Graduate School Overview

Is Graduate School for You?

•Wish to learn more about your current field or explore new fields of interest

•Work on advanced research projects

• Opportunity to collaborate with others

•Maximize your earning potential

• Increased job opportunities

Education Pays!

What You Should Expect

– To study a field that you enjoy in-depth

– Less structure, more independence

– Higher level of responsibility

– You must have drive, determination and good time management skills

How to Choose a Graduate School

• Reputation of program • Cost • Geographic location • Admissions criteria • Available resources • Support system for graduate students • Professional development opportunities

Important Questions to Ask

• What is the mean time to complete the program?

• How reliable is your financial support from year to year?

• What are the funding sources? Will I need to TA? If so, how many semesters?

• What is your student retention rate?

• Placement rates and types of jobs obtained by recent graduates?

• Do you have rotations? Are they mandatory? (mostly life sciences fields)

Stress Factors

• Isolation, acclimation, new culture for many.

• Balance family & relationships with academics.

• Academic degree landmarks: A-exam, thesis or dissertation, B-exam.

• Relationship with advisor, special committee.

• Degree roadblocks & detours: funding, time to degree, research setbacks, personal challenges.

Graduate Education @ Cornell

Field Structure - ~100+ areas of graduate study

- Discipline categories (4)

- ~1850 graduate faculty

- Graduate Field System

Research Degrees: PhD, JSD, MS, MA, M.Arch 2, MLA2

Professional Degrees: DMA, M.Arch 1, MAT, M.Eng, MFA, MHA, MILR, MLA1, MMH, MPA, MPS, MRP

Other: Professional School Degrees: DVM, JD, LLM, MBA Weill-Cornell Medical

Graduate School Degrees

Program Length Structure Funding End Result

Prof. Masters 1 Year Coursework with a team project Mostly funded by the student Student will be prepared to work in industry

MA / MS 2 Years About 1/2 coursework and 1/2 research project

Some funding may be available, but mostly funded by the student

Student will be prepared to work in industry and or in a research environment (not their own research project)

PhD 4+ Very little coursework - research intensive degree

Fully funded (department pays tuition, stipend and health insurance)

Student will be prepared to work in industry, in a research environment and on their own research projects

Differences in Degree Programs

Fall 2013 Enrollment by Degree Type

• Total number of graduate students – 5177

• Total number of PhD students – 61%

• Total number of professional masters students – 32%

• Total number of research masters students – 7%

Cornell’s Graduate Student Body

Student Population

• 62% White • 13% Asian • 17% underrepresented

minority • 44% Female • 45% International

Application Process & Requirements

Visit: www.gradschool.cornell.edu

Application dates and requirements vary by field, but always include:

– Online application – Statement of Purpose – Transcript(s) – no minimum GPA requirement – 2-3 letters of recommendation – GRE scores – Optional diversity essay (for fellowship consideration) – Application fee

• Ph.D. fully funded – GET PAID TO LEARN!

• Master & Professional Degrees – funding opportunities are limited.

• Employer Incentives: some companies have educational benefits and may pay for some or all of your education.

Funding

Types of Fellowships Internal: Selection process takes place within the institution. Funding can only be used at that institution.

– Examples: Cornell Sloan Fellowships & IGERT Fellowships

External: Selection process takes place external to the institution and are portable – i.e. you can take the funding with you where ever you go.

– Examples: Ford & NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Hybrid: Selection takes partially within the institution and partially external to the institution

– Example: GEM Fellowships (www.gemfellowship.org)

Tips for Fellowship Searches

Search Early: fellowship deadlines are often BEFORE graduate school application deadlines

Search Often: new fellowships are posted regularly, so check and re-check fellowship databases regularly

Pay Attention: to deadlines and application requirements. The most common reason that an applications are denied is failure to meet the deadline

http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/tips/

Searching for Fellowships • Cornell Fellowship Database:

http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/fellowships • ASEE Fellowships: http://www.asee.org/fellowships • http://www.collegescholarships.org/grants/graduate.htm • http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm • Pathways to Science: http://www.pathwaystoscience.org • Petersons: http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/graduate-

school-scholarships.aspx • http://scholarships.fatomei.com • http://www.scholarsite.com/index.php?option=com_scholarship&Itemi

d=2 • Social Science Research Council: http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/ • U Michigan External Fellowship List:

https://www.rackham.umich.edu/prospective-students/funding/other • UCLA – GRAPES: http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/grpinst.htm

Next Steps • Engage in as many research experiences as possible • Keep your grades up – finish strong • Work on developing and maintaining good relationships

with your professors (including internship advisors) • Start researching graduate programs • Reach out to faculty and graduate students at your

undergraduate institution as well as the schools you may want to apply to

• Develop a personal timeline for fellowship applications, essays, the GRE, grad. school applications, letters of rec, etc.

Contact Information Anitra McCarthy

Director of Recruitment Cornell University Graduate School

325 Caldwell Hall (607) 254-8907

amd78@cornell.edu www.gradschool.cornell.edu

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