Reddit Reddit reviews Getting What You Came For

We found 25 Reddit comments about Getting What You Came For. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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25 Reddit comments about Getting What You Came For:

u/lost_molecules · 14 pointsr/GradSchool

I fucking love it! (I just started though, so my viewpoint might change in a few years, haha.) I finally get to be around people who share the same passion and interests as I do. Are there moments where I hate my life? Sure, but stress in life is a given. All I know it that I'd rather be doing this than anything else (housewife, office job, retail, etc.). Here's a book I recommend that helped me conceptualize grad school better before I committed: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777

u/TrustMeIAMAProfessor · 6 pointsr/AskAcademia

The (now classic) book to read is Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. by Robert Peters. I remember reading this in grad school but don't remember too many of the details. https://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519058671&sr=1-3&keywords=grad+school+phd+guide+book

There are mixed opinions out there on The Professor Is In, so don't use that as your only source, but she has a lot of free information available on preparing for the job market, giving job talks, and interviews, etc. http://theprofessorisin.com/

Good luck! Play the long game. Try to have some fun. Take care of your body.

u/0nn0 · 5 pointsr/cscareerquestionsEU

I agree that you should finish it. Once you have, you shouldn't have that many problems getting hired. From what you've told us, you already know programming and algorithms. That's what you'll need to survive in the wild. The rest will be changing in no time anyhow.

Oh this might be a useful book for you: Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. While it focuses on the situation in the USA, it also deals with some of the more generic challenges of graduate school.

u/fung_dark · 5 pointsr/UTAustin

Yeah, just lay the groundwork to get them later.

The book Getting What You Came For will give you a timeline if you're concerned about hitting all of the requisite benchmarks for graduate school applications. Good luck!

u/ProfAbroad · 4 pointsr/AskAcademia

Old but still worth reading early in the process of you are interested in possibly getting a phd.

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-For/dp/0374524777

u/holdie · 4 pointsr/berkeley

Check out this book before you apply/commit to a program. I know it's not that helpful for someone to throw a book at you when you asked a question, but I think it's pretty useful for someone considering entering a PhD program.

One other quick piece of advice I'd give is to forego choosing a lab that does the sexiest research in lieu of a lab that

A. Is a fun place to be with good people around you
B. Has a PI that cares about what is best for YOU first and foremost, even if it is different from a traditional academic career.
C. Has projects that involve day-to-day activities that you'd actually enjoy doing (working on nobel-winning work that's really boring and monotonous is still boring and monotonous)
D. Has stability in funding for the entirety of your PhD

u/curiousGambler · 4 pointsr/borussiadortmund

Ah Group Theory... one of those big boy maths I always heard about. Sounds cool tho, basically smooshing up fractals into different ones right? It was all stats, calc and number theory for me, but I had an amazing multivar professor that was a topology guy so he talked to us about it some.

I commend your bravery for trying to survive academia. I read the first couple chapters of this book and ran away to the private sector with my CS degree. Wasn't brave enough for all that.

u/cowgod42 · 3 pointsr/Physics

Sounds like you are into some interesting stuff! I'm a math PhD student. One of the most useful things I did to prepare for grad school was to read this book. Seriously, you can't start reading it soon enough, as it helps you set the stage for grad school even before you get there. It's a great book.

As for programming, I'd recommend MatLab, Fortran 77 or Fortran 90/95, and C++.

Also, every summer, try to work for a lab, such as a national physics lab or (ITER in a few years, since you are interested in plasma). You will get payed a lot of money, and you will work with some of the best researchers in the world. Talk to your professors and look online to see if you can find a way to spend your summer doing lab work.

u/himalayansaltlick · 2 pointsr/AskAcademia

Read this

u/thewaltzingbear · 2 pointsr/academia

There are some books that give good insights into navigating the grad school process, including useful advice about how to map out important milestones (e.g. how to publish, navigating conferences, and most importantly setting yourself up early to be successful on the job market.)

1

2

3

[4] (http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-For/dp/0374524777/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41H6-kRMd5L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=07NB1JFQT1BE3E6NARD9)

u/querent23 · 2 pointsr/math

I thought I'd post a link to the most helpful book I've found on applying to grad school, and to grad school its self.

Getting What You Came For by Robert Peters.

Not math specific, but recommended to me by certifiable polymath genius Rob Knight, at CU Boulder.

u/HickyAU · 2 pointsr/AskAcademia

They are tricky questions to answer because the process and people's experience are likely to vary a fair bit and the funding options are different for different countries. I am a PhD candidate in Education in Australia, so I can share my experience finding a supervisor/funding and what I have seen of other student's experiences, your experience could be completely different. I'd recommend borrowing/getting a book that discusses how to find and apply for a PhD program or looking for guidelines/suggestions for applying a PhD on the website of the institution you would like to do your PhD at. I found Getting What You Came For really useful. However, that book is fairly old, targeted towards US programs which you may not be applying for, and is pretty 'real' (bleak) about how tough a PhD can be and the lack of academic jobs. Someone else may be able to provide a better recommendation for a similar book.

What country are you in and planning to do your PhD in? In the institution I am in (in Australia) most Education PhD students seem to be either funded through a government scholarship (called an RTP here) or do not have any funding. I would not say an RTP is easy to obtain, they are pretty competitive here and I was lucky to have research experience and a publication when I applied for one, which would have helped me get it. It seems like PhDs funded through projects are not as common in Education as they would be in the natural sciences, engineering etc but they are out there. If you find a scholarship advertised as part of a project, then it would probably be easier to apply for that then finding funding for your own PhD project but then you don't have much choice about what topic to research. At my institution, when you apply for a PhD, you have to submit a short proposal about the topic you intend to research and a brief research plan. If you don't have particular researchers listed on the application then the university would allocate you supervisors. This may be different in your country though.

As for approaching supervisors, there is probably a few different ways you could do this. The book I mentioned above has some suggestions. I worked for my current PhD supervisor as an undergraduate student and knew that they would take me on as a PhD student when I applied, so I didn't have to seek other people out. One of the most important things was that they are interested in my research topic and we can collaborate well, so we work on projects/papers together. I know other students that have been allocated supervisors rather than choosing their own when they have started and that can not work out, particularly when the student's research interests don't align with the supervisor's research interests or they don't have a good working relationship. I would suggest looking up different researchers at your local institution/s (assuming you want to stay where you are) and see if anyone researches in the topics you are interested in. If the university's faculties don't have a list of the academic staff, you can try looking up the institution and faculty on researchgate. You can reach out to staff with similar research interests and let them know what you're interested in and ask them what your options are.

Also, I think with your background and qualifications, you will be a valuable person to have around an Education faculty as well. In my experience, there is a need for Educational researchers with mathematical skills (particularly expertise in Statistics). You could try reaching out to staff from Education faculties or keeping on your eye on the jobs at your local university/ies and seeing if there are opportunities to help out with data collection and analysis. This could be a good way to 'dip your toe' in research before committing to a PhD and it may help you meet potential supervisors.

u/erasmus42 · 1 pointr/ECE

Try to find a 12 to 16 month internship, ASAP. You need the work experience and perspective (you don't get deep into a project in 4 months).

I am just wrapping up my thesis for my MSEE. I worked for a few years after my BSEE before going back to school (seemed like a good idea in the recession).

I would say that if your end goal is to work in industry, try to get experience in a good job. If that doesn't work, go to grad school. It took me a few working years to get the perspective of why I should do grad school, and what I wanted to study. It's not like undergrad, it's not structured as well and all the motivation has to come from you.

Also, read this book (it's the best one of half a dozen that I read):

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777/

u/ljoanofarc · 1 pointr/LadiesofScience

I am finishing a masters in environmental toxicology in the fall. My undergrad is in environmental science and chemistry. I'm starting a PhD in toxicology next year.
I'm not sure what you want to know in terms of my experience.. I think tox is a really great interdisciplinary field that has a place for everyone. One thing that worried me going into the program is that I didn't have much of a biology background but I found it easy enough to keep up. Most people in my cohort have general biology or ecology undergrad degrees.
Some courses I took required animal testing (with fish) as did my research project. I think this very much depends on the program you choose and the type of research you do.

I recommend this book to anyone thinking about grad school: http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777

u/ruqpyl2 · 1 pointr/chemistry

My first instinct was to scream "OH GOD, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT." But I was once like you too, and I should know that wouldn't be helpful. So instead, I'll recommend that if you're going to choose this, you'd better get your head in the game. When I hear, "I'll work hard; I think it'll work itself out," that gets me worried. There's more to succeeding in grad school and beyond than just getting into the most prestigious school that you can and grinding away in lab, and I'd rather you realize and prepare for that now rather than at the end of your PhD like a lot of my former colleagues.

To start, these books may be helpful to you:
http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777/
http://www.amazon.com/PhD-Not-Enough-Survival-Science-ebook/dp/B004EHZDE8/

I'm going to reiterate what randoguy_16 says below. Be careful when you choose a lab and PI. Google tells me a lot has been written about the subject in general, so I won't get into this long topic. But regarding employment and since your long term goal seems to be getting into industry, I think his specific advice is spot on. Again, I saw and am seeing a lot of my former colleagues trying to get non-postdoc jobs, with PI essentially saying, "oh, that's nice, good luck!" Most of PI's connections (and interest) is in academia. Now to be fair, I don't have much data on how common that attitude/situation is, but I'd be wary of it.

This is a super short reply, but I hope it helps you out. Good luck.

u/DarwinDanger · 1 pointr/AskAcademia

I would suggest getting Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or Ph.D..

This book is very easy to read, down to earth, and provides invaluable advice.

u/FatFingerHelperBot · 1 pointr/gradadmissions

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users.
I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!


Here is link number 1 - Previous text "bk"



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u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/AskReddit

The primary way to sidestep it is to be able to identify the cultures that encourage it and avoid those. If the school is a place where funding is really tight, or where they make you compete for funding even if it isn't, then consider not going there. If the advisor is struggling to get tenure (or just plain seems like he/she has no original ideas of his/her own), then it's probably best to avoid working with that person.

Some areas are on average better than others. Typically the ones which don't have all that much trouble getting funding (like CS).

If you're really paranoid, there are other little things you can do like not tell ideas to people you don't trust until you've got something down in writing (either published in peer review or in a non-reviewed tech report). I personally don't care and tell just about anybody anything. I'd rather live in a world where I can communicate openly with my colleagues. If they take an idea that I clearly wanted to pursue, and run off with it without giving me any credit, then I probably won't talk to that individual again, but I'd be happy that my idea is out there, and I'd know deep down that I'll have tons more ideas whereas that person will have one less source from which to steal :P

If you experience it, then stand up for yourself. Better that than regret letting someone else get away with shenanigans.

All in all, my biggest piece of advice is to be respectful of others, and be open to talking with others about the work you're doing. There are assholes in every profession. Why let that fact keep you from setting a good example for others and enjoying yourself and the company of the non-assholes?

There's a book that addresses these and other issues really well that I think any aspiring or current grad student should check out: Getting what You Came For.

u/iregretmyundergrad · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I feel your pain. One: I recommend studying the GRE now. Unfortunately, the new format just went into affect. Take two or at the most three months (gotta remember deadlines) to study for the GRE.

I'm picking up these books today after work:
http://www.amazon.com/Graduate-Admissions-Essays-School-Choice/dp/1580088724/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313012024&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313012024&sr=8-1

u/GiaProbie · 1 pointr/PennStateUniversity

You need to get and read the book "Getting What You Came For." -- http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777

This is a great resource on all things grad school and your consideration of the graduate school life.

As far as graduate school goes - you need to contact the department that offered you the admission - and ask about the other things that come with that. First off - is there a tuition waiver and stipend? Generally, with many Ph.D. programs, there is with an expectation that you will work as a Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant during your graduate school timeframes.

Many STEM Masters degree programs do NOT offer this, as the expectation is that you are improving your employability rather than pursuing an academic career.

However, you said you're interested in coding rather than engineering. Have you considered the Penn State IST Ph.D. program? I'm not saying you're a great fit for it -- but it's something you might consider looking into for the future.

Also, consider the online MPS programs. An MPS is a different kind of degree than an MS or MA. It's more geared toward professionals.

So that gets down to the "real" question -- why is it that you want to do graduate school? If you're in it for "More Sh*t" and you're thinking it's just more school that will help you get employed later -- then skip it. Don't do it. You'll suffer and you'll hate it. Instead, once you figure out work and what you want to do in life -- THEN come back for a Masters degree -- if that's what you want.

If you're considering a further academic career - then the Ph.D. programs are what you want -- earning a Masters along the way.

Otherwise -- go get a job and figure out some things in life. Take the coding academy things -- online tutorials for whatever you want. You don't need a degree is something to do that thing (well, for a lot of things you don't). Just having SOME degree checks off that box... and a degree in a technical field is good -- but if you want to work in a different technical field - you just need to find someone to hire you who knows you'll be able to ramp up a bit.

Now, in terms of your transcript - many places don't know or care what was on your transcript - what grade you got in this or that class - doesn't matter as much as you FINISHED. Yeah, some places do care, but you'll figure out who that is. For everyone else - at this stage, it's about "I finished" and "I got an OK GPA." and "It was a technical program." That proves you can learn and do technical stuff. Civil engineering ain't a cakewalk. However, if that kind of work isn't really your calling -- then go do something else... whatever you want to set your mind and time to. You're an engineer dammit.... you can do it.

u/kvyoung · 1 pointr/biology

Good book on all aspects of grad school, including choosing a school, getting in, etc: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777

u/0ju3wb2zvk · 1 pointr/ADHD

By being persistent... oh wow I never thought a day would come when I get to say these words! But yeah, persistence, and of course, proper treatment of ADHD symptoms.

I put about 10~20% of my time and resource into managing ADHD. This includes maintenance of current coping systems, reading up on related topics, trial and errors of new systems and medications... Currently, I am mostly working on self-awareness and social skills. (I was forced to, because I got sucked into department politics and suffered big time for being naive and unaware.) My diagnosis was less than a year ago. I hope to decrease the time and energy sucked into ADHD management soon.

If you are there, you belong there. Period. The program accepted you because they saw that you are capable of it. You know how grad school admissions work, right? Also, even those few hotties in theoretical astrophysics and cosmology - those who get right into tenure-track faculty positions at top research universities right after just one postdoc - used to be told "you are incapable and stupid, your research doesn't work, you do not fit here" during their graduate school years, repeatedly.

I recommend you to:

  • Make an appointment at the student mental health center at school if you don't have individual sessions with psychologists yet.
  • It's probably the impostor syndrome. So read up on it.
  • Even if it is the impostor syndrome, there must be something you can work on to improve. There are always those little things you can give a simple tweak to see improvements. Be it ADHD symptom management, time management, better eating, new supplement... locate them and fix them one by one.
  • Read books like Getting What You Came For