Grad School Information Night sponsored by HKN

1. Grad School Information Nightsponsored by HKN Part I: Why Grad School?Some Pros and Cons David Salvia EE Undergraduate Program Coordinator

2. Good reasons for going to grad school • Want more in-depth knowledge • You want to learn more about a particular sub-discipline of electrical engineering • Advanced degree required for desired job • Academia • Research & Development • Personal motivation

3. Bad reasons for going to grad school • Money • Salaries are higher with advanced degree ($10k-$15k per degree) but this shouldn’t be your primary motivation • Can’t get a job Grad school is a major commitment, so your motivation has to be for the right reasons.

4. How does grad school differ from an undergraduate program? • Course load is lighter • Typically 6-12 credits/semester • MS is approximately 30 credits beyond BS • PhD is approximately 50 credits beyond BS • Much more course flexibility • Very few required classes (if any) • You and your adviser select courses to fit your interests and research needs

5. How does grad school differ from an undergraduate program? (cont.) • More independent work • Research/thesis is a major part of your degree • More projects and fewer exams • Many exams are take home • All courses will be technical • Much higher international population • Great chance to make friends from all over the world

6. Now or Later? • Advantages of going straight to graduate school: • You’re used to being “poor” • You’re in a learning mode already and will more likely remember your undergraduate material • You don’t have to juggle work/school • Less likely to have spouse/kids now

7. Now or later? • Advantages of waiting a few years to go to graduate school: • Company may pay for schooling or you can save enough money to pay for it yourself • May have a better idea of research area • Can avoid school “burnout”

8. How do I pay my bills? (Listed in decreasing order of desirability) • Fellowship • Tuition waiver + monthly stipend • Free money. No research/teaching obligation. • Some schools offer $2k-$5k “top-up” fellowships to supplement RA/TA appointments • Research/Teaching Assistantship • Tuition waiver + monthly stipend ($1500/mo.) • Wage payroll jobs • Grad salary is $9/hour at PSU • External jobs “Would you like fries with that?”

9. RA vs. TA • Advantages of RA • Can double dip research duties and thesis work • Graduate quicker (on average) • More “prestigious” • Advantages of TA • More freedom in choosing research area • Good experience if you’re looking to eventually get a job in academia • Easier to obtain “sight unseen”

10. How do I select a grad school? • Find out about the top schools in your desired major and sub-discipline • Ask faculty in your desired area • Various surveys and on-line reports • US News and World Report http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/rankindex_brief.php • Peterson’s Guidewww.petersons.com • PSU’s Career Service Center (MBNA Building) www.sa.psu.edu/career/grad.shtml • Look at where journal papers and textbooks come from

11. How do I select a grad school?(cont.) • Focus your interest based on GPA • > 3.5 top 5 • > 3.2 top 25 • > 2.8 be flexible • Get information about schools • Web • Faculty/student contact • Call/e-mail/FAX

12. How do I select a grad school?(cont.) • Most important part . . . VISIT!!!!!!!! • Meet with prospective advisers • Meet with current graduate students

13. How do I select an adviser? • Selecting a thesis adviser is often more important than selecting the school (although they’re related, obviously) • Select someone who is professionally active • If getting a PhD, be wary of untenured faculty, but don’t discount completely • Talk to the adviser’s current students • Availability of support may affect your decision

14. What is the ideal timeline? • Spring of Junior year • Make decision to attend grad school • Choose Senior electives appropriately • Summer before Senior year • Narrow your search and visit prospective schools • Summer Research • Fall of Senior year • GRE • Apply • Spring of Senior year • Find out about applications status • Negotiate • Decide on a school, research area, and perhaps adviser

15. GRE Information • General Test vs. Subject Test • Most schools just require general test • General Test format • all computer based now – no paper test • offered year-round in select PA locations • Allentown, Clark Summit, Erie, Harrisburg, Indiana, Lancaster, North Wales, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, York, but NO STATE COLLEGE  • 3 sections: Verbal , Quantitative, Analytical writing essay (new) • Cost is currently $115 • To apply: 1-800-GRE-CALL • More info (FAQ, sample questions, etc.): www.gre.org

16. If I’m a Junior, what can I do now to prepare? • Undergraduate summer research • EE Job listserv is filled with lots of opportunities in Feb-March for current Jrs. • Teaching Intern program • Senior year – apply as Juniors • Select appropriate classes • Wide variety is better than single area • Don’t shy away from hard classes (STAT 418, EE 459, etc.)

17. Part II: Grad School at PSU

18. Research Areas • Communications • Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition • Networking • Signal and Image Processing • Control Systems • Power Systems • Electro-optics and non-linear optics • Microwaves, Antennas, and Propagation • Remote Sensing and Space Systems • Circuits and Networks • Electronic Materials and Devices • VLSI

19. Funding • Teaching Assistantships • Approx. 30/year • Tuition Waiver (including summer) • Monthly stipend of approx. $1500 (10 months) • 20 hours/week typically • Research Assistantships • Approx. 120/year • Arranged through professors • Tuition Waiver and stipend • Hours vary • Applied Research Lab (citizens only)

20. Funding (cont.) • Internal Fellowships • Numbers vary each year • Stipend from $3000 - $20,000 / year • Some awards are “top-up” supplements to existing assistantships; others are stand-alone fellowships with tuition waivers • External Fellowships or company-reimbursed tuition

21. Applying to PSU • To be considered for all forms of funding, applications should be in by the end of the Fall Semester of the year prior to admission. • Application must include: • Transcript • Application forms (General + Department) with personal statement • Three Letters of Recommendation • GRE scores (General Test ONLY) • TOEFL scores if you are an international student • International students who did undergrad in the US don’t need the TOEFL

22. Applying to PSU (cont.) • Decision for acceptance/funding based on: • Grades -- 3.0 GPA is minimum (typically) • Other experience -- put in personal statement • Technical interests -- some areas have large student demand, whereas others are desperate for students right now. Switching to a less popular (by student standards, not job standards) area can often increase your chances for funding. • GRE scores

23. M.S. Requirements • Thesis Option • 24 course credits (15 at 500 level) • 2 colloquium credits • 6 thesis credits • Formal defense of thesis • Paper Option • 30 course credits (21 at 500 level) • 2 colloquium credits • 2 paper credits • Presentation of paper

24. Ph. D. Requirements • 48 course credits beyond B.S. (at least 30 at 500 level) • 2 colloquium credits • Written and oral candidacy exam • Ph.D. English proficiency exam • Oral Comprehensive exam • Formal Defense of thesis