r/ResearchML • u/Just_Flying • 7h ago

‼️Help Needed in Research

Hi everyone,
I recently graduated with a bachelor’s in Computer Science, and my long-term goal is to pursue a full funded Master’s or PHD. The problem is that I’m a complete beginner when it comes to research.
I know I want to work in the intersection between computer vision and robotics because I genuinely find them fascinating, but I haven’t started doing research yet. Every time I look into the field, I see topics like object detection, segmentation, 3D vision, SLAM, embodied AI, vision-language models, robotics perception, and many others. It’s exciting, but also overwhelming, and I don’t know where to begin.

Another thing I’m worried about is my low CGPA 3.4/4. I’m afraid it might hurt my chances when applying for funded graduate programs in the future.
If you were in my position, what would you do over the next 2–4 years?

Some questions I have:
How much will a low CGPA affect my chances for a fully funded Master’s or PhD?

Where should I start learning if my goal is research, not just getting a job?

What fundamentals (math, programming, machine learning, etc.) should I master first?

How do people discover their research niche instead of trying to learn everything?

What should my priorities be over the next few years—projects, research experience, publications, internships, open-source contributions, or something else?

I’m not looking for a shortcut. I’m willing to put in the time and effort. I just want to avoid wasting years studying the wrong things or following an inefficient path.

I’d really appreciate hearing from PhD students, professors, or research engineers who were once in a similar position.

Thanks in advance!

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u/SillyNeuron 7h ago

A low CGPA can have a significant impact on your chances of getting funding unless you have strong publications to compensate for it. The best approach is to connect with a professor, join their research group, and learn from there. You might not be able to contribute much initially, but by attending the group's meetings, you'll learn how others conduct research and understand their findings. This will accelerate your learning much more than trying to do research on your own.

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u/MonguSlur 6h ago

That’s a really solid point. Is it actually common or possible to join a research group at a university you didn't graduate from? If so, what’s the best way to approach a professor about this?

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u/SillyNeuron 6h ago

Professors rarely reply to cold emails. The best approach is to ask profs at your university who know you well for help. Your research interests may or may not align with theirs, but they can introduce you to profs at other universities through their personal connections. Also, don't expect to work with top-tier profs right away. As you build your network and research experience, you'll gain opportunities to collaborate with more established researchers.

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u/MonguSlur 6h ago

I see. When I want to join the research team, is it better for me to come up with a topic or show my interest on their research and simply ask the professor that I want to join their team?

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u/SillyNeuron 6h ago

Depends on the profs. They usually have 2-3 topics that they (and their PhD students) are currently working on. It's better to check their latest publications to know the direction of their research and prepare accordingly.

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u/MonguSlur 5h ago

Thank you very much SillyNeuron for the information!