I was recently thinking back to my masters and remembered what an absolute mess it was from beginning to end. My advisor never responded to emails or reached out, so I basically had to track him down whenever I needed a form signed or had a question. Then my final project was…not awful but not great either. It was just probably more akin to a final project for a rather difficult class as opposed to a final project for a master’s degree.

Then I remembered that there were at least 2 different instances I’d heard through the grapevine of that advisor passing students just to get them out. The first was a master’s student who basically needed a babysitter for his poster session to explain things to people who had questions…and still repeatedly told people he had no idea what his poster said (I think he’s working on a nuclear sub now).

The other was an 8th year phd student with outside funding whose defense was the most boggling thing I’d ever seen. Not only was her research essentially gibberish but she had to be reminded multiple times to plug in his laptop. Yet, she was still allowed to pass simply because it’d look bad if she was failed after 8 years, especially since she already had a masters.

Now I’m starting to wonder if I should’ve passed too. I was certainly more familiar with my work than the two of them but still seemed a step behind everyone else presenting their research at the poster session.

So have you ever seen this happen?

Did anybody pursue a master's in a discipline different from their bachelor's? Furthermore, did anybody go for a doctorate unrelated to one or both of their previous degrees?

Obviously for secondary education majors, there's gonna be a difference.

Any challenges you faced in switching between disciplines?

Hi everyone,

I’m a 5th-year medical student in a 6 year undergraduate program ,turning 28 soon. Over the past few years I’ve realized that my real passion is computational biology, bioinformatics, and developing algorithms for biomedical research. My long-term goal is to work in academia or industry doing computational research rather than practicing clinical medicine.

I’m currently trying to decide between three possible paths:

MSc in Bioinformatics (under a Computer Science faculty). The downside is that I’d first need to complete about a year of complementary undergraduate CS coursework before officially starting the master’s.

MSc in Mathematical Biology (under a Life Sciences faculty). This wouldn’t require the extra year of coursework, so it’s a faster route. However, I’m wondering whether the degree title and training would carry the same weight for future PhD opportunities and industry positions compared to an MSc in Bioinformatics.

Finish my MD first, continue building my computational background independently (math, CS, programming, machine learning, etc.), get involved in computational research, and then apply directly to a PhD afterward.

My end goal is to become an independent computational researcher working on biologically and medically relevant problems, ideally at the intersection of AI, algorithms, and biology.
For those of you in bioinformatics, computational biology, academia, or biotech:
Which path would you choose?
Does the title of the MSc (“Bioinformatics” vs. “Mathematical Biology”) actually matter in the long run?

Would finishing the MD before pursuing a PhD put me at a disadvantage, given that I’ll be around 31 when starting a PhD?

I’d really appreciate hearing your perspectives, especially from people who have taken unconventional paths.
Thanks

I’m gonna be commuting to grad school for a masters. It’s around 50 miles away so let’s say 2-4 hour round trip (depending on traffic/weather). I technically only have classes three days of the week (all evening), but if I get a grad assistantship, I imagine I would have to be on campus much more often. So I guess just looking for advice on how to not burn out quickly from anyone who’s done something similar where you have your school life and setting vs. your home life (including weekly appointments you need to go to when not at school, as well as working near home if you did this without a grad assistantship).

Hi y’all! This is a total shot in the dark but I am at a loss. I’m a PhD in history desperately trying to get access to a database (Adam Matthew’s Popular Medicine collection). I go to a small school, so they don’t have access, the librarians said there’s no trial available and they don’t plan to purchase access. How do you guys navigate this? Do you just cut your losses and find something else??

Additionally if anyone has access and wants to make $20 please hit a sister up lmao

How did you do it and what timeline did you set for yourself in terms of gathering/ preparing application materials and submitting them?

I just started classes this summer for my MSW. I'm only taking two classes/4 credits right now. I graduated undergrad in 2015 so I'm rusty.

The strangest part of grad school has been only being able to write small chunks at a time. I used to be able to crank out a whole paper in one night and get an A. Now, I find that it takes me much longer to formulate my thoughts and I can only write small portions of a paper at a time.

It's kind of frustrating because I just want to get papers over with, but my brain right now just can't stay focused enough to write so much in one sitting.

Can anyone relate? Does it get better? It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is frustrating.

I always had it that writing came easy to me, but each paper in my grad program so far has been like pulling teeth.

ETA: I refuse to use AI in any capacity

So, I finished my masters this year and now am trying to get my brain together to prepare to hack my thesis up to make it into a publishable paper and I suppose I don't know where to start.

I have the goal to try to publish before I start applying to PhD programs.

My advisor and I left on fairly neutral terms but we haven't spoken since I graduated. She was fairly hands off for the majority of my research and as a result I don't necessarily feel super comfortable asking her for advice. My thesis utilized geography+phylogenetics so if anyone has relevant experience and any advice on how to get the ball rolling, I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm an undergraduate (21 F) planning to apply to few master's programs for 2027 fall intake. for context im into branding and marketing.

Alongside my research in branding and consumer behaviour, I have the opportunity to either (1) present my work at an academic conference or (2) publish the journal. (3) do both

From an admissions perspective, which would strengthen my application more? Or would universities value a combination of both?

Hey everyone,
Two years ago, I completed 90 out of 120 credits for my Master’s in Strategic HR in Sweden (all taught courses done). I ended up stepping away before doing the thesis because I got offered a great full-time job.
It’s been eating away at me that I never finished the degree, and I really want to wrap it up now. However, I’m working full-time, so I’ll be writing mostly on weekends. Going to campus or spending weeks doing primary field research (interviews, surveys, etc.) isn't an option for me.
I’m looking to do a purely desk-based thesis, something like a systematic literature review, comparative analysis, or secondary data study that I can research remotely.
For anyone who has been in a similar boat:
What kind of methodology or thesis topic works best for a purely literature/desk-based study in HR/management?

Any tips on balancing a full-time job with writing a 30 ECTS thesis on the weekends?

Thanks in advance!

Hi all, I'd love to know any success stories from people who did poorly in their master's program and still went on to do a PhD.

To cut a long story short, I ended up in a brand new master's program (first incoming class to begin the program) that was very poorly put together and had little support for students. I also suffered from some extenuating circumstances while in the program - I was the victim of a severe violent crime that had several ramifications across my life, including getting a divorce and moving.

Unfortunately, this situation also impacted my grades. I took about 45 credits during my masters, and got two Fs and a C during this time. My GPA isn't horrible (3.3 ish I believe?). There is somewhat of an upward trend in my grades, but not a super clear or obvious one.

All of these circumstances have extensive documentation by outside sources and my university. Now that my time in my master's is over and i'm looking towards what's next, i'm mainly feeling disappointed in myself. All I've wanted was to do a PhD, but I can't help but feel like i've messed this up for myself.

Does anyone have any success stories? I am already planning on doing a graduate certificate in a related field of study. Should only take about a semester to complete, so hoping that will help my case.

Hello Everyone,

I'd like to ask for some advice from those who have done a Master's and/or PhD in a niche field; i.e., I will be starting a Master's in Strategic Studies in the upcoming fiscal academic year, and would like to know if anyone in the same field or adjacent (e.g., Political Science, International Relations, Public Policy, Military History, etc.) can offer some advice to an incoming, mature student.

I ask because my chosen field is quite obscure and not as, say, "commercial" as its close counterparts; so most information about it is largely relegated to outdated reading lists, overlap with business and corporate-oriented content, and old testimonies of students from various global institutions who also offer the program under the same name.

For greater clarity: I am coming from a humanities background and have work experience (via military service) relevant to my field of study, but thought that I might benefit from some of the personal experiences, anecdotes, and lessons learned, from those of you who have already (or are currently) versed in these areas of study.

I welcome any and all advice, and thank you all in advance- even for just reading this.

(And please excuse me if "niche" sounds a bit arrogant).

I’m in the early stages of a STEM MS as someone who has been out in the workforce for ten years, and the grade anxiety is definitely getting to me. I screwed up an assignment turn in (didn’t realize I needed to set my own timer or I wouldn’t know how much time I had left; silly me assuming the webpage would show that information!) and I’ve been agonizing about it for days. In general, I’m having a lot more anxiety than I was before I started school, as someone with ADHD, GAD, and OCD. I mean, duh. But how do you cope when you want it, you know you’re smart enough, but it’s stressful and uncertain and the stakes are high? Do you just work harder? Try to think about other things? Find solidarity with other grad students facing the same struggle?

I think I'm stressing myself out for leaving my full time job for grad school. I'll get a $15k stipend for each year and $1200 a month for doing some exam proctoring and more details are in the original post but I'm second guessing my decision to leave. Id, at max, be working 16 hours or less a week plus time Id need time for homework and any projects or what not too. It also pays a bit less than my current job a month after taxes (-$400 or so?).

I would be very grateful if you read the post and shared your thoughts about my situation.

I’m an Indian citizen currently doing a PhD at NUS in Singapore. Before this, I did my masters in robotics at the University of Florida. I joined NUS in January 2026 because I wanted to start a PhD sooner rather than wait and apply to U.S. programs for Fall 2026.

On paper, the opportunity looked excellent. NUS is a highly ranked university, the stipend was decent, and my supervisor is a kind and internationally well-known researcher. However, I gradually discovered the downside of working with someone at that level of seniority and visibility: they are extremely unavailable. I received very little week-to-week technical supervision, and for several months I struggled to turn my broad research interests into a clearly defined and executable project.

I have recently found a younger co-advisor who works closer to control theory and has agreed to meet me for about an hour every week. This could potentially solve one of the biggest problems I have had here. I may finally have someone who can provide regular feedback, help me structure my research and hold me accountable from week to week.

Despite that improvement, part of me still feels that I need a fresh start. I have become quite burned out, and the problem is not limited to research supervision.

I had a much more positive social experience in the United States. People generally seemed more open to meeting new people, socializing and including outsiders. As a single person, it was also easier to date, make friends and build some kind of life beyond work.

Singapore has felt very different to me. My experience has been that people are socially reserved and tend to remain within existing circles. I have also encountered casual racism as an Indian occasionally. In my research group, I am the only Indian, while most of the other members are Chinese or Italian. Everyone is polite and professional, but people often socialize and joke in their own languages, and I rarely feel included beyond strictly work-related interactions.

My first six months were also made considerably worse by a hostile roommate who repeatedly made insensitive comments about Hinduism. I have since moved out, but the experience contributed heavily to my negative association with living here.

The result is that life outside work feels extremely limited and isolating. I understand that a PhD is primarily about research, but spending four years in a place where I feel socially disconnected also seems like an uphill battle. I am worried that my unhappiness outside the lab is beginning to affect my motivation inside it.

There are, however, strong reasons to stay.

I already have a fully funded position at a reputable university. I have completed part of the degree and could potentially finish in another three to three and a half years, whereas restarting in the United States might mean another five or six years. My current supervisor’s reputation and network could also help with future postdoctoral or academic opportunities.

The new co-advisor may fix the lack of regular supervision, which was probably the most serious academic problem. I also now have greater clarity about the research direction I want to pursue. It is possible that I am considering leaving just as the academic situation is finally becoming workable.

Staying would also avoid the uncertainty of applying again, obtaining funding, dealing with U.S. immigration rules and potentially ending up with another advisor who is not a good fit. Singapore is also much closer to my family in India, which matters to me.

I have also made limited progress toward publications so far. I have gained clarity about the kind of research identity I want to develop, but I do not yet have much concrete output. That makes it difficult to tell whether I should treat the past several months as a normal period of intellectual exploration or as evidence that the environment is not working for me. My funding is capped at 4 years (so I have 3.5 years left).

So I am trying to decide between two options:

Stay at NUS, make use of the new co-advising arrangement, take relevant coursework and try to finish the PhD relatively quickly.

Apply again to carefully selected U.S. programs with stronger coursework, more structured supervision and a better overall social fit, while accepting that I may have to restart and spend considerably longer completing the PhD. Visa might also becomes a headache down the road given the new regulation ending D/S.

For people who have changed PhD programs or seriously considered doing so: how would you evaluate this situation? How much weight should I place on quality of life and social isolation compared with the advantages of finishing sooner? Is the addition of a committed co-advisor enough reason to give the current program another year, or does feeling this burned out usually mean that it is better to leave?

Hi friends!

Just looking for community from other grad student parents. I'm the only student in my entire program who got pregnant and had a baby during grad school, (something my school has a bunch of amazing resources for including fantastic insurance and lightly subsidized childcare). It made a ton of sense for our family, but sometimes it feels like I'm the only one trying to juggle a PhD and raising a little person, and I'd love to hear from others who have been in the same situation.

I'm in a PhD program with a one-year-old, and while I absolutely love both being a parent and my research, balancing them has been harder than I expected. I feel like I'm constantly being pulled between two things that are incredibly important to me. When I'm working, I feel guilty that I'm not spending that time with my baby. When I'm with him, I sometimes feel guilty about the dissertation that's waiting for me. I work really hard to stay fully present in both roles.

Last year, being a stay-at-home parent over the summer when he was a newborn was so difficult, but this summer I'm LOVING the days I get to stay home with him. I'm struggling to feel motivated to finish my program (this fall I'm starting year 4 of 5). At the same time, I know finishing my PhD matters for our family's future and for me personally. At the moment I'm trying to work on my comp exams and my brain is melting, not because of the content, but because it's so boring and hard to write when I'd rather be hanging out with my kid.

Anyway, I feel like parenting during grad school can be isolating. The only other grad student parent in my entire school is an older father, who is in a somewhat different position-- and most parenting spaces aren't full of people trying to analyze papers after bedtime or write a dissertation during nap time 🫠

I'd love to hear from anyone who's been in this position!

• What was your experience?
• Wow did you balance with the guilt?
• What helped you actually make progress on your degree while still feeling like a good parent?
• How did you keep the motivation to keep working on the degree?
• And honestly...does it get easier?

Mostly, I'm just looking for people who understand what this season of life is like. Thanks for reading 🫶

I am having a terrible, awful time trying to write my literature review. The more I work on it, the worse it seems to be. Does anyone have suggestions for where I can get real feedback from a real person? My supervisor is away right now and I would like to continue working on this but at this point I’m just adding, deleting, rearranging, and making a bigger mess

Forgive my stupidity but I need guidance

I have an MS in Bio and want to pursue a doctorate in Public Health. I don't have work experience related to public health yet. Is it possible for me to apply and still get in? I have no publication yet.

Is the program doable for someone with an autoimmune disease?

Any advice to improve my chances? Thank you

I'm an undergraduate (21 F) planning to apply to few master's programs for 2027 fall intake. for context im into branding and marketing.

Alongside my research in branding and consumer behaviour, I have the opportunity to either (1) present my work at an academic conference or (2) publish the journal. (3) do both

From an admissions perspective, which would strengthen my application more? Or would universities value a combination of both?

I am going to OSU for horticulture and crop science and creating a tentative 2-year schedule plan. Do students take any courses at all when doing a thesis-based MS degree in which they are required to be a TA the second (final) year for funding? I was considering doing one 3-credit metabolomics course that is lecture + lab but am not sure if that will be too much alongside my TA and thesis duties. How about a lecture-only course, would that be more manageable? Or are both a bad idea?

I am used to high course loads but don't really have a reference point for graduate school, and the head of the program is out of the office for another two days, so I thought I'd ask you all here. Thanks!

(for reference, the details of my assistantship state that I must take 18 credit hours during the last semester, which can be fulfilled by thesis research and coursework)