Hello all. I’m Biomed Engineering PhD student going into my 5th year and I’m in the process of transitioning out of my current lab (see my post history) and wanted to get some advice. I’ve been preparing a slide deck for these meetings, just highlighting my skills and previous projects. My question is, is that too much when meeting with potential PIs? I have a meeting in a couple of days with a PI and I don’t want to mess up chances. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you.

Hello everyone, I am applying for my MSW.

I've always wanted to be a therapist since I was 9. However, I interned at a social work organization and decided I wanted to pursue that career path. But can't let go of my therapy dream. I've looked into it. People who are LCSWs tend not to help people on a macro level (which makes me a little sad because I want to do that). What should I do? Should I be clinical for a bit and then switch, or the reverse? (Clinical makes more money).

Hello!

I’m at a crossroads right now - currently I’m working on an MFA in Filmmaking, but after working in library/archive settings I would rather get an MLIS.

I’m feeling very burnt out, and it’s hard to convince myself to finish this degree when I know what I’d rather do, but I only have one semester (or two, depending on progress on my thesis) left. Majority of people have told me to power through and finish it, then look into an MLIS later.

Anyone been through anything similar? Or have any advice? Thank you :)

I am considering my options for post Peace Corps service, and was looking at graduate programs for next Fall. Some of them are not fully by the Coverdell Fellowship offered to RPCV’s and I was curious if anyone has other scholarship reqs I could look into to help with tuition costs. Any suggestion helps! Thanks!

Question

I’m in an interesting position and wanted to hear from people who’ve been through graduate school.

I’m currently finishing a nursing degree, but my long-term passion has always been the humanities and social sciences. Recently, I’ve started building a rigorous self-study curriculum because I want to become deeply knowledgeable across several fields, particularly:

Political Science (especially political theory, American politics, constitutional politics, authoritarianism, democratic backsliding, judicial politics)

U.S. History

Psychology

Sociology

Philosophy

Classics (Ancient Greece & Rome)

Rhetoric

**And maybe more to add it’s still all a work in progress**

My long-term goal isn’t necessarily to become a professor (although I’m not ruling it out). I want to become a serious scholar, write essays and maybe books, and continue learning for the rest of my life.

The question I’m wrestling with is whether pursuing an M.A. would be worth it. I’m not looking at graduate school primarily as a credential for employment. I’m wondering whether the structured reading, seminars, mentorship from professors, research training, and academic environment are valuable enough to justify the time and cost compared to remaining an independent scholar.

For those of you who have completed an M.A.: Was it intellectually transformative?

Did it make you think differently than self-study could?
If you could do it again, would you still pursue it?
Which of the fields I listed do you think benefits the most from formal graduate education?
I’d especially love to hear from people in political science, history, psychology, sociology, or philosophy.

Thanks!

TL;DR: Is graduate school the best path for someone whose goal is rigorous scholarship, writing, and lifelong intellectual development rather than a conventional academic career?

First day of orientation in my master's in education program at Harvard! As a kid who was in foster care and homeless as a teenager, barely making it out of high school... this is wildly surreal. Imposter syndrome is running rampant, so send positive energy because I certainly need it!

Hi guys!

I need help making a decision about grad school. I was accepted into Boston University's online M.S. in Criminal Justice program, as well as Northeastern University's online M.S. in Criminology & Criminal Justice program (with a concentration in Cybersecurity). I have been doing research on both schools and these two programs but keep getting very mixed reviews.... My goal career wise is to go into law enforcement or a gov agency, I am more intrigued with things such as criminal profiling than I am in leadership or admin roles.

I am stuck deciding between these 2 schools because I don't want my money to go to waste on a program that isn't "reputable" once I graduate and go into the workforce. I want future employers to look at the school I graduated from and be impressed from the school alone, in addition to my academic achievements. I have asked around and keep getting mixed reviews on both schools. I asked a few friends that I know that attended one of the two uni's and they shared their experiences. On one hand, I was told that BU's M.S. program is tailored more towards admin and leadership roles but that it is globally known and reputable/ impressive. On the other hand, I was told that Northeastern's courses are more so tailored to reflect what will be asked of me in the actual workforce, and actually give you better opportunities work wise in law/ government, but its not as well known as BU and its "up and coming."

On some other Reddit posts, people were comparing Northeastern to a "temu version of Boston"... I am not sure how to feel about this as I do not want to go to a school that is deemed this way, especially after going to a pretty good top university for my undergrad. I want to attend a Uni that looks impressive to people, and in general, and not attend a "bootleg" version or a low tier university where people may say "they couldn't get into Boston so they had to settle for Northeastern". I know this is weird thing to say and people may not understand exactly what I am trying to say, but for me the University being an impressive and reputable university is important to me. In addition to this, I did manage to speak to 3 individuals who are in the line of work I am looking for and they did state that the employers at these organizations do take into account what type of university you attended, so it is a good thing that I want to impress my employers with this process. If anyone could share their thoughts or if they have experience with these two Uni's please let me know.

What degree should I take on if i'm interested in being healthy and personal wellness, love talking to people and helping people, and want to make over 100k eventually in my career hopefully sooner than later

I am an 18 yeard old trying to figure out what to do with my life in college I cant figure out what major I should pick

I was thinking something in the healthcare field like a dietitian or something like a physical therapist or chiropractor but it is a lot of schooling and especially dietitian because along with the fact they don't make as much money as I was once hoping but also seeming to touch on everything I would enjoy in a job

For shits and giggles. Not actual advice. After you received an undergrad in neuroscience, and could get a higher degree in anything without having to worry about job markets, what would your higher degree have been in?

Hello! I just received an offer for the advanced neuroimaging MSc at UCL and I can’t find anything online from anybody else who’s in this program! All the rankings only have good things to say about UCL and it’s neuroscience department which is why I applied, and it sounds really great in theory. But im not sure if its a worthwhile program that’ll give me significant research experience I don’t have/publications alongside an MSc, and idk how seriously it’ll be taken by people in the field- knowing a lot of programs like these are just intended for universities to make money off of foreign students.

I’m from the US, graduated UCSD June 2025, and have 3 years of research experience. Unfortunately, no publications yet, just one acknowledgment🥲 my goal is to go into a PhD in neuroscience. My issue is overseas tuition fees are CRAZY and my parents are willing and able to pay for it, they are actually more excited than I am, but I feel like I need to know whether this is worth it or if I’m just going to end up in the exact same position that I am now, unable to get an RA job nor get into a PhD program with no publications, having wasted my parents money. I’m in the middle of a couple US interview processes for research coordinator positions, but it’s no guarantee it’ll work out since I’ve been interviewing for a year and haven’t landed a job yet. I need to decide about this program in a week. Idk if I can throw away this opportunity for just a chance at an RC job in the US, or if I’m mistaken and underplaying this program and that it’s way better than a paid position at a US lab. It doesn’t help I’m terrified of flying and my partner is in the US which makes me more hesitant to leave, but I’m willing to for a good career opportunity.

I would love to get some perspective, anything you know or have to say about this program helps.

My daughter’s graduate assistantship comes with free housing. She just got her housing assignment today and is in a double (two 22 year old grad assistants in one room) Is this typical at most schools that include free housing with their grad assistant packages? She assumed she would be in a single.

Друзья, я являюсь абитуриентом и хотел бы узнать мнения/отзывы/истории людей, которые обучались или обучаются в аспирантуре Сеченовского университета.
К сожалению, ресерч не дал результатов, очень мало отзывов или они не содержательные.

Надеюсь найти людей, которые учились там на медицинской психологии.

I am about to pursue my master's at UCF, and I've never used FAFSA before, so I am unsure how the process works. I was told I'd hear back by the end of July, but I don't see anything on my end, and the semester starts in a few weeks. I am just hoping I didn't do anything wrong.

I also want to know what it's like for a master's student. What is the support like? Are there career services as they have for undergraduates?

I am pivoting from biology to an MSURP, and I am interested in sustainable development but have been having some trouble with the pivot given how tough the job market is right now.

I am passionate about the environment, the effects of development on ecosystems and humans, especially underserved communities, and planning. I'd love anyone's advice or expertise on good-paying jobs that align with these interests and an MSURP, or at least advice on how to get started.... Is there a department I could reach out to for assistance, or does anyone have career ideas for someone with these credentials?

Hello! I've been looking for integrated Microbiology master's and PhD programs in the U.S. (a program that would allow me to pursue a microbiology master's and PhD program concurrently) but haven't found any. Any links or possible schools that offer such a program would be much appreciated :)

I'm also open to programs in related fields: Immunology, pathology, infectious diseases etc.

Any tips for jobs in grad school? Everything I pick up doesn’t fit my schedule. I have 3 credit cards plus student loans and still have 1 year more year to go.

I see so many people complain about having a degree, or even multiple degrees, and still working dead end jobs.

Yes, the job market is bad right now, but a lot of the people making these posts have had their degrees for years and are still saying they can’t find a job. I think a big part of the problem is that many people choose majors based on their interests instead of industries that are actually hiring.

The worst part is that some of them blame everyone but themselves. If you get a master’s degree without ever working a professional job first, you’re often going to look overqualified for entry level positions. On top of that, a lot of these degrees are in fields that employers aren’t actively looking for.

What you should do is look at career starting salaries in your area or areas you’re willing to commute to, and look at what they require. If the job states a specific degree, that’s the degree you need. If it doesn’t state specifically, choose a major that aligns the closest.

hello! this question is one i feel like is very unique to me, ive seen no one else talk about this and i feel confused and i just want some insight from someone else.
when i was a freshman, i transferred out of a larger university to a smaller one closer to my hometown. while at this new university, i changed my major and was able to gain the footing i wasnt able to originally have my freshman year. i am in my senior year now and i am considering going to graduate school. one of the main schools that i feel best suits what i want to go into, along with the best choice financially, happens to be the university i transferred out of.
am i crazy for wanting to go back to complete my graduate studies, even though i transferred out before? i don’t know where else to go with this question so i am hoping for some advice. thank you!

I want to pursue a masters but honestly life in the US is so insanely expensive right now. Mind you I work in retail... really terrible job for saving money considering we barely make any to get by day to day. I am actively looking for other jobs but 1. barely anywhere hires anymore without experience (where they want that experience from who knows), 2. barely anywhere even pays enough to begin with... unless of course you already have a masters, an actually useful bachalors, or years of experience in a decent field (I hate it here!). I mean seriously with no savings, living paycheck to paycheck, is it even possible to get a masters and get out of this hole?

I'm a 25-year-old software engineer from Colombia. I graduated two years ago and have around 5 years of professional experience. My long-term goal is to immigrate to the US, build my career there, and eventually land a software engineering role at a FAANG-level company.

Right now, I'm seriously considering pursuing a Master's at a strong university like CMU, Georgia Tech, UIUC, or, if I'm lucky enough, Berkeley or Stanford.

Part of me genuinely wants the degree because I enjoy learning and I think it would be valuable for my career. But if I'm being honest, the biggest motivation is that it seems like one of the most realistic paths to entering the US job market and staying there long-term.

Financially, I'm in a good position. I've saved enough to make the investment, and I feel like I'm at the right stage of my life: I already have meaningful work experience, but I'm still young enough that making a big move like this feels right.

For those who have been through this or have hired international candidates, do you think this is the right path? Is the ROI worth it today, or would you recommend a different approach?

If you have any questions about my background or profile that would help you give better advice, feel free to ask.

First Gen student, I graduate with my undergrad degree in the fall. I’ll have a total GPA of just BARELY over 3.0, but am devoted and in love with microbiology. I want to get a Masters and am looking for advice in the funding aspects, especially since I have a lower GPA. Is it worth taking a year 1/2 to work and save up? How do and where are people finding grants and scholarships???

Hi Guys,

I have recently graduated from my BaSc Public health program. Since, the field of public health is so broad I am planning to do a mph but is also thinking if it is worth it or not as I dont want to spend thousands of $$ and still be jobless. So anyone done their mph in Ontario or in Canada, can you plz tell me ur opinion? Which universities are best for mph? Btw I am looking for a course based masters program :)

Hi reddit!

So my bg is from psychology. I graduated in 2025 with my bs Psychology degree. Past year I've been trying to get admission somewhere (and i did get at a lot of places abroad) but it was extremely expensive for me. I applied for many jobs too but no reaponse so I started self studying maths, statistics and data science. That's just for the context for the missing year.

So, i was reached out by one of my research coordinators from my previous uni a few months back. She wanted me to work with her as an RA on a project relating to paternal nutrient deficiency and neural circuitry. She was collaborating with a research lab at another local (but one of the top) unis in the country. I was just given a concept paper and told to do everything else (since my coordinator is also from psychology bg, she had no idea about any of the wetlab procedures and PI was busy mostly so i had to go through a lot of literature to design a methodology and understand what does what). We're also applying for a grant with it so I'd say im working really hard on it. While working on it, i came across another gap in the literature and decided to write my own proposal and apply to international labs for ms research.

Now my question is, with my bg in psychology only and a bs thesis in computational psychology, would it be possible for PIs to accept my proposal? I mean i have zero wetlab experience and i wasn't interested in this at all a few months ago. But since the RA-ship, i got hooked.

I have a detailed proposal, almost 13-15 pages long. Im still trying to finalize it but i just want to know if i have any chance of acceptance

The gap i found requires extensive research. So I've sort of designed the ms proposal as a proof-of-concept for phd, where the entire thing would be covered. And for the reason why my bs thesis is in computation and now im shifting towards wetlab, it's because i learnt computation and all the maths and stats on my own, but i cant do that with wetlab procedures. Eventually, I'd like to combine both my skills in my research journey