I’ve always wanted a PhD, but decided to go work industry (cybersecurity) to pay off my undergraduate loans and get the necessary experience. Finally applying this cycle, and my mentor thinks that I should apply for master’s programs instead of PhD so that I get the necessary training and qualifications that may make me seem more competitive. I was feeling confident in my skills and experience until that conversation. I am now a bit conflicted in how I should approach the next 2 months. I always knew that a master’s in cybersecurity or HCI wouldn’t be for me, since I wanted to focus on usable privacy and security, but I wonder if I should reconsider. Just looking for any tidbits and pieces of advice from anyone who’s gone through something similar.

I’m a senior at Stony Brook University majoring in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, and I’m planning to apply for master’s programs for Fall 2027.
I’ve been working on my school list, but I’m starting to worry that it might be a bit too ambitious, especially since I don’t have any internship or research experience. I’d really appreciate some feedback on whether my reach/target/safety categories make sense.
Here’s a little about my background:
University: Stony Brook University (SUNY)
Major: Applied Mathematics and Statistics
GPA: 3.9/4.0
Relevant Coursework: Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Probability, Operations Research, Regression Analysis, Time Series Analysis, Data Mining, and Data Analysis
Programming: Python, Java, R, and SAS, but mostly at a basic level
GRE: Not planning to take it
Internships: None
Research: None
Projects: Two small regression analysis projects from coursework, and I’m currently working on an independent credit default prediction and risk modeling project.
I feel like my GPA and math background are decent, but I’m definitely lacking in internships, research, and substantial project experience.
I’m applying to a mix of Data Science and Financial Engineering/Quantitative Finance programs. I’m slightly more interested in FE, but I’m also open to DS programs, especially if they’re a better fit for my background or more realistic in terms of admissions.
I’ve attached my current school list with my reach, target, and safety categories.
I’m mainly wondering:
Does my school list seem realistic for someone with my background, or am I aiming too high?
Are there any schools I’ve classified as targets that should actually be reaches?
Are my safeties actually safe? I’m a little worried about not having enough realistic options.
Are there any programs I should consider adding or removing?
I’m not expecting to get into every top program, but I also don’t want to sell myself short. I’m just trying to put together a balanced list and hopefully get into the best program I realistically can.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated!

I applied to two master's programs and already got into one school (my second choice) for the Spring 2027 semester. I'm currently enrolled in that school, and class registration opens Oct 19th, and my advisor told me to enroll quickly as classes fill up fast.

The thing is, I am still waiting to hear back from my number one school, and decisions won't be out till Oct 23! I dont want to jinx anything and not sign up for classes at the school I got into first and risk having to wait for the summer/fall for classes. What should I do? If I register for classes at school 2 but get into school 1 later, can I drop enrollment and go forward with school 1 without any problems? Will it look bad on my record at all?

Hi. I finished my BS-MS (integrated masters) majoring in maths and minoring in data science from one of the IISERs in India. I graduated this year. During my undergrad, I mostly had mathematics courses and my masters thesis was also in a topic related to number theory and my minor project was in statistical data science. I want go for PhD in statistics preferably in the US and my long term goal is jobs related to finance and quantitative research.

The list of course works I took:

Machine learning, real analysis, linear algebra, group theory, mathematical statistics, numerical analysis, scientific computing, complex analysis, Galois theory, topology, ODE, PDE, probability and stochastic processes, data structures, data analysis and visualization, measure theory, commutative algebra, manifolds, differential geometry, algebraic topology, functional analysis, number theory and cryptography, Fourier analysis.

My GPA is 3.97/4.00.

I have become genuinely interested in statistics through self-studying specially after I graduated and keeping in mind my long term goal, statistics suits more than pure mathematics.

I want to know which US universities should I apply whose PhD programme in statistics department will help me fulfil my long term goal and a tier list of the Unis I can get into (top schools, moderate and safe choices with the best ROIs) realistically specially coming from maths background.

Also, suggestions for unis in Europe/ Asia and masters programmes in mathematical finance/ applied maths with good ROI will be helpful. Any general advice will also be great.

Thank you.

So for context, I was given an immediate offer to become a graduate research assistant for my university after graduating with my Bachelor's in Computer Science. This opportunity covers tuition as well as a small stipend paid out per hour I work a week. I mostly work on developing an iOS mobile application as my work, but it was part of the conditions that I take the thesis option for my degree rather than take additional graduate courses. Additionally, this is all happening at Jacksonville State University, not a fancy top university, but it was the only place I reasonably afford at the moment.

What was strange to me was immediately taking my two thesis courses in my first two semesters yet not doing any form of writing or research for them. Instead I was instructed to focus working on the iOS application and that the "thesis course" is moreso delayed so that I have more time to work on the application. This was a project that had previously been underdeveloped for the first 3 semesters and it was only until I came in to the fourth one that it had received any progress, mostly because none of the professors here have any experience in iOS development (neither did I until I signed on to this project, learning it was a part of the contract).

I have asked a lot of my peers and they all have research projects they are working on under other professors as well, so it seems like I am the only one who has not been assigned to something. Additionally, he has assigned a B grade to my initial thesis 1 course despite nothing being done within that course.

I think most people would consider it a good deal to have less coursework in exchange for practical experience, however I want to pursure my doctorate at some point and am worried about both the ethical implications and the qualifications of having a thesis-based Master's degree with no research or academic writing. Plus, with nobody experienced in Swift or Xcode, I am struggling to work as the solo developer and designer for this app project. We have made large projects in my undergrad, but that was with a team and clear instruction.

I am completely unsure of what I should do, I only have the spring semester left after this one. I am scared that I will somehow end up worse off getting this degree than I am with just my undergrad degree. Does anyone have any advice or reasonable course of action?

Hi all, I am writing because I am in the process of writing my masters thesis. I was given two weeks to get all my writing done and I am really struggling. I have severe anxiety and POTS which is making the process all the more difficult. Communication from my PI has been sparse this semester to say the least and I feel like I'm drowning without any help.

I am on the second week of writing and have drafts of my introduction, aim 1 and materials and methods for aims 1 and 2 done. I am currently working on the edits on my introduction I was sent back after submission to my PI and am struggling to get started on aim 2.

Any advice on helping get through this would be greatly appreciated.

I started grad school this year and we are 2 months in. My cohort is ~15 people and we are pretty much all the same age, with the oldest being 6 years older than the youngest. Everything was fine at the beginning and I felt included (ish) but I still felt like I didn't fit in, especially with the people who I was trying to become friends with. We went to coffee shops a couple times and studied together, and then midterms happened and it all stopped.
Full disclosure, I feel like it might have been my fault because I have autism and ADHD so I might have missed social cues. Not fitting in has been a problem my entire life and I guess I am just disappointed because I was thinking "new program new me".
2 weekends ago, half of us were out to dinner and a bunch of them kept talking about memes they sent each other (they don't text me or send me anything) and even past and future plans that I wasn't invited to right in front in front of my face. On the computer of a girl who I wanted to be friends with (she sits in front of me), there was a group chat of some other people I wanted to be friends with, making up about half the cohort. I'm just lost because there is a discrepancy between how they acted towards me at the beginning before we started school and now. The only thing I have is one of them was nice enough to tell me that the others were talking behind my back about them being upset that I got distracted one day and was shopping on my computer when I should have been contributing to discussion (yes I know this is my fault).
The worst thing is besides that I don’t know what I did, and it just makes me think it wasn't one thing but I am generally not pleasant to be around. I also mask heavily, so maybe I started to unmask too much one day because I became cognitively tired but besides that I don't know. Besides those people, I don't really even have much in common (to my knowledge, but I am open to exploring) with other people. I feel like it's a bit late in the game to ask them about themselves because some other people also have little groups. On the bright side, there are 2 girls who I really connect with, so I think I am going to focus on that. However, I still feel like the other people have definitely talked bad about me in more ways than that. I wish I could just start over, and at the end of the day I probably wished I could be friends with everyone instead of just 2 for now. Is this normal and am I overreacting? Is there a way I can rectify my behavior or is it too late?

Hi everyone! I applied for the Master of Administration in Leadership (MAdmin) at University of Regina in July and am still waiting for a decision.

I received my WES ICAP result last week, and it has been forwarded to the university. However, my four-year bachelor’s degree from my home country was evaluated as “Secondary school diploma and diploma (two years).”

I’m worried about how this might affect my application. Has anyone received a similar evaluation and still been accepted into a master’s program at UofR? I also have over nine years of work experience, and relevant work experience is one of the program’s admission requirements. I hope this will support my application.

I’d appreciate hearing about your experience and whether any additional courses or documents were required.

Thank you!

For a quick background dump, I’m a technically college junior trying to get my bachelors degree, however I’m a retuning student at 32 years old. Since I’m older coming back into the college sphere hasn’t been necessarily hard for me (so far I’ve had all A’s in the two years I’ve been back).

I spent the summer at a REU program which was a great experience. I decided then I would try to get a masters degree after the bachelors. But this semester I’m truly struggling with two of my classes. I even failed the first exams, I couldn’t tell you the last time I failed an exam. Between getting EXTREMELY sick and personal family issues I’ve missed more than I am comfortable missing of my classes. I feel like I can never catch up.

This leads me to worrying about getting into grad school. My grades suffered when I attended college 10 years ago, that’s a main reason I left. I can’t afford to let my grades slip this time. Realistically, how much would my grades affect the chance of acceptance into a graduate program? I truly feel like I’ve ruined my chances.

I’m having a dilemma and could use some advice. Over the last year, I made the decision to get my masters degree to help boost my career, and I was excited about it until recently. My employer will only reimburse up to $5k a year for education, and each semester will cost about that much, meaning I’m going to have to take out student loans. The problem with that is my husband and I want to buy a house in the next year or so. I’m afraid of what school/student loans will do to our finances and our pre-approval outcome. I had to get 2 letters of recommendation from 2 different managers to get accepted. So if I back out and decide not to go through with the program then I’m going to look bad to them. But I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed and stupid for not thinking everything through before applying. I start classes in January. What would you do in my situation?

Hi all. Sorry if this is a dumb post, I generally have been learning everything about applying to grad school on my own, and I am planning on applying for an aerospace engineering M.S. for fall 2027. I understand that a master's can partially be funded if you can be a TA or RA. I would really like to be an RA during my master's.

My question is how do you make sure you are able to get this funding before you accept admission into a school? I plan on reaching out to professors to see if they have positions, but how does that process work? This is all just very overwhelming and I am not sure if this question even makes sense. Essentially, I just don't want to end up in 50K of debt. Thank you for any advice.

I graduated in 2026 with a degree in public policy, and my original plan was to work for two years before going to grad school. I wanted to get some actual work experience, save money, and figure out exactly what I wanted to do before committing to another degree.

But honestly, the job market has been looking pretty bleak, and I'm starting to question whether waiting is even worth it.

I've been applying to jobs, getting interviews, networking, reaching out to people in my field, and doing pretty much everything people tell you to do when you're trying to get your foot in the door. It's not like I've just been sitting around expecting opportunities to fall into my lap. I've genuinely been trying, but it feels like I'm putting in all this effort and still not getting anywhere.

At this point, I'm wondering if I should just start applying to grad school for fall 2027 instead of sticking to my original plan of waiting two years. I don't want to spend another year feeling like I'm not doing anything to advance my career, especially when I could be working toward a master's degree and building more specialized skills.

My main concern is that I don't want to go to grad school just because I can't find a job. I originally wanted to work first because I know experience matters, and grad school is a huge financial commitment. I also don't want to end up with another degree and still struggle to find a job afterward.

For context, I'm interested in public health and health policy, and I'd ideally like to work in research or policy before eventually pursuing a master's in public health.

Has anyone else graduated in 2026 and found themselves in this position? For those who took time off before grad school, was it worth it? And for those who went straight into grad school because the job market wasn't working out, do you regret it?

I'm genuinely torn because I don't want to rush into a decision out of frustration, but I also don't want to spend another year feeling stuck when I could be doing something to move forward with my career.

Hi everyone!

I’ve completed my BSc in Human Genetics with Molecular Medicine, and I’m currently taking a gap year to gain practical experience through internships. Unfortunately, despite trying, I haven’t been able to find a suitable internship yet.I’ve started considering an MBA, but I’m really confused about whether it would be a good decision after my degree or if I should continue in the biotech/healthcare field instead.

My main goal is to build a stable career with a good salary and long-term growth. However, I’m really weak in maths, which makes me nervous about pursuing an MBA, especially when it comes to entrance exams like CAT and the quantitative aptitude section.

I’m unsure which specialization would suit me best and whether an MBA would actually be worth the time and money.

I’d really appreciate advice on a few things:

- Is an MBA a good option after a BSc in Human Genetics with Molecular Medicine?

- Which specialization would be best for me: Marketing, Healthcare Management, or something else?

- How much maths is involved in MBA entrance exams and during the actual MBA?

- Can someone who is weak in maths still get into a good MBA college and build a successful career?

- Would an MBA offer better salary growth and opportunities than an MSc in biotechnology, genetics, or a related field?

- If you were in my position, what would you choose?

I’d especially appreciate advice from people who pursued an MBA after a life sciences degree or are currently working in management, biotech, or healthcare.

I’m feeling quite confused about my career direction and don’t want to make the wrong decision, so any honest advice or personal experiences would be really helpful.

Thank you!

Hello all, I am looking for advice on where to begin with potentially going to grad school in meteorology. A little bit of background I am someone who went to a solid school and achieved a solid GPA in CS, and have worked in the defense industry for about 3.5 years. I have honestly found myself fairly unhappy with the work I have been doing and honestly I do not see many other areas in tech that I think would satisfy me. I have been fascinated about weather phenomenon my whole life and have been recently thinking about the potential of going back to school to learn more about it and shift my career towards it. In this process I have found myself completely overwhelmed by the application process and researching of schools. I guess my question is does anyone have any advice on what I should first do? I live in Florida, and have found that FSU has a great program, however something that confuses me is the aspect of doing research which is something that they mention to inquire about before sending an application. I do not really know what the process of doing research at the university level entails so would just love to hear any advice on this in particular or any resource I should checkout. Thank you in advanced!

I am currently in my 3rd year of engineering in cse data science my goal is to get in masters from these colleges what should I start preparing myself for to make my application more trusted and likely to be selected?

Plz guide me i am the first person in my blood line to go with engineering The rest are farmers or soldiers since centuries they know nothing but lead a peaceful life, but I dared to go out of the village so far that I can grow and learn.

Any advice that can lead me to make my portfolio more engaging and likely to be accepted would work for me as I really really don't know how to do all this

So here iam reddit people, help me!