Should you apply for a Masters or PhD? Questions to ask yourself | Grad School Advice

Now that grad application season is around the corner, some of you are probably wondering whether you should apply for the masters or PhD program. This video goes over some questions that I feel that anyone applying should ask themselves when they are considering between the two. Some of these I didn’t really think hard about until I was well into my own PhD, so hopefully this will give you a head start!
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[@anitarosio]

Hi there! I'm preparing to apply to PhD programs next year and found your vidoes super helpful. So far to learn more about the labs I'm interested in I've been looking at their websites, recent papers, etc but as someone here mentioned, it can be hard to get a feel of the lab environment prior to joining - which is a big concern for me since I'm about to spend years working there. Some suggested talking to PIs before applying to the program, but not sure if they would take their time talking to students before being accepted to the program? What do you recommend?

[@bonchonjonjon]

Glad the vids helped. You could try contacting the profs, although you might not necessarily get a response. They are rather busy with lots of emails so don't take it personally. Some schools offer rotation programs as well, so check if the school offers that. It would give you a few months to try out a couple labs before you decide on one.

[@hansadjei8028]

That’s great start for making up your mind

[@ItsBrightOne]

Great videos

[@bonchonjonjon]

Thanks!

[@curiousskeptic]

Currently taking a MS in Electrical Engineering but specializing in AI. So I am still contemplating if I should apply for a PhD in EE or in CS due to the research being AI based?

[@bonchonjonjon]

I guess AI is technically a subfield within CS. However, I know plenty of students in the EE dept who also study a topic in AI. AI has large overlap with other fields, even outside of EE and CS. Imho, it doesn't matter too much. What is more important is that you find a lab you are interested in working at, regardless of the dept. Hope this helps!

[@georgegeorge581]

Hey, thank you for the video. Do you think it is better for someone who is not sure that he/she wants a research career yet, to work for some years before deciding to go to graduate school? I mean, does someone need to be 100% sure before making that decision? Also, do you believe it is better for someone to do a research Master's before deciding whether to do a PhD or not? Thank you in advance.

[@bonchonjonjon]

I don't think you need to be 100% sure on a research career if you want to enter graduate school, but you have to at least know you enjoy research, especially with multi-year PhD programs. Some people I know work between undergrad and grad, while others go straight through, and that's a matter of personal choice. A masters is a shorter commitment to see if you enjoy research since its usually just two years, and might be a good way to experiment whether this kind of work is your cup of tea. However, it's not necessary though to do your Masters before deciding to do a PhD, and the decision varies person to person.

[@adi_5fq3c]

What can you say about some MS students who are treated as a PhD students in a lab full of toxic labmates? Can you provide a video of graduate students who changed their lab due to a not hands-on supervisor, harsh attitude of labmates or toxic lab culture? Is it easier to do this in the United States than in Asia?

[@bonchonjonjon]

I can't speak much about Asia since I don't have experience, but only from my experience in the states. Typically, if you have a source of funding that is not depending on your advisor, then it is easy to change labs whenever. However, if the lab is funding you and you want to leave, you may need to find a different funding source in order to change. But yea, its a tricky situation.

[@ronaldo910]

Hi, I am an mba student from India i would like to do a phd in finance after completing my mba. But i did my undergraduates in mechanical engineering. Will i be able to get into finance phd ?

[@GisliNairs]

Mostly yes. You have a post graduate in management, so it's related to finance... also you may get diversity points (but it depends on that specific college) diversity points means... if you have a diverse educational background... like you took mechanical engineering, then masters in management... you have diverse academic experience. Also if you are a MBA student in top universities of your country (India) like IIM... then you have a boost. But it doesn't influence so much too.