Life After Cabrini: Expectations for you Senior Year

1
Life After Cabrini Expectations for you Senior
Year

• Preparation for Entry-Level Positions, Graduate
  School and Medical School

2
What should you accomplish during your senior
year?

• Complete graduate school/medical school search
  and narrow down choices
• Polish your resume and learn to write effective
  cover letters/letters of application

3

• Begin networking in your chosen field
• Attend regional conferences/seminars
• Join a professional association as a student
  member
• Faculty members, friends of parents, parents of
  friends

4

• Complete graduate school/medical school
  applications
• Determine who will write your letters of
  recommendation
• Prepare for interviews
• Practice answering interview questions
• Write a sample thank-you letter that will be sent
  following EVERY interview

5
Job Search Where Do You Begin the Process of
Finding an Entry-Level Position that is Right for
You?

• Remember Finding a full-time job can be a
  full-time job so start now!
• Determine who potential employers are establish
  a list
• Attend job fairs/open houses
• Learn how to use the internet to obtain career
  information and job leads (e.g. monster.com)
• Visit the Careers Services Department at Cabrini
  College

6

• Assemble a list of potential employers begin
  with 20
• Career Services
• Trade and Professional Journal
• Newspapers
• Determine how many applications you will keep
  active
• Resume Polish!!!!!

7

• Write a generic cover letter
• What is your objective?
• What are your skills?
• How do you plan to reach your goals?
• Plan to tailor this letter for each employer Do
  your homework!!!

8

• Begin mailing your resume and cover letters
  send a certain number each week until you
  complete your initial list
• Follow up on letters be persistent
• When one employer dead ends, add another to your
  list
• If list gets too small, develop a second list of
  potential employers

9
Interview Questions

• Questions you should answer and questions you
  need not answer See Handout
• Most Frequently Asked Questions by Employers
  See Handout

10
Choosing a Graduate School

• Step 1 Narrow down the field you want to study
  What subfield in your discipline interests you
  most?
• Soul search
• Review your textbooks, research papers,
  internship experience
• What really excites you?

11

• Biotechnology
• Proteomics/Genomics
• Genetics
• Microbiology
• Ecology
• Environmental studies
• Systematic Biology
• Entomology
• Marine and Aquatic Biology
• Toxicology
• Zoology
• Physiology

12

• Immunology
• Molecular Biology
• Biophysics
• Pharmacology
• Nutrition
• Biochemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Environmental Chemistry
• Environmental Protection/Regulation

13

• Pathology
• Endocrinology
• Virology
• Technical writing
• Illustration/photography
• Bioinformatics
• Technical Sales
• Pharmaceutical auditing
• Lobbyist
• Teaching

14
How to Choose the Graduate School that is Right
for You

• Where do you want to study?
• Geographical preferences or restrictions
• Where are the graduate programs in your
  respective area of interest?
• Do these correspond with your geographical
  preferences?

15

• Do you wish to complete a Ph.D. or Masters
  Degree?
• Which stipends are available?
• Teaching Assistant (TA)
• Research Assistant (RA)
• Apply early to obtain these positions!
• What size program interests you?
• Is prestige important?

16

• Judging the quality of a graduate program
• Quality of teaching
• Degrees of faculty (Ph.D.?)
• Do the faculty publish scholarly or research
  articles? If so, where do they publish?

17

• Which funding is used to support research by
  faculty?
• What do the graduate students say about the
  program?
• Where do the students go after they complete the
  program? (Jobs, post-docs)

18

• How to apply Apply to several programs
• Request information online
• Send in postcards obtained from posters in
  Founders Hall
• Take the GRE and Special area test if required
• Complete the applications MEET THE DEADLINES
• Letters of recommendation
• Interviews

19
Summary

• Graduate School Questions See Handout

20
Applying to Medical School

• Is Medical School right for you?
• Qualifications Prerequisites and GPA
• Time commitment
• Application process
• Work experience requirements
• MCATs What do the scores mean? How important
  are they?
• Letters of recommendation
• Interview
• Guest speaker Dr. Kimberly Boyd