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Make sure graduate school/research is for you. Participate in summer programs or undergraduate research to figure out what you like. Graduate school is not for the weak. You need to love it, or you will end up hating it! |
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2
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Start putting your “package together ASAP! Graduate school look at: a) Grades; b) GRE test scores; c) Personal statement/research objectives; d) Research experience; e) awards, publications, presentations, and other accomplishments. If you are lacking in one area make sure your other areas are strong! |
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3
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Read the field you want to enter; you will know who and what is on the cutting edge. |
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4
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Take the GRE in the spring before you are planning to apply to grad school. Study at least for one quarter! It is just like the SAT. If you are familiar with the format of the exam and the types of questions they ask you can increase your test scores dramatically. Study guides and old exams work! |
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5
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Contact 5-6 professors you would like to work with. Contact them at least one month before the application is due. In graduate school you work under the direction of a faculty mentor. Pick someone whose work excites you. Give them a week or so to get back to you. If they are positive keep in touch with them throughout the application process. In your email let them know: a) who you are; b) what your accomplishments are (grades, research experience etc.); c) your research interests; and d) ask if they have room in their lab for you. |
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6
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When choosing a graduate school, remember location: if you don’t think you would feel comfortable living in the city where the school is located, what makes you think you can go to grad school there? Remember you need to take care of your social/emotional status because graduate life is a rather stressful time. |
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7
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Work on your personal statement/research interest for at least 4-6 weeks. Have others proofread your work. The better your statement the more likely you will get accepted to the school of your choice. Fellowships also rely heavily on personal statements and can make the difference between receiving a fellowship or having to teach to pay your way through graduate school. |
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8
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I’ve applied to grad school now what? You need to visit the school. Most schools have recruitment weekends so you can meet students and faculty. You need to make sure that your advisor is someone you are compatible with. He/she can be the greatest scientist on the planet but if you don’t feel comfortable talking with him/her you will have a hard time learning from them. Meet the students that will be your cohort. They will be your friends, teachers, counselors, etc. You can’t make it without them! |
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Money! - You need to make sure that you will have financial support for the entire graduate program. Support can be teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships. Fellowships are nice because you will have plenty of time to do your work. However, they are very competitive so you need to apply early (NSF & Ford fellowships are some of the best in the sciences). Regardless, get it in writing that you will have “X” years of TA support and “Y” years of fellowship support. The best is to bring in your own money from a big fellowship (i.e. NSF or Ford) |
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10
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Good luck! You are now a grad student. You will now become a coffee addict and suffer from insomnia worrying about all the work you need to do! |
