Shucks, I'm really sorry to hear about this.. But, that said it (conflicts with advisors) unfortunately happens a lot.. Glad other faculty are supportive - that should definitely help.. Is there someone else in particular who you think would be a good match for you - scientifically that is :-) ?
Grad-school can be a very isolating experience, hang in there! Worst case scenario, is there someone in the dept. who can write a letter for you to other grad schools?
I can now see how earning a doctorate is not about the project you do or how you've obsessed over one topic for 4 or five years. it is about how critical you are in analyzing things. I think a true doctorate is a testament to that ability
As someone who's ten days away from the defence (and still writing the thesis - but that's another story) - I think it's more about the former than the latter really :-) At the end of the day, it's about whatever your committee decides is acceptable - which most times is tied to how your project goes..
Anyways, all the best - hope something works out..
I found a younger faculty (actually I'll be her first grad student) whose lab and projects I like. My program director seems to want to help me too but she has to take care of some administrative mess I might be in because of the transfer to Master's. I've talked to quite a few people and basically have done everything I need to do, everybody is on vacation at the moment, so nothing is moving. I have to wait until next week for an update on my status quo.
In the worst case scenario, yes I do have faculty who would vouch for me. Hell, even my boss would give me a reco but jackass won't do it within the department. He wants me out of here. We haven't actually fought, so he really doesn't have anything against me.
Thanks and Good Luck to you too!
P.S.: If someone asks you a tough question during your defense, stare at them in a weird way for half a minute and repeat their question before you answer it...buys you a lot of time and cuts down the number of questions in half: something I learned from the previous grad student in the lab. The guy got away with almost not answering anything :-)
Grad-school can be a very isolating experience, hang in there! Worst case scenario, is there someone in the dept. who can write a letter for you to other grad schools?
I can now see how earning a doctorate is not about the project you do or how you've obsessed over one topic for 4 or five years. it is about how critical you are in analyzing things. I think a true doctorate is a testament to that ability
As someone who's ten days away from the defence (and still writing the thesis - but that's another story) - I think it's more about the former than the latter really :-) At the end of the day, it's about whatever your committee decides is acceptable - which most times is tied to how your project goes..
Anyways, all the best - hope something works out..
Reply
In the worst case scenario, yes I do have faculty who would vouch for me. Hell, even my boss would give me a reco but jackass won't do it within the department. He wants me out of here. We haven't actually fought, so he really doesn't have anything against me.
Thanks and Good Luck to you too!
P.S.: If someone asks you a tough question during your defense, stare at them in a weird way for half a minute and repeat their question before you answer it...buys you a lot of time and cuts down the number of questions in half: something I learned from the previous grad student in the lab. The guy got away with almost not answering anything :-)
Reply
LOL! One can also add - "Thats a very interesting question.."
Reply
Leave a comment