Considering Physics graduate school, but I stutter

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the challenges and considerations of applying to physics graduate school for a participant who stutters. It explores funding options, potential teaching assistant (TA) roles, and the impact of a speech disability on academic responsibilities, particularly in teaching and grading contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about the ability to effectively TA discussions due to their stutter, suggesting that it could lead to stress for both themselves and students.
  • Another participant proposes that a grading-only position might be available, as some may prefer teaching roles, potentially allowing the original poster to avoid direct teaching responsibilities.
  • A participant shares a personal experience of overcoming a stutter through speech therapy and mentions a successful professor with a pronounced stutter, suggesting that success in academia is possible regardless of speech difficulties.
  • It is noted that funding is unlikely to be denied due to a disability, and there are alternative ways to fulfill TA roles that may require less verbal communication, such as providing written instructions or one-on-one assistance.
  • The original poster expresses concern about the stress of TA responsibilities amidst the challenges of graduate school, questioning when to disclose their stutter to the program.
  • There is a discussion about whether most individuals prefer teaching roles over grading assignments, with the original poster expressing uncertainty about this preference.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that there are alternative options for fulfilling TA roles that may accommodate the original poster's stutter. However, there is no consensus on the best approach to take regarding funding and the timing of disclosing the stutter to the graduate program.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss various assumptions about the severity of the stutter, the nature of TA roles, and the availability of funding, which remain unresolved and depend on individual circumstances.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering graduate school in physics or related fields who have disabilities or concerns about teaching responsibilities may find this discussion relevant.

prasa043
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Long time lurker here, this is just my first time posting.

I've read through the 'So you want to be a Physicist' guide and just from experience I've noticed that in order to help pay for graduate schools most programs will have you TA for discussions or labs. Given my stutter, I know I wouldn't be able to TA a discussion effectively. That would simply lead to an undue amount of stress for me and the students wouldn't be learning as much. 'So you want to be a Physicist' mentioned that the other major funding is from an RA position, but these apparently won't be offered to first year graduate students. Assuming I can't/am not willing to pay for graduate school out of pocket, is my only option applying to as many fellowships as possible and crossing my fingers?
 
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You might be able to be just a grader only for your TA. I had that assignment for a term or two, I only graded and did no teaching. I prefer to stand up in front of a class and most do, so a grading only assignment might be possible to get (since others won't want it).

I suggest just applying anyway, forget the stutter. Then when you get accepted hit up the disability office and request something like a grading only position.
 
I used to stutter, and years of speech therapy enabled me to overcome this. I know of one very senior professor who has a pronounced stutter; he's earned tenure at two places, and has 3 dozen papers with more than 100 cites. I would not count myself out just yet.
 
It's highly unlikely that one would be denied funding due to a disability.

As ModusPwned pointed out there is a good chance you could end up with a grading assignment. Further, since I don't know the severity of your stutter, it's worth keeping in mind you don't actually have to do a lot of talking to lead a lab. You could, for example, write out instructions and then help the students out on a one on one basis. Or you could be that cool TA that texts the students while in the lab. Another possibility is a position revamping the experiments, developing new ones, setting up equipment, etc.

I'm sure there's a way around it. Don't let this keep you from applying to graduate school.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses.

Vanadium 50 said:
I used to stutter, and years of speech therapy enabled me to overcome this. I know of one very senior professor who has a pronounced stutter; he's earned tenure at two places, and has 3 dozen papers with more than 100 cites. I would not count myself out just yet.

It's not that I don't think I could succeed at Physics because of my stutter, but I'm just concerned that if I have to TA a discussion I'd be unduly stressed about that on top of all the other stressful things that would be going on in graduate school. Kind off of topic, but what therapy? Was in one of those weeklong intensive programs?

Choppy said:
It's highly unlikely that one would be denied funding due to a disability.

As ModusPwned pointed out there is a good chance you could end up with a grading assignment. Further, since I don't know the severity of your stutter, it's worth keeping in mind you don't actually have to do a lot of talking to lead a lab. You could, for example, write out instructions and then help the students out on a one on one basis. Or you could be that cool TA that texts the students while in the lab. Another possibility is a position revamping the experiments, developing new ones, setting up equipment, etc.

I'm sure there's a way around it. Don't let this keep you from applying to graduate school.

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. When would I bring this up? Before I get accepted? Or after?

ModusPwnd said:
You might be able to be just a grader only for your TA. I had that assignment for a term or two, I only graded and did no teaching. I prefer to stand up in front of a class and most do, so a grading only assignment might be possible to get (since others won't want it).

I suggest just applying anyway, forget the stutter. Then when you get accepted hit up the disability office and request something like a grading only position.

Do most people really prefer to do the teaching part? I guess from my perspective it would be hard to imagine anyone wanting to do that. I just don't want to be a liability, I guess.
 

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