Hello everyone,

I have an upcoming PhD interview, and the professor has asked me to prepare a 15–20-minute presentation to evaluate my qualifications.

I would appreciate advice from professors or faculty members on what you typically expect from applicants in this type of presentation.

Any guidance on how I should approach the presentation would be very helpful. Thank you for your time!

Apologies if this post rambles a bit I’m really anxious right now. I’m a 3rd year Computer Science major. I was working on an assignment earlier today and I ran into a problem I was really struggling with. I read through my own notes as well as the lecture slides my professor had posted but I was still struggling. If I can I try and figure things out on my own the best I can before going to my professor for help, so I started doing a bit of research online into the concept. I didn’t use Ai, I didn’t google any solutions, but Im worried I violated academic integrity I because eventually reached a correct solution based on the research I did. I don’t know what to do. It didn’t even cross my mind at the time and I already submitted the assignment. The syllabus for the class says we can’t use the Internet to “find hints, strategies, or solutions” for assignments. I’m sitting in front of a draft email I’m debating sending to him about discussing this and seeing what he thinks.

I don’t know what to do. This has me really worried about my future here at my university. I’ve never been in this position before. From your perspectives, what do you think would be the best course of action?

I recently found a lab assistant job that is honestly perfect for what I’m looking for and my qualifications and applied to it. I really want the odds to be in my favor and I was wondering if emailing the professor that runs the lab is appropriate. My dad always tells me to email at every chance I get, and send follow ups as soon as 3 days after. I’m worried his advice may be outdated or not appropriate for this situation. If it helps, the lab is new so i could use that as a reason to email and inquire about the research etc.

Bored PhD student doomscrolling TikTok here. I’ve come across a trend where students try to guess their grade on a given exam. Of course, the popular ones are the ones where the grade is comically low. This got me thinking, though, about just how much of an adverse effect AI has had on in-person exam grades.

I TA’d for my first two years and noticed a stark difference between homework grades and in-person exams (not exactly earth-shattering). However, I had only really started grading in-person examinations AFTER the dawn of the modern day LLM.

For those of you who have been giving in-person exams both before and after ChatGPT/Gemini/etc. Just how much (if at all) have the median/mean grades slipped (or perhaps improved) for said exams? If they have changed, why do you suspect AI has hindered the study skills of students? From my perspective, it seems like it would only help studying as it can provide direct answers, but as a researcher, I also understand the value of actively trying to find the answer you’re looking for.

I (undergrad) got into a 2 week field course abroad with a professor who I currently have for a small class. I really like this professor and think she is a true genius and wonderful person; its no wonder she is so renowned in her field. Needless to say, I would like to keep a good impression on her.

My issue is, I have around 8 disorganized large, pink, and thick scars on my arm near the crease of my elbow from when I had a mental health issue last year. It is not an issue anymore and not something I like to have to think about so I have covered up at my university in fear of being unfairly judged/seen as unprofessional. I think it can maybe pass as an accident to 50% of people, but i'm sure my professor is aware of signs of mental health issues given my university's reputation. The trip is somewhere tropical so I do not want to have to wear long sleeves while hiking or to sleep.

What i'm getting at is: if you were my professor, would you say anything? Would it change how you viewed me if you already had me as a student? I am very conscious that at my prestigious university making connections right now are everything, and the impressions I make on people could help shape my future career, especially being in a niche field. So be brutally honest, would seeing scars on an otherwise high-achieving student make you see him as unstable and unreliable? Is this just an unavoidable thing that people who I work closely with will find out about me?

I wanted to ask about cold mailing what things i should attach, how should i write, what to write in first paragraph 😭😭😭😭😭i don’t know anything. Whatever videos i have watched in youtube i don’t know why but they seems extraordinary students.

Please help me out with this

Hi professors. it’s been really hard to concentrate on the readings lately because, even though I don’t want to say it as an excuse, I do have ADHD. And there are just simply too many readings to do. But I don’t want teachers to think I’m lazy or don’t want to try. Is there anything I could do to amend or help? Thanks!

Hi guys, i recently had a midterm, and I’m kind of worried my prof might’ve thought i was cheating. For context I fidget a lot (usually under the table during exams, near my knees), and I was doing it in the exam. I noticed a weird look from my prof, and I’m scared she might’ve thought i was using my phone. I wear really really baggy pants, so im worried she might’ve thought i was using my phone under my pants and taking advantage of the bagginess.

When I handed in my exam, i had a question. Her and the TA answered it (without telling me anything about what I did during the exam), but my prof was still looking a bit ‘off’.
Does she have to let me know if she thinks im cheating? How will i defend myself if she thinks i am?

Sorry if this doesn’t make that much sense, super stressed as im writing this lol

Hello! I am a college student and I have an exam tomorrow but I noticed this past week there’s been something going on smell-wise. My washer/dryer hasn’t been cleaning correctly and I feel as if residue is being left which mixes with sweat. I’ve been trying all the fixes, gone to [r/laundry](r/laundry) etc. When I put the clothes back on there’s this like odor re bloom (and like retained mildew scent) and I’m just lost. I normally shower every day in the mornings and I washed all my clothes last night (and glycolic acid and clinical strength deodorant, still trying other fixes), but there was still a smell and people drinking water during class. It’s like an ammonia smell but I’m not sure if it’s a health problem at this point. This stresses me out more and the stress just makes it worse cause then apocrine gland sweat doubles down more on the smell…

I’m genuinely scared to go into my exam tomorrow and I don’t know if I should email my professor some sort of (hey, sorry, i really don’t mean smell this way, and ask for some sort of accommodation or sit at the very corner of the classroom)

It probably passes some boundaries but at this point it’s not going to be fixed before the exam.

Or any laundry tips or tricks for help as well, anything is fine!

Hey everyone! I have a bit of a conundrum I’d like to get public opinion on. I have a standing offer to a PhD program in Mechanical Engineering at my current institution, which is a t20 US undergrad institution is closer to 40 in the US by department. The research I’d be doing if I accepted the offer is right up my alley, but fairly rare in MechE departments. I have aspirations to enter academia and hopefully secure a tenure-track position. I know it’s kind of a “deal” in academia that the higher prestige school you attend for PhD, the easier it is to find faculty positions, so I’m concerned that t40 MechE department will prematurely close some doors.

Additionally, I value the option to teach at a smaller liberal arts college, which typically don’t have MechE departments. That being said, I have been thinking about switching to an adjacent field such as math, geophysics, or earth and atmospheric sciences which are becoming more flexible as some notable LACs are pushing “climate” based faculty.

Essentially, it boils down to taking a good, safe option that will likely prematurely close some doors OR I can risk it for the biscuit and try my hand at better programs in an adjacent field.

For what it’s worth, I have a 4.0 GPA, current research driven by my potential PhD position, NSF REU with a pending publication and conference, TA and tutor experience, played varsity men’s basketball for several years, and fortunate enough to receive some top awards in my program. I feel like a strong candidate, but a bit worried about the risk to payout ratio.

Thanks for any advice!

This Friday my father recently passed away and we live about almost 11 hours out from my school. Im only 19 and I still have both my grandparents and mom so this was my first true loss. I saw a lot of post of people saying their students would come back in a week and get back on schedule. The problem is right after I burry my father on Saturday that will give me one full day to get back on the road and head back to school, but my parents are advising me to take another week off and I’m really scared I’ll fall behind but I’m also scared that I won’t be in a good mental state so I’ll fall behind anyway. Should I just bite the bullet and go back or take that week off?
P.S im not afraid of taking test or anything i actually do pretty well in my classes im just afraid I won’t do the best of my ability and fall behind, and scream or yell and implode on myself.

I have to withdraw from a class because I honestly just don’t have time for any of the assignments, or for studying. In the past, my general “policy” for myself is to withdraw right before the deadline, so that I can learn as much as possible from the class and to show that I DO care about the content, I just can’t pass it for credit. But is this more frustrating for professors? Are there any negative consequences for the professors that students don’t know about?

If you had a student that didn’t turn in your assignments but seemed engaged in learning the material, and you knew they would be dropping the class, would you rather they withdraw halfway through the semester or at the very end?

Edit: since I’ve seen comments mention getting refunds, I should note that I don’t get any money back if I withdraw from a class, no matter how late into the semester it is. I’m charged per semester, rather than per class. The only thing that would change that is if I drop below what’s considered full time at my university, which wouldnt happen.

should i email my professors to signify my absence even if they post lectures and don’t have an attendance policy? my absence won’t be excused (im going to a concert) but not sure if it’s just formality to email? as for my discussion periods, is it sufficient just to signal that i will be absent for a personal reason? idk college freshman here just wondering what is the best way to go about this!!

Hello, I’m currently deliberating between two different universities to complete my undergraduate degree. They’re both great schools (University of Washington and Oregon State University) OSU’s degree is simply more tailored towards what I’m wanting. My end goal is to become a professor teaching forestry and/ or fire ecology, but I’m just trying to make the right choice is for my ambitions.

Below is the longer version of a post I wrote in r/forestry if anybody cares to read

Good morning everyone, allow me to add to the endless list of career questions this subreddit already has posted.

I’m a wildland firefighter from Washington state in my mid 20’s who is wanting to go back to school. I’m pretty dead-set on finishing a degree in forestry. I want to do 2 years of community college before transferring to a 4 year institution. I have a huge passion for education, and would love to work as a forestry professor once I have gained more field experience.

Now herein lies my dilemma. When it’s not fire season I bartend, which means that it’d be much easier for me to secure a job if I’m working in or near a larger city. Tuition pricing is another big factor for me, so I wouldn’t want to go out of state unless there is significant scholarship money to compensate for the out of state costs (WUE for example). This brings me to my dilemma, the SAF accredited schools that I’ve found that best fit what I’m looking for are the University of Washington and the Oregon State University.

From what I hear, the University of Washington has a pretty reliable transfer system from the local community colleges and I already have the in-state tuition rates. However, their degree seems to be more environmental science with a focus in forestry rather than a more ‘traditional’ forestry degree.

Now for Oregon State University, I don’t feel that much is needed to be said. The big draw for me is the fact that their Forestry B.S. has a dedicated fire + restoration focus (the two areas I’m the most interested in). If I want to go here, I’d either have to receive the WUE scholarship (only 30% of applicants are awarded this) or delay my education another year in order to gain in-state residency.

If you took the time to read through all of this, I just want to say thank you first and foremost. But I’m curious on what you all have to say. Is it worth waiting another year to gain in-state rates for the program I really want to go to, or should I just focus on the option that gets me done faster?

I am interested in staying in academia but my advisor tells me that I need to get used to having very intense conversations with people. I recently had one over a dispute with a fellow lab member and it went south quickly. I am passionate about science and research and want to stay in academia but I just wonder if my personality is cut out for it.

Fellow profs, have you noticed an uptick in recent years in students asking for sample assignments that illustrate what an A submission looks like? What do you make of these requests? Do you provide samples? If so, do you create them yourself? Or post anonymized submissions from previous students who did well (with their permission)? How do you discourage students from copying samples or mimicking them too closely? If you create samples yourself, how do you avoid making them unrealistic, given that you're a subject expert?

I get that it's intimidating to submit your first-ever college paper, and it can be hard to envision what rubric specs look like in practice. But providing samples seems to be hard to implement in practice. I'm wondering what others do.

Im starting community college soon wihth the hope of getting a AS in mech E then transferring to a tech school near me. I'd really love to make connections with the professors and get recommendations when I transfer. As a student what should i do to stand out, and be recognized by the professor so i can request them as a reference.

We set a date for October enrolment to submit my research proposal. I was supposed to send a draft by early September for review but I didn't.

I sent an email to update my supervisor about some personal and financial setbacks that made it impossible to meet the initial deadline that we had set. However, today, I received an email from him asking if I had changed my plans. I updated him on my situation and I'm waiting for a reply now.

Did this happen to anyone here before? Could my initial email not have been received at all?

I was unable to submit an assignment by the due date due to internet issues. Prof. wont regrade assignment which locks me in at a B+.

I switched internet providers, and decided to set up my new internet after my previous internet service was officially cancelled. The internet in question is self install, which i’ve done a few times myself. I tried to set it up on a Sunday late noon, not considering any potential connectivity issues as the provider is known to be used in my apt. complex. Anyways, I was unsuccessful due to x reason explained by the agent after I contacted them and attempted troubleshooting techniques. The attempts were unsuccessful and it was deemed I needed the assistance of a technician, which of course would have to be during business days. Thus, I was unable to submit an assignment by the due date that Sunday at 1159.

The assignment was completed before the due date through offline google docs, I was just unable to attach and submit on canvas.

Since it was a Sunday, I decided it’d be best to email my professor early in the morning Monday and attach the assignment and explain the situation. My email received no response. The following days, the assignment gets graded and I receive a 0. I follow up on the email, to which the prof. replies they only allow late assignments with documented extenuating circumstances or accommodations. I reply and attach the convo I had with the internet agent with the time stamps and the nearest arranged appointment.

I have not received a reply, though I promptly answered after receiving the email.

Wanted to ask for opinions and see if my request is unreasonable and I should just take the L or if I should keep being persistent.

Not gonna answer questions regarding why I waited so long to submit the assignment, I have my reasons and thats that.

Just for a little background, in high school i was sexually assaulted by my teacher, and I still really really struggle with being in the classroom/connecting with my professors, especially my male professors.

However, I want to make connections, I have so many questions I want to ask and I just bite my tongue because, to be honest it’s terrifying.

This semester I have a really nice professor, that I can tell makes an effort to connect to everyone. I really appreciate that, but the more that he’s friendly, the more I get to know him, the more scared I am in class. I don’t want him to think I don’t care, and I really do want to ask him things but I just literally can’t. Can professors tell if their students might just be more anxious? I don’t want to give off a bad impression or an impolite one.

Hi just wondering if professors remember what students have submitted like for example essays?

For example if you poorly wrote something would the professor remember it because of how bad it was?

I am a senior in Uni taking a GenEd history course. I really love the class but I am having major issues with the teacher. The main issue is her attitude. She is rude and condescending and makes me and other students feel like garbage. Her syllabus lacks clear instruction and if/when you mess up on something due to misinformation on the syllabus, she gets incredibly upset. In class a student asked a question for clarification on this impossible syllabus and the teacher ripped her apart and made her feel like an idiot. She has sent me emails so passive aggressive it has brought me to tears. I am an adult. I shouldn't feel like this. Who can I talk to? I don't feel safe talking to her because I know she will make me feel horrible. I don't even want to go to class anymore because I don't want to face her backlash. I'm getting a bad grade and messing up my GPA because nothing is perfect enough for her or her nonexistent guidelines. I feel helpless. Can i contact the dept head? My advisor? Who should I talk to about these issues?

I’ve recently accepted a tenure-track position in engineering at a university in Australia, starting next year.
For those who have gone through this transition, what advice would you give someone starting their first faculty position? Particularly interested in what I should be doing before starting, what to prioritize in my first year, and any mistakes to avoid.
Thanks in advance!