/sci/ - Science & Math

>>9237398
I don't doubt that CS grad school is hard, my best friend is in theoretical CS.

It's not the first time I face challenging material, but at least it felt like I had a chance before, as opposed to having 2 weeks to figure out enough distribution theory and Sobolev spaces to make sense of my lecture notes and survive a PDE exam.

My issue is I have extreme grade variance from one class to the next, I either am a top student or I'm helpless and completely fail. This contrasts my CS classes where I consistently had the best grade with much less effort, making me question whether I picked the right major. The head of my CS department at the time spontaneously offered to fund and supervise my PhD if I stayed so it can't be me imagining things entirely (big ego boost though).

Sorry for blogging, lately I alternate between excitement and despair. Good luck with your PhD, hope you're having a better time than me !

>>8248457
Assuming both tests use a gaussian curve. "Standard" IQ tests are at 15 point standard deviation, which looking at my printed gaussian curve integral table means you'd have to be at 131 for top 2% (I think Mensa has the cutoff at 130 ie. 2 SD). Which means:
>Cattell B 141 4% = 126
>Culture Fair 124 7% = 122

Therefore, averaging the two your standardized bragging rights IQ is 124 (top 5.3%)

What I've done is a little chaotic so I'll have to break this down.

>1. Post your major and why you originally chose it.

>Mechanical engineering
Didn't really know what I wanted to do. I liked CS but it's easier to get into ME and I was good at physics in HS so why not.
Did 2 years, then psychotic depression happened, realized I wasn't really interested in mechanics.

>Math/CS
Because I didn't hate math, CS had too many shit courses, and you need math anyway to get into computer security. Next three years, just stagnated because crippling depression and anxiety.

>Math
Transferred back last year to my rare flag country university no one has ever heard of to be closer to my family for support.

>2. What do you like and dislike about it?

>ME
Drawing, design, materials, machine tools, industrial process, electronics and control theory were fun, but I hated physics and mechanics which is kinda bad when your major has mechanics in the name.

>Math/CS
Did basically nothing. I didn't even like math, it was just a thing I had to do and retaking the same classes over and over slowly made me hate it.

>Math
Accidentally fell in love with probability theory and functional analysis. I don't think I'll ever like linear algebra though.

>3. Are you happy in regards to your choice?

>ME
I would have probably graduated if not for depression, it wasn't that bad of a plan.

>Math/CS
Same

>Math
Very happy, best decision I made.

>4. If you could go back and choose something else, would you and if so, what would that be and why?

I don't like thinking about the past too much. I think these years weren't entirely wasted, I'm grateful for the experiences and I'm a more mature person now.

cont.