Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, the first two years in STEM Ph.D. programs are typically coursework-heavy and include qualification exams as part of your courses. You must pass X quals, of which Y must be from this subset. Because of this, if you leave the program after the first two years, they will often issue a terminal master's degree as a consolation.
Ah ok, I have no such examinations. Do most in the US start their PhD from a Bachelors degree? I had a masters degree prior to starting my PhD. It is also possible to start a PhD with a Bachelors, however you wouldn't likely be awarded a masters degree if you failed to complete
In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
61–70 of 259 posts
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
> For example, if I was a black man and the teacher was white, my essays about slavery would be not about if I learned the material but my trying to work around determining how racist a teacher might be. That would be a valid concern regardless or your or professor’s race. And even if we take into account that people are more biased towards opinions that elevate them, we should also take into account what an average…
That's an interesting take, one that I don't believe is backed up by the data. Show me an economics program in the US pushing Marxist theory throughout.
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#63Pretty much most senior level/grad algorithm classes are like this. They introduce a framework for solution and then give you about 2-3 example lecture problems that they walk you through. 2-3 weeks after being introduced to 5/6 frameworks its Exam day. You are given unique word problems that, in the eyes of someone experienced like a prof or PhD student, is trivial. But you are struggling with 1 week of homework exp…
Or, simply by virtue of being more intelligent. Life is not fair, and some people do have it easier than others, without having to pay for it with extra study time.
If you are pursuing a research career, and you observe other students putting similar amounts of effort, but obtaining much better results, understanding things more quickly and getting better ideas, you should probably just drop out. Not everyone can be world class athlete, and not everyone can be a world class researcher, and refusing to accept it will often lead to wasted years and wasted potential: many people who are not smart enough to do top research often can achieve great success in eg. corporate world or startups, or achieve higher family goals and do it earlier (most people will be made more happy by their children than by publishing a mediocre paper that nobody will read). Being hell-bent on following a particular dream can bring a lot of misery.
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#64Earlier quoted context omitted.
Do you come from a parallel universe with an extra spatial dimension
Fluorescence is spectrum shifted retransmission. Energy arrives on some wavelengths, it departs on others. "Three spatial dimensions" Vs. "Four spatial dimensions" is suggesting the existence of a further spatial dimension orthogonal to our own and is a bit fanciful, however ... It's legit to look at the evolution of analytic forms from 2 to 3 to 4 to higher (N) dimensions not just for the fun of abstraction but also…
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
Do you come from a parallel universe with an extra spatial dimension
seems like they are looking in multiple bands hence the 4 spatial dimensions "Our approach differs from previous work by combining 3D and spectral super-resolution simultaneously with readily available fluorochromes as well as operating in a wavelength range where biological autofluorescence is minimised." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3105105/
The problem wouldn't make sense if you're treating wavelengths as dimensions (and is a far easier problem).
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#66The extra-credit question on one of my finals in grad school was: "What is the time-resolved fluorescence of a fluorophore in 4 spatial dimensions?" We had covered 2D and 3D cases in class. my housemate started the question on Friday night (after finishing the regular questions) and was done some time Monday- she said it was pretty hard problem that involved deriving several new equations for 4 spatial dimensions, th…
Do you come from a parallel universe with an extra spatial dimension
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#67Pretty much most senior level/grad algorithm classes are like this. They introduce a framework for solution and then give you about 2-3 example lecture problems that they walk you through. 2-3 weeks after being introduced to 5/6 frameworks its Exam day. You are given unique word problems that, in the eyes of someone experienced like a prof or PhD student, is trivial. But you are struggling with 1 week of homework exp…
> But there are smart people who get all this stuff "easily" (previous practice, exposure). Or, simply by virtue of being more intelligent. Life is not fair, and some people do have it easier than others, without having to pay for it with extra study time. If you are pursuing a research career, and you observe other students putting similar amounts of effort, but obtaining much better results, understanding things mo…
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#68Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But there are smart people who get all this stuff "easily" (previous practice, exposure). Or, simply by virtue of being more intelligent. Life is not fair, and some people do have it easier than others, without having to pay for it with extra study time. If you are pursuing a research career, and you observe other students putting similar amounts of effort, but obtaining much better results, understanding things mo…
Same thing with passing a football or nailing a technical ice skating routine. You can either do it, or you can't. Practice helps but is not a panacea, unfortunately. Find another occupation, friend. You are owed nothing.
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
> For example, if I was a black man and the teacher was white, my essays about slavery would be not about if I learned the material but my trying to work around determining how racist a teacher might be. That would be a valid concern regardless or your or professor’s race. And even if we take into account that people are more biased towards opinions that elevate them, we should also take into account what an average…
That's an interesting take, one that I don't believe is backed up by the data. Show me an economics program in the US pushing Marxist theory throughout.
Re: In the past, I've had students call my problem sets “emotionally trying”
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
Same thing with passing a football or nailing a technical ice skating routine. You can either do it, or you can't. Practice helps but is not a panacea, unfortunately. Find another occupation, friend. You are owed nothing.
Or a better teacher. The limiting factor isn't necessarily the student.