Presentation Transcript

1. So I’m a Calvin College Bio/Chemistry Major, what do I do now?

2. What are my options? Graduate school Med School / Law School Careers
3. Why go to Graduate School? You get paid to go (~ 20K per year) Unstructured, open-ended research environment High demand for graduate students You will almost surely publish articles Exposure to a plethora of high level research and ideas All expenses paid visits for prospectives You get to be a real doctor Ph.D. required for many career paths
4. Industry Salary Breakdown
5. What you can expect 3rd – ? Full time research Publish articles Train new students Present at Conferences Work with collaborators Final year Write and defend thesis Apply for jobs 1st year Graduate coursework Make up deficiencies Choose an advisor Move into lab Start research Teach some labs 2nd year Start full time research Receive master’s degree Qualify for Ph.D. program
6. Preparation Chemistry or Biochemistry Major ACS accreditation is strongly recommended GRE general test GRE subject test Letters of recommendation (3) Online applications Personal Essays Watch deadlines
7. What do Schools look for? Motivation: Why are you interested in graduate school? Area of interest (name of professor if appropriate) Direction: Discussion of career goals Research experience:Ability to engage scientific problems
8. What should you look for? Average time to completion Stipend (after 1st year?) How are advisors assigned? Size of department Intellectual climate (low key, active, intense, competitive) Facilities Reputation
9. Rankings Chemistry Biochemistry http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/researchdoc/
10. Rankings by Discipline Inorganic MIT CalTech Northwestern Berkeley Texas A & M U of Illinois U of Wisconsin Stanford Cornell UNC Physical Berkeley CalTech MIT Stanford Harvard U of Illinois U of Chicago Northwestern U of Wisconsin U of Colorado Organic Harvard Berkeley Stanford MIT CalTech Scripps U of Illinois U of Wisconsin Columbia UC-Irvine Analytical UNC Purdue U of Illinois Indiana U of Texas U of Wisconsin U of Arizona Penn State U of M U of Florida US News & World Report, 2007
11. Where have recent grads gone?
12. What else should you look for? Range of research activities Who is there that you might want to work for? Graduate student attitudes Graduate student outcomes Geography Cost of living Personal
13. Advice You will likely get into many of the schools to which you apply Each new application gets easier Aim high, but have a safety net No one school is right for everyone Research your top choices – especially the professors themselves Check out Calvin’s honors office (HH318) Choose advisor wisely 1st year doubts & 2nd year blues are common. Ask about Summer internships Apply for outside fellowships
14. Outside Fellowships Greatly enhances your chances of working with wherever you choose, with whomever you choose. You will most likely get paid more over the course of graduate school than if you didn’t have a fellowship. Opportunities NSF (can apply as college senior or 1st year grad) Hertz foundation Nationally Coveted College Scholarships, Graduate Fellowships & Postdoctoral Awards
15. Internship Opportunities Off campus Opportunities
16. Future Calvin Graduates Wherever you go, whatever you do, remember what and who you represent as a Calvin grad.