deeman101 Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Ok guys I can use your opinion here. I agreed to do a supervised study with this prof for my 4th year. I thought it would be great and I only have to take 3 "real" courses a semester then. But my older and much more experienced grad friend, whos done the course a few years ago, told me its a bad idea because: 1. the prof is brand new to uoft, scrambling for students, doesn't know how the course is supposed to be run, doesn't even have a lab yet, and may screw me with marks in the end. 2. I have like no experience with chemical synthesis past 2nd year orgo. 3. If the molecule I'm trying to synthesize just won't work I'm SOL and will kill my GPA. 4. My GPA is pretty much set and all I need to do is cruise through fourth year maintaining it. 5. I'm TAing 14 hours a week, and the supervised study course specifies at least 10 hrs in the lab per week, but usually it turns out to be a lot more (depending on how successful the synthesis is). And I have a bunch of other ECs simultaneously, plus a mini-project concurrently running with another prof (currently stalled, its future is uncertain) to worry about so it puts a lot of pressure on me. My grad friend told me its better to tell the prof this monday that I re-evaluated my schedule and cannot take such a risky proposition because of my time availability issues. He said I should try to do the same project as a volunteer, so theres less stress on me. I kinda don't want to disappoint the prof. and lose the project if he won't let me do it as a volunteer (like I said, hes scrambling for students, not volunteers). Its a big risk in terms of unknowns but with big payoffs. Any advice? PS. I wanted to be lazy and do nothing in my 4th year, but this prof's research work is a bit too enticing for me to ignore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 I sent you PM with what I think you should do and why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 why would he NOT want a volunteer? I mean, I could see it if you were a n00b who needed to be spoonfed everything. But you have some pretty deep research experience and you're not a knob. It would be beneficial for him to have you doing work for nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkles3288 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 why would he NOT want a volunteer? I mean, I could see it if you were a n00b who needed to be spoonfed everything. But you have some pretty deep research experience and you're not a knob. It would be beneficial for him to have you doing work for nothing At my university, proffs get a small stipend for students doing thesis research in 4th year to help cover equipment/reagent cost. So, if this person volunteers the proff would not get that money and may have to end up paying out of their own lab money for that stuff. May not seem like much, but if it's a new proff/lab--money could be tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Sounds like you are interested in the opportunity? Best to weigh out your options, as you are doing. This week, I've got to figure out a similar situation (fourth year project, but at a different school, with different research, etc); so, I can relate to your dilemma. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman101 Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 At my university, proffs get a small stipend for students doing thesis research in 4th year to help cover equipment/reagent cost. So, if this person volunteers the proff would not get that money and may have to end up paying out of their own lab money for that stuff. May not seem like much, but if it's a new proff/lab--money could be tight. He isn't scrambling for money right now though. All profs that come new to UofT get a sizable grant from UofT to get started. Judging by his material costs I'd say he is good for at least a year or two. As for why he wouldn't want me as a volunteer, well I don't see why not. Its just that he'd much rather have me as a student than a volunteer. And I'm afraid he'll give my project to someone else who's willing to be his student and stick me with b***h work instead. The part where I'm stuck though is should I take the gamble or not? So far I haven't been royally fckd by UofT, even though I've taken big academic chances every year. But my last year could be where my luck runs out. Thats pretty much what happened to my grad friend. Hence grad friend instead of med friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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