Grad School 101: The Application Process

Penn State Soft Materials REU 2011 27 July 2011 Amanda McDermott

The Grad-School Application Process

Application timeline Choosing programs to apply to Application components Financial considerations Choosing a program after youre accepted

See also: course packet

Application timeline
Junior year Research experience Get more involved in your department Take upper-level courses to explore research interests Investigate graduate programs Senior year Aug-Nov
Choose departments to apply to Take GRE Talk to recommendation writers

If youre a rising senior, there are things you should start doing now Check deadlines for graduate programs and fellowships that you want to apply to

Oct-Nov: some fellowship deadlines Dec-Jan: deadlines for selective departments

Winter break: finish applications

Jan-Mar: acceptance letters and visit invitations Apr 15: decision deadline

before choosing programs to apply to

Research experience and choosing a field

Having several experiences is valuable in seeing what different fields are like
Synthesis, characterization, simulations, theory? Polymers, ceramics, semiconductors?

Long-term involvement with a single lab also has benefits

Get to know grad students Better chance of publications, conference attendance

Interests stated in your application will influence which potential advisors pay attention to it
Demonstrate that youve thought about your interests, but dont be overly specific unless youre sure

You do not need prior experience similar to your graduate research project

Choosing programs to apply to

What are your field(s) of interest?
Interdisciplinary areas: you might decide to apply to the MatSE department at one university and Chemical Engineering at another (for example)

Program rankings
Can compare e.g. all Materials Science departments for a rough idea of prestige/competitiveness Wont tell you which schools have the best programs in a subfield, e.g. polymer physics
Solution: talk to professors

Internet research
Degree requirements
exams, teaching, coursework

Faculty websites, available facilities If youd only want to work with a few specific faculty members, consider asking ahead of time whether theyre accepting new students

Application components
Components GRE scores Letters of recommendation Personal statement (statement of purpose) Undergrad transcripts Resume/CV
Which other schools/fellowships youre applying to

Timeline (senior year) Aug-Nov

Choose departments to apply to Take GRE Talk to recommendation writers

Oct-Nov: some fellowship deadlines Dec-Jan: deadlines for selective departments

Winter break: finish applications

Jan-Mar: acceptance letters and visit invitations Apr 15: decision deadline

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Similar to SAT (administered through ETS)
Verbal reasoning Quantitative reasoning Analytical writing: two essays, 30 min each

Major change in format Aug 1, 2011: Revised General GRE

No scores reported until mid-Nov; after that sent in 10-15 days V and Q ranges now on 130-170 scale (vs. 200-800 previously) Questions types have also changed!
www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/

Subject tests
No test for MatSE or Chem Eng Tests for Chemistry, Physics, Math, Bio, Biochem
www.ets.org/gre/subject/

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) only if international

Numbers: GPAs and GRE scores

First: look for minimum or typical minimum numbers from both departments and universities of interest GPA Commonly, The Graduate School of ___ University will enforce a minimum GPA A Jr/Sr GPA (including fall of Sr year) is typically also requested Your application will receive much more individual attention than your undergrad apps GRE scores
A hard minimum for GRE scores is less common than for GPA Very high scores might help with fellowships
NSF is no longer considering GRE scores

No one will be used to the new scoring system

Suggested approach Familiarize yourself with the test format and take a practice exam If your scores are comfortably above the minimum, studying intensively is probably not the best use of your time If your scores are low:
Think about what worked for SAT prep Were providing GRE prep books

Recommendation letters
Plan for 3 (but check requirements of your schools and fellowships)
Your REU advisor Other professors/PhD scientists youve done research with Developing relationships with other profs: small seminar classes (ask questions), hands-on labs, visiting office hours or other informal conversations, working as grader/TA

Ask at least a month in advance

People will not be surprised that youre asking If worried: Could you write me a strong letter of recommendation?

Provide an organized list of letter requirements, deadlines, and directions for all schools and fellowships, 1 month before any are due
and giving them your CV and statement of purpose is not a bad idea

Send reminders 1-2 weeks before deadlines Follow up with them as youre making your decision and after you choose a school/advisor

Resume/CV
Not always requested, but usually theres somewhere you can include the URL of a personal website Things to highlight
Research experience
Describe the project and skills gained Journal publications, conference presentations
Even 1 is doing very well

Your poster session/talk during this REU Opportunities to present your summer research at your home university?

Writing skills, leadership, science outreach Coursework Short statement of research interests and career goals Awards, scholarships

Statement of purpose/personal statement

Pay attention to essay directions for each school
theyre often vague

Communicate research interests and career goals

Incorporate past experiences Describe (and give evidence of) your skills If changing fields, can discuss what motivated your change in focus

Why is this program a good fit for you?

Faculty youd like to work with (for example)

Tailor the statement to each program you apply to Write well

Application costs
Fees: $40-100 application fee per school Undergrad transcripts
Check with registrars office

GRE
$160 for General test, $140 per subject test Reporting fee per school

Mailing rec letters and/or applications

Most are online

Visits
Often covered if youre a top applicant to a school

Financial support during grad school

You should expect for tuition to be covered and to be paid a modest stipend (in the physical sciences and engineering).

Teaching assistantship
Awarded by the department Requires teaching duties

Research assistantship
Usually paid from advisor's grants

Internal fellowship
Awarded by the department or university as a recruiting incentive
Often for the first year or few years only

Sometimes an earlier application deadline or additional materials are required

External fellowship
Full funding or a top-up Can make you a more competitive applicant Can give you more flexibility in choosing a research topic Deadlines often earlier in the fall semester Can often apply during senior year of college and 1st or 2nd year of grad school

Links to many external fellowships in the course packet.

After applications are submitted: January to late March

Good time to contact potential advisors
They might also email you

Programs evaluate applicants

Top-choice applicants
Invited to visit weekend
Dates sometimes posted online well in advance

Might receive firm offers (fellowship, RA, or TA with salary specified)

Others might or might not be notified that they have been waitlisted

Widely varying procedures can influence when offers are made

In some programs, students choose advisors as they are accepted into a program and a specific professor must provide RA support In others, students choose advisors during their first year

As applicants reject offers from a program, those offers are made to the next applicants on the waitlist

Choosing a program and advisor

The research group you join is very important
Not just research interests
Advisors style and expectations vs. your work habits and personality Other students/postdocs in the group are friends and a problem-solving resource

If not joining a group immediately, should have several good options in the program you choose

The visit weekend

Overview of program Tours of labs, facilities, campus Individual meetings with professors
Review their research in advance
Familiarize yourself with techniques, look at recent papers Through email, ask in advance what projects they have in mind

Ask lots of questions

Time to socialize with current grad students

Ask lots of questions Especially talk to students who work for advisors of interest