Comments on: Some Thoughts On Grad School http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/ Decoding Patterns of Success Tue, 22 May 2012 11:52:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Some More Thoughts on Grad School http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-28433 Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Some More Thoughts on Grad School Thu, 17 May 2012 22:50:19 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-28433 [...] 2009, as I was approaching the end of my Phd program, I wrote a blog post titled, Some Thoughts on Grad School. It described some lessons I learned during my time at [...]

[...] 2009, as I was approaching the end of my Phd program, I wrote a blog post titled, Some Thoughts on Grad School. It described some lessons I learned during my time at [...]

]]> By: VP http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-28423 VP Thu, 17 May 2012 04:36:32 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-28423 Nice post and awesome blog. As a 4th year grad student your advice resonated quite strongly. I do have a couple of things to add: 1) Your advice for having a fixed work day doesn't work so well for experimental research (especially in biology). Experiments tend to have their own schedule (especially cells) that we grad students have to follow to get good results. Also, machines break, experiments go wrong, etc. and you may have to stay late to get things moving again. While I agree with the general principle that work should be focused and useful, sometimes it's impossible to completely avoid the 'time wasting' stuff. 2) Do you have any advice for coming up with original research proposals? What do you do if you can't generate good ideas easily? How do you pick a good topic to start with? It would be great if you could do a post about this. Nice post and awesome blog. As a 4th year grad student your advice resonated quite strongly. I do have a couple of things to add:

1) Your advice for having a fixed work day doesn’t work so well for experimental research (especially in biology). Experiments tend to have their own schedule (especially cells) that we grad students have to follow to get good results. Also, machines break, experiments go wrong, etc. and you may have to stay late to get things moving again. While I agree with the general principle that work should be focused and useful, sometimes it’s impossible to completely avoid the ‘time wasting’ stuff.

2) Do you have any advice for coming up with original research proposals? What do you do if you can’t generate good ideas easily? How do you pick a good topic to start with? It would be great if you could do a post about this.

]]> By: sudeep http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27767 sudeep Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:19:53 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27767 Great blog. Exactly my thoughts!(though I would say work more than 9-5:30. I find that 10hr work day is optimal) Great blog. Exactly my thoughts!(though I would say work more than 9-5:30. I find that 10hr work day is optimal)

]]> By: How to Use the Fixed Schedule Strategy to Gain Scientific Productivity - Koonec's Blog http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27464 How to Use the Fixed Schedule Strategy to Gain Scientific Productivity - Koonec's Blog Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:45:38 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27464 [...] your ultimate goal as a scientist? To produce good research that answers important questions. Nothing else really matters. Define what YOUR ultimate goal is and make it [...]

[...] your ultimate goal as a scientist? To produce good research that answers important questions. Nothing else really matters. Define what YOUR ultimate goal is and make it [...]

]]> By: Time management « Raw Materials http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27255 Time management « Raw Materials Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:37:43 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27255 [...] the ultimate goal of a graduate student? To produce good research that answers important questions. Nothing else really matters. For some of my peers, however, their answer to this metaphysical prompt was: “work really long [...]

[...] the ultimate goal of a graduate student? To produce good research that answers important questions. Nothing else really matters. For some of my peers, however, their answer to this metaphysical prompt was: “work really long [...]

]]> By: Anand http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27036 Anand Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:05:44 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-27036 Hi Cal! I wish I'd seen this before. I've arrived at pretty much all the same conclusions, but <em>after</em> spending half a year in grad school. Looking back at the last 4 months ... ouch. But the first 1 (and a half) suggestions are really true. I now get my work done in the morning before my first class, so after that I can focus on classes and developing math skils. Again, Thanks! Hi Cal! I wish I’d seen this before. I’ve arrived at pretty much all the same conclusions, but after spending half a year in grad school. Looking back at the last 4 months … ouch. But the first 1 (and a half) suggestions are really true. I now get my work done in the morning before my first class, so after that I can focus on classes and developing math skils.

Again, Thanks!

]]> By: Hacking your study time « ChineseQuest http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-26403 Hacking your study time « ChineseQuest Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:53:59 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-26403 [...] has been very informative on this front. Cal Newport has written some great articles on successful students (the rest of this post won’t make much sense if you haven’t read that article), the [...]

[...] has been very informative on this front. Cal Newport has written some great articles on successful students (the rest of this post won’t make much sense if you haven’t read that article), the [...]

]]> By: Survival guide for your first year of graduate school | jbdeaton.com http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-25787 Survival guide for your first year of graduate school | jbdeaton.com Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:52:33 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-25787 [...] Cal Newport: Some Thoughts on Grad School [...]

[...] Cal Newport: Some Thoughts on Grad School [...]

]]> By: Harshit http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-25540 Harshit Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:57:57 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-25540 Nice post ! Nice post !

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-18627 Study Hacks Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:49:20 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/03/12/some-thoughts-on-grad-school/#comment-18627 <blockquote>We often joke about Maths PhD not working a lot (a couple of us have close friends in math department). </blockquote> It's possible that us theory types had it easier. <blockquote>I know that the idea that people might want to get a PhD and teach at a SLAC (small liberal arts college) is abhorrent to research snobs, but it is a fact: Not everyone loves research.</blockquote> That being said, a quality SLAC is still going to hire you primarily based on your research record. <blockquote>Some of us have thought through the idea of marriage with great time and care and have come to the conclusion that it’s not worth it.</blockquote> Notice, I'm not advising your to get married. I'm saying instead to take your cues about stress, schedule, work habits, from those who are married.

We often joke about Maths PhD not working a lot (a couple of us have close friends in math department).

It’s possible that us theory types had it easier.

I know that the idea that people might want to get a PhD and teach at a SLAC (small liberal arts college) is abhorrent to research snobs, but it is a fact: Not everyone loves research.

That being said, a quality SLAC is still going to hire you primarily based on your research record.

Some of us have thought through the idea of marriage with great time and care and have come to the conclusion that it’s not worth it.

Notice, I’m not advising your to get married. I’m saying instead to take your cues about stress, schedule, work habits, from those who are married.

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