Grad School StuffGrad School Stufffor Undergradsfor Undergrads

Dr. Alfred DuftyAssociate Dean of the Graduate College

Boise State UniversitySeptember 20, 2011

Why?Why?

1. Should you go to graduate school?

2. How do you get into the right graduate school?

My motivation• Nobody else is likely to tell you these things

• Maybe you’ll attend graduate school at BSU

After GraduationAfter Graduation

Your choices:• Get a job

• Join the military

• Go to grad school

• Other

Types of DegreesTypes of Degrees

Master’s Degrees

(MS, MA, MEd, MBA, MM, MFA, MPA, MSW, etc.)

• Coursework only: students complete a required set of courses (rare)

• Comprehensive exam: students complete coursework followed by an examination

• Thesis: students complete coursework and must also submit a thesis (an original piece of research)

• Proficiency requirements: many of the creative disciplines (music, dance, theatre, art, film) require a demonstration of proficiency in order to graduate

Types of DegreesTypes of Degrees

Doctoral Degrees

(PhD, EdD, DHA, DDS, MD, JD, etc.)

• Research doctorates: PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) - students complete coursework and submit a dissertation (original research; must make a significant contribution to the discipline)

• Professional doctorates: students complete a required set of courses and gain expertise in a profession, such as dentistry (DDS); no research expectation

Some Things are ObviousSome Things are Obvious

If you aren’t enjoying college, don’t go to grad school MS == More of the same

PhD == Piled higher and deeper

If you aren’t doing well in college, don’t go to grad school• You’ll have a hard time getting into a good one

• It’s more competitive than being an undergrad

• Grad school can be satisfying and a lot of fun

• But it’s not for everyone

Less Obvious…Less Obvious…Salary tradeoffs for an advanced degree are often good

Data from 2003 on Salary.com

Median income by education level

$3,648,000

$3,252,000

$2,671,000

$2,268,000

$973,000

$1,304,000

$1,547,000

$1,727,000

Less

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$1,727k$1,547k

$1,304k

$973k

$3,648k

$3,252k

$2,671k

$2,268k

Modified from Fig. 1 of Carnevale et al. (2011) The College Payoff – Education, Occupations, Lifetime Earnings. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

Median Lifetime Earnings by Median Lifetime Earnings by Educational AttainmentEducational Attainment

2009 Dollars2009 Dollars

Lifetime Earning TrajectoriesLifetime Earning Trajectories2009 Dollars2009 Dollars

Ear

nin

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$150,000

< H. S. Bachelor’s

H. S. Master’s

Some College Doctoral

Associate’s Professional

$125,000

$100,000

$75,000

$50,000

$20,000 25-29

30-34 35-39 40-44 45-29 50-54 55-59 60-64

$150k

$125k

$100k

$75k

$50k

$20k

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AgeModified from Fig. 2 of Carnevale et al. (2011) The College Payoff – Education, Occupations, Lifetime Earnings. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

You will invest 2-3 (MS) or 4-7 (PhD) years of your life• If PhD, often an additional 1-2 years as a postdoc

In some disciplines you may have to write a thesis or dissertation

• You MUST be able to write clearly• MS – 50-100 pages• PhD – 100-250 pages

Less Obvious…Less Obvious…

Grad School TradeoffsGrad School Tradeoffs

Costs• Time• Effort• Expense• Opportunities• Potential for failure

Benefits• Enjoyment• Intellectual stimulation• Possible increased earning power• Opens doors to different kinds of jobs

Essential Graduate Student Essential Graduate Student InformationInformation

Being a graduate student is very different from being anundergrad:As an undergrad your job is to get good grades

• As a graduate student your job is to learn your specialty and (especially for a PhD student and some master’s students) to do research and write papers

• Classes important, but may be less so than for undergrads

• Often develop a much closer relationship with faculty members in grad school

• your major advisor, maybe others

Parts of an ApplicationParts of an ApplicationGrades

• Bad grades hurt but good grades don’t get you in• Should have As and Bs in core courses

GRE/GMAT scores (Graduate Record Examination / Graduate Management Admission Test)

• Bad scores hurt but good scores don’t get you in

Prior research experience• Required at top graduate schools• Makes any application (possibly much) stronger

Personal statement

Letters of recommendation

Personal StatementPersonal Statement

Sometimes called a “research statement”

Include:• What general areas of the discipline interest you and why

• Experience in the field - research projects you have worked on, job experience, volunteer work, etc.

• Approaches that you tried• What worked, what didn’t; what did you learn?

• Why do you want an MS / PhD?

• Why do you want to attend the particular school?

• What professors might you want to work with?

Personal StatementPersonal Statement

Take this seriously

• Get people to read over it, especially professors

• Point out your strengths, but bragging, exaggerating, or cheesy stories do not help

• Will be used as a gauge of how well you write

Letters of RecommendationLetters of Recommendation

Perhaps the most important part of your applicationPerhaps the most important part of your application• Everyone will have decent grades and GRE/GMAT scores

• Often the difference between two good students is in their letters

Letters from professors count the mostLetters from professors count the most• Letters from lecturers, employers, etc. are a distant second

• Letters about your grades and exam scores are of little use• If someone wants to know how you did in class, they’ll look at your transcripts

Letters of RecommendationLetters of Recommendation

If a professor doesn’t know you well, he/she cannot write you a strong letter

• A good letter says things like: “independent thinker” “motivated and driven” “strong research potential”

• Personal anecdotes are useful because they show the professor really knows you

This is one reason why research or This is one reason why research or independent study experience at the independent study experience at the undergraduate level is so important!undergraduate level is so important!

How to Ask for LettersHow to Ask for LettersAsk in person

• Be specific: “Can you write me a strong letter?”

Provide each letter writer with a packet containing:• Your resumé• Your personal statement• As much paperwork filled out as possible• Anything else that may be helpful• Specific instructions – Which letters are due when?• Addressed, stamped envelopes, email address, or URL• Request for email confirmation when letters are sent

Assume professors are overworked and forgetful (they are!)• Give them at least three weeks to write and send letters• Check to see if schools have gotten your letters

Getting Into a Good SchoolGetting Into a Good School

Basic problem:

Acceptance decisions are not entirely objective• Professors are committing 2-7 years of their time, too

• They want to make sure a student is a “good fit” for themselves and their lab or graduate program

• Getting into grad school is a much more personal endeavor than getting into undergrad school

• You may be looking at an individual faculty member as much as the school itself

Getting Into a Good SchoolGetting Into a Good School

Solution:

• Identify potential programs or thesis/dissertation advisors early

• Ask current professors to recommend good advisors/schools

• Visit the school’s/advisor’s website• There is a lot of information there• You’ll be perceived as a serious applicant the more you know about a graduate program or a professor’s work• And you’ll be able to ask better questions

Getting Into a Good SchoolGetting Into a Good School

Solution (cont.):

• Let potential advisors know you’re interested in their work and ask if they are taking on new students

• Meet them, or at least talk with them on the phone• It’s nice to be able to put a face to a name• Talk with their current grad students

• How do they enjoy the experience?• Are students finishing? Getting jobs?• Follow-up calls never hurt

Yahoo! You’ve Been Yahoo! You’ve Been Accepted!Accepted!

Um, Now What…?

Financial SupportFinancial Support

There is more money available to support graduate students than you may think

• TA – Teaching Assistantship• You help teach a course, usually the labs• about 20 hr/wk• 9 months; you’re on your own in summer

• RA – Research Assistantship• Paid from your advisor’s grant• You contribute to the goal of the grant• May dictate the topic of your thesis/dissertation work

• Fellowships – rare; some offered by school, some applied for• Grants

• Lots of sources, depending on your discipline• Usually to support your work, not yourself

•Student loans (representatives of the BSU Financial Aid Office will be available later)

Financial SupportFinancial Support

Application TimelineApplication TimelineFreshman, sophomore, junior year:

• Get good grades• Get research experience• Find an academic area that excites you enough to devote 2-7 years of your life to it

Early Fall of your senior year (at the latest):• Decide where to apply

• Do lots of web surfing• Take GRE/GMAT, if necessary

Late Fall of your senior year:• Fill out applications• Request letters of recommendation

Undergrad Research at Boise StateUndergrad Research at Boise StateCheck university websites for opportunities•STEM Station http://stem.boisestate.edu/UngResearchConnections.html

•Individual departments http://biology.boisestate.edu/advising/undergraduate-research/

Ask a professor who is doing work that interests you• You can get college credits (Independent Study)

It does pay dividends:From the BSU Materials Science & Engineering website (March 5, 2011):

“Lead Undergraduate Research Assistant Stephanie Barnes has been accepted into Caltech’s Bioengineering Graduate Program. Congratulations to Stephanie!”