3 ms·

Forgive my ignorance, but how many undergrads have actually published a paper? I'm not saying it's impossible, but I was under the impression that this is somet

by cheetos 10y ago

Forgive my ignorance, but how many undergrads have actually published a paper? I'm not saying it's impossible, but I was under the impression that this is something that happens once you get in to grad school, not before.

hkmurakami 10y ago
I'd say a more pertinent stat would be "how many undergrads who want to pursue a PhD have published a paper". At least at my alma mater, there were many opportunities to partake in independent research during our Junior and Senior years working closely with a professor to work on an eventual paper.
metaphor 10y ago
More than you might think, especially at tier 1 universities with funded undergraduate research opportunities[1]. You don't have to be first author to be published. [1] https://members.cur.org/members_online/members/directory_list.asp https://members.cur.org/members_online/members/directory_lis...
- akhilcacharya 10y ago
  How helpful is just being named on the paper? I've been working on a project for a year that just had its submission, not sure if I should try for good grad schools though or just target industry (Big4+Unicorn) instead.
  - metaphor 10y ago
    In the asymptotic words of someone else[1]: I don't see why you think it's such a great accomplishment -- all my friends have a Ph.D! A very relevant read FWIW. [1] https://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.phd.html https://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.phd.html
    - akhilcacharya 10y ago
      Eh, I'm personally more interested in an MS first, then see if I'm better suited for industry or full time research.
  - tehlike 10y ago
    Grad school, if your ultimate goal is not academia, will most likely be an irresponsible use of your time.
    - metaphor 10y ago
      Care to qualify that? Surely any irresponsible use of time is a personal deficit, not a graduate curricula's. From a complexity barrier perspective, consider a career in ASIC design. From a market saturation perspective, consider a career in any discipline of psychology.
      - tehlike 10y ago
        I am taking the simplistic view, and looking at the numbers from very simplistic view. Depending on what you expect out of Phd, advancing your knowledge might mean worlds to someone, but you could learn much more practical experience in those 5 years. It's up to someone's opinion. Let me rephrase and probably further restrict what i mean: - If you want to work in big four(which was my assumption from Big4+Unicorn piece), you are better of not doing PHD in terms of progress careerwise. here is the reasoning, using some numbers i have seen around: - Big 4 usually let's you start Level N straight out of school. If you do PHD, they let you start Level N+1. Master's doesn't change anything, you still start Level N. - Phd takes (approximately) 5 years. - Promotions take 1-2 years, depending on your ambitions, your manager etc. Assume 1.5 years. - With the above numbers, instead of 5 years in PHD and start at LN+1, you could easily get to LN+3. If you are ambitious, you could get at least one promo in 1 year, which would put you in 1 year into LN+3, making you close to LN+4. In all these 5 years, you'll also be banking stock refreshers, people would get to know you well, you could build reputation, and you would have a good chunk of money in the bank. If you are targeting starting your own company, depending on what it is, phd might help (taking phd topic and making a company out of it is common). However, I believe, you could do much more in those 5 years, and you wouldn't have to go through emotional ride of graduate school as an extra stress. Again, it all depends on what you want with phd. if your goal is working for FANG, 5 years of your youth is worth more than a phd.
    - akhilcacharya 10y ago
imakecomments 10y ago
I don't know exact percentages, but if you have top tier publications, or at the very least have relevant research experience, solid recommendation letters & faculty sponsorship then your chances of being admitted increase dramatically. Getting into top graduate schools isn't easy. GPA wise, usually your junior/senior year is the most important aspect. Good luck!

by cheetos 10y ago

hkmurakami 10y ago

I'd say a more pertinent stat would be "how many undergrads who want to pursue a PhD have published a paper". At least at my alma mater, there were many opportunities to partake in independent research during our Junior and Senior years working closely with a professor to work on an eventual paper.

metaphor 10y ago

More than you might think, especially at tier 1 universities with funded undergraduate research opportunities[1]. You don't have to be first author to be published. [1] https://members.cur.org/members_online/members/directory_list.asp https://members.cur.org/members_online/members/directory_lis...

akhilcacharya 10y ago
How helpful is just being named on the paper? I've been working on a project for a year that just had its submission, not sure if I should try for good grad schools though or just target industry (Big4+Unicorn) instead.
- metaphor 10y ago
  In the asymptotic words of someone else[1]: I don't see why you think it's such a great accomplishment -- all my friends have a Ph.D! A very relevant read FWIW. [1] https://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.phd.html https://www.cs.purdue.edu/homes/dec/essay.phd.html
  - akhilcacharya 10y ago
    Eh, I'm personally more interested in an MS first, then see if I'm better suited for industry or full time research.
- tehlike 10y ago
  Grad school, if your ultimate goal is not academia, will most likely be an irresponsible use of your time.
  - metaphor 10y ago
    Care to qualify that? Surely any irresponsible use of time is a personal deficit, not a graduate curricula's. From a complexity barrier perspective, consider a career in ASIC design. From a market saturation perspective, consider a career in any discipline of psychology.
    - tehlike 10y ago
      I am taking the simplistic view, and looking at the numbers from very simplistic view. Depending on what you expect out of Phd, advancing your knowledge might mean worlds to someone, but you could learn much more practical experience in those 5 years. It's up to someone's opinion. Let me rephrase and probably further restrict what i mean: - If you want to work in big four(which was my assumption from Big4+Unicorn piece), you are better of not doing PHD in terms of progress careerwise. here is the reasoning, using some numbers i have seen around: - Big 4 usually let's you start Level N straight out of school. If you do PHD, they let you start Level N+1. Master's doesn't change anything, you still start Level N. - Phd takes (approximately) 5 years. - Promotions take 1-2 years, depending on your ambitions, your manager etc. Assume 1.5 years. - With the above numbers, instead of 5 years in PHD and start at LN+1, you could easily get to LN+3. If you are ambitious, you could get at least one promo in 1 year, which would put you in 1 year into LN+3, making you close to LN+4. In all these 5 years, you'll also be banking stock refreshers, people would get to know you well, you could build reputation, and you would have a good chunk of money in the bank. If you are targeting starting your own company, depending on what it is, phd might help (taking phd topic and making a company out of it is common). However, I believe, you could do much more in those 5 years, and you wouldn't have to go through emotional ride of graduate school as an extra stress. Again, it all depends on what you want with phd. if your goal is working for FANG, 5 years of your youth is worth more than a phd.
  - akhilcacharya 10y ago

imakecomments 10y ago

I don't know exact percentages, but if you have top tier publications, or at the very least have relevant research experience, solid recommendation letters & faculty sponsorship then your chances of being admitted increase dramatically. Getting into top graduate schools isn't easy. GPA wise, usually your junior/senior year is the most important aspect. Good luck!