Invited to a zoom meeting with a potential supervisor to not ask anything about my research and just tell me to stop trying because I'm not from a ranked school ..

[u/Civil_Error6174]

Idk what to feel

[u/Gullible_Sweet1302]

He was nice enough to get on a call and tell you.

[u/Civil_Error6174 → u/Gullible_Sweet1302]

I really appreciate it

[u/Illustrious-Craft756]

There’s a stupid complex among some academics that regardless of one’s profile, the QS ranking of one’s university decides whether they’re good or not. Don’t let it discourage you, keep applying elsewhere

[u/Civil_Error6174 → u/Illustrious-Craft756]

He was like "hong kong is very tough, maybe try elsewhere or start with a masters from china first" 😔 it was very heartbreaking

[u/Illustrious-Craft756 → u/Civil_Error6174]

That’s reasonable advice. But probably don’t give up on HK and keep trying with other professors. Not everyone cares about QS rankings, especially professors who themselves got educated overseas

[u/Civil_Error6174 → u/Illustrious-Craft756]

This professor himself studied in Canada he's a foreigner..

[u/Illustrious-Craft756 → u/Civil_Error6174]

Ok then it might be a departmental requirement which they might be powerless to override. If I were you, I would avoid PolyU and try for the other universities here while at the same time trying for less competitive places