All Information Session Questions

Here are all the questions that have been asked and answered all our information sessions. The links will take you to YouTube.

Should I Get a Ph.D. In Computer Science – 21 April 2021

0:00 Introductions
4:00 Panel introduction
16:45 How can I tell if getting a Ph.D. is a good choice for me?
24:00 Should I do a masters before I do get a Ph.D.?
29.35 What job prospects do Ph.D. have after they graduate?
33:30 Would you recommend applying for BS/MS before applying for Ph.D.?
36:54 Is it worth getting a Ph.D. if I don’t want to go into research?
41:39 How did you know you wanted to pursue research?
43:45 How do you know if you’ll succeed as a Ph.D. student?
49:59 How does having a masters degree lower my acceptance rate to Ph.D. programs?
53:35 How do you survive first few of years of research?

0:00 Introduction
3:07 Panel introduction
6:31 How many Ph.D. programs should I apply to? How do I choose?
13:51 How confident should I be on a specific research interest before applying to a Ph.D. program?
22:11 Should I get a BS/MS or an MS before a Ph.D. or directly a Ph.D.?
29:22 Does working on an undergrad research project without producing any publications look bad?
34:48 How to apply to Ph.D. program after spending time in Industry?
39:46 How do I pick a Ph.D. adviser and do I have to do it before joining?
43:43 How important are different parts of applications: Letters, SOP, GRE, grades…?
51:37 Would I be able to transfer from an MS to a Ph.D. in the middle of an MS program?
52:14 Do you have suggestions for Ph.D. application timeline?
54:07 How does financial aid work for Ph.D. programs?
56:17 What form should the interaction with faculty prior to applying take?

0:00 Introductions
6:34 How can I tell if research is something I’d like?
8:06 Can you talk about a time when you doubted whether or not a Ph.D. was the right path for you?
11:15 How does getting Ph.D. compare to a BS in terms of difficulty with classes time management, and lifestyle?
15:34 How many schools did you apply to and how confident were you that you’d be admitted?
18:19 What is the funding situation like for CS Ph.D. programmers? Can the university scholarships/TA/RAship cover the tuition and living costs in San Diego?
21:00 How has getting your Ph.D. affected your mental health?
27:10 Any advice for people deciding between starting a Ph.D. and joining the workforce as a software engineer?
30:38 What is the work-life balance like during a Ph.D.?
36:29 How you avoid getting stuck with bad advisor?
39:52 How did you find a research that that made you want to pursue a Ph.D. for the next five or more years?
41:36 What you have done if you didn’t decide to pursue a Ph.D.?
48:05 Is grad school fun?

0:00 Introductions
3:20 What is Computer Science Research?
14:45 How do you figure out what area and topic to research?
20:28 What’s the difference between research in industry vs. academia?
23:44 How can I tell if research is something I’d like?
28:28 How much freedom do you have in choosing your research topic?
31:49 What is a Ph.D. for besides doing research?
37:02 How to get into Ph.D. with 8 years of work experience but not officially done any research work?
45:15 If we have graduated and are working in industry, any advice on find research experience? Is research within industry comparative to research in academia?
48:47 How do you go about finding advisors at a university that you have never attended? My current university doesn’t offer Ph.D.s.
51:03 Everyone says machine learning is where it’s at, but I love [another area]. Should I do ML or follow my heart?
55:54 Last words.

0:00 Introductions
5:25 Do I need to have a master’s degree to get a Ph.D.?
6:10 How do I pay for a Ph.D.? How much does it cost?
7:37 What are some of the qualities of an ideal candidate for a PhD? Conversely, what might raise a red flag in a candidate’s application?
7:31 What’s the weight of different parts of the application (test scores, grades, letters, SOP, undergraduate research)?
12:59 Should I still apply if I don’t have any research experience?
14:08 What’s a typical day like for a Ph.D. student?
24:35 How should an undergrad get more exposure to the different research fields if we’re not sure what we want to specifically go into?
28:39 What job opportunities in industry does a PhD or Master’s in CS open and close compared to a Bachelor’s?
33:05 How do you find a topic and an advisor?
35:44 How do I know where to apply? Where might I get in?
41:59 Can female-identifying speakers talk about some of the “bro culture” present in certainly not all, but many CS areas, and how they combat it?
48:05 Please describe someone who should/should not pursue a CS PhD? Assume that they both did well in a CS undergrad program

0:00 Introductions
13:17 Do I need to get as master’s degree before getting a Ph.D.?
14:19 How do you pay for a Ph.D. and how much does it cost?
15:34 What’s the weight of different parts of the application (test scores, grades, letters, SOP, undergraduate research)?
18:43 What matters most in the application? Undergrad grades, graduate (MS) grades, GMAT/GRE, recommendations or research experience?
23:12 How do you find a topic and an advisor?
28:16 How does work experience as software engineer factor in? Or does that only count if you’re part of a published research project?
30:27 What kind of job can I get with a Ph.D. and what’s the job market like?
32:45 Can I have good work life balance as a Ph.D. student?
37:30 Should I still apply if I don’t have any research experience?
41:35 Can you do a Ph.D. program part time?
45:52 What job opportunities in industry does a PhD or Master’s in CS open and close compared to a Bachelor’s?
49:14 Is there a time of life that is best to pursue a PhD? Is there an average age for a first year PhD candidate?
52:43 How important is it to reach out to potential advisors before applying? Can they vouch for you in the application process later on?