> Emily, > > As someone who is still looking for a graduate research position, I have > found that keeping eyes open on jobs and graduate opportunities is important. > I really wanted to keep my momentum after graduating and get an MS or PhD. I > was communicating with a professor that told me that I'd be perfect for their > lab and the research project etc etc (I thought I had it, despite not > directly hearing it or getting it in writing). I applied. I waited quite a > while, reaching out to the potential advisor every couple of weeks or so to > maintain interest as well as a mutual respect and patience (although I recall > being stressed at times). This took place from Feb of this year to just last > week, receiving a measly piece of paper saying I wasn't accepted. Could I > have gotten a courtesy email? Maybe. Were there most likely circumstances > that justified it? Absolutely. Maybe the funding didn't go through. Maybe > someone better came along (my guess). Who knows. More importantly, who cares! > Not even 48 hours later I got a call for an interview for a job I applied for > a week prior. I interviewed the next day. > > Keep your options open! I'm going to get my graduate degree I just don't know > in what order. I thought I did all the right things, reaching out and being > myself. I hope this helps you. There's wonderful advice coming your way. Find > published works and research in the area you want. Email PIs from those and > ask them about what they're doing now. It's great that you have your own > questions. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but a mentor in your field of > interest should be lucky to have someone driven and independent (isn't that > the point?) > > The first email was fascinating to me in that it was blunt and satirical (and > potentially offensive to the "bosses" of academia). Listen, there's a lot of > jaded individuals out there who didn't get chosen for a position (ding ding > ding). There's a chance that you're not going to get a couple opportunities! > I hope that you stay on the path that YOU choose and don't become negative or > have any regrets. Go for it. > > Kindest, > > Nathalie Arnone
> On May 27, 2015, at 14:21, Emily Mydlowski <emilymydlow...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hello all, > > I'm delving into the graduate school search (MS and PhD programs) quite > heavily and am seeking advice regarding approaching faculty with a research > project. The system I'm interested in working on is that which has many > unanswered, interesting questions I would love to pursue. From a faculty > perspective, is proposing a project topic (too) bold of a move to a > potential advisor? > > Any advice would be much appreciated. > > All the best, > > Emily Mydlowski > Northern Michigan University
