BEYOND THE HEDGES: tips for Grad School

WRITTEN BY FERNANDA MORALES

EDITED BY ROY PHILLIPS & MANWAL HARB

Applying to graduate school can be an overwhelming process. It is crucial to understand the requirements, expectations, and opportunities available so that you can make an informed decision about your career goals. Through this article, I will try to provide a guide to help potential doctoral applicants navigate the PhD application process.

Once you’ve made the decision to apply to graduate school, the first step is to identify programs and faculty that align with your research interests. It is crucial to give yourself time to research what programs and opportunities exist. As you begin preparing applications, you’ll soon realize that the amount and diversity of graduate programs offered can seem endless. This is especially true in the field of neuroscience, where even labs in different departments and programs within the same institution could be doing research that interests you.

In general, the summer the year before you plan on starting your Ph.D. program is a good time to start looking. This is also a good time to start preparing your general application materials such as academic C.V. and studying and presenting tests such as the GRE (and English Language exams if you are a non-native speaker). Each school will have different requirements, so make sure to keep track of each one in order to stay organized.

If you are unsure which program or department is best for you, think about what you want or need from your degree. Some programs might be a better fit based on your career aspirations. Additionally, investigate the doctoral program requirements. What classes will you have to take? Do they seem interesting and appropriate for your research focus?

Is the program a rotational one where you’ll get to experience the lab culture and their daily research routine before making a decision? Or is it a direct-admit program, where you’ll be able to start in the lab and perform research from day one? No program or department is a one-size-fits-all, and either can have its pros or cons, so consider what would be beneficial for you. One thing to keep in mind is that neuroscience research specifically can take longer (5+ years) than other fields w ithin science and engineering. So you want to choose a place where you will feel welcomed and inspired to produce research for an extended period of time.

To get started, I suggest reviewing the websites of labs and universities of interest or by looking up the authors of research papers in scientific journals you f ound f ascinating. Once you have identified programs and faculty members of interest, reach out to them via email and express your interest in working with them. While this might not be standard practice in all institutions, this has opened a lot of opportunities for people such as myself. In-clude your CV and a short message indicating your interest in working with them. Ask if they are recruiting potential graduate students for the upcoming year and ask if they are available for a quick call to discuss their research.

This will allow you to: 1) Know if the spe-cific faculty member you are interested in will be recruiting graduate students the upcoming cycle, 2) Get to know about their current and future research projects (some professors do not update their websites), 3) understand funding packages, fees and institutional requirements for the program, and 4) understand what is needed to get startedonyourapplicationprocess.

The best time to reach out to potential faculty members is July to September the year before you plan on starting grad school. That is when most of them know if they will be taking more Ph.D. students and will be able to answer your questions. This can however change, as some professors with pending grants will know

Design by Bryant Polanco what their budget is later on. Although reaching out early is advised, feel free to reach out after these dates if a professor crosses your radar closer to the application deadline; even if your chances of connecting aren’t as good you have nothing to lose.

If a potential advisor does not respond or say they are unavailable to meet, don’t feel discouraged. You can follow up your initial email within a week of sending it, If urgent, you can do it within three days. Even if they don’t respond, some might remember your email when looking through your application and go back to see what you said at the moment; some might be extremely busy but will still look through your materials. Professors get hundreds of emails per day, so your email can get lost in the pile.

Another essential thing to consider is funding opportunities. Knowing that you can study and do research for free sounds like an extremely exciting idea, nonetheless, considering funding opportunities when applying is essential. Some programs offer full funding, including tuition and stipends; while others may require students to secure their funding. Research and teaching assistantships as well as fellowships are common opportunities for graduate students. Discuss with the faculty members you are interested in working with what these would entail. Additionally, consider the cost of living in the city where the institution you are applying to resides. $30,000 will get your further in some cities compared to $44,000 in others.

My personal advice to prospective students is that you should focus on people over research projects and university prestige: You’ll be working with a P.I. and your fellow lab mates for 5+ years (and beyond your PhD) while your project will last a finite amount of time (once you publish it, you’re done with it usually). Think about mentoring styles of your potential professors, talk to both the professor and their lab members (the latter of whom will be able to give you an idea of how you’ll be working in the lab).

Once you have identified programs of interest, the next step is to prepare your application materials, which typically include a personal statement, transcripts, test scores (if required), and letters of recommendation. Preparing your application materials with ample time will allow you to revise and perfect them as well as tailor them for each of your institutions of interest.