Thomas W. Kallen

1
How to Apply to Graduate School

• By
• Thomas W. Kallen
• Department of Chemistry
• SUNY College at Brockport

2
Questions to be Answered

• Graduate School in Chemistry or Biochemistry
• Should you go?
• Where should you go?
• What is the out-of-pocket cost?
• How does one apply?
• Once youve been accepted, then what?

3
The Answers

• Should you go?
• A graduate degree represents a large time
  commitment.
• MS 1.5 2.5 years (avg. 2 years)
• PhD 4 7 years (avg. 4.5 years)
• A graduate degree requires a personal commitment
  and strong personal qualities.
• You must love your science and be willing to do
  it to the exclusion of everything else.
• You must be an independent learner. Relatively
  little of what you are expected to know of theory
  or about laboratory skills is taught in your
  required grad classes!
• You must like libraries. It is expected that you
  will become current and remain current in the
  literature of your field.
• You must love laboratory, have good laboratory
  skills, and be familiar with instruments. A
  graduate degree is a research degree after all.
• You must be willing to write! Youre not done
  until your thesis is done!

4
The Answers

• Should you go?
• The rewards are great!
• Intellectual fulfillment in graduate school.
• Increased responsibility in the workplace.
• Salaries (Starting Salaries, Inexperienced
  Chemistry Grads, 2007)
• BS 36,700 (70,000 median, all chemists)
• MS 48,000 (87,100 median, all chemists)
• PhD 75,000 (110,000, median, all chemists)
• Source Chemical Engineering News, 86(22), June
  2, 2008
• However, money isnt everything!
• Graduate training isnt the best training for all
  careers.
• Advanced degrees may limit your employability.
• The PhD tends to channel you toward supervisory
  positions and away from the bench.

5
The Answers

• Should you go?
• If youre not sure, ask
• Your research mentor.
• Members of your faculty.
• Seminar speakers!!!
• What should you ask?
• Am I graduate school material?
• What courses should I be taking in preparation?
• How would I fit into your graduate program?

6
The Answers

• Where should you go?
• Do you want an MS or a PhD?
• Schools that offer only an MS will offer you a
  waiver of tuition and a teaching assistantship.
• Schools that offer a PhD will only offer tuition
  waivers and teaching assistantships to PhD
  candidates. Youll will pay your own way for an
  MS at these schools!
• What geographic location do you prefer?
• View this as an opportunity to try other regions.
• Remember, you will live there year-round!
  Graduate school is a full-time job!
• Consider travel expenses to visit relatives and
  friends. They could be prohibitive!

7
The Answers

• Where should you go?
• Do you have a chance of getting into a particular
  program? Think critically about
• Your undergraduate preparation, overall GPA, and
  GPA in your major.
• Your research experience.
• Your letters of recommendation.
• Does the graduate faculty of the institution have
  faculty members who are doing research in your
  area of interest?
• Again, these are research degrees and you will
  work under a current member of the graduate
  faculty!
• Will you have more than one choice?

8
The Answers

• Where should you go?
• How large is the program and is it likely that
  you will feel comfortable in it?
• You may be treated as expendable and/or feel
  lost in a very large program.
• Small programs may be more nurturing but may
  lack the resources and equipment you will require
  to do meaningful research! Be careful!
• Resources
• American Chemical Society
• http//www.acs.org/
• http//portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/educat
  ion/students/graduate/CNBP_022480
• ACS Directory of Graduate Research
• http//dgr.rints.com/

9
The Answers

• What is the out-of-pocket cost?
• If you have chosen correctly, out-of-pocket costs
  should be minimal.
• Entry-level students on PhD programs will be
  offered
• A half-time teaching assistantship (14,000 -
  25,000 per academic year to live on).
• A tuition waiver.
• Supplemental scholarships for first-round
  draft choices!
• A summer stipend (3,000 - 6,000 for the
  summer).
• Returning students who have chosen a research
  supervisor may be offered
• A research assistantship for the year by your
  research supervisor.
• Out-of pocket costs should amount to only books,
  fees, and unusual living and travel expenses.

10
The Answers

• How does one apply?
• The application form
• Many graduate schools allow on-line applications.
• You may fill-out a paper application instead.
• If you apply directly to the department, they may
  waive application fees.
• Send transcripts and ask for letters of
  recommendation early.
• The registrar gives first priority to graduating
  seniors, but .
• Your faculty consists of grown-up students. They
  procrastinate too!
• Take the general GREs this fall.
• General GRE scores are required by most schools.
• If the school to which you are applying requires
  the area GRE, take it as soon as possible, but
  not on the same date you take the generals.

11
The Answers

• How does one apply?
• Try to complete and send your applications by the
  end of November or early December.
• Offers of teaching assistantships and
  scholarships to first-round draft choices are
  made in January or early February.
• If you wait until the schools announced deadline
  to apply, you will only receive an offer when the
  school is turned-down by their first choices.
• Exploit opportunities to emphasize
• Undergraduate research experience.
• Undergraduate teaching experience.
• Arrange to visit the schools to which you have
  applied and have the most interest.

12
The Answers

• How does one apply?
• Stay on top of your applications progress.
• Check here to see that transcripts and letters of
  recommendation have indeed been sent.
• Check at the school to which you have applied to
  see whether your application is complete.
• Indicate an interest in the school and its
  faculty.
• If you know of a faculty member you might like to
  work with, communicate with her/him by e-mail.
  Ask questions about her/his research and projects
  she/he might have available.
• You might even inquire about the availability of
  summer support for research during the summer
  between graduation and grad school!

13
The Answers

• Once youve been accepted, then what?
• You will receive an offer of admission, an offer
  of an assistantship, and a deadline for your
  response.
• If you are still interested in that particular
  school, call the department to arrange for a
  visit.
• The department will usually pay for your travel
  and meals and arrange for you to room with a
  grad student during your stay.
• You may find yourself on a plane with other
  prospective students of that department. Compare
  notes on offers of admission!
• During the visit, talk to potential research
  supervisors and to members of their research
  groups.
• Ask the faculty member about her/his research and
  what problems you could select from. Ask about
  summer research support.
• Ask her/his students about her/him as a person
  and as a supervisor.

14
The Answers

• Once youve been accepted, then what?
• Accept the offer of admission by their deadline
  or, if you cannot respond by their deadline,
  contact them to indicate your continued interest
  and the date by which you will respond.
• In the latter case, dont be surprised if they
  sweeten the pot with an offer of an additional
  scholarship shortly after your call.
• Write to the other schools that have made offers,
  thanking them for their offer and expressing your
  regrets.
• Be polite---dont rub it in.
• Thank your recommenders. Let them know where you
  will be going!
• Departments keep records of grad school
  acceptances or the first employer of their
  graduates. Let the chairperson know too!

15
Conclusion

• Feel free to ask any member of your faculty for
  advice and/or assistance!
• Good Luck!