Since I was 18, I wanted to be a College Mathematics Professor. I heard people telling me I would have to go to graduate school, even though I had no idea what that was. After finding out, I made my goal getting my PhD in Mathematics. It didn't happen. I left the program with my Master's. However, I did take a job as a visiting instructor at a small liberal arts college in Missouri. I accomplished my dream at 27 years old. Success doesn't always take the form we think it should. Sometimes, things happen, but it ultimately works out if we don't give up. I may go back for my Ph.D. (kind of need to if I want tenure), but for right now, I'm enjoying the season I'm in. Being able to teach is amazing, and I love every bit of it.
Mathematical physics (but mostly mathematics) grad student here. I think the biggest problem is finding balance. If you are motivated, then it is hard to give up on a problem for the night, especially when you really want to solve something. I make sure that 2 hours before bedtime that I do something completely unrelated to math. I am a big fan of grinding, but you shouldn't be losing sleep over problems, that's an unsustainable methodology... anyways, just my two cents.
I'm 20 years old and I'll be applying to grad. programs this fall. I have always dreamt of obtaining a PhD; that one solid result I can tame and publish (or many results that aren't as impressive). I grew up in poverty and the fact that I made it this far is a miracle for my family, but man, I don't know if I want that PhD more than I want to just feel like I can breathe. So many external factors influence one's ability to succeed at all levels in education and it is more difficult to remain focused as I progress considering financial hardship, economic hardship and so on. Every body here can relate to that on some level I'd imagine. I guess I just don't want to be doing something for so long and all I'm thinking about is when it will end like I am with undergrad. I suppose that's the downside of being so big-picture and goal oriented. Not a real great "statement of purpose" huh? lol.
Hearing maths professors, i would go as far as all stem professors, speak can sometimes be really helpful and sometimes really not, but to me the important thing is to not idolize these individuals. They may not be so happy with their life choices, they may have been too hasty or whatever you know? Everyones makeup is different especially in the details. In general actually i have found it helpful to put any sort of advice you get into the context of the person giving it; it can be easier to decide that way and understand your general situation. I am not saying you should ignore some people tho, just put them in their context to get a better idea what to do.
Yeah first year into grad school, when taking a course like measure theory, its just hard at first to really understand whats going on and the motivation behind this
Everything you said in this video is spot on. Your professors gave you solid advice and it also sounds like you accepted it and still decided to pursue your dream. Those things on the list will come because they're already circulating in your mind. Best of luck brother
I agree with much of what you have said but I think there should be an extra bullet point of "Be kind to yourself!". Setbacks, or even just days of bad productovity or practise, happen and we use what we learn from them to move forward. Once you have learnt from it, do not continue using each set back as a stick to beat yourself with at any given moment!
I'd say that a great part of being a grad student is that you can try different things naively and there's room for it. Like: contacting top authors/professors - even to ask for suggestions (they often respond nicely), meeting a lot of people in conferences and get to know new problems (sometimes by asking or just trying to think about them, they will try to collaborate with you), collaborating with your mates (it's one of the best things, cause you're in a safe zone and it's a lot of fun to go beyond like crazy, conjecturing shit, trying to solve hard problems naively), writing a lot of drafts, notes and sharing it. When you get your phd, everyone expects you to be professional, not that you can't be wrong, it's just different.
Yeah, that research part demands (at least for me) me to be disciplined and persevering, which is fun but isn't easily enjoyed by me because of... emotional immaturity, and like a professional immaturity. I wish I worked some before getting to graduate school first so my studies aren't taking as long now. I know I had covid as a reason, but it sucks, though I accept the circumstances now.
The “Surround yourself with hard working people” really hit different and is really important. I myself had a great study colleague, which shared the same enthusiasm for math like me. We always hyped each other up, and kicked each other’s a**es if one was down and unmotivated, which was really funny, but more importantly, it really helped me tackle some hard times. Sadly, he moved away to a different university so we hardly ever speak to each other, which is hard, since now I’m basically the only one left that has this passion in my studies. But don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled he got to where he wanted to be! Thanks for reading, quite a paragraph I got going there.
This reminds me of the quote, "Don't be sad that it is over, but glad that it happened." Same is true of me and my college friends. But we still put in effort to meet with each other when we can, even if we are states away. I recommend it!
@@PhDVlog777 That’s true and I really am glad it happened! Currently it’s hard to meet up again soon, but I hope it works out some time! In the meantime, your videos also keep me good company and motivation, thanks for that!
I feel you about the brutal honesty of mathematics. There's really no way to skirt passed the axioms of math and "fall into" so-to-speak a dissertation. That's why I like probability. lol
You don't really really need to be so precise all the time, intuition counts a lot of time and there are huge jumps in proofs. The results need to be right though.
Hey Struggling Grad Student, i love your videos. I’ve seen the other videos on your channel about your journey but would you consider doing a video on future. What do you plan on doing after your PhD? What industry(s) would you like to work in? Would you stay in academia?
Math and science community are really honest on someone's work, especially research, yes. And for me im honest as well, which is probably why I can handle a lot of harsh truths 😂. But there is a difference between being honest to discorage someone, and being honest to improve someone, also depends on how you say it along with wording. But you also have to be someone to take criticism well enough and just do it.
Do you think that maybe it's not that mathematicians are more honest but that mathematics maybe needs a little bit more natural talent than other sciences? I wouldn't really know as I've only studied maths, but I would guess that's true. Because in other fields you can sort of publish a paper which is more like "applying method X to topic Y", which requires less inspiration?
It's not really natural talent -- the skills needed for mathematical research are definitely skills that can be developed. IMO the issue is that they're very hard skills to teach, and a systematic approach (ie how most schools and college programs are set up) is inappropriate for teaching them. Natural talent definitely helps of course, but it only really defines your starting point and your absolute upper limits -- for everyone in between those extremes, the work you do and skills you develop are far more important.
A lot of it is luck like they were saying in this video. Perhaps you know some specific fact about matrices thats relevant to a problem and nobody else who tried the problem considered that fact. I wouldn't say that's an example of natural talent.
Outside of genius prodigies like Ramanujan, Perelman and Terence Tao, talent doesn’t necessarily matter that much. Obviously you need a little something to reach the heights those mathematicians did but for the average PhD student looking to solve niche open problems, it’s more so your ability to stay organised and structure your learning to maximise the chances of finding a solution. I agree on your point with the comparison to other sciences though. Maths is possibly the only subject where there isn’t any “low hanging fruits” to grab, all of the problems you will be presented with are very difficult and many great students/mathematicians over the years have failed on them. For other sciences you can use scientific methods on all sorts of ideas and explore these with a clear structure to your research. Maybe only theoretical physics and organic chemistry compares to mathematics at the PhD level.
I’m in a bit of a conundrum as I’m graduating with a low gpa and with what feels like very little understanding of my major. I’ve forgotten most of what I’ve learned already. Yet I want to go to grad school. I’m planning on spending a year reviewing all of undergrad physics and apply a year from now. Is this a realistic plan? 😢
a low GPA is definitely quite detrimental to grad school applications :( and self-studying is difficult to express concretely. getting more research experience will probably be your best bet, and you will also want profs who can attest to your research ability. and tbh given the low gpa it’s smart to also apply for industry jobs as a backup. best of luck
I would skip the self-study part if I were you because it is really easy to waste time doing this and you will have nothing to show for. I have a friend who had a rather weak gpa and he is doing really well in CS grad school. So just apply! Good luck :)
I'm an undergraduate student in India studying electrical engineering but want to pursue Mathematics. I dont want to go into core electrical hence there are two career options which i have (1. Go into tech 2. Do a masters nd a PhD in Maths ) I'm still confused on whether i should really go for further studies or not. I'm not a straight A student in my undergraduate degree but have done really well in Maths courses. Tech field is generally a safe option here in India but i dont really like the tech stuff What should be the factors in deciding whether to pursue Maths?
I dont think I can be successful as a physics major because I have a low IQ score and I’m also on the autism spectrum. I’ve always had dreams of becoming a physicist but my grades were so poor in high school but I always doubt myself
I find your videos really helpful and thoughtful. Would love if you could give more advices to undergraduate students and touching some sensitive topics, related to stress, mental health etc. Happy Eid 🏩
Since I was 18, I wanted to be a College Mathematics Professor. I heard people telling me I would have to go to graduate school, even though I had no idea what that was. After finding out, I made my goal getting my PhD in Mathematics. It didn't happen. I left the program with my Master's. However, I did take a job as a visiting instructor at a small liberal arts college in Missouri. I accomplished my dream at 27 years old.
Success doesn't always take the form we think it should. Sometimes, things happen, but it ultimately works out if we don't give up.
I may go back for my Ph.D. (kind of need to if I want tenure), but for right now, I'm enjoying the season I'm in. Being able to teach is amazing, and I love every bit of it.
Mathematical physics (but mostly mathematics) grad student here. I think the biggest problem is finding balance. If you are motivated, then it is hard to give up on a problem for the night, especially when you really want to solve something. I make sure that 2 hours before bedtime that I do something completely unrelated to math. I am a big fan of grinding, but you shouldn't be losing sleep over problems, that's an unsustainable methodology... anyways, just my two cents.
I'm 20 years old and I'll be applying to grad. programs this fall. I have always dreamt of obtaining a PhD; that one solid result I can tame and publish (or many results that aren't as impressive). I grew up in poverty and the fact that I made it this far is a miracle for my family, but man, I don't know if I want that PhD more than I want to just feel like I can breathe. So many external factors influence one's ability to succeed at all levels in education and it is more difficult to remain focused as I progress considering financial hardship, economic hardship and so on. Every body here can relate to that on some level I'd imagine. I guess I just don't want to be doing something for so long and all I'm thinking about is when it will end like I am with undergrad. I suppose that's the downside of being so big-picture and goal oriented. Not a real great "statement of purpose" huh? lol.
Your humour on the board is quite good.I appreciate every video man. Keeps me motivated.
Starting my PhD in September after a year out of the field. Personally, I can't wait to get my hands on some pure maths again.
Hearing maths professors, i would go as far as all stem professors, speak can sometimes be really helpful and sometimes really not, but to me the important thing is to not idolize these individuals. They may not be so happy with their life choices, they may have been too hasty or whatever you know? Everyones makeup is different especially in the details.
In general actually i have found it helpful to put any sort of advice you get into the context of the person giving it; it can be easier to decide that way and understand your general situation.
I am not saying you should ignore some people tho, just put them in their context to get a better idea what to do.
Yeah first year into grad school, when taking a course like measure theory, its just hard at first to really understand whats going on and the motivation behind this
yea sometimes the problems are a huge leap from what is covered in the sections. the professor carried my class a lot
Everything you said in this video is spot on. Your professors gave you solid advice and it also sounds like you accepted it and still decided to pursue your dream. Those things on the list will come because they're already circulating in your mind. Best of luck brother
I agree with much of what you have said but I think there should be an extra bullet point of "Be kind to yourself!". Setbacks, or even just days of bad productovity or practise, happen and we use what we learn from them to move forward. Once you have learnt from it, do not continue using each set back as a stick to beat yourself with at any given moment!
I'd say that a great part of being a grad student is that you can try different things naively and there's room for it. Like: contacting top authors/professors - even to ask for suggestions (they often respond nicely), meeting a lot of people in conferences and get to know new problems (sometimes by asking or just trying to think about them, they will try to collaborate with you), collaborating with your mates (it's one of the best things, cause you're in a safe zone and it's a lot of fun to go beyond like crazy, conjecturing shit, trying to solve hard problems naively), writing a lot of drafts, notes and sharing it. When you get your phd, everyone expects you to be professional, not that you can't be wrong, it's just different.
Yeah, that research part demands (at least for me) me to be disciplined and persevering, which is fun but isn't easily enjoyed by me because of... emotional immaturity, and like a professional immaturity. I wish I worked some before getting to graduate school first so my studies aren't taking as long now. I know I had covid as a reason, but it sucks, though I accept the circumstances now.
The “Surround yourself with hard working people” really hit different and is really important. I myself had a great study colleague, which shared the same enthusiasm for math like me. We always hyped each other up, and kicked each other’s a**es if one was down and unmotivated, which was really funny, but more importantly, it really helped me tackle some hard times. Sadly, he moved away to a different university so we hardly ever speak to each other, which is hard, since now I’m basically the only one left that has this passion in my studies. But don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled he got to where he wanted to be!
Thanks for reading, quite a paragraph I got going there.
This reminds me of the quote, "Don't be sad that it is over, but glad that it happened." Same is true of me and my college friends. But we still put in effort to meet with each other when we can, even if we are states away. I recommend it!
@@PhDVlog777 That’s true and I really am glad it happened! Currently it’s hard to meet up again soon, but I hope it works out some time!
In the meantime, your videos also keep me good company and motivation, thanks for that!
Hahn-Banach has been a spectre looming over me for months
a spectre, just like the spectral theorem
you'll just have to make space for it.
Banach space, if you will.
I feel you about the brutal honesty of mathematics. There's really no way to skirt passed the axioms of math and "fall into" so-to-speak a dissertation. That's why I like probability. lol
You don't really really need to be so precise all the time, intuition counts a lot of time and there are huge jumps in proofs. The results need to be right though.
@@Annihillation In the words of fermat, something like "The margins are too narrow to contain the proof of this theorem"
Hey Struggling Grad Student, i love your videos. I’ve seen the other videos on your channel about your journey but would you consider doing a video on future. What do you plan on doing after your PhD? What industry(s) would you like to work in? Would you stay in academia?
I like teaching so I will probably find a home at a community college
Math and science community are really honest on someone's work, especially research, yes. And for me im honest as well, which is probably why I can handle a lot of harsh truths 😂. But there is a difference between being honest to discorage someone, and being honest to improve someone, also depends on how you say it along with wording. But you also have to be someone to take criticism well enough and just do it.
What else is life if not being stubborn about your dreams!
I'm starting my physics PhD in august... excited and also terrified :)
Really motivating. Thank you.
Do you think that maybe it's not that mathematicians are more honest but that mathematics maybe needs a little bit more natural talent than other sciences? I wouldn't really know as I've only studied maths, but I would guess that's true. Because in other fields you can sort of publish a paper which is more like "applying method X to topic Y", which requires less inspiration?
It's not really natural talent -- the skills needed for mathematical research are definitely skills that can be developed. IMO the issue is that they're very hard skills to teach, and a systematic approach (ie how most schools and college programs are set up) is inappropriate for teaching them.
Natural talent definitely helps of course, but it only really defines your starting point and your absolute upper limits -- for everyone in between those extremes, the work you do and skills you develop are far more important.
A lot of it is luck like they were saying in this video. Perhaps you know some specific fact about matrices thats relevant to a problem and nobody else who tried the problem considered that fact. I wouldn't say that's an example of natural talent.
Outside of genius prodigies like Ramanujan, Perelman and Terence Tao, talent doesn’t necessarily matter that much. Obviously you need a little something to reach the heights those mathematicians did but for the average PhD student looking to solve niche open problems, it’s more so your ability to stay organised and structure your learning to maximise the chances of finding a solution. I agree on your point with the comparison to other sciences though. Maths is possibly the only subject where there isn’t any “low hanging fruits” to grab, all of the problems you will be presented with are very difficult and many great students/mathematicians over the years have failed on them. For other sciences you can use scientific methods on all sorts of ideas and explore these with a clear structure to your research. Maybe only theoretical physics and organic chemistry compares to mathematics at the PhD level.
@@zigzagnemesist5074 "Maybe only theoretical physics and organic chemistry compares to mathematics at the PhD level."
lol
@@081isaac what’s funny about that
Happy Eid, thanks ❤️😁
Hey man, i would love to see a video on your setup and recording equipment
Your brother sounds like a pretty smart guy...
I’m in a bit of a conundrum as I’m graduating with a low gpa and with what feels like very little understanding of my major. I’ve forgotten most of what I’ve learned already. Yet I want to go to grad school. I’m planning on spending a year reviewing all of undergrad physics and apply a year from now. Is this a realistic plan? 😢
a low GPA is definitely quite detrimental to grad school applications :( and self-studying is difficult to express concretely. getting more research experience will probably be your best bet, and you will also want profs who can attest to your research ability. and tbh given the low gpa it’s smart to also apply for industry jobs as a backup. best of luck
I would skip the self-study part if I were you because it is really easy to waste time doing this and you will have nothing to show for. I have a friend who had a rather weak gpa and he is doing really well in CS grad school. So just apply! Good luck :)
Happy Eid (Eid Mubarak)❤
I'm an undergraduate student in India studying electrical engineering but want to pursue Mathematics. I dont want to go into core electrical hence there are two career options which i have (1. Go into tech
2. Do a masters nd a PhD in Maths )
I'm still confused on whether i should really go for further studies or not.
I'm not a straight A student in my undergraduate degree but have done really well in Maths courses. Tech field is generally a safe option here in India but i dont really like the tech stuff
What should be the factors in deciding whether to pursue Maths?
How are you doing in terms of health and fitness, you don’t talk much about it now hope you didn’t give up !
I dont think I can be successful as a physics major because I have a low IQ score and I’m also on the autism spectrum. I’ve always had dreams of becoming a physicist but my grades were so poor in high school but I always doubt myself
Yeah being told to not do it, is definitely a thing.
I find your videos really helpful and thoughtful. Would love if you could give more advices to undergraduate students and touching some sensitive topics, related to stress, mental health etc. Happy Eid 🏩
Observing a good friend with a PhD in academia, she works more as a Program Manager for Graduate Students than much of her own research.
1 sec ago, 0 views
bro fell off 😢🗣️
Man please please stop this
@@tadghkelly3747 Why it’s a joke
@@o.s.h.4613 Literally the most overused "joke" in recent memory
@@lbgstzockt8493 Uh huh