Graduate School Selection and the Application Process

1. Graduate School Selection and the Application Process Autumn Sutherlin October 6, 2003

2. Outline • General Information • School Selection • Application

3. Reasons for going to grad school • “Bad” Reasons • I don’t know what else to do • Better than getting a job • I was told too • Everyone else is going • “Good” Reasons • I want to further my education • I need a higher degree to achieve my career goals • I want the challenge of designing my own projects

4. Myths About Graduate School • A continuation of undergraduate work • You can’t get a job with a bachelor’s degree • You need to know exactly what you want to study when you start • You need to go directly from undergraduate school • Students from “big” schools are better qualified • There are no politics in grad school

5. General Facts About Graduate School • In the sciences you just do a straight Ph.D. program • Consolation Master’s • Stipend • It’s all about commitment and stubbornness

6. Educational considerations • What do you want to do? • School reputation/ rankings • Research interests of faculty • Number of openings in labs • Interdisciplinary Program vs. Department

7. Personal Considerations • Location • Church • Stipend versus cost of living • Paid tuition • Cost of Application • Spouse

8. How to get information on schools • Interviews • Web sites • Send in for information • Cards from fliers • Professors • Students who have already graduated • Books • Gourman’s Guide, Peterson’s Guide, US News and World Report

9. But you do have to narrow it down • Pray • Choose a wide range • Apply to at least: • 2 dream schools • 2 average schools • 2 safety net schools • Talk to professors with expertise in your chosen field

10. Application • Apply online • Paper applications • Most are due in December or January • Components • Transcript • GRE’s • Recommendations • Statement of purpose

11. What are they looking for • Ability • Foundation • Maturity

12. Transcript • Schools vary in how they want these sent • ACU’s policy • http://www.acu.edu/campusoffices/registrar/transcript.html

13. What schools look at on a transcript • GPA – 3.2 or higher • Grades in major subjects vs. non-major subjects • Did you avoid unpleasant subjects? (P-chem, calculus) • Hard sciences • Did your grades improve in a two semester course? • C to an A or B is good

14. GRE’s • If you haven’t taken it, hurry up! • Prepare • Math is high school level • Vocabulary • Subject exam

15. GRE’s • Not as important as they used to be • Are the scores consistent with your grades? • High expectations in mathematical and analytical reasoning • A low GRE will be taken into consideration if grades and recommendations are good • Really study if you retake it

16. Recommendations • Make or Break • Who should you ask? • Research Advisors • Other professors who know your capabilities • Who should you not ask? • People who do not know your science capabilities • A professor you do not know well and goofed off in their class

17. Statement of purpose • Reasons • Enthusiasm • Experience • Explanation of problems in application

18. Things they are looking for • Commitment • Informed decision • Negative reasons • Didn’t make it into med school • Didn’t want to face the real world • Undergrad was easy so surely graduate school will be

19. Other Things Considered • Experience • School • Outside considerations • Were you working? • Did you have a high GPA and did nothing else?

20. What do you need to do right now? • GRE!!!!! • Get in a research program • Research schools • Start working on your statement of purpose

21. For more help • Autumn Sutherlin • 6511 • Sci 277c • Brian Cavitt • Other professors

22. Future events • Interviewing • Final selection