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How to Surviveas a Graduate Student

Chris Colohan

August 31, 2004

Previously given by: Francisco Pereira, Ted Wong, Sean Slattery, Alma Whitten, Rob Deline, Brian Noble, Jay Sipelstein, Jonathan

Shewchuk, Benli Pierce, David Dill

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Current Survival Rates

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Got Ph.D.GoneAbsentiaOn LeaveStill Here

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Current Survival Rates

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30

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Got Ph.D.GoneAbsentiaOn LeaveStill Here

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Rules

No names Keep advice relevant to the early

years Only have 1½ hours today

This talk is incomplete! You decide what we talk about today

Lots of views, you decide who is right

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Agenda Finding an advisor Doing some research Classes & other requirements Staying sane

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Who is your Advisor?

The factor in your success in grad school (besides you)

You MUST get along well Personality compatibility trumps

research compatibility

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Finding an Advisor

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Finding An Advisor: Step 1

Find faculty you might be interested in IC Talks IC Parties Web pages Faculty Research Guide Suggestions from students & other

faculty

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Finding An Advisor: Step 2

Find out more about them Ask them for a meeting Talk to their students Talk to their ex-students Read some of their papers Maybe attend a project meeting

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Finding An Advisor: Step 3

Come to an agreement Tell them you’d like to put them down

as your 1st (2nd, 3rd) choice Verify that they’ll ask for you too Fill out your marriage form

accordingly

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Finding An Advisor: Questions

Questions to ask:Availability – does s/he have room for you?Commitment – will s/he stand by you?Personalities – will you get along?Research style – can you do it that way?Research topics – are you interested?Resources – do you want travel and toys?

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Finding An Advisor: Pitfalls

Not getting the one you wanted Not getting along with the one you got Losing the one you got (they leave CMU)

Reassurance: you can change advisors, but Don’t do it too many times (more than twice) Don’t burn your bridges

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Finding An Advisor: Variations

Multiple advisors More benefits, more pitfalls Often one has the money, one has the

time Maybe you want a non-CSD advisor Sometimes a tactful way to transition

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On Having an Advisor

Like having a temporary parent Invested in you, responsible for you Sometimes that makes them act

weird Communicate lots

Tell them what you’re doing Tell them how you’re doing Tell them what you think you need

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More on Having an Advisor

Advisors are human and flawed Often under lots of pressure Don’t always have great social skills Often forget to give any positive

feedback Can unintentionally seem rude or

disapproving

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Agenda

Finding an advisor Doing some research Classes & other requirements Staying sane

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Research: The Early Years

What you’ll (hopefully) get out of it Learn your own research style, and whether

it meshes well enough with your advisor’s A publication or two Your hacking/writing/speaking requirements

Doesn’t need to lead straight to thesis work.

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Research: How’s Your Ego?

Undergraduate work Get given a task, complete it well, get praise

Graduate work Find a problem you want to solve Get grudging support for working on it Have to justify why your work is worthwhile

Do it because you want to

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Agenda Finding an advisor Doing some research Classes & other requirements Staying sane

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Classes

May seem very hard or very easy Theory folks hate systems classes Systems folks hate theory classes

It’s not unusual to fail one, nor is it a big deal

Always take more time than they should But don’t forget your research!

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Fulfilling requirements Teaching

Teach a basic and an advanced class Keep close watch on the clock (1/2-time)

Writing and speaking Practice these skills early and often Get lots of feedback before trying to pass

Programming Talk to your advisor about expectations

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Avoiding common distractions

Hacking is not research!

The web is not research!

Community service is not a "distraction"!

usually

usually

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Black Friday

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Black Friday - How it works

The faculty meet and discuss each student Key question:

Are you progressing and do the faculty believe you will finish eventually?

Your advisor writes a letter giving you feedback and setting goals for next semester

Frank signs the letter

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Black Friday – Why?

Black Friday is a good thing: Gives you official feedback

From more than just your advisor!

Gives your advisor official feedback Teaches them how to advise!

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Black Friday – What to do

Make sure your advisor will be there, or has arranged for someone else to be

Talk to your advisor about what they’ll say Give your advisor information to work with Then, stop worrying

Go back to your work Go to the Black Friday TG

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Agenda

Finding an advisor Doing some research Classes & other requirements Staying sane

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Staying Sane Don’t get isolated

spend time with people talk to people about your work

Remember there’s life after CMU there’s life outside CMU you do this because you want to

Work on something you love

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Staying Sane: Maladies

Imposter syndrome You think you’ve been successfully faking

being good enough to be here, but one day you’ll fail and everyone will scorn you

Is very, very common

Best cure Talk to other students, admit feeling that

way

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Staying Sane: Maladies

Spiraling perfectionism Your work is too trivial for anyone to

care about and you freeze up

Best cure Read papers, go to talks, go to

conferences, recalibrate

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Staying Sane: Maladies

Trouble and panic Failed exam or course Research stalls or doesn’t pan out Fight with advisor

Best Cure Remember it happens to everyone

sometime Remember help is available

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Staying Sane: Maladies

Depression Loss of energy and interest Unhappiness Change in sleeping or appetite Fuzzy thinking

Best Cure CMU counseling center Many grad students encounter this!

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Resources

Sharon (busy, but wise) The Ombudsperson (Pat Riley) Your advisor Other students The CMU counseling center The Zephyr anonymoose (see the

FZQ)

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Fortune cookies

Never surprise or be surprised by your advisor.

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Fortune cookies

Once an advisor, always an advisor.

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Fortune cookies

There is more than one partner in a marriage.

Being concerned with only one of them is a BIG problem.

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Fortune cookies

You probably cannot write or speak as well as you can hack. Practice early and often.

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Fortune cookies

If you want to work, work.

If you want to play, play.

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Fortune cookies

Work at least an hour a day.

Make that hour the first hour.

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Fortune cookies

Your thesis has less to do with your career than you think.

What you can say about your thesis has more to do with your career than you think.

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Fortune cookies

Be honest to yourself about your abilities and limits.

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Fortune cookies

Be your own advocate.

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Fortune cookies

Work on your weaknesses;turn them into strengths.

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Final fortune cookie

Have fun!

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Sample Black Friday Letters

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Saga of Student X: Part 1

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Saga of Student X: Part 2

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Saga of Student X: Part 3

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Saga of Student X: Part 4

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Saga of Student X: Part 5

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Some Advisors Have a Sense of Humour