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Despite the fact that I am about to drop out of my PhD program, I am obviously not treating my PhD as a study abroad of the same length.
But is there a reason the college issued a warning on day 1 of graduate international orientation that students must not treat their graduate programs as if it was a study abroad of the same length?
I never really understood why, but I guess some reasons are discipline-dependent since some disciplines (anthropology, sociology, history, and so on, so forth) require cultural immersion for research effectiveness, and physics is not one such field. However, I know, deep down, that the warning is warranted as far as my field is concerned.
I knew, on the other hand, that PhD students would probably do more cultural immersion over 5-6 years than over 1, but less cultural immersion by unit of time, and it seems that students would usually do more immersion at the research stage than at the coursework stage (again by unit of time).
I guess I didn't fully understand how is doing a PhD abroad different from an undergraduate study abroad (other than research vs. coursework and length)...
Are you referring to the fact that some students who study abroad are more interested in cultural experiences rather than studying? Otherwise I also don't know what you are referring to.
I haven't read all of your posts but I seem to recall that you never really wanted to attend your current graduate university and even before you began your PhD studies you were talking about applications to MBA programs. So I don't think the issue is study abroad related - PhD students (domestic or international) have to really want to be in a PhD program.
I guess I didn't fully understand how is doing a PhD abroad different from an undergraduate study abroad (other than research vs. coursework and length)...
Sorry, but it still makes no sense. I don't know why you are even bringing up this point or what your story is. I think maybe you needed more ESL classes.
Are you referring to the fact that some students who study abroad are more interested in cultural experiences rather than studying? Otherwise I also don't know what you are referring to.
That might be understandable for an undergraduate study abroad, especially if the study abroad grades do not count towards the home university's GPA.
I knew some fields were more conducive to actually mesh cultural experiences with one's learning but, as I said, physics is not one of those fields.
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I haven't read all of your posts but I seem to recall that you never really wanted to attend your current graduate university and even before you began your PhD studies you were talking about applications to MBA programs. So I don't think the issue is study abroad related - PhD students (domestic or international) have to really want to be in a PhD program.
It's just that I'm rather cautious by nature, just so that I knew what to do if, for some reason, I couldn't finish that PhD or otherwise somehow needed a MBA.
But what actually makes me unhappy now, to the point of dropping out, is that I entertained an unhealthy relationship with my prospective research topic. It was allowed to pester due to my past research experience, which showed that I could actually work on a closely related topic (and, from my standpoint, made my mental health problems worsen), as well as the demands placed by prospective advisors working on the topic I wanted out of my PhD, to take on one student apiece, so that I could, down the road, work on these very topics I used to crave.
Basically, a PhD is more than a full-time job. If you don't go into it thinking that you're okay with setting everything else aside so you can devote yourself to your topic, there's a decent chance you won't finish. It's possible to have a family while you're in grad school, but just about everything else wastes time you could be spending on research.
You don't go into grad school expecting to spend significant time learning anything outside of your subject.
Undergrad study abroad programs are different. They're basically all about the experience. You probably get more out of just being in the country than you get out of your undergrad study abroad classes.
Basically, a PhD is more than a full-time job. If you don't go into it thinking that you're okay with setting everything else aside so you can devote yourself to your topic, there's a decent chance you won't finish. It's possible to have a family while you're in grad school, but just about everything else wastes time you could be spending on research.
You don't go into grad school expecting to spend significant time learning anything outside of your subject.
Undergrad study abroad programs are different. They're basically all about the experience. You probably get more out of just being in the country than you get out of your undergrad study abroad classes.
I think that's the point that's being made.
I would think that mostly applies to masters as well, since I know there were attendees in the audience that were masters matriculants...
I am not sure what you are asking either but I think you are trying to compare a semester-long study abroad in undergrad to a full program study abroad PhD program. Why are they treated differently, because they are different. Generally when an undergrad does a study abroad it is for one semester and they usually take some general education courses while there. You want to do a full PhD program somewhere for what, 2 years, taking all of your classes at a foreign institution? Is that what you are asking?
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