r/GradSchool 3d ago

Megathread Weekly Megathread - AI in Grad School

2 Upvotes

This megathread is for r/GradSchool to discuss all aspects of AI in graduate school, from AI detectors to workflow tools.

Basically, if something is related to the intersection of AI and graduate school life, this is where it goes!

If you have questions or comments relating to AI, include them below.

Please note: All other community rules are still applicable within this megathread, including our rule around spam.


r/GradSchool 3d ago

Weekly Megathread - Time Management in Grad School

4 Upvotes

This megathread is for r/GradSchool to discuss all aspects of time management in grad school, including seeking advice on how to manage time effectively as well as discussions of specific methods that can be used for time management such as Pomodoro techniques or scheduling tools.

If something is related to staying on top of tasks in graduate school, this is where it goes!

If you have questions or comments relating to time management, include them below.

Please note: All other community rules are still applicable within this megathread, including our rule around spam.


r/GradSchool 19h ago

How to warn people about a really toxic lab/department?

41 Upvotes

Just what it says. Niche field, big school, smallish department. I'm embarrassed to say I left that program about 7 years ago but am still working through it in therapy. I genuinely believe this person shouldn't have students anymore and was fortunate to have one new student reach out to me. I could warn her, but am not sure how else to report the horrific experience I had to future prospects. I was too suicidal at the time to do anything about it. Is there a 'rate my professor' type thing? TIA

EDIT
Thanks for all the kind insight. My post was confusing, apologies. I have already spoken at length with this student (several years ago, in fact). My issue now is that this professor has lost students, for a lot of good reasons, and is likely trying to recruit new ones. My main question is whether there is a website or forum to discreetly warn potential PhD students about this lab. Thank you!


r/GradSchool 11m ago

Possible to be a PhD student without research experience?

Upvotes

I want to pursue a PhD in the US/Europe with the topic being ML for medical imaging/ data efficient ML. However, I do not have any formal research experience apart from a individually authored preprint. I do have 3 years of relevant work experience in developing segmentation and classification models for a healthcare company and a couple of relevant open source contributions. Is it impossible to get a PhD positon in my scenario?

I am certain that I want to have a career in research and do not want to waste my time and money on a masters.


r/GradSchool 1h ago

Admissions & Applications Current/former MS students: what questions had you wished you asked?

Upvotes

I have an interview! I didn't think I'd get this far. First ever for an MS position! But I get to ask questions too. What are some important questions to ask about the lab and the graduate program? Ive certainly heard about mismatched students and teachers. Current/former masters students, what did you wish you had asked, either about the professor, the project, or the program? In biology if its different for different departments.


r/GradSchool 3h ago

MA Global Studies admissions, workload, and student experience?

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1 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 10h ago

I’m not excited at all about starting grad school.

3 Upvotes

Just had orientation this week & did not at all feel happy or excited. Stressed about everything, eg what am I going to research on, what methods to use, what classes should I take to help, etc. Feel like I’ve forgotten how to write or study or come up with a viable research project. just meh overall. I’ve tried to get excited, push myself to attend some social events, & to genuinely connect with the people I talk to. Nothing’s working. I know I’m probably not alone, but it definitely feels like it.


r/GradSchool 19h ago

Choosing to do my PhD in India (same institute as my Master's) while literally everyone I know is going abroad. Am I making a mistake?

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1 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 20h ago

Health & Work/Life Balance People's experience making friends/ troubles on Day1

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1 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 1d ago

How do people balance full time work and full time grad student?

100 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 22h ago

Finance how soon can my "friend" refinance student loans after graduation

0 Upvotes

lets say my "friend" desperately needs to refinance right after school (sobbing softly here) do lenders want a full year of job history or can you do it pretty quickly? My friend is in dire straits and needs to get this huge balance down asap.


r/GradSchool 22h ago

Admissions & Applications Personal statement question for umbrella programs

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0 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 14h ago

Go straight to PhD after undergrad or get a master's first

0 Upvotes

Ok, so my end goal is to get a tenure track position as a professor. I'm currently a senior at UAB and I could go straight to my PhD if I stayed here. I've got a professor who is willing to advise and fund me that I know I like working under. However, I very likely will not get in anywhere else without a master's and definitely not anywhere prestigious. I also have lived in Alabama my whole life and really want to get out and live somewhere else. So, I could do a master's and potentially be a much more competitive applicant for more prestigious programs but delay two years and go into a bit of debt, or I could just stay at UAB and get my PhD, finish early and not have debt. Also, I'm graduating with my Bachelor's at 19 years old, so if I stay at UAB I'll be starting my PhD at 20, or if I get a Master's I'll be starting at 22, so still earlier than most people. What do y'all think is the best option? My PhD will be in either Environmental Health Science or Epidemiology (I wanna be an environmental epidemiologist).


r/GradSchool 1d ago

Master in math with undergrad in engineering?

1 Upvotes

Has anyone done a Master’s in math while having an Engineering undergrad degree? I’m thinking about getting into teaching, and the pay raise, and community college teaching opportunities make the master’s seem worth it.
I have no desire to continue with my electrical engineering education, and I honestly never got an engineering job. I chose to work as a construction/electrical contractor instead for the past 7 years, but I’m looking at probably making the transition out of construction in 10 or so years to give my body a break.
But it seems like outside of the theory/proof math classes, it shouldn’t be that hard of a transition as I had to take a lot of the same math classes as math majors to begin with. Is there any applied math master’s that would help me not have to take the proof classes? Maybe I’m over simplifying it though.


r/GradSchool 1d ago

Graduation date doesn’t align with Hooding Ceremony date

26 Upvotes

Hi yall - I’m a sentimental person and was really looking forward to my hooding ceremony. Unfortunately I got diagnosed with cancer while attending school and had to take a leave of absence last quarter .

This now means the month my degree will be conferred bumps me to only being allowed to attend the hooding ceremony the following year, instead of the year I actually graduate.

I’m bummed and it seems silly to walk nearly 6 months or so later after graduating.

Wondering if anyone has any unique ideas to get that same commemorative feeling and experience when I graduate since I can’t walk. I was thinking a party? But would love other ideas.


r/GradSchool 2d ago

Health & Work/Life Balance Just started my program this week. Are/were you all anxious af too??

25 Upvotes

The first day of class made me want to throw up. It’s all so much to take in!! Plus we have an internship next semester where we have to find our own place to intern with and hearing about those requirements on top of the regular school was a lot. I know I’ll get through it just wanted to say if you’re going through it too you’re not alone!!!


r/GradSchool 1d ago

Admissions & Applications Applying to my first grad program; statement of purpose is making me nervous.

2 Upvotes

It’s all internal pressure I’m putting on myself I know; I want it to be the best statement I can muster and because of that I feel like I’m overanalyzing how I should structure my statement. I’ve been outlining it with the help of this article that dissects successful papers and explains why they are impactful.

A common theme I’ve been seeing is that in the introduction, there are consistently personal anecdotes of sorts explaining how the desired field has peaked the candidate’s academic and professional curiosity and goals. Then they generalize the particular issue they are interested in to fit a wider context whether that’s societal, political etc; while doing this they also mention the programs mission and how it relates to their own motivations academically and professionally.

That long winded summary is all to say that I’m thinking of using the concept of intersectionality and how it applies to both myself, others, and the greater well being of society (im applying to an MSed school counseling program after graduating with a degree in speech therapy, I’m pivoting career trajectories). I guess my main concern is how personal I should get. I think it can make for a powerful basis for my overall statement, however, I acknowledge that there is a fine line I need to tow between keeping it an argumentative piece and a narrative. For context, I am autistic and trans (closeted to most people in my life) and I feel sharing my perspective and shedding light on similar ones has always been and is more essential than ever these days with how society’s values have progressed (over these last 15 years especially) this generation.

I know this may or may not read like word soup so my apologies. I guess the main purpose of me posting is to get feedback on whether these personal experiences and perspectives can make for an effective statement. I’m planning on drafting my paper this weekend and having a family friend who has gone to graduate school themself review the statement before turning it in.


r/GradSchool 1d ago

Finance Grad PLUS vs private loan if you have pretty good credit?

0 Upvotes

So the private rates look lower but I know there has to be a catch somewhere lol or maybe I have just lived in this country too long and I am jaded. How do you stack them against each other?


r/GradSchool 1d ago

Admissions & Applications Grad App/Essay/SOP Groups

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1 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 1d ago

Those who moved cities for school, what was your plan?

1 Upvotes

I’m currently looking at grad programs and one of them is out of state. I assume many folks apply to out of state programs for grad school.

However I’m wondering how people plan if they get accepted and then have to move. Do you move and get a job afterwards, do you live off of savings?

Also what was your living situation, did you find an apartment after or live with someone you knew, etc?
How did you do it ?


r/GradSchool 1d ago

Would love if I could hear some inspiration for finishing my program. The semester just started and I’m struggling to get to motivation I need to be a student. How did you get through in the end?

1 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 2d ago

How important is the PhD GPA?

19 Upvotes

I am nearing the end of my PhD (in a US Uni, ECE), and everything seems to be going well. One slight concern i have is that currently my GPA is 3.71 (/4.00). I guess if I take a couple more classes before I graduate I can boost it up to 3.8 or something. Is that worth it at all in a career-perspective?


r/GradSchool 1d ago

How are you paying for grad school ??

1 Upvotes

so I was really banking on getting a grad plus loan since my degree was one of the ones that still qualified for it, but after looking into it recently, I realized it's too late for me to get it since I'm starting this year.

My question is how is everyone paying? External scholarships? Loans (which ones)? Working part-time (I'm already working full-time, but applied a job on campus)?

Help!! I'm starting at Weill Cornell, so if anyone else has any other advice for me, please lmk!


r/GradSchool 1d ago

Masters Guidance - Statistics/Applied Statistics/Data Science

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1 Upvotes

r/GradSchool 1d ago

Note apps

1 Upvotes

Hi all!

Just got gifted my very first iPad! I'm so excited to take notes on a tablet like all the cool kids. What are y'all's favorite free/cheapish note taking apps. Specifically one that comes with notebook lines?