New Ph.D. students: We need to talk about finances! How much do you need to save, bills you will likely have to pay, unexpected expenses, summer pay, etc. Use this thread to figure out how you can effectively utilize your stipend: @OpenAcademics @PhDVoice @AcademicChatter 1/n First, figure out what your take-home money is. Often, the university will deduct tax (both federal and state) and then hand you the leftover. For example, a 32k stipend doesn't mean 2.6k per month. Ask your peers or just wait for the first paycheck to look at the value.

Congrats to all those with PhD offers! First-year of PhD is often difficult and you will need to navigate: new lab(s), classes, teaching responsibilities & perhaps adjusting to a new location. Here are some tips to manage your first year: @PhDVoice @OpenAcademics @academicvoices 1/n You will need to manage your time well. Have a structure and stick to it. Some advisers want students to fully focus on classes so that their fundaments are strong. Others want students to hit the ground running and start producing results. Some want both!

New Ph.D. students: Your relationship with your adviser is often critical for your Ph.D. It's a two-way street but here are some things to think about from your perspective and ways to maintain a positive relationship: @PhDVoice @OpenAcademics @AcademicChatter 1/n Different advisers have different styles of mentoring. Talk to group members before (if you can) or immediately after joining. Some advisers are micro-managers, some are hands-off, some are a fix. Then either adapt to that style or consider talking to them/look for a new one

PhD Students: Ask your advisers to sit down with you at least once a year to do an annual review where you discuss progress, hurdles faced, plans for next year, and career goals. My adviser did this even before the university required it and the review was very helpful! @PhDVoice 1/n Your adviser has likely advised many students and will be in a better position to look at things from a larger perspective! Focus that one hour to review how you have been doing. It's a great time to discuss if you are making sufficient progress towards your PhD.

How does funding work for international students in the US? Before you apply, you should consider living costs, tuition, insurance, and if you qualify for any fellowships or funding assistance. Here are few things to think about: @PhDVoice @AcademicDilemma @AcademicChatter 1/n International students usually pay much higher than other students (those from the US). Private universities charge more than public universities. Check how much it would cost for your entire education if you were to be accepted into the program.

Prospective grad students/undergraduate researchers: There is an etiquette when emailing professors or mentors (asking for opportunities, letters, favors, etc). Here are a few things to remember when you email someone: @PhDVoice @AcademicChatter @PhDfriendSana 1/n Keep it short. The longer your email, the less likely the professor will read it. They are very busy (teaching, research, and a host of other tasks they need to get done). They appreciate it if you can keep it brief and polite.

Potential PhD students: Don't waste space in your SOP (Statement of Purpose) restating what you have in your CV. Talk about 1) Potential ideas you want to work on during your Ph.D. 2) How your background and the school you are applying to can help 3) Mention potential advisers! @AcademicChatter @PhDVoice @academicvoices

To all the new Ph.D. students out there, co-authorship is a sensitive issue in Academia. Try your best to have a clear understanding of your role in a project. Here are some tips to navigate potential mishaps & avoid hurt/pain down the line. #academicchatter @PhDVoice 1/n Try to figure out if you are “helping like a good lab mate, learning as a young trainee/newbie” or “working as a partner/collaborator” on the project. Usually, the latter gets you a co-authorship, but it can depend a lot on individual circumstances.

To all the new PhD students out there, naming your files (research data or manuscripts) is an important skill set that you should develop quickly! Don’t name your files as “final”, instead do version control (ver_1, ver_2 etc.). (1/2) #phdchat #AcademicChatter Also make sure to add things like date, sample name, project title etc. You can also ask your senior lab mates or PI what best practices they use to name the files. Finally, never delete your data and back it up in multiple places so that your hard work is not wasted :)