Some thoughts on REUs and Grad School
opportunities
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What and Why?
Types of opportunities open to you
What to look for and where to look
What and where to look
How to get in
Recent experiences (my own and others)
What is an REU?
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Research Experiences for Undergrads (REU)
Boffo Acronym Initiation Training (BAIT)
Funded by National Science Foundation (NSF)
Only available to citizens/nationals of USA
Cutting edge summer research at universities and
institutes– often ~ 10 students per program
Many, many fields of research available
Housing and modest stipend provided
Acceptance can be competitive
Why apply for an REU?
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It can be a lot of fun to do research in something you find
interesting
Your research could amount to something important and
lead to publication(s)
There are many cool parts of the country to explore
Research experience can really help inform career
decisions (is research for me?)
You’ll get to meet a lot of great people (students and
faculty) with similar interests
It looks fantastic for graduate school applications and job
applications
What kinds of REU’s are there?
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Dozens of fields, 100’s of individual programs and
universities, every state
See NSF site:
http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm
Lots and lots of areas in pure physics, but don’t constrain
yourself!
Physics and TCNJ qualifies you to do more than you
might imagine
Go for what you find interesting in a place you would like
to be for the summer
How to get into an REU program
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These programs are competitive and prestigious
You will need to offer a convincing argument for why you
are interested and offer proof that you are capable of
contributing to the research—you can do it, you just
need to “sell” your skills.
Good grades and good references are important
Applying from a fairly small school with a good reputation
like TCNJ helps a lot
Many programs explicitly try to involve women
Most applications are due between Jan. and Mar. for the
following summer
My REU experience – Geophysical
Institute, U. of Alaska, Summer 1997
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website:
http://giseis.alaska.edu/Seis/Input/interns/97/index.html
Did climate research in central AK resulting in publication
that definitely helped my grad. school applications
http://www.warwickhughes.com/climate/fairbanks.htm
Had a great time backpacking and exploring AK
Decided I wanted to go to grad. School in atmospheric
physics
Returned for a 2nd summer after Sr. year
Met great friends my first year and my wife the 2nd
What is Graduate School ? Why go?
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17 years of school just isn’t enough
Pennilessness builds character
You can study what you want, in a place you want, with
people that you like, make your own hours and schedule, and
get paid for it.
Masters, Ph.D., and professional degrees really are needed
for most decent jobs in science and technology fields.
The importance of graduate education is rapidly growing:
many public and private-sector firms now want graduate
degrees where they did not 10 years ago.
Many undergraduate students are uncertain about the nature
of the graduate school experience
Mythbusting graduate school:
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You shouldn’t have to pay for most grad school programs in
the sciences – most likely you’ll receive a stipend of ~ 25 k
and some modest benefits
The stipend may be offered in exchange for teaching (TA),
research (RA), or as a pure scholarship (fellow)
Much like REUs, you are not at all constrained to programs in
pure physics
All science and engineering programs love to see physics
degrees in the applicant pool
So do law schools and medical schools
Most graduate school is primarily research-based, not coursebased
Research skill is much different than coursework skill
Some excellent undergrads really struggle in grad school and
some average undergrad students excel.
Mythbusting graduate school, part II
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Your time will be consumed by your department – choose by
departmental more than university reputation.
Your advisor will dictate your life – choose very carefully!
In many cases, you don’t have to choose your advisor during
your first year—it can be great to observe the faculty while
taking your core courses
The courses won’t necessarily be harder than the ones you
take here.
Graduate school is much more like a real job than it is like a
continuation of your undergraduate education
Graduate school is a major life decision, so it is important to
be pretty sure that you have a lot of interest and dedication to
the field of study you pursue
You don’t have to decide to go to graduate school
immediately
Getting into graduate school:
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Grades and appropriate course background
Research and professional experience
Contact with potential advisors
Visit prior to application if possible—let them see you
Reference letters—don’t wait too late
GRE’s (general and subject-specific)
Application questions and essays
Interviews
Some fields and programs are much more competitive for
admission than others
Many “guides” suck
Resource Links: Take with a tsp of salt
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Advice on admissions, selections, and graduate life:
http://cosmicvariance.com/2005/12/20/unsolicited-advice-1-how-to-get-into-graduateschool/
http://graduate-school.phds.org/
http://www.cs.unc.edu/~azuma/hitch4.html
http://www.physlink.com/Education/GradAdvisor.cfm
Graduate program rankings:
http://www.petersons.com
http://www.gradschools.com/
http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/
http://www.gradschooltips.com/
http://gradschools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/rankindex_brief.
php
GRE information:
www.ets.org/gre/
http://www.physicsgre.com/
My own (fairly typical) graduate experience
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I applied to 5 programs in atmospheric physics from a
comparable undergraduate physics program
I was not asked for a subject area GRE
Several schools paid for me to visit by plane
Penn State University Meteorology dept. was my choice
More prestigious schools have meteorology departments, but
PSU has the largest and best atmospheric science program in
US
I received a fellowship for my 1st year, and RA’s for most of my
remaining time. I chose to do a TA during several semesters
My average stipend was about ~22 k
I was very dissatisfied with the health insurance
My own (fairly typical) graduate
experience, part doux
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PSU grad. Students tried to unionize while I was there
(unsuccessfully) to assure standard rules and improved
insurance
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do a M.S. or Ph.D. program
During my first year, I talked with many faculty before deciding
on advisor
I decided to continue in a Ph.D. program after taking
“candidacy” exams
Exam requirements vary widely by program, but most have
several levels (i.e. candidacy, comprehensive, defense)
I finished all required coursework in 2.5 years
My Ph.D. research took most of 5 years, but finally yielded
groundbreaking results
While in grad. School, I lived in 4 apartments, bought 2 cars,
played on many intramural teams, got very sick, got married…
Take home message:
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Be your own person – do what interests you (…duh)
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The “Don’t marry your first girlfriend” rule: be proactive
and test the waters during the summer – do an industry
internship, an REU, or both
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Start looking at opportunities now
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Talk to your advisor and teachers about your interests
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Be confident in your experience here