GRAD ECHO

Building on my colleague’s comments, I believe students should give a research orientation to their final year projects. Choosing a project with a research component can help you decide if a research career is right for you. Many universities offer undergraduates the chance to enroll in advanced graduate-level coursework, which often includes semester-long research projects. This experience can help you understand the level of work and commitment required for graduate studies in your field.

Participating in these projects will enhance your appreciation for the research process and its unique demands. It's important to recognize that research is not for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay. However, it’s crucial to be certain about your interest before committing to a graduate program.

I also encourage students to reach out to professors to gain independent research experience and engage with the academic community they aspire to join.

After completing a master's degree, graduates typically follow one of two paths.

One is entering the industry, and it's the path most often taken. Here, those who have excelled academically and enhanced their skills beyond the Bachelor’s degree can expect higher average salaries. The second pathway is, if you have done a Master’s with a thesis and found your interest in research then you can pursue a PhD. A smaller fraction of students also take the leap of launching a startup and building something from scratch that they are passionate about.

Concerning PhDs, it’s important to dispel the myth that they lead solely to academic careers. In reality, many PhD holders find opportunities outside academia. For instance, at tech giant Google, nearly one-third of the workforce holds PhDs, reflecting the company's emphasis on solving future challenges—an ability that PhD training enhances. PhDs are adept at navigating uncertainty and devising innovative solutions to complex problems. This skill set is also valuable in entrepreneurship, where understanding and managing uncertainty is crucial.
I have seen many people who did extremely well in their PhDs and ended up being entrepreneurs.

A general piece of advice I would like to add is the importance of embracing life-long learning. Regardless of your career path, dedicating 15-20% of your time to learning is vital. The skills you acquire today might be obsolete in just a few years, so the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn is essential. This was highlighted recently when over 100,000 skilled employees from top tech companies were laid off. Those who had continuously invested in their learning were better equipped to secure new opportunities in diverse industries. Specializing too narrowly can pose a risk if industry dynamics shift, underscoring the importance of continually updating your knowledge and skills across a broad spectrum.

Funding comes in many shapes and sizes. You should be aware of all aspects of funding. There’s a professor funding, which means the professor has some research project they are hiring for, typically geared towards PhD students, because they can stick for a while. You have the funding as long as you're working with the Professor. Then there’s a department or university funding, such as that at Wisconsin Madison, where you can change the project and professor. Then there are third-party funding like Fulbright, Erasmus Mundus, and Commonwealth, which have some strings attached, such as repaying by coming back to Pakistan and serving the country for a certain amount of time. Other sources of funding also include TAships. The money can cover most of your tuition. Once you get one of those TAships, you’re usually able to get more. Then there are RAships - some people self-fund their first semester and then they’re able to get RAships and TAships that help cover their tuition. There are plenty of opportunities, you'll just have to look. Niche programs encourage people to apply by offering them funding. So, if it aligns with your interests, you can apply there and get some funding.