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Graduate School Panel Fall 2009 GrEBES presents… Paul Cziko and Graduate Students in the Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Graduate School Panel Fall 2009 GrEBES presents… Paul Cziko and Graduate Students in the Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

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Graduate School PanelFall 2009

GrEBES presents…

Paul Cziko

and

Graduate Students in theCenter for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The Agenda

What is graduate school in biology?

How do I pick a graduate school?

What do I need to do?

How do I make them pick me?

What is grad school?

Why go to grad school?– Become and expert in some field/specialty– Ask and answer interesting questions– Advance human knowledge– Training for a career

What graduate school is not:– A good thing to do because your parents want you to.– A good way to delay getting a “real” job, or making hard

decisions.– The same as your undergraduate education experience.

What do you do in grad school?

Taking classes– Usually some classes for the first couple of years.

Teaching– Minimum requirement of 2-3 terms, or each term for financial support.

Reading, writing, thinking.– Familiarize yourself with your field past and present.

Seminars and/or journal clubs RESEARCH

(results may vary!)

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A huge commitment.

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Is graduate school right for me?

Do I love research?– Work in a lab as an

undergraduate

Do I enjoy reading and writing papers?

Can I afford it?– Support offered?– How much?

What are my career goals?

– Masters vs. Ph.D– Academia?– Industry?– Teaching?

Do I want to spend 2-7 more years in school?

Do I like pain and suffering?

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How to pick a program

What’s important?*

1. People

2. Program/Resources

3. Place

*Order may vary

Finding the right program

Lectures or classes you loved/captivated you Publications of interest (scientific or popular)

– Look up the authors

Ask around– Professors– People in your lab– GTFs– Advising center

Check out laboratory web pages – Surfing takes a LOT of time!

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Surfing Lab websites

Is the website beautiful and current?– Don’t judge on website alone (profs are busy…or not)

Are they still doing what you want to do?– Ask in the email, search recent pubs

http://apps.isiknowledge.com http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

Who else is (was) in the lab?– Ratio of graduate students/undergrads/post-docs?– Size of lab; e.g. are there technicians?– Do they have a fancy Italian espresso maker?

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Okay you found a person!…Now what?

Email them – keep it short, but informative.

Dear Professor Smith,-I am considering applying to the PHD/Masters

program in Biology at the University of Oregon. I saw on your lab website [or in their recent publication] that you are studying XX. I find this your work fascinating, as it dovetails well with my current work (or longstanding interest) in YY. I’m wondering if you have space/funding in your lab for a new graduate student?

Sincerely, J. Jones

Attach a copy of your CV. Email up to three times.

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Who is on your team?The Recruiting coordinator is your friend Small schools

– Graduate School manages applications for all programs

Large schools– Each department has its own recruiting coordinator/team

Their job is to make the application process easy– answer your questions, explain requirements etc.

A good student is a valuable asset to a University– The recruiting team is working for you!

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Ask the recruiting coordinator

Joining a department vs. joining a lab– Lab rotations?

Amount of teaching required Rotations? Course load? Types of support offered

– Internal grants– Training grants– Teaching stipend (cost of living?)– Salary and health insuranceH

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If stars are aligned…

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Email response amiable/ Professor(s) appears willing to consider your application.

The lab is active and productive. The program appears to suit your needs. You’ve had a positive phone interview, follow-up emails You have multiple professors on your plate

– From the same department Same or different interests; Backup options might be

required.

You DON’T KNOW (yet): – What kind of lab the professor runs– What his/her personality is like– What the program is like

What do I need to do?

The Application– Forms and data– Statement of purpose – Letters of recommendation – Resume (CV) – GRE scores

General and subject exams (if necessary)

– Transcripts from undergrad. institution

When was that due…?

Sample of application due dates (Biology):– UO: Dec. 1– U of IL: Dec. 1– Stanford: Dec. 1– Harvard: Dec. 8– UW: Jan. 2

Application Fees:Generally $50-150 per school (Start saving!)

How many schools to apply to?

What if you don’t know your specific interests?What if your interests change?W

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The SAT all over again

GRE general exam (~3 months prior, ~$150).– Offered regularly– Practice, Practice, Practice– Can re-take, 1x per month– Scores good for 5 years

GRE Subject exam (if necessary, ~$150)– October 10, November 7, 2009; April 10, 2010– Ideal: Spring, can retake October 10– Missed a deadline? Stand-by testing– Ask the Recruiting Coordinator if late scores are OK

1-2 months prior: request transcripts

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When to get things done

Make a calendar >3 months: GREs >2 months: Personal Statement, CV >1 month: Letters of Recommendation

– Meet with recommenders, with personal statement– FOLLOW UP ON LETTERS (rule of twos)

Submit application *on time*

Follow up with the recruiting coordinator 1-2 weeks after submission to make sure all materials were received.

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How to make them pick you

Applying to graduate school is NOT a passive process!

(anecdote: Paul)

Letters of Recommendation

Trump card: Helps any application weakness MAKE SURE they’re giving you a positive recommendation!! ASK

THEM:– Prof, PI, Senior Post-doc, (not pastor, HS basketball coach, mom)

“would you be willing to write me a strong recommendation?”– Do they have useful, interesting things to say about you? – Give your application to your recommender, discuss interests

this pushes the deadline up some

The best thing your recommender can say?

“I would want [your name here] in my lab” Follow up: Be gentle but forceful, make sure they get it in on time.

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Statement of purpose

Mix of biography and research interests. Why do you love science, tell a story

– Corny is OK--if it’s genuine What have you done?

– Brief outline of completed or in-progress projects– Or..what do you really, really want to do and why

Achievements, awards, publications Address weaknesses if necessary (briefly) Explain how your interests mesh with the department’s strengths

– Show that you know what the dept. is about.– Explain how multiple professors’ interests match yours.

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Resume / Curriculum Vitae

Your Contact Information Employment History - include job titles & dates

– Work History (especially related to your field)– Research and Training

Education– Include dates, majors, and details of degrees, training and

certification, GPA overall and in major– High School & University

Relevant awards Publications & Presentations, including thesis Research interests/ongoing projects if you have them

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Bonus points awarded!!

Apply for external grants– Can often apply before you get into grad school– NSF GRFP–due Nov 6th!! (all sciences), get guidance?– EPA STAR, DOE, NASA– Get guidance from the profs you’re applying to work with.– http://scholarships.fatomei.com/index.html– http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/financial-support/fellowships.html

Countless small fellowships/scholarships Diversity/equality scholarships/fellowships Scholarships at the school you’re applying to

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Practical experience!

Make sure you have practical experience– Work or volunteer in a lab- Start NOW– Talk to your professors and GTFs– Summer research

UO: SPUR, REU, Work-study, ask Biology advising office

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The Interview / Recruiting Weekend

In the Spring– if the department/professor thinks you’re a promising student

Time to be professional, know your stuff!

Wine and dine, interview with potential PIs, meet the graduate students

– Facilities available?– Happy grad students?– Successful grad students?

– Burdensome workload?

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Overwhelmed?!?

These are all just suggestions..

None of the graduate students in this room did everything we’re telling you to do. …and yet, here we are.

I’m not ready for graduate school…

That’s okay!– Grad school isn’t the best thing on the planet.– You can be a good person without grad school– Your folks won’t disown you if you don’t go to grad school.– You can make more money at a fast-food restaurant.

Apply & Defer– Make sure that this is ok with your school

Not ready? Stay involved!

Technician– Usually full time– Positions vary from minion to semi-independent researcher– Good way to bolster application

Field work, research assistant

Biotech industry: make $$$

I’m n

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More resources

Books: – Getting what you came for: The Smart Student's Guide

to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. Robert Peters– The Ph.D. Process: A Student's Guide to Graduate

School in the Sciences. Dale Boom, Jon Karp, Nicholas Cohen

Booklet Lots of info, check it out online! – Career Basics: Advice and Resources for Scientists

from Science Careers. AAAS– http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/careerbasicspdf

Your professors, current students, other undergraduates.