Museum of Vertebrae Zoology visit...

Colleges & Universities University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>I went to an interview last week with a PHD student for a summer research opportunity and I was amazed! When I arrived at the museum, the front desk person had to call and confirm whether the PHD student has an appointment with him or not, and I was thinking “Wow, this guy must be pretty important.” So the front desk lady led me down the hall and directed me to take a right and go into the first room… </p>

<p>Then I saw the PHD student sitting in there. I’m really surprised that he has his own cozy office, and we brought our conversation to the next door which was a VERY nice mini-library/conference room. </p>

<p>Cut to the point and omitting other details:
I’ve read over and over how the PHD program at Cal is superb and top-notch, and last week being able to finally see firsthand how well PHD students are treated, I understand much more why that claim is true. He also has his professor mentor. Also, right off the bat, I could tell he was a VERY intelligent person. This really made me evaluate the undergrad program with quite a different perspective…</p>

2

<p>The undergrad program is completely independent of the PHD program.</p>

3

<p>you’re right…the professor nor the graduate student will ever have any interaction with any undergrads–EVER. Furthermore, no undergrad is ever granted access to the MVZ, one of the worlds foremost vertebrate collections. They are solely for graduate student and professors who will never ever teach undergrads and will never ever have any contact with undergrads–EVER.</p>

<p>please excuse my sarcasm…</p>

<p>Cheers,
CornellGrad</p>

4

<p>How can you claim that the programs are completely independent of one another? Perhaps they are not very associated (although in some departments, I think they’re quite closely associated), to say that they are not connected is ridiculous.</p>

<p>So unlimitedx, what do you think? What should be done? Ect, ect?</p>