Re: [vox] OT: Questions on Application to Graduate programs...

[Nicole Carlson <nmcarlson@ucdavMAPSis.edu>]

On Sun, 25 Aug 2002, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
> advice 3: be prepared for the time
> ==================================
> average PHD for theoretical high energy is 7-9 years.  i imagine that CS
> is shorter than that, but i'd be willing to bet not by much.

I'd say about 7 years after receipt of the bachelor's.  The department
claims 4 years, but *I* have yet to see anyone finish in less than 7.
(This is why I'm not going for a PhD at present.  I couldn't face that
much more school right now.)

To echo something else Peter said: PhDs are all about the research.  A
friend of mine who dropped out of the PhD in CS program told me that his
problem was thus:
1. He really, really loved research.
2. Successful completion of the program required that he really, really,
REALLY love research.

I'm in a master's program and am quite happy about it.  CS is such a broad
field; I was glad of the chance to specialize a bit more.

Do not stress about the GRE; in particular, do not blow $hundreds on a
prep course [1].  I got one of those prep books, worked my way through it,
and did just fine (2310 combined).  You'll need a bit of practice to catch the
trick to the logic games, a bit of vocab review, and some time spent
getting back into the mental habit of standardized tests; that's it,
really.
My "secret weapon" on standardized test was to bring along a little snack
(I used Snickers bars).  Eat the snack during break--it's good for a little
bit of pep at the top of the second half of the test.

Good luck!

--nicole twn

[1] Unless you really want to, I guess.  The E.C. offers a cheap(er) GRE
prep course, too.
***
"Can anything stop The Blob?!?"--old programming textbook
Visit www.nicolopolis.com ... digital nonsense for a weary world.

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