I got rejected from grad school

[HokieESM]

acidvoodoo - a LOT of places pay... although the statement above is quite ludicrous. Most of the time they DON"T treat you like royalty--and its a lot of work. Especially at the PhD level (some schools are letting people get masters with a ridiculously low amount of work). I know that I personally work 60 hour weeks (I'm working on my PhD in engineering mechanics).... and if you've been in school, recall that you don't spend several hours a week in meetings, etc (I've also worked jobs for "60 hours a week" and it really doesn't compare to how much actual WORK I do now).

Basically, PhDs are USUALLY for people who love what they do, not what benefits they are going to get. Same thing with MD (they take about the same amount of time--10 years or so, in most scientific majors). Someone seeking a "doctorate" for anything other than love of the subject/job will either 1) hate their job when they get out or 2) drop out before they do.

optoman--one suggestion: a lot of places don't have "optical engineering" as a major... but, since most peple dont know, you don't graduate with a "major" in grad school--your research determines what you know (I'm in engineering mechanics, which is an uncommon major, BUT at other schools, professors do similar things to my research in math and mechanical engineering and engineering physics departments). Read some technical journals in your area, and find a good professor--and go study under him/her..... I know at NCSU (where I did my masters), we had several VERY good optics people that were in the electrical engineering department.

Sorry about your rejection, and I hope things get better!

 

[Soccer55]

Originally posted by: optoman
Not in optical engineering. There are 2 or 3 and the only one that is possible to go to is in NY.

U. of Rochester?

-Tom

 

[NewSc2]

optoman, YGPM, i'm kind of involved in the field, and my father is heavily involved in this field.

 

[NewSc2]

I don't think you have to worry. My father has worked for Hoya and Schott in their R&D glass research fields, and specialized in night-vision applications, but now owns his own small consultant company which works closely with many Taiwanese display manufacturers. He deals mainly with plastics nowadays, but that's just because he has connections and the technological know-how.. his main background is still in glass optical research.

His degree though? PhD in Physical Chemistry from Univ. of Louisville. It doesn't make too much of a difference I'm going into the field as well probably, but I'm also looking at physical chemistry degree. Technological know-how and connections I can learn from him.

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: SubZeroX
you only got rejected by 1 school. Imagine how I felt when i got rejected by all 30 of the medical schools I applied to. See, it's not so bad.

Med school is so competitive, I was talking to a friend of mines dad, who is an orthopedic surgeon, he said that during med school, they allowed themselves 30minutes per week to relax and watch T.V. The rest of the time was spent in class, studying, or doing frivelous things like eating and sleeping. Of course he does have his own JET so I guess it pays off if you can take it.

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: Ready
send in your resume to Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Gruman/TRW, and Lockheed Martin, and maybe even Edward Airforce. They are all defense companies and they're all big on optics right now, at least those in california. GL and hope u have a US citizenship

Yep, I am already sending them away but the problem is they want experience in the field. All of my experience was it telecom and this pratically worthless. Half of the battle is getting in the door. The other half is trying to convince them that I have the schooling that allows me to do everything. Oh, we are trying to settle down and we actaully like upstate New York. Don't ask why upstate, its just better than Boston for us.

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
Quit crying. Everythings going to be fine. And if you really feel you have no future, then dont have a kid!!

Dude, I'm not crying. I'm down because I am not getting into grad school this year. It is probably better anyways since I won't have to have my wife support me for 9 months. Maybe I'll get in next year. Change can be hard to swallow at times, but you just have to adjust.

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: JaneJane
how was your GRE or Gmat scores?

One of the perks about applying to the school is that I graduated from there so they do not require me to take any kind of grad exams. The major was hard enough and most people don't make it to get there BS. Class size is typically around 20. If I was to apply to another school I would have to take the GREs and don't look forward to that. I just can't beat the deal, 9 months and I have my MS and it should cost me less that $15K.

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: wyvrn
Well less than a 10% acceptance rate doesn't give you much chance, regardless of your grades. It sucks, but you can obviously do something else with your level of intelligence. At least you can understand engineering concepts

With the economy being so bad, the applications have gone through the roof. I was really hoping to into the new field of bio optics. The school is starting a program that focuses on it and it would be awesome. They are one of the top schools in the amount of research they do.

 

[optoman]

optoman--one suggestion: a lot of places don't have "optical engineering" as a major... but, since most peple dont know, you don't graduate with a "major" in grad school--your research determines what you know (I'm in engineering mechanics, which is an uncommon major, BUT at other schools, professors do similar things to my research in math and mechanical engineering and engineering physics departments). Read some technical journals in your area, and find a good professor--and go study under him/her..... I know at NCSU (where I did my masters), we had several VERY good optics people that were in the electrical engineering department.

I understand what you are saying, but it is a lot easier for me to go back there. They are tops in the field and do some awesome stuff. I am still awestruck with what they are doing there. Optics is a very strange field. My BS is so general. I know very little about a lot of things in optics. It is wierd to think I know very little but when I was working in the industry I felt like a genious when I talk to other people about optics. Most people know about EE and ME and can relate. When you talk about optics, most people give you this blank stare.

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: Soccer55

Originally posted by: optoman
Not in optical engineering. There are 2 or 3 and the only one that is possible to go to is in NY.

U. of Rochester?

-Tom

Yes the University of Rochester. It would be an awesome school except it has not college town.

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: HokieESM
acidvoodoo - a LOT of places pay... although the statement above is quite ludicrous. Most of the time they DON"T treat you like royalty--and its a lot of work.

It's not ludicrous at all. It's what I will be getting this fall in grad school. My statement most definitely applies to me and could very well apply to others.

And nowhere did I mention that it's easy.

 

[schizoid]

Hey...20 out of 300 isn't bad.

I'm applying to UCSD CS PhD and it's more like 20 out of 800. A nice sub 5% acceptance rate there.

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: NewSc2
I don't think you have to worry. My father has worked for Hoya and Schott in their R&D glass research fields, and specialized in night-vision applications, but now owns his own small consultant company which works closely with many Taiwanese display manufacturers. He deals mainly with plastics nowadays, but that's just because he has connections and the technological know-how.. his main background is still in glass optical research.

His degree though? PhD in Physical Chemistry from Univ. of Louisville. It doesn't make too much of a difference I'm going into the field as well probably, but I'm also looking at physical chemistry degree. Technological know-how and connections I can learn from him.

I remember in class when we use to talk about all the major glass making companies and Schott was a big one. There aren't to many different companies. I was always amazed on how many different glasses they could make. It was in the thousands.

 

[Soccer55]

Originally posted by: optoman

Originally posted by: Soccer55

Originally posted by: optoman
Not in optical engineering. There are 2 or 3 and the only one that is possible to go to is in NY.

U. of Rochester?

-Tom

Yes the University of Rochester. It would be an awesome school except it has not college town.

I went to undergrad there. Rochester is a nice little city. One thing you might want to try is getting a job at the UR laser lab. Then if you end up working there, take some classes (I believe employees get reduced tuition, but I'm not positive) and then see if anyone on the faculty would be willing to let you work on your masters/phd part time. It might be a long shot, but if it works out then it's all good.

-Tom

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: schizoid
Hey...20 out of 300 isn't bad.

I'm applying to UCSD CS PhD and it's more like 20 out of 800. A nice sub 5% acceptance rate there.

I've got a bunch of friends that are doctors and are applying for their residencies. It sucks not knowing where you are going to end up at. My situation is nothing compared to what most people go through becoming a doctor. It is actaully almost the opposite. You could get into the programs but they are as hard as hell. Most of the people in med school have a hard time getting in but the course work is easier. I am not saying that it is not hard, it is just a lot easier than a PhD in Optics.

It is just that in the past couple of years at the UR the number of applicants has shot through the roof and the school is trying to let more people in but they are also trying to build a whole new research center for optics. Money is short so they can only do so much. Last year they accepted to many grad students and the money for them came out of the professors grants. They know that they need more money but at least they are willing to give up some of their grant money to get more students. It should all come back to them in the end.

 

[optoman]

Originally posted by: Soccer55

Originally posted by: optoman

Originally posted by: Soccer55

Originally posted by: optoman
Not in optical engineering. There are 2 or 3 and the only one that is possible to go to is in NY.

U. of Rochester?

-Tom

Yes the University of Rochester. It would be an awesome school except it has not college town.

I went to undergrad there. Rochester is a nice little city. One thing you might want to try is getting a job at the UR laser lab. Then if you end up working there, take some classes (I believe employees get reduced tuition, but I'm not positive) and then see if anyone on the faculty would be willing to let you work on your masters/phd part time. It might be a long shot, but if it works out then it's all good.

-Tom

What was your major?

You must be a mind reader. I am already sent some emails away trying to do that exact thing. I figure there has to be a back door into the place somehow. Things are just tight and you need a 4.0 to get into any kind of program these days. I am far from a 4.0 but work experience is always a plus.

My wife and I always said that UR was a good school but lacked the college town atmosphere. If it had that it would be back in the top 25 colleges in the US. It was at 33 last time I checked. We also always said it would a nice place to raise kids as long as you weren't in the city. We are thinking east or southeast of the city.

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: McPhreak

Originally posted by: ToiletBowl

Originally posted by: McPhreak

Originally posted by: SubZeroX
you only got rejected by 1 school. Imagine how I felt when i got rejected by all 30 of the medical schools I applied to. See, it's not so bad.

Applying to med school sucks. You gotta pay for everything yourself and they treat you like sh!t. That's why I applied to grad school. Free tuition, 25k/year stipend, free food, free beer, and they treat you like royalty.

f

I can imagine because a lot of people want to become doctors. It is a high paying, prestigious career. Especially surgeons.

Being a doctor is not always high paying. Unless you're a surgeon, you probably would have a hard time even living in the bay area (CA) with your salary alone. And if you're a surgeon, expect to pay up to 150k/year in malpractice insurance and have a relatively short career due to stress and the cost of insurance.

Sounds like a pretty prestigious career to me.

well that's obviously an idiotic statement. if that were true then there would be no doctors in the bay area. you can live easily in the bay area with an engineer's salary, let alone any doctor's, even a family practice doc.

::sigh:: you really should read into posts a little more. I said doctors would have a hard time living in the Bay area with their salary alone. I didn't say it was impossible. I said it was hard. I also mentioned the word "alone", as in "no other sources of income" (spouses, etc.) so it's very possible to live in the Bay Area and be a doctor, just very hard because they aren't paid as much as what people believe they're paid.

More Evidence

Yet More evidence

 

[schizoid]

Originally posted by: optoman

Originally posted by: schizoid
Hey...20 out of 300 isn't bad.

I'm applying to UCSD CS PhD and it's more like 20 out of 800. A nice sub 5% acceptance rate there.

I've got a bunch of friends that are doctors and are applying for their residencies. It sucks not knowing where you are going to end up at. My situation is nothing compared to what most people go through becoming a doctor. It is actaully almost the opposite. You could get into the programs but they are as hard as hell. Most of the people in med school have a hard time getting in but the course work is easier. I am not saying that it is not hard, it is just a lot easier than a PhD in Optics.

It is just that in the past couple of years at the UR the number of applicants has shot through the roof and the school is trying to let more people in but they are also trying to build a whole new research center for optics. Money is short so they can only do so much. Last year they accepted to many grad students and the money for them came out of the professors grants. They know that they need more money but at least they are willing to give up some of their grant money to get more students. It should all come back to them in the end.

Hey...I'm just saying I feel your pain.

I don't know what the acceptance rates at Stanford Med and Havard Law are, but I'd imagine they'd be hard pressed to be less than UCSD CS, which, at least right now, isn't even a top 5 program. They just get SO many foreign applicants, as well as a glut of applicants who just want to live in SD (I mean, who wouldn't). I'd imagine not very many people apply to Stanford med that really don't have a chance to get in, you know, but with a PhD program, you might feel you'd have more of a shot. I was just blown away though. I thought some of the other schools I applied to (Duke, USC, etc) were tough because they had like 15-30 or so slots for 350 applicants, and I then I heard that UCSD gets over 800.

So, yeah, that's not happening.

Sigh.

I hereby proclaim that if I get into to any of the gradschools I applied to -- PhD in Computer Science from UC Santa Barbara (possibly), UC San Diego (no way), Duke (Maybe), USC (Maybe) or NYU (not likely) -- I will never post in ATOT again. This probably doesn't mean anything to most of you...but to those that have read some of my other posts, it will be a welcome vacation.

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: acidvoodoo

Originally posted by: McPhreak

Originally posted by: SubZeroX
you only got rejected by 1 school. Imagine how I felt when i got rejected by all 30 of the medical schools I applied to. See, it's not so bad.

Applying to med school sucks. You gotta pay for everything yourself and they treat you like sh!t. That's why I applied to grad school. Free tuition, 25k/year stipend, free food, free beer, and they treat you like royalty.

who pays?

If you get offered admission as a PhD student majoring in just about any "hard/pure" science (Biology, Engineering, Physics, etc.) most every major university will pay for your tuition and give you a stipend and treat you like royalty. This is especially true for the big name universities (Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard, Hopkins, MIT, etc.) Sometimes this requires a couple semesters of TAing or working in a lab, but it's all part of grad school.

 

[schizoid]

Originally posted by: McPhreak

Originally posted by: acidvoodoo

Originally posted by: McPhreak

Originally posted by: SubZeroX
you only got rejected by 1 school. Imagine how I felt when i got rejected by all 30 of the medical schools I applied to. See, it's not so bad.

Applying to med school sucks. You gotta pay for everything yourself and they treat you like sh!t. That's why I applied to grad school. Free tuition, 25k/year stipend, free food, free beer, and they treat you like royalty.

who pays?

If you get offered admission as a PhD student majoring in just about any "hard/pure" science (Biology, Engineering, Physics, etc.) and most every major university will pay for your tuition and give you a stipend and treat you like royalty. This is especially true for the big name universities (Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard, Hopkins, MIT, etc.) Sometimes this requires a couple semesters of TAing or working in a lab, but it's all part of grad school.

Uhhh...a grad school (in just about anything) that won't pay you to go there (at least in the form of a TA/lecturer position) isn't worth the paper you degree would be printed on.

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: schizoid

Originally posted by: McPhreak

Originally posted by: acidvoodoo

Originally posted by: McPhreak

Originally posted by: SubZeroX
you only got rejected by 1 school. Imagine how I felt when i got rejected by all 30 of the medical schools I applied to. See, it's not so bad.

Applying to med school sucks. You gotta pay for everything yourself and they treat you like sh!t. That's why I applied to grad school. Free tuition, 25k/year stipend, free food, free beer, and they treat you like royalty.

who pays?

If you get offered admission as a PhD student majoring in just about any "hard/pure" science (Biology, Engineering, Physics, etc.) and most every major university will pay for your tuition and give you a stipend and treat you like royalty. This is especially true for the big name universities (Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard, Hopkins, MIT, etc.) Sometimes this requires a couple semesters of TAing or working in a lab, but it's all part of grad school.

Uhhh...a grad school (in just about anything) that won't pay you to go there (at least in the form of a TA/lecturer position) isn't worth the paper you degree would be printed on.

I know a lot of universities that won't pay for Masters Degrees. Also, I don't think most schools don't pay English grad students (or any other humanities students) unless there's something extremely exceptional about them.

 

[arcas]

I applied to the graduate physics programs at Princeton and CalTech. Both schools basically burned my application and sent me the ashes. It was quite amusing actually since I knew my GRE scores were 100 points below the average entry score for either of those schools.

 

[Soccer55]

Originally posted by: optoman

Originally posted by: Soccer55

Originally posted by: optoman

Originally posted by: Soccer55

Originally posted by: optoman
Not in optical engineering. There are 2 or 3 and the only one that is possible to go to is in NY.

U. of Rochester?

-Tom

Yes the University of Rochester. It would be an awesome school except it has not college town.

I went to undergrad there. Rochester is a nice little city. One thing you might want to try is getting a job at the UR laser lab. Then if you end up working there, take some classes (I believe employees get reduced tuition, but I'm not positive) and then see if anyone on the faculty would be willing to let you work on your masters/phd part time. It might be a long shot, but if it works out then it's all good.

-Tom

What was your major?

You must be a mind reader. I am already sent some emails away trying to do that exact thing. I figure there has to be a back door into the place somehow. Things are just tight and you need a 4.0 to get into any kind of program these days. I am far from a 4.0 but work experience is always a plus.

My wife and I always said that UR was a good school but lacked the college town atmosphere. If it had that it would be back in the top 25 colleges in the US. It was at 33 last time I checked. We also always said it would a nice place to raise kids as long as you weren't in the city. We are thinking east or southeast of the city.

I majored in math, but I do know a few optics majors.....one of which is finishing up this year actually. I don't know what the department's requirements are or anything, but I do know that the program is really competitive. UR is a great school and you're sort of right about the non-college town atmosphere. I say sort of right only because as an undergrad, there was a enough to do on campus that there wasn't a real need to go anywhere else.....at least for me. As far as living in/around Rochester, a few fairly nice areas that I can think of off the top of my head are Brighton, Chili, Greece, and Fairport. Pittsford is ridiculously nice, but it's also rather expensive to live there. Hopefully you can get a position at the laser lab and have everything work out from there.

-Tom