Applying to Graduate School

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Applying to Graduate School

• Pertinent Questions

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Why am I considering going to graduate school?

• Expectations of family, faculty, etc.
• Dont know what else to do.
• Not sure what I want to do.
• Be occupied before reapplying to professional
  school.
• These are NOT GOOD REASONS!

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What do I want to be?

• Imagine yourself 10 years from now.
• Will that career require a graduate degree?
• If so, a Masters or Ph.D?

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What if I dont know which career is for me?

• Career services
• 150 Careers in the Health Care Field
• Occupational Outlook Handbook HF5381. U62
  1998-1999 other Career Guides (HF5381 in
  Library)
• Other Websites listed on last slide
• Imagine!
• The 888 Hour Day for Pay Strategy

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How can I be sure if a career is right for me?

• You cant ever be certain, but you can be well
  informed.
• Go with your gut feeling.

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What is the purpose of Graduate School?

• Prepare you for your chosen career
• Master techniques, develop independence
• Develop research skills
• Build credentials
• Graduate School is NOT a purgatory for
  pre-professional schools!
• Graduate School admissions requirements are NOT
  trivial.

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Masters or Ph.D.Which is for me?

• Depends on career plans and job market
• What is the difference?
• Masters
• 2-3 years, pay your own way
• more coursework, less research
• Ph.D.
• 4-6 years, includes financial support (stipend)
• 1-2 years coursework, 2 years fulltime research

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How do I decide where to apply?

• Ask your professors for recommendations
• Look at Websites
• Check Petersons Graduate Programs in the
  Biological Sciences (copy in Dept. Office)
• Search for faculty who are doing interesting
  research
• Keyword searching
• Get abstracts or papers

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What are the admissions requirements?

• GPA varies by program
• Research experience highly desirable
• Letter from research supervisor
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
• General Test Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical
• Computer-based General 1st 3 wks each month
  (99)
• Subject Test 1 of 14 areas (Biology is one)
• Paper based Subject test (130) Nov, Dec,
  April
• Apply online (www.gre.com)

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How can I find out about a particular graduate
program?

• Petersons Guide will provide
• Description of the program
• List of facilities
• Financial aid.....Stipends!!!
• Out of State Policy
• Cost of study
• Housing
• Applying (Requirements, deadlines)
• List of faculty their research interests
• Contact person

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How do I contact a program?

• Write, e-mail, or call Graduate Director of the
  program listed in Petersons Guide
• Check Website
• Ask for information on their program

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What should I look for in a graduate program?

• 4 Expectations for teaching/work study
• 3 Time to complete degree
• 2 Reputation
• 1 Several faculty who are doing interesting
  .......research

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How can I increase my chances of being accepted?

• Get abstracts and papers from faculty doing
  interesting research
• Read those abstracts and papers
• Call or write the Graduate Director for
  application, mentioning the names of their
  faculty
• Call or write the faculty person(s) and inform
  them of your interest. (This is flattering.)
• Ask to come for a visit

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What happens on a visit to a graduate school?

• Meet with
• Graduate Advisor
• Members of Admissions Committee
• Prospective Thesis Advisors
• Current graduate students
• Tour the
• department
• facilities
• environs

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What will they ask me during my visit?

• What research experience do you have?
• What topics interest you?
• How much do you already know?
• Why are you interested in their program?
• What are your career goals?

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What should I look for on my visit?

• Modern facilities
• Enthusiasm of faculty and students
• How long to complete the degree
• Teaching/Work study opportunities/requirements
• Attitude of graduate students
• How hard people are working
• Attitude of faculty toward students

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What should I ask?

• Degree requirements
• Examinations
• Timetables
• Course requirements
• Teaching/ work study expectations
• Basis of admissions decisions
• Questions about the projects you see

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What are they looking for in me?

• Interest Enthusiasm
• Evidence of preparation
• Reaction to criticism
• Work ethic
• Determination Dedication
• Awareness of what youre getting into

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How should I follow-up my visit?

• Letter of thanks to
• Admissions Director
• others
• Grad students who you visited or hosted you
• Prospective advisors

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What happens to my application?

• Examined by Admissions Committee
• You are discussed and voted on
• Your prospective advisor(s) can put in a good word

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What is life like as a first yearPh. D. graduate
student?

• 1st year coursework, many seminars
• Rotate through several labs of your choosing
• By end of first year, select thesis advisor
• Forget carefree summers
• Comprehensive exams on course work
• Select thesis project in consultation with advisor

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What is life like as a 2nd year graduate student?

• Begin fulltime research on your project
• Become a specialist on the literature
• Master techniques
• Report your progress
• Select thesis committee of 3-5 scientists
• Specialty exam (oral and/or written)

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How long does it take to complete the degree?

• Depends on
• how hard you work
• how difficult a project you attempt
• how much support you get from
• advisor
• technicians
• how much is expected by your
• advisor
• Thesis/dissertation committee

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What is the most important decision Ill make?

• Choosing an advisor
• Your advisor will
• give you advice
• establish how much must be accomplished to earn a
  degree
• determine how fast you move along by how much
  assistance they give you
• be a part of your scientific pedigree
• influence what happens once you finish

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What do I consider when choosing an advisor?

• How much s/he expects of students
• time in the lab
• contribution to the work of the lab
• teaching
• Track record for grants
• Fate of previous graduate students
• Interpersonal skills
• helpfulness (sink or swim vs. mentor)
• patience
• individual attention
• Other Commitments (teaching, people in lab, etc.)

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What is the cost of graduate school?

• Doesnt matter for Ph.D! Tuition and fees are
  often waived, even for out of state students.
• Most Ph.D. programs support you for the first
  year with a stipend of 15-20K
• After 1st year, most programs expect your stipend
  to be paid from your advisors grant.
• Since your advisor is spending money on you, they
  have a right to expect you to be productive!

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If theyre paying me to get a degree, what do
they expect in return?

• Productive research
• Publications
• Commitment to science
• Some funding may restrict choices (ROTC Style)
• Intent to continue in industry or research or
  academics
• Enhance their reputation

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What should I be doing and when? (for Seniors)

• October
• Consider career plans
• Prepare a list of programs to investigate
• Schedule GRE
• November
• Request information applications
• Check out faculty research
• December
• Schedule a visit

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The Time Line for Seniors (continued)

• Jan-Feb
• Applications deadline
• Follow-up correspondences
• Invitations for interviews
• Mar-May
• Admissions decisions are made
• Notification of your acceptance/rejection

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What should I be doing now?(Im a NOT a Senior.)

• Investigate summer research opportunities!
• Arrange to get research experience!!!
• Look at admissions requirements.
• Prepare for GRE
• Be a serious student

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Useful Websites

• http//www.furman.edu/snyder/careers/careers.html
  (specifically for Bio majors)
• http//stats.bls.gov80/ocohome.htm (Occupational
  Outlook Handbook)
• GRE http//www.gre.org
• Petersons Guides http//petersons.com
• http//gradschools.com