GrEBES presents…
Graduate School Panel
Fall 2009
Paul Cziko
and
Graduate Students in the
Center for Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology
The Agenda
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What is graduate school in biology?
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How do I pick a graduate school?
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What do I need to do?
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How do I make them pick me?
What is grad school?
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Why go to grad school?
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Become and expert in some field/specialty
Ask and answer interesting questions
Advance human knowledge
Training for a career
What graduate school is not:
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A good thing to do because your parents want you to.
A good way to delay getting a “real” job, or making hard
decisions.
The same as your undergraduate education experience.
What is graduate school?
What do you do in grad school?
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Taking classes
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Teaching
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Minimum requirement of 2-3 terms, or each term for
financial support.
Reading, writing, thinking.
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Usually some classes for the first couple of years.
Familiarize yourself with your field past and present.
Seminars and/or journal clubs
RESEARCH
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(results may vary!)
What is graduate school?
A huge commitment.
Is graduate school right for me?
What is graduate school?
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Do I love research?
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Work in a lab as an
undergraduate
What are my career
goals?
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Do I enjoy reading and
writing papers?
Can I afford it?
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Support offered?
How much?
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Masters vs. Ph.D
Academia?
Industry?
Teaching?
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Do I want to spend 2-7 more
years in school?
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Do I like pain and suffering?
How to pick a program
What’s important?*
1.
2.
3.
People
Program/Resources
Place
*Order may vary
Finding the right program
How to pick a program
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Lectures or classes you loved/captivated you
Publications of interest (scientific or popular)
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Ask around
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Look up the authors
Professors
People in your lab
GTFs
Advising center
Check out laboratory web pages
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Surfing takes a LOT of time!
Surfing Lab websites
How to pick a program
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Is the website beautiful and current?
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Don’t judge on website alone (profs are busy…or not)
Are they still doing what you want to do?
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Ask in the email, search recent pubs
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http://apps.isiknowledge.com
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
Who else is (was) in the lab?
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Ratio of graduate students/undergrads/post-docs?
Size of lab; e.g. are there technicians?
Do they have a fancy Italian espresso maker?
Okay you found a person!…Now what?
How to pick a program
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Email them – keep it short, but informative.
Dear Professor Smith,
-I am considering applying to the PHD/Masters program in Biology
at the University of Oregon. I saw on your lab website [or in their
recent publication] that you are studying XX. I find this your
work fascinating, as it dovetails well with my current work (or
longstanding interest) in YY. I’m wondering if you have
space/funding in your lab for a new graduate student?
Sincerely, J. Jones
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Attach a copy of your CV.
Email up to three times.
Who is on your team?
How to pick a program
The Recruiting coordinator is your friend
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Small schools
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Large schools
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Each department has its own recruiting coordinator/team
Their job is to make the application process easy
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Graduate School manages applications for all programs
answer your questions, explain requirements etc.
A good student is a valuable asset to a University
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The recruiting team is working for you!
Ask the recruiting coordinator
How to pick a program
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Joining a department vs. joining a lab
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Lab rotations?
Amount of teaching required
Rotations?
Course load?
Types of support offered
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Internal grants
Training grants
Teaching stipend (cost of living?)
Salary and health insurance
If stars are aligned…
How to pick a program
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Email response amiable/ Professor(s) appears willing to
consider your application.
The lab is active and productive.
The program appears to suit your needs.
You’ve had a positive phone interview, follow-up emails
You have multiple professors on your plate
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From the same department
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Same or different interests; Backup options might be
required.
You DON’T KNOW (yet):
– What kind of lab the professor runs
– What his/her personality is like
– What the program is like
What do I need to do?
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The Application
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Forms and data
Statement of purpose
Letters of recommendation
Resume (CV)
GRE scores
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General and subject exams (if necessary)
Transcripts from undergrad. institution
When was that due…?
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Sample of application due dates (Biology):
What do I need to do?
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UO: Dec. 1
U of IL: Dec. 1
Stanford: Dec. 1
Harvard: Dec. 8
UW: Jan. 2
Application Fees:
Generally $50-150 per school (Start saving!)
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How many schools to apply to?
What if you don’t know your specific interests?
What if your interests change?
The SAT all over again
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GRE general exam (~3 months prior, ~$150).
What do I need to do?
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GRE Subject exam (if necessary, ~$150)
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Offered regularly
Practice, Practice, Practice
Can re-take, 1x per month
Scores good for 5 years
October 10, November 7, 2009; April 10, 2010
Ideal: Spring, can retake October 10
Missed a deadline? Stand-by testing
Ask the Recruiting Coordinator if late scores are OK
1-2 months prior: request transcripts
When to get things done
What do I need to do?
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Make a calendar
>3 months: GREs
>2 months: Personal Statement, CV
>1 month: Letters of Recommendation
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Meet with recommenders, with personal statement
FOLLOW UP ON LETTERS (rule of twos)
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Submit application *on time*
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Follow up with the recruiting coordinator 1-2 weeks after
submission to make sure all materials were received.
How to make them pick you
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Applying to graduate school is NOT a
passive process!
(anecdote: Paul)
Letters of Recommendation
How do I make them pick me?
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Trump card: Helps any application weakness
MAKE SURE they’re giving you a positive recommendation!!
ASK THEM:
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Prof, PI, Senior Post-doc, (not pastor, HS basketball coach, mom)
“would you be willing to write me a strong recommendation?”
Do they have useful, interesting things to say about you?
Give your application to your recommender, discuss interests
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this pushes the deadline up some
The best thing your recommender can say?
“I would want [your name here] in my lab”
Follow up: Be gentle but forceful, make sure they get it in on
time.
Statement of purpose
How do I make them pick me?
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Mix of biography and research interests.
Why do you love science, tell a story
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What have you done?
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Corny is OK--if it’s genuine
Brief outline of completed or in-progress projects
Or..what do you really, really want to do and why
Achievements, awards, publications
Address weaknesses if necessary (briefly)
Explain how your interests mesh with the department’s
strengths
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Show that you know what the dept. is about.
Explain how multiple professors’ interests match yours.
Resume / Curriculum Vitae
How do I make them pick me?
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Your Contact Information
Employment History - include job titles & dates
– Work History (especially related to your field)
– Research and Training
Education
– Include dates, majors, and details of degrees, training and
certification, GPA overall and in major
– High School & University
Relevant awards
Publications & Presentations, including thesis
Research interests/ongoing projects if you have them
Bonus points awarded!!
How do I make them pick me?
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Apply for external grants
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Can often apply before you get into grad school
NSF GRFP–due Nov 6th!! (all sciences), get guidance?
EPA STAR, DOE, NASA
Get guidance from the profs you’re applying to work with.
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http://scholarships.fatomei.com/index.html
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http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/financial-support/fellowships.html
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Countless small fellowships/scholarships
Diversity/equality scholarships/fellowships
Scholarships at the school you’re applying to
How do I make them pick me?
Practical experience!
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Make sure you have practical experience
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Work or volunteer in a lab- Start NOW
Talk to your professors and GTFs
Summer research
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UO: SPUR, REU, Work-study, ask Biology advising office
The Interview / Recruiting Weekend
How do I make them pick me?
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In the Spring
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if the department/professor thinks you’re a promising student
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Time to be professional, know your stuff!
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Wine and dine, interview with potential PIs, meet the
graduate students
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Facilities available?
Happy grad students?
Successful grad students?
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Burdensome workload?
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Overwhelmed?!?
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These are all just suggestions..
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None of the graduate students in this room
did everything we’re telling you to do.
…and yet, here we are.
I’m not ready for graduate school…
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That’s okay!
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Grad school isn’t the best thing on the planet.
You can be a good person without grad school
Your folks won’t disown you if you don’t go to grad school.
You can make more money at a fast-food restaurant.
Apply & Defer
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Make sure that this is ok with your school
I’m not ready for graduate school…
Not ready? Stay involved!
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Technician
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Usually full time
Positions vary from minion to semi-independent researcher
Good way to bolster application
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Field work, research assistant
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Biotech industry: make $$$
More resources
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Books:
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Booklet  Lots of info, check it out online!
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Getting what you came for: The Smart Student's Guide
to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. Robert Peters
The Ph.D. Process: A Student's Guide to Graduate
School in the Sciences. Dale Boom, Jon Karp, Nicholas
Cohen
Career Basics: Advice and Resources for Scientists
from Science Careers. AAAS
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/careerbasicspdf
Your professors, current students, other
undergraduates.