NipplesAndToes23
Member
You can do that?
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Is there an MBA. graduate, doctorate crowd here on GAF?
- Thread starter Dr. Feel Good
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You can do that?
I'm currently at a Fortune 500 and I have lucrative experience and good grades, so I guess if I do a 2-year MBA it'll really increase my earnings potential and job security? I'll consider that then.
The Comp Sci masters I was considering was the online Georgia Tech program. It only costs $7,000.
TimeEffect
Member
Forgot this thread existed!
I am 26 and am wanting to do my Masters... getting into contact with 2 professors who are willing to help despite them likely not remembering who I am. I am simply asking for advice and volunteering my time to earn a recommendation...
I am also contacting someone who worked at the university's department, who helped me get into the career because he encouraged me to do so when he met me at a rec center...
I just feel old at 26 and hate that I may have missed the deadline and may have to start next September. I really wish I did this all sooner and dont want to regret anything. Any advice for me? I dont really know this whole process and am a bit intimidated by it all.
I am 26 and am wanting to do my Masters... getting into contact with 2 professors who are willing to help despite them likely not remembering who I am. I am simply asking for advice and volunteering my time to earn a recommendation...
I am also contacting someone who worked at the university's department, who helped me get into the career because he encouraged me to do so when he met me at a rec center...
I just feel old at 26 and hate that I may have missed the deadline and may have to start next September. I really wish I did this all sooner and dont want to regret anything. Any advice for me? I dont really know this whole process and am a bit intimidated by it all.
When you factor in lost wages and living expenses, the cost of a FT MBA program is usually $200k+. Most of the people that do it are driven to get into the upper echelon of corporate management, or work on Wall Street, or something similar. Or they want to make a drastic career shift (like from a nonprofit or government job to industry).
If you just want a bump in pay and better resume, you should see if your company has any tuition reimbursement for Masters programs.
That's what I'm doing. Only thing is that I got no funding.
But I have an empty resume, no career lined up for the foreseeable future, and I also want to move out of my parents' house.
If your current job will pay for it, or if you know for sure it will help you get promoted at your current job, then maybe. Otherwise no.
You learn a lot, but more than half the value of an MBA (probably 75-80% actually) is the network, access to corporate recruiters, meeting like-minded classmates, etc.
NyMartin90
Member
I just completed my MA Thesis in History and finally received my bound copy. I've been researching this topic with my professor since my undergrad career in 2011 on the Ottoman Empire and the international diplomatic relations leading to WW1. Also as you can see from the pictures I also focused a lot on propaganda. It was over 300 pages. I traveled to 4 different countries to analyze national archives. Its been a long journey. My professor says to take some time and and she'd help me publish an article before going into a PhD. Any recommendations for PhD programs in NYC for History. She's recommended the Graduate Center or Columbia but I'd want to see my options.
Congrats! I love international relations stuff (was my minor in undragrad). Would totally read this haha.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
In Germany a lot of politicians, particularly of the conservative party, were paying people to write phd theses for them, obviously they were just interested in the title (to vow voters?). So it probably is not completely worthless, or at least not overall. On the other hand, I will hand in my thesis on monday and I cannot understand how one who does not really like research would go about doing this, it takes a significant amount of time in your life where you basically do nothing else (outside of posting on gaf that is).
EDIT: A 300 page master thesis written over the course of six years? What's a phd like in history then?
NyMartin90
Member
It was really 2 years for the masters thesis. 4 years undergrad with scratch of the surface preliminary research. I started full research, writing, and revisions during the last two years.
TimeEffect
Member
Thanks--
It's a masters of education. I would like to look into Social Justice and Education and think about racism, gender studies, etc. But I dont know if it's profitable,
I dont want to come off as money hungry, but my undergrad is worthless without my education degree, and I enjoy working in the classroom, but I want the respect, education, and higher pay. I want to explore more options and all that.
26 feels old to me because my career job is occassional, and it's tough to find a permanent job. To think I could go back to school and graduate at 28 makes me feel like Im a generation behind or something.
opticalmace
Member
I started my MSc at 27 and finished my PhD at 32. Some were younger, some around my age, a couple much older. In grad school it really doesn't matter.
Yeah I know quite a few people who are in their 30s before starting their PhDs, and quite a few older than that. In some fields, it can be very helpful to go out and work to get some experience -- especially if you're not 100% driven to dive very deep in a topic.
My first two terms of MSc results just came out and my grades are all over the place. Two modules each at Pass, Merit, and Distinction. So whatever grade I get in my research dissertation will be my final overall grade.
If I'm planning on running as far away as possible from University after I'm done because I've realised I don't enjoy my field and a PhD sounds awful; do my grades really matter? Or is it worth pushing myself to get the distinction at the risk of my mental health being fucked for the next three months?
If I'm planning on running as far away as possible from University after I'm done because I've realised I don't enjoy my field and a PhD sounds awful; do my grades really matter? Or is it worth pushing myself to get the distinction at the risk of my mental health being fucked for the next three months?
WhateverItTakes
Banned
My advisor told me that I'm gonna want a first to get a leg up for after uni, so distinction is probably going to help you, especially with how competitive the market is. You'll probably be fine with Merit though, as long as you know how to sell yourself.
I started uni later. I was 27 at the time so no worries. Go for it!
Update on life status: I feel better in the lab. More focused now that I've found my way a bit. This lab is not a good fit so that was the main problem. Students and staff are wonderful but the research is so different that I got a bit depressed when I could not contribute enough.
And regarding phd, this is what you get (buy) in Finland:
It's fucking awesome! (Pun intended)
Dedication Through Light
Member
Irregular? Whats the supposed to mean?
opticalmace
Member
Your supervisor should discuss it with you. Whenever I made a mis-step my supervisor gave me a sit-down and explained what was going on/wrong. That way I could actually improve and fix it.
If he/she doesn't bring it up then you should, ask what it means and what you can do to improve.
Not fast enough. We made a plan for what I need to do to finish my PhD before funding runs out and it's going to be pretty full on - 4 journal papers in a year, and that would only leave 2 months for the thesis.
Although that includes 1 paper I'm about to finish so it's more like 3 papers in a year. But there's still some uncertainty as to whether one of the things we want to do is even feasible. We've got a back-up plan but it'd probably take more time to finish if we had to go that way.
Yeah I had a 1+ hour 1-on-1 meeting with him last week where we talked about it. He really wants his students to do well and is pretty hands on in his supervision. What came out of the meeting was to spend more hours in the lab even if working on simulation stuff and spend less time on tools and more time getting results. Former is fair enough, latter will be harder to do. I seem to spend most of my time getting things to work.
Not fast enough? Funding running out? Unrealistic publishing schedule? Sounds pretty regular to me.
Yo if I want to pursue an MBA what would I need to score on my GMAT realistically to get into a good program?
My undergrad GPA was a disappointing 3.03, and even if you look at my transcripts although my grades did improve as I progressed through college, they didn't astronomically rise only went from B-'s to B's, B+'s, and A-'s. I am starting work as an ETL for Target soon, hoping to get some experience and have other references for when I apply a year from now.
I have already started preparing for the GMAT and want to get the highest possible score I can, but idk if my GPA is already too low to negate the added benefit/help a higher GMAT could give me
My undergrad GPA was a disappointing 3.03, and even if you look at my transcripts although my grades did improve as I progressed through college, they didn't astronomically rise only went from B-'s to B's, B+'s, and A-'s. I am starting work as an ETL for Target soon, hoping to get some experience and have other references for when I apply a year from now.
I have already started preparing for the GMAT and want to get the highest possible score I can, but idk if my GPA is already too low to negate the added benefit/help a higher GMAT could give me
Jonsoncao
Banned
PhD in Math, did postdoc for three years, currently a visiting AP position at a UC campus, working on solvers for Laplacian on neural networks (in deep learning, big data etc), and analysis of numerical PDEs in higher dimensions (like tech support for engineers). Interesting and cool findings every now and then.
Only drawback is that the guys in the industry who use our works and such earn 4 times as much. The salary pay is not very competitive in Southern Cali.
The worse thing is that the new president is not very pro-science. Due to a huge shake-up of staffs in NSF and some budget cut, my National Science Foundation proposal got rejected, and the reviewers apparently were poorly chosen by the new director.
Only drawback is that the guys in the industry who use our works and such earn 4 times as much. The salary pay is not very competitive in Southern Cali.
The worse thing is that the new president is not very pro-science. Due to a huge shake-up of staffs in NSF and some budget cut, my National Science Foundation proposal got rejected, and the reviewers apparently were poorly chosen by the new director.
Sometimes I forget this thread exists, but anyway I started my PhD this semester so soon I'll join all of you in the frustration of publishing and surviving graduate life. The saddest thing though is that I'll never get/buy a fancy hat (or the nice finnish sword), we don't have this kind of tradition here in Brazil :/
RumblingRosco
Member
I don't know what field you're in, but getting 3 papers published, starting from scratch it sounds like, in a year? I wish you the best, but you sound pretty screwed to put it bluntly.
Byakuya769
Member
Any collective wisdom on online mbas? I have a friend whose boss is suggesting they should get their MBA. Job pays about 10k per year on it, and they'd work full time.
They're an engineer with above a 3.9 in undergrad, almost 10 years of experience and they make a good salary. Would an online MBA add any value for them careerwise, or should they focus on evening programs (or not get an MBA at all... two promotions in less than five years, without one)? There are a couple top 30 programs nearby, but of course the stipend wouldn't come close to covering the total cost.
They're an engineer with above a 3.9 in undergrad, almost 10 years of experience and they make a good salary. Would an online MBA add any value for them careerwise, or should they focus on evening programs (or not get an MBA at all... two promotions in less than five years, without one)? There are a couple top 30 programs nearby, but of course the stipend wouldn't come close to covering the total cost.
And the review alone of 1 paper can take more than a year...
Yeah I just need to have submitted them, but it still sounds like a crazy amount of work. Ha well, I'll do what I can and save some money in case I don't finish in time.
Speaking as a current Indiana University Kelley School Online MBA candidate, I can't tell you what the results will be of me obtaining my dual masters. I do know however that the degrees have no distinction difference from the ones obtained by campus resifents. As far as I can tell, (I'm about 70% done) the major argument against is that your networking ability suffers. That being said, online mbas usually have people in established careers so the connections may not be as plentiful but may count for more. If you just need the degree to advance at your current job and there is an established track, it may be worth it. I know that just the knowledge of my supervisors regarding my pursuit of the degrees have put some more stock in my "personal brand" but I haven't progressed as a result yet.
If you're serious about doing this then I'd really recommend broadening your scope. Columbia is generally good, but you're more interested in finding a combination of a good department, I'd recommend not dropping below the top 28 at least, and an adviser who's a top name in your field. You'll want to find at least 6 or so of these to apply to, and most will not be in New York. Part of being an academic means being willing to move, luckily most good schools are in fairly nice places.
Also do not accept anything but full funding. It simply isn't worth doing if you have to pay for it.
Byakuya769
Member
Thanks for the insight!
Dedication Through Light
Member
wow i walk throguh one of their buildings at the Indianapolis campus everyday, small world
This is normal in fact for any PhD. The amount of information you need to understand, absorb and comprehend is astonishing. But you will, eventually. You will "wing" it for a bit until you find your feet, but you will, eventually.
Read, take notes, Google, talk to people and read some more.
You'll do it. I know.
mr.anderson30
Neo Member
Hey, I am new to gaf, and my first post. I have a PhD in machine learning. Any ML or AI mates out there?
I'm considering doing a graduate program (Master's) in machine learning. Did you go straight to your Ph.D from undergrad?
Lord of Ostia
Member
First year, right? Just keep your head down and pass your quals at the end of the year. My girlfriend just started her Econ PHD as well. The first year is supposed to be the hardest.
As for myself, I start my MLS next week. Pretty excited, but also nervous.
Hey all, I have a question about applying to grad school. I'm currently taking a couple years off to pay off my student debt before going for my Masters. If I apply to grad school now, does the acceptance carry over beyond the semester I applied for? Reason I ask is I don't know if some of the professors I'm getting letters of rec from will still be at my old university in the next year or so. I know at least one of them will be going back to Helsinki during that time.
I'm currently applying to Masters of Statistics programs in Canada. I graduated with a BMath/BBA double degree, majoring in Stats/Finance, my marks for my last two years are decent (mid 80s) and I have a resume of mainly accounting/finance jobs.
My issue is that my letters of reference are going to be weak as I didn't really form any relationships with professors. I do have two that have agreed to write one for me, though.
Can anyone comment on my chances of getting accepted?
My issue is that my letters of reference are going to be weak as I didn't really form any relationships with professors. I do have two that have agreed to write one for me, though.
Can anyone comment on my chances of getting accepted?
Thatonemoor
Member
Got my bachelor's in political science. Been struggling to figure out my next career path though. Any suggestions?
mr.anderson30
Neo Member
opticalmace
Member
I think sometimes you can get a year deferred, but I doubt two. You should contact the departments whose programs you're interested in to figure out their regulations.
TBH it doesn't matter where your professors go in a year or two's time. They are still the same people and can give you the same reference letter.
maplesyrupandjam
Neo Member
PhD in Japanese literature.
Lord of Ostia
Member
Depends on what you like, to be honest. Do you actually want to work in that field, or did you just get a bachelor's in Poli Sci because you figured it was a decent major? Do you want to work in business, politics, government, academia?
twentytwo22
Member
Checking in. Hi.
Working on my MS - IT Management. My Bachelors is in Japanese but I've been in the IT field for the last half-decade so I figure this is a decent move for the future.
Working on my MS - IT Management. My Bachelors is in Japanese but I've been in the IT field for the last half-decade so I figure this is a decent move for the future.
bigmit3737
Member
Is there an area you specialized in?
I've been self-learning deep learning (really interesting field), but not really sure what an PHD entails, nor would it be worth it.
Are you looking to do research at a university or work at a company?
I feel like I'm learning a lot through online resources, books, lectures and experimentation--which have gotten my hands full at the moment.
There are so many resources out there for self-learning that I'm not really sure what benefits there would be from getting a masters/PHD. I'm enjoying learning at my pace.
I get the impression that getting a PHD is very stressful.
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