Advice before joining PhD
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Think twice
Joining a Ph.D. is a big commitment which most people doesn’t realize. Don’t join if you can’t commit yourself solely to research. It’s not as easy as working from 10 am to 5 pm at a tech company. Yeah, working at a tech company isn’t that easy but that how Ph.D. will be. Make sure you have a clear answer to these: Why are you doing it? Is your reason convincing enough? What is that you wish to achieve after the course?
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Research goal
You should have a clear cut research path that you want to follow when you’re doing your Ph.D. Yeah, it’s difficult to know what you’ll do during your Ph.D. but if you do, it will be a huge boost. When you’re approaching a professor requesting Ph.D. guidance, past research experiences and clear research plans will move you up in ranking. Even though many of the proposed research plans may not be worth a doctoral degree, it gives a sense of how prepared you are.
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Choose supervisor
Pick a university based on the supervisor you need, not the other way around. A supervisor will be everything for you during Ph.D., so choose wisely. Last five-year research publications of a person can tell a lot more about him/her research. Always look for professors that are active in your research area. Shortlist professors and contact them personally or via mail expressing your interest. Talk to other researcher working under him to get a much better bird eye view on what you’re getting into.
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Choose school
Look for school which has dedicated research group of your interest. Research groups are great, they can give you a different perspective on your research ideas, which may lead to even solving challenging problems you may face that you though is unsolvable. Validating your ideas with experts will be always good, I promise you. Another key thing you should ask yourelf is, Does your school have adequate lab facilities to meet your research requirements? Most schools which hold above requirements will mostly hold this too, but make sure it does.
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Right time
Take your own time to make discussions. Don’t jump into conclusion just because you got an offer letter from top schools or money you get paid. If you’re in a great institute with a supervisor that doesn’t fit you, you’re going to suffer. Keep walking if you’re in the right place at wrong time, there is always second chance.