Applying to Graduate School in the Life Sciences

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Applying to Graduate School in the Life Sciences
University of Notre Dame
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Why Enter a Doctoral Program?

• Because you want to do research
• The primary goal of doctoral programs is to train
  researchers
• You want to pursue scholarly subjects in great
  depth
• You want to make fundamental contributions to a
  field
• Because you want to teach at the college level
• A Ph.D. is required to be a professor at most
  universities

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Poor Reasons to Enter a Doctoral Program

• You enjoy taking courses
• You are not in a hurry to get a real job
• You didnt get in to med/vet/etc school
• You are trying to improve your salary

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The Graduate School LifestyleIs it for you?

• Flexibility is everywhere
• Classes, projects, hours, vacations, location
• Supportive community of peers and mentors
• Travel opportunities
• Self-motivation is thus paramount
• A 60-80 hour work week is typical
• Without external deadlines, some flounder

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Start Looking for Schools

• No later than the summer before you apply
• Time consuming process
• Courses or credits might be required
• GRE exams require planning
• Still time to cultivate recommenders!

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Choosing Schools for Application

• Narrow your interests
• Begin with advice from current profs
• Is there a professor doing work that interests
  you? More than one?
• Prestige
• Size
• Based on geography (if necessary)
• Apply to about 10 schools

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Make contact with faculty before you apply
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The Easy Parts of the Application

• Spend the time to get it perfect
• No misspelling, inaccuracies, missing info
• Tailor to each school
• The Graduate Record Exam
• Study for this exam!
• Take the summer before you apply
• The general test is universally required but the
  subject tests are not always required

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The Statement of Purpose or Personal Essay

• This is your main chance to sell yourself!
• Should be concise, helpful and specific
• Cute essays in style of UG apps are reviled
• Use names of each university its faculty
• Customize the research angle to program
• Keep it short their limit or 2 pages
• What (have you done), Why (are you interested),
  Why (this school)?
• Get feedback from UG professors

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Topics for the Essay

• Take their recommendations first!
• If program request is general
• Your eventual career goal (AFTER the PhD!)
• Field(s) of research that interest you and why
• Your prior research experience (key)
• A particular research question possibly
• Discrepancies in your record (eg bad grades)

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Letters of Recommendation

• Cultivate relationships and choose well
• Should be professors (not TAs or staff)
• Should know your course work and/or research
  experience well (no character references)
• Supply writers with resume, statement,
  transcript, and information on your career goals
• Organize materials carefully for ease of
  recommenders

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The Kiss of Death in the Graduate Application
Process

• Not doing your homework
• Applying to a program they dont have
• Proposing to work with deceased faculty members
• Damaging personal statements
• Altruistic personal statements
• Excessive self disclosure
• Nonspecific research goals
• Professional inappropriateness

Survey from IUPUI and Idaho State University
faculty of 88 programs
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The Kiss of Death in the Graduate Application
Process

• Academic problems
• Erratic grades blaming others for poor
  performance
• Faulty letters of recommendation
• Inappropriate authors disclosure of undesirable
  personality characteristics
• Lack of writing skills
• Failure to proof poor grammar or composition
• Misfired attempts to impress
• Name dropping

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Summary

• Think deeply about your career life goals
• Start program research applications early
• Make contact with faculty before application
• Study for the GRE exam
• Produce a perfectly prepared application
• Get input on your statement of purpose
• Customize your applications
• Cultivate recommenders and give them the right
  tools

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Departmental Statistics

• Currently 134 graduate students
• Currently 45 faculty members
• Student Faculty ratio of 3 1
• Over 40 post doctoral fellows
• Close to 100 funding rate for Biology faculty
  (extramural grants)
• Biology ranks 1 at UND in amount of extramural
  funding (20M per year)

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Advantages of Our Program

• Excellent support package
• Flexibility in coursework and research
• Well funded and active laboratories
• Excellent facilities
• Many interdisciplinary opportunities
• Collegial and interactive faculty students
• Low studentfaculty ratio interaction

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How are Biology Students Supported?

• Teaching Assistantships
• Typically teach 1 lab per week
• About 10-12 hr per week for all teaching duties
• Research Assistantships
• Research in your advisors laboratory
• Often linked to your own graduate research
• Fellowships and Traineeships
• University Fellowships
• Training Grants (IGERT, CBBIP, etc.)
• National Fellowships (NSF, USEPA, DOD, AHA, etc.)

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Level of Stipend Support

• 25,000 for 12 months in 2010-11
• 18,750 for academic year (9 months)
• 6,250 for summer support (from grants typically)
• Same for TAs or RAs, Ph.D. or M.S.
• Some fellows have enhanced stipends (e.g.,
  IGERT)
• Full tuition waiver provided
• 38,270 per year
• Five years of support toward Ph.D.
• Three years towards M.S.
• Assumes adequate progress toward degree

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Our Admission Criteria

• Research Experience
• Undergraduate research summer internships
• Emphasize in your application letters
• Masters degrees
• Fit with the Lab and Program
• Make contact with faculty before you apply
• Do your homework on research programs
• Make the case in your personal statement

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More Admissions Criteria

• Letters of Reference
• Our favorite phrases
• intellectual curiosity great work ethic team
  player
• excellent writer problem-solver self
  motivated
• Undergrad Institution and GPA
• GRE scores
• General test required
• Subject tests optional but desirable

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Graduate Recruitment Weekend

• 40-60 applicants visit at our expense
• 2 ½ days of activities (meals, tours, boring
  talks)
• Faculty Interview Questions
• What are your long-term goals?
• What areas of research interest you?
• What was your favorite undergrad class?
• What are your hobbies?
• Do your homework on the program faculty!

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Predoctoral Fellowship Opportunities Extramural
- NSF (GRFP) - Private Foundations (American
Heart Association, etc). Intramural - internal
endowment funds - training grants - university
programs
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University of Notre Dame