Applying to Graduate School

Transcription

1 Applying to Graduate School STEM 3 Guidebook May 2011 Introduction Applying to graduate school can be a complicated and lengthy process. Once you decide that a graduate degree is for you, you face numerous questions: What kind of degree do I want? Where should I apply? What tests do I need to take? This guide provides a reference of the steps that are necessary and the materials that are required to apply to graduate school. This guide is designed as a general reference and certain fields may have additional requirements. An attempt is made to address individual STEM field requirements at the back of this guide; however, applications to certain graduate programs may go beyond the scope of this guide. Quick Reference: Is graduate school for me? 2 Entrance Exams 3 Building Your Background 4 Choosing a field of research 5 Master s degree or PhD? 6 Selecting an advisor/school 7 The application process 8 Paying for graduate school 11 Notes specific to certain fields 14 Start Early!!!! The typical graduate admissions process can take as long as six to nine months, so even if you are not fully certain that you want to go to graduate school, start preparing early. Some of the top programs may even require that you apply a year in advance of your intended start date. In addition, you need to first identify potential schools that you wish to attend. This search is also a very timeconsuming process. Thus, the bottom line is that you should start as early as possible. 1

2 Is Graduate School for me? Assess whether graduate school meets your goals Seek advice from others Interview professors and graduate students to gain an idea of what grad school is like and whether it is right for you. In graduate school, the focus is less on test-taking and more centered around writing, research, and your ability to work independently. Professors often treat you more as a peer than as a pupil, but they expect a higher level of work and commitment. The first step in deciding whether or not to attend graduate school is learning about yourself and defining your personal goals. Questions to ask yourself include: What do you find exciting? Where do your passions lie? What do you want to get out of your graduate education? What are your motivations for going to graduate school? Do you need a graduate education to achieve your career goals (some fields do not require graduate education or have specific certificate requirements)? However, if you wish to become a college professor, doctor, psychologist, etc. you will discover that a graduate education is mandatory for state licensing requirements. Are you really motivated to commit the time and energy to graduate studies or do you feel like you need a break? Honestly assess whether you have the dedication to pursue graduate studies. Graduate work requires a much larger commitment than undergraduate work in terms of time, labor, and intellectual vigor. Do you have dreams of travel, exploration, or starting a family? A demanding graduate program workload will likely not allow the generous time necessary for many other obligations. Consider monetary rewards The U.S. Census Bureau Population Survey, 2008 Annual Social and economic Supplement (Fig.1) underscores the fact that people with advanced degrees earn a higher salary than people with just an undergraduate degree. Fig. 1. Graph of average earnings by educational attainment in 2007 from workers 25 years and older. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Survey, 2008 Annual Social and economic Supplement. 2

3 Entrance Exams Graduate Record Examination Many graduate programs require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores as part of their application materials. The GRE has two different tests, the General Test and the Subject Test. The GRE General Test measures critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning skills, and is the most common test required by graduate admissions programs. Some institutions may also require you to take a GRE Subject Test, which gauges your knowledge of a specific field of study. Check with the program s application requirements to see if either of these tests are required. There are many resources available to help you prepare for the GRE. ETS, the company that produces the GRE, has a website that offers test prep resources ( for registered test-takers. There are also many other books and internet sites that offer testtaking tips and techniques, sample tests and practice questions, examples of commonly used vocabulary and math, and more. The STEM 3 study room has many of these resources available. You may also check with the campus library or search the web for additional materials. Keep Your Grades Up and Score High on the GRE Grades and GRE s may not be able to predict whether a student will be successful in graduate school, but many universities use these parameters as tools to weed out the large number of applicants to a program. Therefore, keep your GPA as high as possible and practice sufficiently before you take the GRE. Also, many universities allocate fellowships and scholarships based on your performance on the GRE's, so a high score can help you receive more funding opportunities. Furthermore, many schools have a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0, so do not let your score fall below this cutoff. Many universities also have minimum GRE requirements that vary by institution, but are often in the high range, so scoring well is important. 3 Other required exams by field Certain fields have specific test requirements. Some examples are: Business School (MBA) GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test Medical School MCAT Medical College Admission Test Law School LSAT - Law School Admission Test Dental School DAT Dental Admissions Testing Optometry School OAT Optometry Admission Test

4 Build Your Background Get Research Experience! Build relationships with faculty. These interactions can be beneficial when it comes time to request letters of recommendation. A professor that you have assisted on a project will likely write a much more personal and favorable recommendation than one you have just received an A from in class. Gain experience from internships, honors thesis work, by volunteering to assist on projects led by faculty in your department, or by applying to research experiences that relate to your area of interest. It cannot be stressed enough how gaining relevant experience will be one of the best things you can do to prepare for graduate school. Gaining experience can make you stand out a notch above the rest. Take advantage of undergraduate research opportunities to learn more about your field and discover areas that may interest you or weed out areas that are not appealing. Also, if you are unsure of whether graduate school is right for you, then graduate research experiences can provide a preview of the life of a graduate student. Check with your institution for research opportunities or consider a national research experience such as the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates ( Also, if you know where you want to go to graduate school, it would be exceptionally beneficial for you to try to participate in a research experience offered through that institution. You would get the opportunity to experience the life of a graduate student in that program and you would be able to check out the department and meet their graduate students. Furthermore, a letter of recommendation from a faculty member in that department who has supervised your research will carry a lot of weight. Also, there may be opportunities for you to co-author on publications with faculty, which would give you an edge over other students when it comes time for you to apply to a program. 4

5 Choose an Area of Research Narrow Down your Interests When narrowing down your areas of research, try to get specific. It is not enough to say that you want to study ecology because this category is too broad. You need to narrow down your interests to specific aspects of your chosen field. For example, you may decide that you are mainly interested in community ecology. Consider writing your personal statement essay now (a standard part of your graduate application documents), as this will help you focus on what you really want to study and will also help you think through your reasons for pursuing graduate school. In addition, this process will help you assess your qualifications and deficiencies for your field of study. Seek Advice Consider seeking advice from professors or graduate students in your department that have similar interests. Questions you may want to ask are: What type of research is typically conducted in your areas of interest? What sorts of changes are occurring in your fields of interest? Where is the research heading for your fields of interest? Where are the new opportunities for research in your fields? What are the employment options for your fields of interest? Are your fields of interest currently being funded? You can identify your areas of interest from class exercises, journal articles or textbooks. Make notes of articles or activities that are particularly interesting to you. Find out the fields of study that relate to these things and learn more about those fields to see if they are right for you. Prepare Yourself for your Chosen Field of Interest Find out what kinds of courses will best prepare you for graduate programs in your field. Also make sure you have the prerequisites met for most of the programs in this area of research, these will vary from institution to institution, but there will typically be certain courses that are commonly required for all programs in a given field. You can often take some prerequisites after being accepted, but it is best to be prepared early. 5

6 Master s Degree or Ph.D.? Consider the time requirement for each program and how it aligns with your future plans: many students can complete a Master s degree in two years; whereas it takes at least five years for most students to complete a Ph.D. The PhD, or doctor of philosophy degree, prepares you for a career in research and teaching, in business, in government, or the nonprofit sector; whereas Master s degree programs provide specialized preparation in a field of study. Master s degrees are often careeroriented, while PhD s are often more research-oriented and tend to prepare students for research-based careers. If you are interested in a career in research or if you want to pursue career as a professor, a PhD is often necessary. Consider a Master s Degree if you are not fully certain about graduate school. You also may wish to pursue a Master s degree first and make sure that graduate school is right for you before making a much larger time commitment in a Ph.D. program; however, if you pursue a Master s degree first and still wish to get your Ph.D., then you will have a larger time commitment (and perhaps monetary commitment) overall. Also, some schools and programs require that you complete a Master s degree before you can enter a Ph.D. program, so check the program requirements for the institution(s) of interest. Funding Differences Generally speaking, more funding is available to support fellowships and assistantships for Ph.D. students than for terminal or professional master s students, so you may consider directly pursuing a PhD if you are certain of your career goals. 6

7 Selecting and Advisor/School Seek advice from professors in your chosen field: Questions you may want to ask are: Which programs are on the cutting edge in your chosen field? Where are the best research facilities in your chosen field? From which programs are the most promising young scholars in your field graduating? It is important to align your interests with faculty interests when making graduate school choices. Review the research areas of the faculty. Are there professors who are doing research in areas that interest you? Do the courses and specializations offered fit with your interests and career goals? Choose your school based on the program, not the name of the school. Find out what kind of research is being done in each program that interests you. If you like something you ve read, find out where the author is, and what kind of research is being done in that department. Many websites offer program locators that can help you identify prospective programs in your chosen field, and are often organized by state or geographic location. A few are: BrainTrack: College and University Directory (braintrack.com/uscolleges-by-state) PhDs.org GradSchools.com GradPortal.org It is advisable to choose programs that have associate and full professors in your area of interest. These professors are more likely to remain for the duration of your program, and are likely to have more resources such as laboratories and grants to support their students. Also, your advisor will influence the direction of your own research and will serve an important role as you make the transition to your career, and senior professors typically have more experience with this and have more contacts. However, it is very important to find the right person to advise your work. If you do not have a good feeling about a potential advisor, it is best to seek someone else no matter how good of a fit they seem because a bad working relationship will definitely impact your success in graduate school. 7

8 The Application Process Narrow down your choices Create a list of top choices. It may be helpful to create two lists: 1) a dream list of schools that you would love to go to even if you are not qualified, and 2) a strong list of schools that you stand a good chance of being accepted to and that you would be happy to attend if you are not accepted to your top choices. Depending on how many schools compose this list, you may wish to apply to them all, or apply to a mixture of both. Applying can be expensive (you often will pay an application fee of $50-$100), so become familiar with the entrance requirements such as minimum test scores, GPA, and curricular requirements of your prospective programs to make sure that your choices are ambitious, but also realistic. Application Deadlines Pay attention to the application deadlines for each school of interest. Don t wait to apply until the last minute, as the institution s funding is often disseminated early to applicants that are accepted to the program. Thus, waiting until the deadline date to submit all of your material can be detrimental to your chances because you are competing for a smaller pool of resources. Application Materials Application material requirements will vary by institution, but some standard documents include: Online or written application form Official transcripts from your undergraduate institution(s) GRE General Test scores (Note: GRE Subject test scores, GMAT, and TOEFL scores may also be required. Check the program requirements for this information) Application fee Letters of Recommendation (discussed in detail on page 9) Statement of Purpose/Letter of intent/ Admissions essay/personal statement (discussed in detail on page 9) 8

9 Application Materials (continued) Letters of Recommendation You will be asked to provide letters of recommendation (typically two-three are requested). Letters of recommendation are very important, so choose your recommenders wisely. Ask the faculty who know you best and who can comment positively on the quality of your work. Request letters from faculty who are most able to assess your academic and research abilities in areas related to your field of study. It is helpful to meet with the faculty who are writing letters for you, so that they can get a clear understanding of your interests and your qualifications. You might provide them with a resume or outline of the courses you ve taken; any research experience; or related activities, projects, or term papers you completed in their class. These items will give them something concrete to use in their letters. Some admissions programs will have a specific recommendation form that needs to be used or a format that needs to be followed in the letter, so be sure to provide this to your recommenders, if necessary. Also, be courteous enough to provide the faculty with enough time to write the letter well before the deadline-do not wait to request a letter a week before it is due. Not only is this disrespectful to the professor, but it will also likely result in a rushed letter being written on your behalf, which may not be as favorable as a well-thought out letter. Statement of Purpose The personal statement provides you with an opportunity to stand out from other applicants and should be taken very seriously. One of the most important goals of the personal statement is to convince the admissions committee that your background experience and academic aspirations fit well into their program. They typically seek students who are well-matched to the areas that their programs emphasize, so use this statement to demonstrate how your interests align with the research conducted by the faculty and with the courses offered in the program. Also, if the program offers specialized facilities, research centers, or training opportunities that are unique to the program, it is really important to mention how access to these resources will support the research that you wish to pursue. Many admissions reviewers describe poor personal statements as statements in which the applicant does not demonstrate that they know much about the program that they are applying to, so be sure to demonstrate that you are the right choice for their program. 9

10 Application Materials (continued) Personal Statements are also used to make funding decisions; if your interests match with funded research conducted in the department, you may have a chance at receiving an assistantship offer. Thus, it may be very helpful to research particular faculty that seem to have related interests, and to describe how their work will fit well with your goals. The personal statement also serves to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you know what area of research you are interested in and that you understand your reasons why. Clearly show that you know what you want to study and why. What sparked your interest in your field? Were you inspired by any courses, seminars, or internship/research experiences? Did you have any conversations with professionals in the field that shaped your interest? It is also beneficial to describe your career goals beyond graduate school. Many reviewers want to know what your greater aspirations are beyond graduate studies so that they can understand how your wishes to pursue graduate school will fit into these overarching goals. They really want to know what you hope to contribute as a graduate in your field. A strong statement will convince the admissions committee that you will be successful in their program. Describe your previous relevant experiences and courses and how they have prepared you for this program. Provide specific details about your experiences instead of relying on broad generalizations. For instance, instead of stating that you received valuable experience from your internship, you should describe how the work you did helped you develop a deeper understanding of your field, using specific details. Also describe how the program can help you to achieve your future goals and what aspects of your academic interests the program will help develop. Clearly demonstrate your motivation, determination, and the earnestness of your academic goals. Also be sure to explain any gaps or shortfalls in your academic record. Finally, take the time to illustrate what makes you unique. What is distinct or impressive about your life experiences? How do your unique skills make a valuable addition to the field? Do you have certain skills that increase your likelihood of success? STEM 3 tutors and the campus writing center can help you to craft a strong personal essay. 10

11 Paying for Graduate School There are many resources available to help you attend graduate school without having to go into debt. Some positions allow you to work for your tuition while others offer funding to support your research, but do not require specific work outside of your graduate research. Some examples that are described below in detail include: Graduate Research Assistantships Graduate Teaching Assistantships Fellowships/Scholarships/Grants Loan Forgiveness Programs Military Tuition Assistance Graduate Research Assistantships Graduate Research Assistantships provide funding (usually partial to full tuition and a stipend) in exchange for a student to work as a research assistant. The student works in a specific faculty member s lab or they assist faculty with a particular research project that the professor is participating in or has acquired funding for. The student is often responsible for conducting the research for all or part of that project, and the project often becomes part of their Master s Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation. Research Assistantships are positions that you have to apply for and are often very competitive. You can find out about Research Assistant opportunities from many sources: some faculty will post positions on their web page, some universities will have a job posting web page, and certain websites for major organizations in a field may contain job boards (e.g. the Ecological Society of America Job Board). Graduate Teaching Assistantships Graduate Teaching Assistantships are similar to Research Assistantships in that they provide tuition funding and a stipend in return for work that benefits the institution. However, the student works by teaching or assisting with courses taught at the institution instead of by conducting research. Therefore, the student gets a great opportunity to learn how to teach, which can be especially valuable if the student wishes to pursue a career in a teaching-related profession. The student may also be required to run laboratory sessions, grade undergraduate work, hold office hours and meet with students, and conduct other duties related to teaching. 11

12 Paying for Graduate School (continued) Fellowships/Scholarships/ Grants There are numerous fellowships, scholarships and grants available that can help cover a small amount to almost all of your education-related expenses. You can find many of these funding opportunities by searching the web. Search for both general fellowships and for opportunities that may relate to your field of study or your unique circumstances. For example, there are many fellowships that are offered to minorities. Thus, if you are a minority, consider searching for funding that relates to your ethnic background. You may also start by checking with the graduate programs that you are interested in. Many graduate programs offer fellowships for incoming students. There are also several national large-scale fellowships, a few of which are listed below. National Fellowships: The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is intended for students in their early stages of graduate study. It provides three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based masters or doctoral degrees. nsf.gov/funding Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships provide three years of support for individuals engaged in graduate study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Science (ScD) degree. sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fellowships National Institutes of Health (NIH) Predoctoral Fellowships for Minority Students provide up to five years of support for research training leading to the PhD or equivalent; the combined MD/PhD degree; or other combined professional degree and research doctoral degree in the biomedical, behavioral sciences, or health services research. grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm The National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC) Fellowship Program seeks to increase the number of PhDs in the physical sciences and related engineering fields, emphasizing recruitment of a diverse pool of women and historically underrepresented minorities. npsc.org The Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program awards fellowships for doctoral and Master of Fine Arts students in selected fields of arts, humanities, and social sciences. ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/index.html 12

13 Paying for Graduate School (continued) Loan Forgiveness With Loan Forgiveness programs, the federal government will cancel all or part of an educational loan under specific circumstances. To qualify, you must: Perform volunteer work Perform military service Teach or practice medicine in certain types of communities Meet other criteria specified by the forgiveness program. This program targets students who pursue public service careers. If the student stops working full time in the qualified public service job, they lose their loan forgiveness opportunity. If you are interested in a public service-related career, search the web for loan forgiveness opportunities in your specific vocation and be sure to investigate the specific requirements that need to be met for the program you are interested in. As an example, the Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers offers up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness for qualified loans to individuals that teach at elementary and secondary schools which serve low income families. Military Tuition Assistance Armed Forces Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Each branch of service can pay up to 100% of the tuition expenses of its members. The money is typically paid directly to the institution and is not a loan; thus, it does not have to be paid back. Each branch of service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service requirements, application processes and restrictions. Thus, it is very important to consult the specific agency that you are interested in and to be sure that you understand the terms required for this Tuition Assistance. 13

14 Notes Specific to Certain Fields Depending on the graduate program, other criteria may be required. For example, other requisites may include: Additional tests besides the General GRE Test; Additional prerequisites such as 1 year each of Calculus and Physics; and Research or other practical experience. This section provides a brief review of possible prerequisites to think about when planning your undergraduate education with graduate school in mind. Medical School In addition to fulfilling basic requirements, many medical schools look for additional credentials such as leadership experience, interest in service and good communication skills. Below are the most common medical school requirements. Make sure you fully understand the program requirements before you apply and are prepared for a possible interview if asked. Coursework Requirements o GPA of at least o College prerequisites usually include at least a year of the following courses: Organic Chemistry English Calculus General Chemistry Biology Physics Standardized Testing o Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) o Scores should be competitive as they constitute a considerable portion of the decision making process for admissions Practical Experience (ex. internships) Service/Volunteer Time 14

15 Pharmacy School The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) has the Pharmacy School Admission Requirements (PSAR) available through their website: x AACP also houses the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS), a centralized application service for applicants applying to colleges and schools of pharmacy ( Many AACP member institutions require the following prerequisite courses for admission: Microbiology; Organic Chemistry I and II; Calculus; Statistics; Physics; Economics; English Composition; and Public Speaking/Speech. Some institutions require the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), a specialized test that helps identify qualified applicants to pharmacy schools. More information is available at: Additionally, most programs require an acceptable admission interview. Physician Assistant School Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA) is a centralized application service for applicants applying to PA educational programs ( that helps simplify the application process. Additional information for prospective PA students is found on the American Academy of Physician Assistants website: In addition to fulfilling basic requirements, most PA schools look for the same additional credentials that medical schools look for (ex. leadership experience, interest in service and good communication skills). Many PA schools require anywhere from 1,000 3,000 hours of patient care experience. Check your program of interest to see what the specific requirements are and what types of experience can be counted towards the requirements. 15

16 Below are other most common PA school requirements. Undergraduate Degree Coursework Requirements o Human Anatomy; o Human Physiology; o Physics; o Microbiology; o Organic Chemistry with lab; and o Statistics Standardized Testing o GRE and/or o Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) o Scores should be competitive as they constitute a considerable portion of the decision making process for admissions Practical Experience (ex. internships) Service/Volunteer Time 16