My Graduate School Chapter

2010-11-24T16:08:00.000-05:00

Midway through the 2009 Fall (my third Fall semester), a faculty in UMass Amherst ECE Department had promised me an acceptance to its graduate program and a research assistantship. I had worked with this faculty in the summer because I could not find a job for that summer. He gave me a week for a decision. I did not want to accept the offer for many reasons, and they are:

1.) This faculty is really pushy and aggressive. He often yells his students.
2.) I wanted to apply to other schools (but it was getting late for graduate applications).
3.) The research did not interest me.
4.) Amherst is boring place (for me at least).

Here are some the reason why I might consider to accept the offer:

1.) For an extra year, I can earn a Master Degree with a thesis.
2.) It is hard for me to turn an offer down, especially if a person seems so attached to it.

He gave me all sorts of reasons, like "The reputation of the school is not important... It is important to have an important advisor." Not of them convinced me other than the reasons that I stated above. A week past, and we met. He offered me more time if I needed more to make a decision. Instead, I gave him a "I don't know if I can finish my requirements on time." Immediately, he dragged me to the chief advisor of the undergraduate program and talked about the requirement issue. At that point, I felt more pressured in making a decision because he let in another person to know about the choice that I make. That may not be his intentions. Because of this, I felt pressured and accepted the offer. This is why I partly blame him for the mistake in my career. Though, I blame myself more for not being honest and for being too considerate/modest/humble.

Simon's Rant

My Graduate School Chapter