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Graduating in 3 months and I don't know anything about finance; how did you all learn?
T

Quote From pm133:
I wouldn't touch a pension scheme with a bargepole.


Even if your employer is paying 18% on top of your salary into your pension? It's free money. You'd have to be a bit mad to opt out of that in my opinion. I happily take that extra 500 quid every month.

Graduating in 3 months and I don't know anything about finance; how did you all learn?
T

Can't you talk to your parents or older people about this?

This is the kind of life experience you pick up by doing rather than reading online or taking a class...

And is it really that complicated? Make sure what you have coming in is more than you have going out, put sufficient money aside every month (people recommend you keep 6 months salary in a savings account and then diversify into other investments if you have the cash (most people don't)), save up to buy big purchases like cars, don't get a loan unless you have to and then check the interest rate is low and check you can afford the repayments (think: can you still it back if you lose your job?), you need at least a 5-10% deposit to buy a house plus other costs and solicitors fee and as above for the loan, only use credit cards in an emergency and pay the full balance off every month to avoid paying any interest, pay things by direct debit and don't default on payments to maintain a good credit history to enable you to get said loan/mortgage/credit card when you need, oh and you should be paying in about 20% of your salary into a pension if you're in your 20/30s.

Advice needed: grades for PhD
T

Hi, PhDs can be very competitive. Your qualifications and experience sound fine, so it could be something amiss with your application, or it could just be a numbers game.

Can you ask a former supervisor to check your applications?

Do you tailor your applications to the post every time?

It doesn't matter about your publications at this stage. Don't do a third masters.

Keep applying.

PhD funding for overseas students
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It's very difficult for non-UK/EU students to get funding for PhDs in the UK unless they are sponsored by their government or industry.

Should I apply to multiple universities? - Would I use the same proposal?
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You need to discuss this with your supervisor before doing anything. They will tell you whether they are ok with your submitting this proposal elsewhere.

Struggle with Masters dissertation topic.
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Your title really doesn't matter that much... you can pick something snappy or more long winded depending on your preference, as long as it reflects the content of the dissertation.

University reputation , supervisor reputation or funding?
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Quote From pf329:
And sometimes the PhD student is the the first author.


PhD student should be the first author and supervisor usually goes last.

Supervisors and feedback
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There's always something to add. Maybe in 3rd/4th year you start getting stuff back with minimal comments.

1st year in lab: is this a natural phase?
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That's totally normal. If can't get a result with a technique it probably is something you're doing wrong to be honest, or at least it's something you're doing differently to other people who can get it to work. Even if it's not something you're doing wrong or differently, these things have to be eliminated first before you can find the root of the problem.

But this issue doesn't stop at bench work - it's the same in every new role. People don't know what you're capable of so ask basic questions that can seem patronising until you prove yourself to them and they realise you do know what you're doing.

University reputation , supervisor reputation or funding?
T

Quote From Maryco:

Thanks a lot for your advice ! A PhD still seems intimidating for me ( still in the applications process) so I have so many questions to ask, I am afraid that people will laugh at me : ) And wow I did not know that supervisors would write reports under their name. What would it be acceptable? Co-publishing right?


Yep this happens - sometimes they make themselves first author and the PhD student is a middle author.

Anyone using outside help with presenting tables professionally in thesis?
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I wouldn't worry too much about it - I think basic presentation in Word is sufficient. Table presentation is unlikely to make or break your thesis.

Re-writing abstract for journal
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You can make it pretty similar in overall content and structure but just reword it so it's not technically plagiarised. I think it's fine to do this because it's usually the way that work submitted to a conference ends up as an article.

Getting Help Writing Essays
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Spam reported...

12 days until final submission and feel like I am walking through treacle
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You can do it. I wrote my discussion in less than a week. I think it was like 7000 words.

Final year support thread
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I used Mendeley - I would have hated having to have done everything manually. Mendeley is so useful.