graduate school

24

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 74
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Interesting. I wonder why they would have told you that? Maybe more grant money in the US?
  • Reply 22 of 74
    I think that is pretty much it. There is more money for research in the US.



    Also, PhD programs are different between the US and Europe. It takes much less to get a doctorate in Europe, I do not know why and if this means that you are less prepared.
  • Reply 23 of 74
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by soulcrusher View Post


    I think that is pretty much it. There is more money for research in the US.



    Also, PhD programs are different between the US and Europe. It takes much less to get a doctorate in Europe, I do not know why and if this means that you are less prepared.



    It's just a different model of education. When I was looking at doing a D.Phil/PhD abroad, one model was basically that you told them wanted to work on and they said "OK. See you in 3 years."
  • Reply 24 of 74
    It's not just a different model, midwinter. European science has a completely different culture than US science -- current changes at funding levels in Europe are attempting to break the culture and move towards what the US has. Essentially, the current model is based upon institutes where there is basically only one lead researcher and everyone works for them. The lengths of PhDs in Europe vary by country to country but they are shorter mostly due to the lack of funding in which they sacrifice graduate course work for laboratory time...
  • Reply 25 of 74
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hardeeharhar View Post


    It's not just a different model, midwinter. European science has a completely different culture than US science -- current changes at funding levels in Europe are attempting to break the culture and move towards what the US has. Essentially, the current model is based upon institutes where there is basically only one lead researcher and everyone works for them. The lengths of PhDs in Europe vary by country to country but they are shorter mostly due to the lack of funding in which they sacrifice graduate course work for laboratory time...



    Gotcha. That makes sense. So it's go to Cambridge, work under Hawking? Versus go to Princeton, work under any of 10 people. Interesting. That's how the model works for advanced study in literature, too (you work under a specific person who ushers you through your studies, but you get to choose from among a bunch of specialists).
  • Reply 26 of 74
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    The proliferation of frivolous lawsuits



    You're wrongly politicizing the federal rules of civil procedure when you say there's a "proliferation of frivolous lawsuits." The federal rules provide for sanctions for frivolous lawsuits, so the courts have an effective mechanism for dealing with that issue. A second point is that "frivolous" has a different meaning to lay people such as yourself. People wrongly believe a lawsuit is frivolous when someone sues on a seemingly absurd premise, usually having to do with someone going up against a business. Offending your political sensibilities isn't a good reason for changing the federal rules.
  • Reply 27 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by midwinter View Post


    Gotcha. That makes sense. So it's go to Cambridge, work under Hawking? Versus go to Princeton, work under any of 10 people. Interesting. That's how the model works for advanced study in literature, too (you work under a specific person who ushers you through your studies, but you get to choose from among a bunch of specialists).



    The english system is actually more similar to our own (makes sense right?) but the continent is arranged like I said. The problem is that in the UK there is only funding for 3 years of grad school, M. Thatcher had something to do with that... Most people leaving a UK uni do multiple post-docs if they want to go into academia, which is not essential in the US, say...
  • Reply 28 of 74
    I've applied to graduate school in Computer Science for the fall of 2007 -- heard back from one so far (accepted), waiting on the other ones . . . I applied to five total.
  • Reply 29 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by soulcrusher View Post


    Dude, I am sure law school is a walk in the park compared to Physics grad school. So, no worries.



    By the way, I also heard from Yale and U. Wisconsin today. I got accepted.



    Next year is going to be fun.



    My top three candidates right now are Yale, Columbia and Caltech.



    I have yet to hear from a few others. But right now it's all good. La creme de la creme, as they say.



    I'm going to give the nay to Yale. This is because New Haven sucks. I don't know much about the facilities or personnel in any of the schools, but from what I know about you, Columbia (i.e. New York) would be the best bet.
  • Reply 30 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ShawnJ View Post


    You're wrongly politicizing the federal rules of civil procedure when you say there's a "proliferation of frivolous lawsuits." . . . A second point is that "frivolous" has a different meaning to lay people such as yourself.



    Snore...



    we lay people are voters and on juries, and, indirectly, are the law. The fact that common perception is that legal procedure is in so many way full of itself is because we lay people have dealt with it, and realize how inefficient and often ridiculous it is.



    We all know that these so-called frivolous lawsuits are made by larger players in order to squeeze out small-guys who don't tend to be as appreciative of ponying up cash so that a bunch of overpriced lawyers can quickly dismiss proceedings that should never have been respected in the first place. It's a typical business tactic, and it's a dirty one, but it's not a case where you should be throwing your hands up saying "don't shoot the messenger." The tactic only works because either the legal system itself or the law profession makes it work: there should be a simpler way to dispute ridiculous claims that doesn't cost a shit-ton of money and time. But as far as I know, there isn't, and you can bet the house that no lawyer would ever consider marginalizing his own meal plan by doing the right thing and fixing this problem.



    Maybe you'll understand this when you actually graudate, pass the BAR, and are introduced to some real work. Until then, no amount of rote coursework recital is going to impress me.
  • Reply 31 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    Maybe you'll understand this when you actually graudate, pass the BAR, and are introduced to some real work. Until then, no amount of rote coursework recital is going to impress me.









    Ding ding ding!
  • Reply 32 of 74
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    I'm going to give the nay to Yale. This is because New Haven sucks. I don't know much about the facilities or personnel in any of the schools, but from what I know about you, Columbia (i.e. New York) would be the best bet.



    Isn't Yale in a shitty part of New Haven, too? A friend of mine's (albeit, in the late 80s) roommate at Yale was mugged and killed around the corner from campus.
  • Reply 33 of 74
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    Snore...



    we lay people are voters and on juries, and, indirectly, are the law. The fact that common perception is that legal procedure is in so many way full of itself is because we lay people have dealt with it, and realize how inefficient and often ridiculous it is.



    We all know that these so-called frivolous lawsuits are made by larger players in order to squeeze out small-guys who don't tend to be as appreciative of ponying up cash so that a bunch of overpriced lawyers can quickly dismiss proceedings that should never have been respected in the first place. It's a typical business tactic, and it's a dirty one, but it's not a case where you should be throwing your hands up saying "don't shoot the messenger." The tactic only works because either the legal system itself or the law profession makes it work: there should be a simpler way to dispute ridiculous claims that doesn't cost a shit-ton of money and time. But as far as I know, there isn't, and you can bet the house that no lawyer would ever consider marginalizing his own meal plan by doing the right thing and fixing this problem.



    Maybe you'll understand this when you actually graudate, pass the BAR, and are introduced to some real work. Until then, no amount of rote coursework recital is going to impress me.



    Well I'm not going to get into details when that doesn't seem to interest you, so:



    1. Our system has ways of dismissing claims that shouldn't get to court.

    2. Most claims don't even get to court in the first place. (decided in summary judgment, dismissed, or settled)

    3. There are sanctions for lawyers who advance fraudulent claims.

    4. As far as the cost of litigation-- legal services are expensive, what can I say?



    We all know "frivolous litigation" is more of a politically-motivated phrase than anything else, so let's not pretend you actually care about procedure.
  • Reply 34 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Splinemodel View Post


    I'm going to give the nay to Yale. This is because New Haven sucks. I don't know much about the facilities or personnel in any of the schools, but from what I know about you, Columbia (i.e. New York) would be the best bet.



    Funny. I am leaning towards Yale.



    There are two very good groups that do particle detector R&D. They use the detectors for neutrino physics and dark matter searches. They have opportunities on both lab work and data analysis. I would like to do both, not only one (I would not like to spend my entire graduate career in front of a computer!).
  • Reply 35 of 74
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by soulcrusher View Post


    (I would not like to spend my entire graduate career in front of a computer!).



    probably 75% will be spent in front of a computer.

    25% will be spent in front of a pitcher of beer.
  • Reply 36 of 74
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by soulcrusher View Post


    I would like to do both, not only one (I would not like to spend my entire graduate career in front of a computer!).



    Ooh.



    A visit to Geneva (CERN) on the horizon?
  • Reply 37 of 74
    Haha. nono. The LHC, and colider physics in general, is not my thing. I like small collaborations. So, I am looking for small groups that do outstanding research. Still in particle physics though.
  • Reply 38 of 74
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by midwinter View Post


    It's just a different model of education. When I was looking at doing a D.Phil/PhD abroad, one model was basically that you told them wanted to work on and they said "OK. See you in 3 years."



    That's what mine is like. (I'm on first year PhD). They give you the facilities, equipment, participants and budget and let you choose your own path for how to spend your time. After all, once you're at PhD level, it would be a bit insulting to be told what to study or given assignments. I know I have three (now about 2.5 really) years to produce a 70,000 word thesis. It's up to me what to do when.



    As regards the course length, I think part of the difference is the tendency to specialise earlier in the UK. Out of the three years of my undergraduate course, 330 credits (out of 360) were psychology courses. I believe the same does not happen in the States.



    Amorya
  • Reply 39 of 74
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Amorya View Post


    That's what mine is like. (I'm on first year PhD). They give you the facilities, equipment, participants and budget and let you choose your own path for how to spend your time. After all, once you're at PhD level, it would be a bit insulting to be told what to study or given assignments. I know I have three (now about 2.5 really) years to produce a 70,000 word thesis. It's up to me what to do when.



    As regards the course length, I think part of the difference is the tendency to specialise earlier in the UK. Out of the three years of my undergraduate course, 330 credits (out of 360) were psychology courses. I believe the same does not happen in the States.



    Amorya



    Yeah. That was one of the things that really interested me in studying abroad (alas, personal considerations kept me in the US), since I already knew what I wanted to work on.
  • Reply 40 of 74
    Congrats.

    Graduate school is a great experience.

    Lot's of time to hone yourself... have great parties... work a lot and party a lot!



    A word of advice... don't go for the school. Go for a professor and a research group you want to work with. That's all that matters as far as your work in grad school is concerned because most of the time you'll working with a tight group of people.



    Are you interested in theoretical or experimental particle physics?

    String theory or quantum field theory?









    Quote:
    Originally Posted by soulcrusher View Post


    Hey, has anyone else applied to start graduate school in the fall?



    I applied to the physics PhD program of a bunch of places.



    I have only heard back from Columbia, Indiana University and Caltech. They have all accepted me.



    I am really excited about it, anyone else share the joy?



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