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Stephanie (right) and her friend Millie |
The first step I took before deciding to start graduate school preparation was to make sure I was making the right decision and making the decision for myself. If your parents want you to become a doctor or lawyer and you aren’t sure then you may want to sit down and think about what you want to do before starting the graduate school process. Applying to graduate school and actually applying yourself to your studies will be a miserable experience if you are not ready. Taking a two-year break and actually working in research gave me a perspective that I needed to make sure graduate school was the right decision for me.
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Stephanie (right) and her friend Millie |
One of the first things I did once I decided I was ready for graduate school was talk to some of my professors at Wesleyan and my supervisor, who is also a professor. I knew that I wanted to get my Ph.D. in one of the sciences so they were the best people to talk to about my plans and provided a lot of information about the process and what to expect once in school. They also were helpful in providing insight into the particular area I’m interested in studying and advice on schools I was considering. Have I forgotten to mention that they pay you to get your Ph.D. in the sciences? That’s right they pay your tuition and give you a stipend. For those attempting a combined M.D./ Ph.D. degree tuition is paid and a stipend is provided as well, but it is no joke. You earn that stipend and learn how to truly think. From what I’ve seen there is no rote memorization. Learn how to understand concepts now. It can take 4-7 years to complete your Ph.D. in the sciences. I think a lot of programs are getting students out in 5 years. During that time you are expected to publish and there will be more independent work than you may know what to do with.
The next step was preparing to take the standardized tests required as part of my grad school applications, the GRE. There are many ways to study for this exam depending on your time frame and how much preparation you need. I opted not to take the subject tests some schools highly recommend because I only had 3 months to take the general GRE exam and get all of my applications together. Also, I felt that I did not necessarily need to take it nor did I feel as though I could properly study for that exam within the time constraints I had. It’s an individual decision based on whether or not it will help your application look more complete. Some schools require it and therefore you must take it.
My method of study was a combination of study guides and computer-based practice exams. All GRE general tests are computer-based and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) provides a program that gives practice questions in the exact same format as the exam. I highly recommend it. It can be found at www.gre.org (POWERPREP GRE) and it can be downloaded free from that site or you can receive a free copy of it in the mail within two weeks of registering for the exam. It also has practice and timed exams that once completed gives your scores and percentiles, which can be compared to different testing groups. Also, GRE study guides, found at such bookstores as Barnes & Noble, are very helpful in teaching you how to answer some of the questions and usually contain CDs containing practice exams as well as written tests. There is always the popular option of signing up for GRE classes. I don’t know how expensive they are, but it depends on the kind of help you need. All of these are helpful in the studying process and organizing a study schedule can be very useful. It’s a good idea to at least do two computer-based practice exams completely before taking the real exam. I think nerves are the biggest factor during standardized test taking. Once familiar with the exam and it’s format that can be reduced considerably during the actual exam.
Something that must be considered is that the GRE is not the only important factor of your application. Letters of recommendation are very important as well as your personal statement. Scientists like to hear about your potential from other scientists. You will be surprised to know that some of the people that you interview with may know one of your recommenders personally. Letters should be from people that know of your past experience. If you have done research it is a good idea to get a letter from your research mentor. Advisors are also capable of judging your potential. If you are reading this and are in the beginnings of your college career I suggest now that you start making connections with faculty at your institution. You don’t have to be a social butterfly, but if you find someone’s work interesting or you find that you are always going to your advisor for advice make yourself known and remain in contact with these professors, it doesn’t have to be an email once a week, but don’t expect someone to remember who you are if they haven’t spoken to you or really seen you in 4 years.
Your personal statement or essay is very important and I know it is something that most people stress about for many weeks. It isn’t like that essay you wrote to get into college. The key things to include are previous research experience if you have any, what you want to get out of graduate school, some of your career goals/interests, and what interests you in the particular graduate school/program you are applying to. In the sciences it is a good idea to include the names of a few people that you find interesting in that particular institution. I think it shows that you actually took the time to look at the research and see the potential of how it can apply to your interests. It is O.K. if you don’t know exactly what you want to study down to the letter. You’ll find that most schools ask the same exact essay question. Once you have one essay it can serve as a template for your other essays. I found the following guides very useful when it came time to write essays and in all aspects of the grad school process. Also, the first guide talks about life once you are in graduate school. I give it two thumbs up!
The Ph.D. Process: A Student’s Guide to Graduate School in the Sciences by Dale F. Bloom, Jonathan D. Karp, and Nicholas Cohen, 1998.
Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way Into the Graduate School of Your Choice by Donald Asher, 2000.
I haven’t forgotten about the transcript. It too is important and is something you should look at and decide if it is strong enough to apply directly to a Ph.D. program or if you should concentrate on taking additional classes or entering a different kind of program such as a Master’s program. That isn’t meant to scare you, but if you got 4 or 5 D’s in your science courses the schools you apply to will notice. Also, Ph.D. programs are highly competitive. Your personal essay is a good place to explain a bad year and many programs will offer to accept students on the condition that they fulfill any deficiencies in coursework (I’m talking about not having the opportunity to take biochemistry as an undergrad, not Biology 101). However, don’t underestimate your worth to these programs. There are a lot of things they look at and they seriously consider previous research experience and your letters of recommendation. These programs need graduate students to perform research in their laboratories as much as you need to learn how to be a researcher. I see it as a sort of a symbiotic relationship.
After you’ve gone through the application process and if you are lucky you’ve had a break for a few weeks, it is time for interviews! I applied to 8 schools thinking that someone will invite me for an interview and that someone will accept me, but I didn’t have any idea how competitive my application was. Interviews are usually offered by most programs and it is an opportunity for you to decide if a particular school is right for you and for the school to decide if you are right for them. It weighs heavily on your end. Applicants that are invited to interview are people that they are seriously considering accepting. I’ve found that it is best going in knowing at least a summary of the research interests of the person you are talking too and having a well thought out explanation of your previous research experience. Know the significance of an experiment you have performed!! Also, be aware that your ability to be social with current students and applicants may also be observed. Don’t show your psychotic tendencies during an interview weekend. It is important to note that they pay for you to visit them and all of your expenses while you are interviewing which includes meals and hotels. It can be a very exhausting experience depending on how many schools you have applied to, how many interviews you are offered and if you really are considering the schools that have invited you.
I’m still in the midst of this process. Five interviews down and 2 more to go. I was going for 8, but when interview time comes you will realize how much you really enjoy your own bed. Also, I have a better idea of what kind of school I want to be in. From my experience, I can tell you that it is a long process. Perhaps not as long as applying to medical school, but I can say that I’ve officially learned the art of looking refreshed and peppy when I’m dead tired. Also, don’t forget that you may have a job or still be in school while interviewing. I’ve found my supervisor to be very supportive and I do my work when I get back and sometimes on weekends. He tells me that I should catch up on my sleep when I get back into town. Very nice indeed! This is definitely a doable process without pulling out one’s hair. You don’t necessarily have to start planning applications a year in advance or practice what you are going to say during an interview in front of your friends. It is important to be yourself in all aspects of the process so relax, release, relate and Good Luck!