The financial stress in graduate school can be a horror story in itself. I had to work multiple part - time jobs while trying to keep up with my studies. There were times when I couldn't afford proper textbooks or attend important academic conferences because of lack of funds.
I had a nightmare experience with a thesis advisor. He was always unavailable. When he was, he would criticize my work harshly without really guiding me on how to improve. It made the whole thesis - writing process a long and agonizing journey.
Another horror story is dealing with difficult advisors. I've heard of an advisor who would constantly change the requirements for a thesis at the last minute. The student had to rewrite large portions of their work multiple times, causing a great deal of stress and delaying their graduation significantly. It was really frustrating for the student as they had no idea what was expected of them in the end.
One of my graduate school stories is about a group project. We were a team of five with different backgrounds. At first, we had a lot of disagreements on the approach. But after long discussions and finally compromising, we came up with an innovative solution. It was a great learning experience about teamwork and communication in graduate school.
Well, my advisor was always MIA. I'd schedule meetings weeks in advance and he'd either forget or show up an hour late. When it came to my research, he gave very vague directions. It was like trying to find my way in a fog. He'd say things like 'just explore more' without any real guidance on what to explore. It made my progress so slow and frustrating.
Group projects can be a horror. You get teamed up with people who don't pull their weight. I was once in a group where one member never showed up for meetings or did any work, and the rest of us had to cover for him. It led to a lot of arguments and stress.
I know of a group project where one member was overly controlling. They wouldn't listen to others' suggestions and tried to do everything their way. This led to a lot of resentment within the group. The other members felt unappreciated and undervalued. Eventually, the project didn't turn out as well as it could have because of the lack of teamwork and cooperation.
One success story is of Jane. She entered graduate school with a passion for environmental science. Despite facing financial hardships and a heavy course load, she managed to secure several research grants. Through her hard work, she published multiple influential papers during her graduate years, which led to her getting a top - notch job offer at a leading environmental research institute right after graduation.
One graduate success story is about Jane. She graduated from a business school. Right after graduation, she joined a startup. Through her hard work and the knowledge she gained at school, she helped the startup grow exponentially. Now she is a partner in the company.
Another example is Lisa in the field of literature. In graduate school, she focused on a very niche area of 18th - century literature. She faced a lot of skepticism from her peers as it was considered an unpopular area. But Lisa didn't care. She traveled to various libraries across the country to access rare manuscripts. Her in - depth research led to a well - received book on the subject. After graduating, she became a sought - after lecturer at a prestigious university, teaching her beloved 18th - century literature.
Well, some students, like Emily, are super - dedicated. She was bored with the regular high school schedule. So, she asked for permission to take extra classes each semester. By doing so, she was able to complete all the required credits faster. In her case, she graduated half a year early. She was then able to start an internship in a field she was interested in.
For me, it was when my advisor took credit for my work. I worked hard on a project for months, and then he presented it as his own at a conference. It was so unfair and demoralizing.