Getting a scientific education

[iNow]

You do realize, right, that you're so busy being angry and defensive that you're ignoring direct feedback and guidance from someone who actually interviews PhD candidates as a key part of his job (a PhD himself), and all while suggesting you're somehow better informed on the topic than him? Genuinely curious, and simply wondering about your level if self-awareness...

[Tampitump]

Genuinely curious, and simply wondering about your level if self-awareness...

Yet you get pissed at me for making accurate evaluations of myself.

[iNow]

"Accurate?" Yeah, no. You also ignored my core point.

 

You have been dealt a tough hand. Okay, no argument there. You do yourself no favors, however, by continually and unnecessarily inserting obstacles in your own way.

 

Kicking yourself when you're down doesn't help you stand back up any faster.

 

Pull your head out of your ass and listen to the intelligent people here who are offering you input, guidance, and informed feedback.

Edited September 8, 2016 by iNow

[Tampitump]

I've tried to provide you with an understanding of my life, my relations with other people, and my issues. You don't get it, but then how could you. There's nothing of my life that even partially resembles anyone else's.

 

I don't even really know how to start explaining a day in the life of me. Its strange and unfulfilling. I can never seem to make friends because people already have friends. I can never seem to get a girlfriend because girls already have boyfriends. I can never seem to gain entrance to a club because they already have club members. I can never seem to be recognized for any accomplishment because they already have honorees. Etc etc etc.

 

There just seems to be a world out there that is closed-door to me. I can get close to it, peep through the windows, but I can never seem to gain entrance to it. Everyone else moves about just fine.

 

It would be nice to have a friend who seeks my friendship as much as I seek theirs.

 

But everyone's already got what they need and no room for more. I'm just shit out of luck. I guess I arrived a little to late to the party.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Tampitump

[iNow]

Consider finding professional help. Entertain the idea of an SSRI to help you out if the rut

[StringJunky]

You do realize, right, that you're so busy being angry and defensive that you're ignoring direct feedback and guidance from someone who actually interviews PhD candidates as a key part of his job (a PhD himself), and all while suggesting you're somehow better informed on the topic than him? Genuinely curious, and simply wondering about your level if self-awareness...

In CharonY and Arete, he's likely getting as good and experienced advice as he'll find anywhere.

Consider finding professional help. Entertain the idea of an SSRI to help you out if the rut

My thought as well. It might give him some mental space and detach him enough from his feelings to look at himself and his situation more objectively. .

 

At the moment, Tampitump, you are nailing your own feet to the floor. Seriously consider going to your doctor and tell them your situation with a view to getting some form of antidepressant; it'll help to give you a break from your most persistent negative thoughts and feelings for a while so you can analyse yourself better.and more dispassionately. .

Edited September 8, 2016 by StringJunky

[CharonY]

I've tried to provide you with an understanding of my life, my relations with other people, and my issues. You don't get it, but then how could you. There's nothing of my life that even partially resembles anyone else's.

 

 

You are conflating your perspective or view of things with the objective reality. It often helps to take a step back and try to see whether other viewpoints exist that one may have missed. For example, you assume that your C++ instructor was never interested in particle physics and your telling seem to imply that you provided all the necessary information to come to this conclusion. However, have you actually talked to the person to figure out his/her career path? Considering that the instructor works in academia implies some inclination to an academic career. Or having programming course does not mean that one is not involved in physics related research. Or that someone started of with interest in the field and then switched interests. Instead the conclusion you came to is that that person only got a PhD for the sake of one. This is called projecting.

[Tampitump]

No, I did speak to him outside of class.. He doesn't do research, and has no interest to. I tried to pick his brain. I'd like to have some good letters of recommendation for my application, you know. But I soon realized in the conversation that I was using more academic and scientific words than he was, and he didn't seem to track much of what I was saying. Perhaps that may be because academia is different than I perceive.

 

I know I don't seem like a very professional person, but I can be. I just don't filter myself on internet chat boards much. Lots of emotions here, and its nice to take it all out of some dudes on a forum who I'll never meet. Lol

 

I would like to get into a neuroscience program though. My interest may not necessarily be to be a life long academic, but I would like to contribute to research in the field, and also to become something like a popular science author. That's always been kind of a dream of mine. There isn't a whole lot of popular science out there written for neuroscience or the brain like there is for other subjects in science. It is increasing, but there is still a void for it.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Tampitump

[CharonY]

If popular science is your thing I highly recommend taking creative writing classes.

Edited September 9, 2016 by CharonY

[Tampitump]

If popular science is your thing I highly recommend taking creative writing classes.

I've had them. I still want the scientific education.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Tampitump

[Ophiolite]

I've tried to provide you with an understanding of my life, my relations with other people, and my issues. You don't get it, but then how could you. There's nothing of my life that even partially resembles anyone else's.

 

I don't even really know how to start explaining a day in the life of me. Its strange and unfulfilling. I can never seem to make friends because people already have friends. I can never seem to get a girlfriend because girls already have boyfriends. I can never seem to gain entrance to a club because they already have club members. I can never seem to be recognized for any accomplishment because they already have honorees. Etc etc etc.

 

There just seems to be a world out there that is closed-door to me. I can get close to it, peep through the windows, but I can never seem to gain entrance to it. Everyone else moves about just fine.

 

It would be nice to have a friend who seeks my friendship as much as I seek theirs.

 

But everyone's already got what they need and no room for more. I'm just shit out of luck. I guess I arrived a little to late to the party.

Welcome to the human race. John Dunne declared that 'no man is an island', but many of us are certainly peninsula's with a very narrow isthmus, often covered at high tide.

 

There was a key phrase in your post "there just seems to be world out there...." Although you have given some details of your life they are insufficient to give certain advice, so I resort to a generalisation. Find opportunities to offer help to others in anyway you can. Make sure you do not force this help on them. It can be as simple as opening a door for someone, or as time consuming as driving them to another town because their car is being repaired. And do eight and a half times as much listening as talking.

 

The world only seems to be closed to you. Make sure the barriers you think are there were erected by others, not yourself. You might be surprised by what you find.

[Tampitump]

I'm just going to state what my plan was going into this education endeavor, and you guys can tell whether or not its sound, or the extent of how delusional it is:

 

1) Get myself back into college. (I chose community college both because it was cheap, the community college I chose was the Princeton of community colleges, and because it offers a guaranteed transfer to any public university in my state upon completion).

 

2) Major in something useful that could provide auspicious job prospects on the bachelor level, and also something I would be interested in. (I chose computer science)

 

3) Minor or do interdisciplinary studies in the area I might like to pursue a PhD for. (My plan is to transfer to my state's flagship for their ever-expanding neuroscience program)

 

4) Pick up undergraduate research while at state flagship in area I want to pursue PhD for.

 

5) fall back on my undergrad area of study if PhD does not work out.

 

Okay, tell me where I'm delusional.

 

Thanks.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Tampitump

[CharonY]

1+2 are safe. 3+4 are a bit on the weak side. If you want to pursue a PhD in an area that is a bit away from your major you need some strong elements in your application, especially when you are transferring (it is usually easier to evaluate a student that has been in the institution for a bit). Getting undergrad research in a relevant field, or even better, in the group you want to join would be a big help. However, how do you plan to get that? Basically, what would give you preference over other candidates that are interested in a PhD position?

[Tampitump]

1+2 are safe. 3+4 are a bit on the weak side. If you want to pursue a PhD in an area that is a bit away from your major you need some strong elements in your application, especially when you are transferring (it is usually easier to evaluate a student that has been in the institution for a bit). Getting undergrad research in a relevant field, or even better, in the group you want to join would be a big help. However, how do you plan to get that? Basically, what would give you preference over other candidates that are interested in a PhD position?

Thanks. That's a good question. I have no idea. Which is why I felt the need to state my current situation and plan and get expert advice.

 

All I know is that I want to be on the safe side, but still try to make it reasonably possible to do a phd in neuroscience. I know that my state flagship does interdisciplinary research in neuroscience that welcomes participants from all departments. It is actually a new and very exciting thing that is getting kicked off there.

 

I'll be honest, I question deeply my ability to do a phd with the prodigious depression I suffer from, and the fact that school tends to overwhelm me. I'm behind the other students in my c++ class right now. Maybe this problem will be fixed in the future, maybe it won't. My desire to pursue a phd is purely out of a desire to do something impressive and GREAT in my life. But I have heavy doubts that it can be done. I know a guy that is sharp as all get out who couldn't finish his phd. He out-classes me from nearly every vector of intellectualism. He went to an elite school. If he can't do it, I seriously question my ability to.

Edited September 14, 2016 by Tampitump

[iNow]

To be clear, you can do this if you choose to. It may be hard, you may have obstacles and challenges most others don't, and you may even have questionable motivations for wanting it in the first place, but you can do it if you acknowledge your limitations and take seriously how hard it truly is then execute clear action plans informed by others with experience.

[Tampitump]

To be clear, you can do this if you choose to. It may be hard, you may have obstacles and challenges most others don't, and you may even have questionable motivations for wanting it in the first place, but you can do it if you acknowledge your limitations and take seriously how hard it truly is then execute clear action plans informed by others with experience.

Do you have any universities to recommend that I should look into down the road iNow?

 

Heck, I direct this question to anyone who wants to answer. I know there are good schools out there beyond the prestigious, household names.

[CharonY]

The thing is that a PhD is nothing like school. Here, you are expected to actually utilize your skills on a consistent basis. It is actually far more work and requires a lot more initiative and self-motivation. Different supervisors look out for different traits, but one that is commonly sought after is persistence. So if you can demonstrate that you will work harder than everyone else in order to a) overcome the knowledge gap compared to those that may have had more applicable courses, b) learn new skills required to perform the necessary tasks and c) be sufficiently motivated to no crack when it does not work out the first (or fifth!) time, then you have a fighting chance. But if you mentally already prepare yourself to not being able to make it, it will likely sap motivation out of you. And I won't be willing to risk funding someone who is not willing to fight through the inevitable frustration that will build up during actual research.

[Arete]

Do you have any universities to recommend that I should look into down the road iNow?

 

Heck, I direct this question to anyone who wants to answer. I know there are good schools out there beyond the prestigious, household names.

 

 

Your PhD adviser matters a lot more than the school you go to. Use your time in undergrad to figure out the field you are interested in, and determine the professors in that field you want to work with. The actual school matters little - as long as it actually has a PhD program that is.

[iNow]

My intended response mirrors what Arete already shared. Far more important is the group you join and the focus area of the group with whom you study. The name on the building matters little.

Edited September 15, 2016 by iNow

[Tampitump]

My intended response mirrors what Arete already shared. Far more important is the group you join and the focus area of the group with whom you study. The name on the building matters little.

Yeah, I'm probably going to take my 2 years, community college, Associate of computer science degree and go home. Thanks for daring to address this Q though.

[iNow]

Whatever works for you and whatever is right, I wish you well in your endeavors

[Hayman]

I left school because of mental health problems and so didn't even get to sit my highers. In addition, I allowed students (and most worryingly, teachers) to convince me that I wasn't smart enough for science and should do 'something more practical'. I washed cars, became a travel agent and eventually went to night classes 4 years later when I had recovered, where I did human biology/chemistry (got two As and felt good to give them all the finger). That got me into a college doing biomedical sciences (with a guaranteed place in third year at my current university), at which I got top results all the way through and an A in my graded unit both years. Now I'm in third year and very excited for my future in academia. I'm also doing higher english this year as a distance learning course because writing is such a vital skill.

 

Do not give up. Ever.

[Tampitump]

This semester is killing me. I'm having calculus I, C++, psychology, and American History II. My depression is absolutely and utterly destroying my motivation and energy this semester. This is my toughest semester so far, and so far my level of interest and motivation is virtually non-existent. I'm hanging on by a thread, and I have a feeling my 3.74 GPA will be ruined after this semester.

[Tampitump]

I guess I found my culprit. I'm the youngest of five kids. http://bigthink.com/ideafeed/birth-order-doesnt-affect-personality-but-it-does-affect-intelligence

Edited September 24, 2016 by Tampitump

[Tampitump]

If I minor in neuroscience, will it make me more a candidate for a phd in the field?