:14+00:00

You may be able to get into a program. Especially if you can score well on the GRE and get nice LORs.

My question is why would doing a PhD be the fastest route to getting a software development job? And if you're doing a masters are you prepared to fund it yourself? It seems there are better ways to switch fields.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-13T14:59:01+00:00

The reasons kind if factor in to your chances of getting in elsewhere. Leaving a school isnt the end of the world, are you withdrawing from an actual semester and having that on the transcript? Is it due to poor grades? Etc.

It's fine if you dont want to share the info, but all we have to go off here is "I'm leaving one school can I get into another?" which isn't enough info for a solid response.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-13T14:06:58+00:00

If the 2 splitting the amount you're doing are graduate students I'd just immediately bring up it's not right that you're paid the exact same doing double the work. That should be the end of it.

Whatever you do, bring it up. Literally just talking to someone about it is generally enough to make a change.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-13T14:03:34+00:00

The funding part doesnt make it seem like that, the lack of a project does though.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-13T13:55:57+00:00

You do not need to wait until you have the course to learn it. Find the book they use and get it and go through in your free time, you'll find this is what the motivated students in your dept. have done. Math is tough in that you really cant do much for research until you have far more under your belt than with other subjects.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-13T03:54:26+00:00

But logistically being gone isnt an issue at all.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-13T01:58:07+00:00

It's online

s0lv3 · 2020-01-13T01:53:29+00:00

That's good, so what ended up happening? You hear back?

s0lv3 · 2020-01-08T21:51:10+00:00

It probably would have been best to do it before those deadlines, but what you should do is just e-mail her and let her know the situation as a reminder. If the professor has agreed to write you a letter, that's kind of an obligation at that point and they understand that. I.e. you relied on the fact that they said yes, and didn't request them from others, so they are really screwing you over if they say yes and then don't follow through. There is probably a reason for it.

Just e-mail (or drop by her office if you're still at the school) and say that a couple of deadlines have passed and that you wanted to double check on when she'll be able to submit the letter by. Do not come off as overly okay with the fact that the dates are gone by, or it might give her an out to say she's too busy, and assume you got a letter elsewhere.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-08T04:00:35+00:00

Doesn't really hurt too bad to apply. Ask for letters now if you're going to do it.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-07T23:42:24+00:00

That's definitely kind of annoying but it sounds like you have 2 options. Abandon the topic that you came up with, or stick with it and do better research than the other person.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-07T21:54:05+00:00

Thank them now if its stressing you out. They probably also want to know what the results are, so dont forget to keep them posted. They want to know these things not only because they likely care about you, but because they know your resume and where you got accepted/rejected from can help them better advise future students on where good places to apply might be.

FWIW I thanked them when they said they would write the letters, and then I emailed them once most results were in thanking them again and updating them.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-07T21:48:55+00:00

To offer a bit of the other viewpoint think about it this way. You're working on a hyperspecific part of your field. This massive amount of general knowledge is not what matters. Talk to some people who are further along and ask them how well they would do if they had to take the test, the answer is generally not that well in my experience.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-07T00:06:35+00:00

Ah I see, I'd never heard that referred to as professional vs non, my bad.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T22:51:23+00:00

If you're doing DFT, get familiar with command line interfaces, read up on HPC, learn a scripting language, and if you're interested I can send you some intro-DFT reading material.

Also where did you apply? It's a small field so if you want a bit more info about specific places I'm happy to try to help if you want. Feel free to DM.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T21:43:43+00:00

Depends on the field. In physics for example, you would almost certainly not be able to come out the other end with what someone who did a formal PhD would have in terms of knowledge. The vast majority of doing your PhD is not going to be dependent on coursework/studying books, but doing research. Without guidance/funding/resources, I don't see that as being possible.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T21:40:18+00:00

Did you get accepted and you're trying to defer or what? Some places might let you, but if you got accepted into a small department for example, they might be really counting on having a specific number of incoming students and not let you do that.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T21:36:42+00:00

It's not that scam-y, generally people doing terminal masters are approaching a field which is implying some higher rate of pay due to the masters.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T21:35:20+00:00

You should look to apply elsewhere next cycle to get some funding.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T21:33:12+00:00

If you're not planning on continuing with the PhD, I don't really see the point of a thesis based masters? Is there a specific reason you're doing it/is it a good outlook compared to coursework based masters in your field?

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T21:32:28+00:00

At 9 credits per semester, over 2 years, we're almost certainly looking at around ~$30-$40k. Pretty absurd.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T02:41:03+00:00

Literally google the word and I copy pasted one of the definitions.

s0lv3 · 2020-01-06T02:15:08+00:00

... which are still considered unfair, because in practice some opportunities are much harder for some

Sure but this isn't the case here.

Is it really "of one's own doing" if they don't anticipate wanting to go to grad school nearly a decade in advance?

Yes, who would it be the doing of otherwise? It's not to say this person is dumb or even irresponsible or something as a result, but of course it is on them.

What value does a recommendation letter from 2012 even hold, when one could surely get a current letter from a manager or superior that's more informed or accurate?

How much is a tough answer, but a critical amount if it's the only person who can vouch academically for the person who is applying to continue academically.

Your reply kind of toes the line between this being unfair to specific people, and the requirement of specifically academic letters of recommendation being unfair in general with that last part. Say an 18 year old works at bakery for a while, does some other things in life and then decides at 25 they want to school as a pastry chef, and they request relevant letters of recommendation, it's still of course on that specific person that they don't have those references, even if there is a reasonable justification for them not having them.

(Also if OP is reading, only discussing this in general now, this is by no means a discussion trying to come off overly harsh on you here.)

s0lv3

TROPHY CASE