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Grad School 101

Grad School 101. Undergraduate Lunch November 8, 2005. Timeline. Early Undergrad Concentrate on coursework Think about your career goals, and whether you want to go to graduate school Sophomore / Junior Year Look for research and internship opportunities

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Grad School 101

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  1. Grad School 101 Undergraduate Lunch November 8, 2005

  2. Timeline • Early Undergrad • Concentrate on coursework • Think about your career goals, and whether you want to go to graduate school • Sophomore / Junior Year • Look for research and internship opportunities • Talk to profs about grad school requirements • Senior Year • Research grad schools and fellowship opportunities • Take GRE General, GRE Subject test • Decide between MS and Ph.D. programs • By early October, ask for 3 letters of recommendation • Don’t miss the deadlines!

  3. Good Reasons to Go Enjoy research Want to teach at the college level Careers with more autonomy Deep interest in and dedication to a single area Not Such Good Reasons What else will I do next year? Make more money Prestige of another degree Pressure from family, friends, others To Go, or Not to Go

  4. Now Your TA salary looks big compared to actually paying tuition! More family responsibilities later Larger peer group Might never go later Later More professional experience Greater focus Financial considerations Take a break from school to avoid burnout To Go Now, or To Go Later

  5. M.S. vs. Ph.D. • Different job opportunities • M.S. is primarily a professional degree • Master’s degree is an asset / requirement for many industry jobs • Teaching positions at community college level • Ph.D. is a research degree • Research and teaching positions in academia • Research positions in industry and national labs • Sometimes different programs • Focus of the Ph.D. is an original thesis • M.S. requires coursework, sometimes a Master’s thesis • Financial Issues (next slide)

  6. Financial Issues • Funding? • Ph.D. students are generally supported financially • M.S. students may or may not be supported (varies by program) • Types of Funding • Teaching Assistantships • Research Assistantships • Fellowships (usually for Ph.D.) • Employer sponsorship (usually for M.S.)

  7. Where to Apply • Look for a department that matches your research interests • If you aren’t very sure, look for a program with several strong areas • Consider potential advisors. The people are much more important than the program’s ranking. • Apply to multiple schools to increase your chances of admission • Degree requirements vary by program. • Visit before you accept an offer!

  8. Fellowship Opportunities • National Science Foundation (NSF) • 3 References, GRE General and Subject (optional) • US citizens and permanent residents • Additional awards for women in computing and engineering • National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (DoD) • 3 References, GRE • US citizens • Encourages minority applications • National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC) • 3-5 References, GRE • US citizens • Encourages applications from women and minorities • Krell (DoE) • US Citizens and Permanent Residents • Department of Homeland Security • US citizens • Hertz • US citizens and permanent residents • AT&T • 3 References, GRE General and Subject • Available to women and minorities • Ford • 2 References, GRE • US citizens • Available to minorities

  9. Undergrad Research and Internship Opportunities • Research Opportunities • UW Summer RA • NSF Research Experience for Undergrads (REU) • CRA Distributed Mentor Project (for women) • Industry Internships • Many on-campus recruiting opportunities (Cathy Richard -- departmental coordinator) • Watch the bulletin boards!

  10. General Advice • Nothing is permanent! • If you take a job, you can always go back to school • If you decide grad school isn’t for you, you can always get a job • Either way, don’t burn your bridges • Be flexible • Many people change research areas • Program might take longer than you expect • If unsure, you might as well apply and decide later 

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