- #1
LostStudent1
My undergraduate degrees are in math and physics, but I decided to apply for graduate school in engineering (specifically environmental engineering). I was lucky enough to be accepted to almost all of the programs I applied to, but I only received one research position offer (that would pay for my tuition and provide a stipend). I decided to attend the school where I was guaranteed a research position even though it wasn’t my top choice. Over the summer I was able to start on my research. I have no previous research experience, and the type of research I am doing is life-cycle assessment (so it’s all sitting in an office at a desk). I had a tough time over the summer because it was hard for me to meet people, and I wasn’t enjoying the work I was doing (and I was working 30-40 hours a week).
Classes have just started, and I have met some more people, but I am still not super interested in what I am studying or researching. Since starting my research over the summer I keep thinking that I should have chosen to study math instead of engineering. I have always like math, but I guess I didn’t really think I could do anything with it. I have realized that I really don’t know much about the field of environmental engineering (or engineering) like what I could even really do with my degree. I am also not sure what type of work I want to do. On top of that, I feel like I made a decision without really thinking because I found out my degree is not actually in environmental engineering, but in civil engineering, and it’s not accredited, so I would have to take the FE and apply for accreditation (which I am not so fond of).
I keep feeling like I made the wrong choice (on area of study, in degree program, and maybe even in university). I don’t want to bail on my advisor though because I think she likes the work that I am doing. She applied for a fellowship on my behalf (which I won for my first year of grad school), she wants me to apply for the NSF GRFP, and other fellowships, and has brought up continuing on for a PhD several times already. I thought graduate school was the right choice because I felt like I could achieve more academically, and also work more on figuring out my career path.
Do you have any advice for me?
Classes have just started, and I have met some more people, but I am still not super interested in what I am studying or researching. Since starting my research over the summer I keep thinking that I should have chosen to study math instead of engineering. I have always like math, but I guess I didn’t really think I could do anything with it. I have realized that I really don’t know much about the field of environmental engineering (or engineering) like what I could even really do with my degree. I am also not sure what type of work I want to do. On top of that, I feel like I made a decision without really thinking because I found out my degree is not actually in environmental engineering, but in civil engineering, and it’s not accredited, so I would have to take the FE and apply for accreditation (which I am not so fond of).
I keep feeling like I made the wrong choice (on area of study, in degree program, and maybe even in university). I don’t want to bail on my advisor though because I think she likes the work that I am doing. She applied for a fellowship on my behalf (which I won for my first year of grad school), she wants me to apply for the NSF GRFP, and other fellowships, and has brought up continuing on for a PhD several times already. I thought graduate school was the right choice because I felt like I could achieve more academically, and also work more on figuring out my career path.
Do you have any advice for me?