Applying to Graduate School

1
Applying to Graduate School

• Or, is there life after college?

2
The steps

• Choosing a graduate program
• The admissions process
• Money financial support

3
Getting started

• What field are you interested in? Do you want a
  graduate (Ph.D.) or professional degree (M.D.)?
• Talk to as many people as possible.
• Career/employment opportunities? See
  www.aps.org/jobs/index.html, http//physicsweb.org
  /
• If you are interested in a Ph.D. in physics,
  you'll need to think about a subfield (e.g.,
  condensed matter physics, particle physics), and
  theoretical vs. experimental.

4
Researching programs

• Surf the web. See http//www.gradschoolshopper.com
  /
• Use Peterson's Guide, the AIP Guide to Graduate
  Programs in Physics and Astronomy.
• Rankings
• National Research Council http//www.nas.edu/nrc/
• U.S. News and World Reports also provides
  rankings (see http//www.usnews.com/usnews/ Look
  for strength in programs that interest you. If
  you are undecided, go for a large department.

5
Questions to ask

• Some items to ask about
• External funding of research? Support for
  students?
• Are faculty widely recognized-are papers widely
  cited, are they invited to make presentations on
  their work)?
• What are the facilities like?
• Are the current graduate students happy and
  productive?
• What do graduates do?

6
The process

• Send in the application well ahead of any
  deadlines (good manners). The deadlines are
  usually in Jan. or Feb.
• Notification will probably occur during Feb. or
  March
• If you are offered the chance to visit, do so!
• Deadline for reply is April 15. You might be
  placed on a waiting list.

7
The Graduate Record Exam

• Most graduate programs require the general GRE,
  and possibly a subject test.
• Can now take computer-based exams. Faster, more
  convenient. See www.gre.org for details, and
  sites.
• Study!
• Take it twice if you aren't happy with your
  score.

8
Transcripts

• Transcripts from all colleges attended are
  required.
• Hopefully you have mostly A's and B's in your
  major courses.
• A couple of C's are okay. A D or E(F) requires
  explanation.
• If your college has an unconventional grading
  system or curriculum, attach a letter explaining
  it. Better yet, have a college administrator
  attach a letter explaining it.

9
Personal statement

• A statement of purpose is usually required.
• Keep it short-about one page.
• Make it germane, don't get weird.
• Why you want to attend graduate school
• What you hope to accomplish
• How you plan to accomplish it
• Emphasize any research experience (REU).
• Briefly explain any embarrassing grades.
• Type it, check for mistakes.

10
Letters of recommendation

• Usually two or three letters of recommendation
  are required.
• Some letters need to come from your instructors,
  but others can come from employers, research
  advisors, and so on.
• Think about whether the letter will be relevant.
• Talk to the person about the nature of the
  letter. Supply him/her with an up-to-date resume,
  and your statement of purpose. Personal
  information is important.

11
Financial support

• Most science Ph.D. programs will offer financial
  support, as a teaching or research assistant.
• Check on the amount of support. What is the cost
  of living?
• Is insurance provided? Does it include the
  summer? Does it cover tuition?
• For how many years is support provided? What are
  the requirements?
• You should investigate fellowship opportunities.

12
Fellowships

• National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships.
  30,000 per year stipend. Deadline in November.
  www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DGE/grf.htm.
• National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC)
  Graduate Fellowships in the Physical Sciences
  see http//www.npsc.org/ Deadline November 5.
• Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Graduate
  Fellowships see www.hertzfndn.org/index.html.
  25,000 per year stipend plus tuition paid!
  Requires a GPAgt3.75/4.00. Deadline in November.
• U.S. Department of Education Graduate Assistance
  in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowships.
  http//www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsgaann/index.html

13
Other opportunities

• American Association of University Women
  Fellowship Program
• DOE High-Performance Computer Science Fellowship
  Program
• Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships for
  Minorities
• Lucent Technologies Foundation Bell Laboratories
  Cooperative Research Fellowship Program
• Lucent Technologies Graduate Research Program for
  Women
• National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate
  Fellowships (NDSEG)
• National Institutes of Health Predoctoral
  Extramural Research Training Award
• Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New
  Americans
• SRC Graduate Fellowship Program
• U.S. Department of Energy Computational Science
  Graduate Fellowships
• Whitaker Foundation Graduate Fellowships in
  Biomedical Engineering