Erm. General, I guess? It's just the ridiculously high application rates versus the ridiculously low admittance rates to these programs combined with general self-evaluations (read: self-doubt) and the fact that, while I do very well in interviews, there are tons of candidates more qualified than I. Plus there's the doctoral option versus the terminal master's + doctorate option and different focuses in programs and general all-around overwhelmed-ness.
So I'd have to say "general." And I'm starting to think I need to look at lower-ranking programs. Which I really don't want to do.
*g* Hi. Okay, thanks. Though awake at 4am, which is sub-optimal. You?
Is it a case of applying to easier programs as well, or instead? (Hopefully the former :)
And re Masters/PhD, I guess it depends. Are you just dipping a toe in the water of grad school, or do you know for a fact that you want to do this for the next several years? What would be your reasoning for doing a Masters first? I did a Masters first; wanted to see if research/grad study was for me. It was, so I did a doctorate. But I can see other reasons for wanting to do this, such as getting a bit of background in a new area (the Masters) and then hunkering down with your research question (PhD).
Um, yell if I can provide other unhelpful rambling commentary ;)
That's good advice. I mean, if a program accepted you but you weren't wild about it, wouldn't you feel some kind of obligation to them, on some level? Ditching the sub-par stuff = ++
Learning is a great reason to get out of bed in the morning.
The Masters vs. PhD question really comes from some of my schools only accepting a doctoral candidate if they already have a PhD
Should that read if they already have a Masters? If not, I'm confused XD
( ... )
No, no, very coherent! All of that was exactly what I needed to hear; it means I'm not too far off track. (Also that phdcomics site is fantastic.)
I know, I love Spain, too. I just want to make sure I don't get stuck learning all the "classics" (because I hate hate hate the majority of those books and would really like to actually pass my classes) while ignoring anything from the 20th century or later
( ... )
Remember though that in the UK, undergraduate degrees are specialist: you study your subject for 3-4 years (and maybe take a couple of electives, but you are basically majoring all the way through). So when you do a Masters/PhD in the UK, you've already spent a few years studying your subject at university level, whereas my impression of the US is that most undergraduate degrees are fairly broad (e.g. liberal arts) and don't confer the same depth of subject-matter, or specialization. Also, in the UK, people do degrees in things like medicine and law at undergraduate level, from the age of 18 (though you can then do graduate study in them too if you're keen, or crazy; but the qualifications you need to train/practice are undergraduate degrees) - they're not subjects you wait until grad school to do.
Erm, well, they can be quite broad if you're majoring in something that falls under the liberal arts banner. Really, though, it's up to the student. I double-majored in Spanish and English and took real pains to make
( ... )
otherwise all I would have ended up with would have been Spanish and English classes
See, you just described the typical undergraduate degree in the UK. I think electives are mostly only a first-year thing. And in fact very few people have a double major ;)
Right, right - I know someone who's pre-Econ, I think? But she took some classes in English and German and whatever. We rarely allow that.
(There once was a "liberal arts major", but most schools have eradicated it since it was only good for turning out private school teachers and extremely smart cashiers.)
Heheh.
I've seen professors who kill themselves to attain tenure, and then once they do, they slack like mad. For instance, at my first college I had a professor who prided himself on keeping his meetings with students to under five minutes. As you can imagine, he was supremely unhelpful most of the time. However, the tenured professors I interacted with at my second college were, for some reason, way more invested in it than the non-tenured ones. I can see both sides of
( ... )
Oh, meant to add that in the UK, whether faculty have much time for students is partly a result of how research-driven they are, but also just about their personalities. It rarely seems to reflect their employment status (temporary or permanent contract).
I think electives are mostly only a first-year thing. And in fact very few people have a double major ;)
Right, right - I know someone who's pre-Econ, I think? But she took some classes in English and German and whatever. We rarely allow that.
Wow. Wow. Uh, that is...really specialized. What happens to those idiots who don't know what they want to study, or worse, change their mind? (I was totally one of those idiots.)
I'd say that at least the tenure system is broadly fair; in the UK, the degree of volatility in the job market is mainly down to the economy (and nothing else)
Well, that's certainly true right now in the US. Jobs are rare and hard to find, believe you me.
You get judged on your publication output, never on your teaching (which is retarded - I mean, you honestly can't improve your employment prospects through being a brilliant teacher That makes literally no sense to me. I can see how the college/university wants someone prestigious, but I'd think they'd also want someone who is capable of communicating
( ... )
You also have to realise that by the time kids come out of high school in the UK, they are already specialists. In England and Wales, if you're the academic type, you pick maybe three or four subjects at age 16 (if you're staying in school; these days, you have to, but it wasn't always so), and just study those for two years. If you're very bright, you might do five. In Scotland, you pick five or six (different educational system, often more highly regarded. The English system is in the process of mellowing out a bit, because picking just three subjects at age 15-16 is plainly ridiculous).
What happens to those idiots who don't know what they want to study, or worse, change their mind? (I was totally one of those idiots.)I was one of those idiots too. Five weeks, it took me, to change my mind. Much later and it wouldn't have been possible
( ... )
You also have to realise that by the time kids come out of high school in the UK, they are already specialists. In England and Wales, if you're the academic type, you pick maybe three or four subjects at age 16 (if you're staying in school; these days, you have to, but it wasn't always so), and just study those for two years. If you're very bright, you might do five.
From what I remember from my brief stint in Spain as an exchange student, it goes pretty much the same there. Or, well, it might have only been that particular private school, but the kids picked "career tracks" in the liberal arts or sciences at fifteen and then specialized until graduation. The girl I lived with picked journalism.
I was one of those idiots too. Five weeks, it took me, to change my mind. Much later and it wouldn't have been possible!AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH. AHAH. Five weeks! Ahhhh, you kill me. Um. Okay, I was always always always a Spanish major, and also always a double major, but that second major changed all the time. For a while I was
( ... )
I had gotten the (perhaps erroneous) impression that there was some wiggle room for grade negotiation in US education generally.
Hmm. Well, it depends on the circumstances, to be perfectly honest. It depends on your college's rules surrounding grades; frequently, if you want a final grade changed (after final grades have come out), you must petition whatever board your college has and you'd better have a damn good reason for why you're questioning one of their professors' judgment. It is very, very rare that final grades get changed, but it has been known to happen. If you're asking about changing the grade on simply a paper, you approach the professor and, in this case, it depends entirely on how well you are able to present your case, as well as a) how much the professor likes you and b) how much the professor wants to get you the hell out of their office because they've got something else to do. You're much more likely to get a grade changed on a paper than a final grade changed, though it still doesn't happen often. Here is
( ... )
Either way, carry on ;)
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So I'd have to say "general." And I'm starting to think I need to look at lower-ranking programs. Which I really don't want to do.
Hi, how are you?
Reply
Is it a case of applying to easier programs as well, or instead? (Hopefully the former :)
And re Masters/PhD, I guess it depends. Are you just dipping a toe in the water of grad school, or do you know for a fact that you want to do this for the next several years? What would be your reasoning for doing a Masters first? I did a Masters first; wanted to see if research/grad study was for me. It was, so I did a doctorate. But I can see other reasons for wanting to do this, such as getting a bit of background in a new area (the Masters) and then hunkering down with your research question (PhD).
Um, yell if I can provide other unhelpful rambling commentary ;)
Reply
Reply
Learning is a great reason to get out of bed in the morning.
The Masters vs. PhD question really comes from some of my schools only accepting a doctoral candidate if they already have a PhD
Should that read if they already have a Masters? If not, I'm confused XD ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
I know, I love Spain, too. I just want to make sure I don't get stuck learning all the "classics" (because I hate hate hate the majority of those books and would really like to actually pass my classes) while ignoring anything from the 20th century or later ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Remember though that in the UK, undergraduate degrees are specialist: you study your subject for 3-4 years (and maybe take a couple of electives, but you are basically majoring all the way through). So when you do a Masters/PhD in the UK, you've already spent a few years studying your subject at university level, whereas my impression of the US is that most undergraduate degrees are fairly broad (e.g. liberal arts) and don't confer the same depth of subject-matter, or specialization. Also, in the UK, people do degrees in things like medicine and law at undergraduate level, from the age of 18 (though you can then do graduate study in them too if you're keen, or crazy; but the qualifications you need to train/practice are undergraduate degrees) - they're not subjects you wait until grad school to do.
Erm, well, they can be quite broad if you're majoring in something that falls under the liberal arts banner. Really, though, it's up to the student. I double-majored in Spanish and English and took real pains to make ( ... )
Reply
See, you just described the typical undergraduate degree in the UK. I think electives are mostly only a first-year thing. And in fact very few people have a double major ;)
Right, right - I know someone who's pre-Econ, I think? But she took some classes in English and German and whatever. We rarely allow that.
(There once was a "liberal arts major", but most schools have eradicated it since it was only good for turning out private school teachers and extremely smart cashiers.)
Heheh.
I've seen professors who kill themselves to attain tenure, and then once they do, they slack like mad. For instance, at my first college I had a professor who prided himself on keeping his meetings with students to under five minutes. As you can imagine, he was supremely unhelpful most of the time. However, the tenured professors I interacted with at my second college were, for some reason, way more invested in it than the non-tenured ones. I can see both sides of ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Right, right - I know someone who's pre-Econ, I think? But she took some classes in English and German and whatever. We rarely allow that.
Wow. Wow. Uh, that is...really specialized. What happens to those idiots who don't know what they want to study, or worse, change their mind? (I was totally one of those idiots.)
I'd say that at least the tenure system is broadly fair; in the UK, the degree of volatility in the job market is mainly down to the economy (and nothing else)
Well, that's certainly true right now in the US. Jobs are rare and hard to find, believe you me.
You get judged on your publication output, never on your teaching (which is retarded - I mean, you honestly can't improve your employment prospects through being a brilliant teacher That makes literally no sense to me. I can see how the college/university wants someone prestigious, but I'd think they'd also want someone who is capable of communicating ( ... )
Reply
You also have to realise that by the time kids come out of high school in the UK, they are already specialists. In England and Wales, if you're the academic type, you pick maybe three or four subjects at age 16 (if you're staying in school; these days, you have to, but it wasn't always so), and just study those for two years. If you're very bright, you might do five. In Scotland, you pick five or six (different educational system, often more highly regarded. The English system is in the process of mellowing out a bit, because picking just three subjects at age 15-16 is plainly ridiculous).
What happens to those idiots who don't know what they want to study, or worse, change their mind? (I was totally one of those idiots.)I was one of those idiots too. Five weeks, it took me, to change my mind. Much later and it wouldn't have been possible ( ... )
Reply
From what I remember from my brief stint in Spain as an exchange student, it goes pretty much the same there. Or, well, it might have only been that particular private school, but the kids picked "career tracks" in the liberal arts or sciences at fifteen and then specialized until graduation. The girl I lived with picked journalism.
I was one of those idiots too. Five weeks, it took me, to change my mind. Much later and it wouldn't have been possible!AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH. AHAH. Five weeks! Ahhhh, you kill me. Um. Okay, I was always always always a Spanish major, and also always a double major, but that second major changed all the time. For a while I was ( ... )
Reply
Hmm. Well, it depends on the circumstances, to be perfectly honest. It depends on your college's rules surrounding grades; frequently, if you want a final grade changed (after final grades have come out), you must petition whatever board your college has and you'd better have a damn good reason for why you're questioning one of their professors' judgment. It is very, very rare that final grades get changed, but it has been known to happen. If you're asking about changing the grade on simply a paper, you approach the professor and, in this case, it depends entirely on how well you are able to present your case, as well as a) how much the professor likes you and b) how much the professor wants to get you the hell out of their office because they've got something else to do. You're much more likely to get a grade changed on a paper than a final grade changed, though it still doesn't happen often. Here is ( ... )
Reply
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