Grad School Edition - October 5, 2023

Grad School Edition

A quick guide to graduate school applications

How to emphasize the ‘graduate’ in undergraduate

JOSIE STEWART Campus Editor stewart.2117@osu.edu

The tipping point where graduation becomes a touchy subject for upperclassmen is approaching fast.

Luckily, there are a few ways for students to determine whether a graduate-level education is for them while still in undergraduate courses. Stephen Quaye, associate dean for excellence in graduate and postdoctoral training, said while there are a few examples of this, taking crosslisted courses — classes both undergraduate and graduate students can take — is a great place to start for those curious about what continued education might look like.

Quaye said graduate-level courses differ from undergraduate ones in a few ways, mostly in length and structure.

“For [the] graduate level, I think professors expect students to take more ownership

over their learning, so there’s often less lecturing and more often the classes are more discussion-based,” Quaye said. “There’s some small group discussions, and faculty are really asking students to share their perspectives and opinions based on the readings for the week.”

The class structures can also include how students are expected to prepare for class, according to Maria Miriti, associate dean for academic excellence in the graduate school.

“As an undergraduate, you’re given a question to answer, and a lot of times, it is up to the professor to show you how to take the steps,” Miriti said. “Whereas in graduate school, graduate students are expected to ask the questions and then use the skill set that they’ve learned in their undergraduate courses with the help of their adviser to come up with a plan for answering those questions.”

If students enjoy these types of classes and have a continued curiosity, this can be another sign to stay in school.

“One way that an undergraduate student can know if grad school is right for them is if they feel like they’re not done learning yet, and they’re excited or passionate about advancing in their field,” Quaye said.

“I think that’s also a good sign that, ‘Hey, maybe I’m ready for grad school because I have questions I’m curious about. I feel like I’m not quite done learning yet.’”

For those seeking more advice, Quaye said students are always free to reach out to the graduate school at Ohio State to get connected to those pursuing a path similar to their own. In addition, professors have also gone through graduate programs and are resources for what to expect from them.

Miriti said teaching assistants are also a

good source of information, as they’re often currently going through graduate school and so are other undergraduates going through the same process.

“If you’re curious about something, ask the questions,” Miriti said.

Miriti said other aspects like research that are a central part of graduate school can not only help students see if they’d enjoy graduate school but can also help with their applications if they decide to apply.

“A lot of what graduate school offers students is the opportunity to develop their own research questions,” Miriti said. “Learn how to follow through on answering those questions and then sharing them in terms of publications.”

If graduate school comes as a late plan, Quaye said students should not worry — it won’t make or break an application.

Quaye said. “I think internships are also something that stands out, but I don’t think

those are essential things that one needs in order to be competitive for a graduate program.”

If students have gone through these processes and found a graduate education right for them, deciding which path becomes the next step.

Quaye said looking back on classes is helpful in deciding what’s next.

If this doesn’t become clear, that can also be a sign by itself.

“Sometimes students stay in grad school because they’re maybe afraid of graduating or they’re not really ready to leave college, and I think that’s not the right reason for it,” Quaye said. “A lot of these programs, you’re going to have to write a personal statement that illustrates why you want to do grad school at this point in your life, and if you don’t know what the ‘why’ is, it’s gonna make it hard to write that statement in a way that’s meaningful.”

COURTESY OF TAMMARRA R. PACE

Students in the College of Dentistry follow along during lecture. There are many opportunitues for students to take graduate-level classess during undergraduate school.

How do Ohio State students feel about graduate school?

According to a poll on The Lantern’s o cial social media accounts, here’s what the Buckeyes had to say:

Are you considering applying to graduate school?

YES 59% NO 41%

If you are planning on attending graduate school, are finances a concern?

15% said no

85% said yes

Why are you not attending graduate school?

Where do you want to attend graduate school?

15% said location is not a factor

22% said leave the area

26% said unsure

37% said stay in the area

A quick guide to graduate school applications

CHARLOTTE HUOT Lantern Reporter huot.5@osu.edu

After students choose one of many

graduate paths, they then have to trek through many acronyms, applications and tests. Here are the basics for a few popular tracks to continue education after undergraduate studies.

Medical School

There are several factors students must consider when applying, including degree prerequisites within disciplines including biology, chemistry and anatomy, which will help candidates stand out for their preferred program.

“Individuals get selected into those programs and [admissions] want to make sure students understand the field that they want to go into,” Dr. Dan Clinchot, the vice dean for education at the College of Medicine, said. “For example, if you’re interested in matriculating into the genetic counseling program, we’re gonna want to know that they know a little about genetics and what genetic counselors do.”

Medical schools also look for an MCAT taken within three years of the application, a quality GPA and academic and

Launch your Career in Nursing this Fall

professional letters of recommendation, according to the Ohio State College of Medicine website.

To stand out and appear as a well-rounded candidate, students should also have clinical hours, community or volunteer service, research experience, leadership skills and extracurricular activities on their resumes, according to the website.

As far as actually applying goes, students can apply for medical school using the American Medical College Applications Service, which opens on their website on May 2, 2024, and closes May 30. The service allows students to upload every component of their application, similar to the Common Application used for undergraduate students.

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To become a leader in nursing, you need expertise— and our Master of Nursing program delivers for students with non-nursing backgrounds. Earn your degree with the option to add your Master of Science in Nursing without completing a second application.

Learn more at case.edu/nursing

JACK WESTERHEIDE LANTERN FILE PHOTO

Students looking to pursue a postgraduate degree in law at Ohio State must apply within the Michael E. Moritz College of Law.

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Law School

Regarding law school, the main prerequisite for applying is taking the LSAT, which students will prepare for in their third year of undergraduate study. Aside from LSAT scores, law schools look at grades, letters of recommendation and GPA.

“Accordingly, the Admissions Office evaluates a variety of factors when considering applicants for admission: academic potential, personal experience and goals, and personal qualities and characteristics,” the Ohio State Moritz College of Law website said.

As for deadlines, applications can be submitted through the Law School Admission Council any time from Sept. 15 to July 1, 2024, with a preferred deadline of March 31.

Business School

For business school graduate admissions, the process is less uniform universally. At Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business, there are a few different programs that students can apply to including master’s degree programs in accounting, human resource management, business administration and supply chain management; specialized master’s degree programs in business and finance, business and analytics; and Ph.D. programs.

Of these programs, there are generally two different types.

“The biggest differences between grad business programs is whether or not the program expects or requires postundergraduate work experience, setting aside everything else,” Rob Chabot, director of admissions at the Fisher College of Business, said.

Prior knowledge is also expected at the time of application. This is shown in the courses you take during undergraduate study, Chabot said.

“For example, you could be an English major and be a successful applicant to the finance program,” Chabot said. “But you’re going to need to show a minimum level

when you apply.”

Specifically for Ohio State’s graduate business programs, there are several rounds of applications and deadlines. The early application deadline is Oct. 15. Round one is due on Dec. 3, round two on Jan. 7, 2024, round three on Feb. 25 and the final round on May 3.

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Thursday, October 5, 2023

Local band The Esteems

Even the pickiest of eaters can break out of their shells at this year’s Columbus Taco Fest

ON PAGE 9

releases debut album

‘Course Correction’ before release show Saturday

SARAH MOOMEY Lantern Reporter moomey.3@osu.edu

Over a year in the making, The Esteems’ debut indie-rock album, titled “Course Correction,” was officially released Friday.

Formed during the fall of 2017, The Esteems includes lead singer and guitarist Jessie Roman, guitarist Luke Ashmore, keyboardist and vocalist Evan Franchi, drummer Michael Robenalt and bassist Jon Reeb. The Columbus-based band will perform “Course Correction” live for the

first time at the Rambling House Saturday, according to its Instagram.

Roman said she embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery during the COVID-19 pandemic, which ultimately led to the album’s creation.

“This album is about me basically coming to terms with the fact that I am bisexual,” Roman said. “It’s kind of the path of like dealing with the denial and accepting it, kind of feeling a sense of optimism and hope for what’s to come next. That’s kind of the path of it, and why it’s called ‘Course

Correction.’”

Different from The Esteems’ June 2022 EP “Voice Memos,” the album features a more cohesive narrative arc, Roman said.

“It definitely felt like it was the first time we were in the studio as a five-piece,” Reeb said. “We were going through a learning process with Tony Rice, our producer and engineer, and I think after that experience, the songs and how they all came together was just like a little bit different from there.”

As the sole writer for “Course Correction,” Roman said the process of penning songs was difficult at times.

“The challenge for me was to write some additional songs that could fit into the story without trying to force a song in there,” Roman said. “That’s when we wrote ‘On My Way’ and ‘Gravitate.’ I think they fit in really well.”

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COURTESY OF MITCHELL MULTIMEDIA

(Left to right) Evan Franchi, Michael Robenalt, Jessie Roman, Jon Reeb and Luke Ashmore make up The Esteems.

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Throughout the album’s creation, Roman said each band member sought inspiration from various artists: Ashmore explored the sounds of Snail Mail; Reeb immersed himself in Modest Mouse; Roman delved into Soccer Mommy’s discography; Robenalt drew inspiration from Jeff Rosenstock; and the album’s mastering engineer, Glenn Davis, even compared Franchi’s work on “Course Correction” to genre-spanning singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby.

“I wouldn’t have thought I was inspired by [Bruce Hornsby],” Franchi said. “When [Davis] said that, I’m like, ‘It’s OK for me to admit that I might have been subconsciously influenced by that kind of styling.’”

Moreover, Robenalt said the album’s cover art visually echoes the theme of

self-discovery.

“It starts off as that black and white arrow through a maze,” Robenalt said. “Then at the end, it’s sort of colorful and it’s sort of bursting a part of your old self.”

Roman said she hopes the band’s audience, as well as any new fans, can take away a positive message from “Course Correction.”

“There is no right or wrong way to do your life,” Roman said. “You can do it on your own timeline and find out who you are as you go along, and that that’s totally fine to do and that the people who love you will love you.”

The album release show will kick off at 9 p.m., at the Rambling House, and tickets can be purchased through The Esteems’ website.

“I chose Ohio State because I was impressed by its intense yet friendly research atmosphere, as well as the high exposure that students have to cutting edge research right from the start.”

“I chose Ohio State because I was impressed by its intense yet friendly research atmosphere, as well as the high exposure that students have to cutting edge research right from the start.”

COURTESY OF ANDREW MCNAMARA

The album cover art for The Esteems album, “Course Correction”.

Columbus Taco Fest brings zesty flavors to local food scene, returns for a second time this year

GRACE DEROLPH Lantern Reporter derolph.9@osu.edu

While Cazuela’s and Condado are oncampus staples when it comes to tacos, Buckeyes who want to spice up their usual orders may find new favorites at Columbus Taco Fest.

The festival has gathered Columbus foodies together since 2018 and will offer a diverse range of tacos from 24 food trucks this year, Columbus Taco Fest’s organizer Hugo Alobornoz said. Alobornoz — who also owns House of Media, a Columbusbased marketing agency and one of Taco Fest’s prominent business partners — said the event reflects Columbus residents’ rich appetites.

“I realized that Columbus is a very foodie city, and when I traveled the states going to different events, I went to New Orleans where there was a taco event, and it made me go, ‘That’s a great idea, why don’t we have one in Columbus?’” Albornoz said. “There already was a food truck fest, so let’s do a food truck fest but with tacos.”

Due to the festival’s growth in popularity, Albornoz said House of Media expanded the festivities from the traditional, onetime spring event to include a fall event starting in 2021. Due to cancellations during the pandemic, 2023 marks the first year Columbus Taco Fest will have both a spring and a fall celebration, according to the festival’s website.

“We always had it in the spring,” Albornoz said. “During the pandemic, we had to

cancel the spring one. Then in 2021, when everything opened again, the city gave us Goodale Park in October. Everyone loved it.”

To improve the festival’s efficiency, a cover fee of $5 in advance or $7 at the door is now required for entry, the website states.

“This is the first event that we’re charging,” Albornoz said. “The problem was that we haven’t been charging since the beginning, but it’s getting so crowded that it’s a way to control the crowd, a way to be organized and for [safety]. This is new territory for us.”

Walter Eguez, owner of Tortilla Street

Food truck and a participating vendor at this year’s festival, said Tortilla serves build-your-own Mexican dishes like

burritos, bowls, quesadillas and — of course — tacos.

“When you come to the truck, you tell us what to put in the food,” Eguez said. “You tell us if you want rice, you tell us what meat you want, you tell us if you want cilantro. You don’t come and order steak tacos and we tell you what’s on it, you make it your way, make it yourself.”

Eguez said Tortilla has been in business for a decade, maintaining a consistent desire to cater to the needs of its clientele. This goal translates directly into the food truck’s festival appearance, he said.

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“Twenty years ago, you didn’t see festivals like you do today,” Eguez said. “You didn’t see venues like you do today or businesses opening their doors to food trucks like you see. Then we discovered the Ohio State Fair and the Food Truck Festival at the Columbus Commons. We started before the boom and we played that wave.”

Eguez said Columbus Taco Fest is an event he always looks forward to as a Columbus small business owner. In fact, Tortilla has been a part of Taco Fest since its inaugural event, he said.

“There’s so many festivals, but in terms of business and the people, the Taco Fest is the number one festival of the year for us,” Eguez said. “I think people should come enjoy this festival, it’s great.”

Columbus Taco Fest will take place at Goodale Park Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. More information about Columbus Taco Fest, including how to purchase tickets in advance, can be found on their website.

COURTESY OF COLUMBUS TACO FEST

A customer orders tacos from Si Señor Taco at Columbus Taco Fest.

Men’s Cross Country: Trust guides Agnew brothers to success

CONNOR IMES Lantern Reporter imes.30@osu.edu

Brotherhood and trust are two of the biggest factors for success in the realm of team sports. However, it is taken to a different level when that brotherhood is actually between brothers.

Kevin Agnew and his brother, Jack, are runners from Bellbrook, Ohio, and are on Ohio State’s men’s cross country and track and field teams. This season marks the first time the two will be competing together since their high school days at Archbishop Carroll High School.

“There’s definitely more of a trust that you innately give your brother. Like, I trust him to be there and compete well in races,” third-year student-athlete Kevin Agnew said.

Jack Agnew grew up admiring Kevin Agnew and wanted to emulate him. Since elementary school, the two spent most of their time together running, which established a deep-rooted trust between the siblings.

“We went to the same schools, we were on the same teams,” Kevin Agnew said. “Jack and I have been teammates for a lot longer than I’ve been teammates with anyone else on the team.”

However, this would soon change as Kevin Agnew became a high school senior with aspirations to continue his cross country career. He would do so as he committed to the Ohio State men’s cross country and track and field teams in November 2020, according to Ohio MileSplit.

Kevin Agnew, now in his third year at Ohio State, missed last season and only competed in indoor and outdoor track due to a sacrum injury.

He was already battling a shin injury and

was hoping to return before the start of the season. His hard work and training would pay off, with Kevin Agnew being cleared to run.

Nearly 62 miles away, his younger brother Jack Agnew achieved high success in cross country back home. He was the 2021 cross country state champion at Archbishop Carroll High School and a two-time all-state nominee.

It had now become Jack Agnew’s turn to commit and continue his running career. Jack Agnew turned to his brother, Kevin Agnew, with a tough decision to make. Deciding to trust his brother’s success, he followed in his footsteps, committing to Ohio State.

“He was just a really good teammate and leader to look up to, as something I wanted to be when I was older,” Jack Agnew said. “ Being all-state and then committing to Ohio State, those were things that I saw and then wanted to do myself.”

Nearly a year later, Kevin Agnew said he is still working towards getting back into peak shape, but with a history of injuries, his training is limited and differs from most runners. He said he can’t run as much and does a low mileage approach, structuring his training around a few weekly workouts.

“He’s not one of these guys that runs 80 or 90 miles a week,” head coach Sara Mason Vergote said. “That just is not conducive to his body.”

Despite a history of nagging injuries, Kevin Agnew is off to an impressive start in his return this season, having placed sixth overall on the men’s side in Ohio State’s first two meets of the season.

“He wasn’t running, he got back on campus at camp, he turned a huge quarter,” Vergote said. “He was our top guy in Wisconsin. And I expect him to

continue to be one of our top guys.”

Kevin Agnew placed second among the Buckeyes in the first race and first in the second race at Wisconsin.

On the other hand, Jack Agnew has yet to run in uniform for the Buckeyes. The freshman won’t likely receive heavy running time this season, but he said he is excited to witness and be a part of the team’s success — a lot of which he says comes from trust.

“The teams I’ve been on tend to do better when the people on the team trust each other and cooperate together in races, and everybody’s into it working together and everybody’s excited and loves being around each other. That’s when the team tends to succeed more,” Jack Agnew said.

Kevin Agnew is poised to run in nearly every race for Ohio State in his return

to cross country this season, while Jack Agnew may only run in a few. Vergote said they might use him during Big Ten play, but that wouldn’t occur until the start of track season.

“I expect him to be a big player in the Big Ten down the line here,” Vergote said. “So, we’re just trying to be smart about the decisions we make in terms of using his season or not.”

Still, Jack Agnew said he is determined to be there for the team however he can.

“My goal this season is to help out the team in any way possible, whether that’s in training or just working with them in workouts, or if it comes to me racing this season, helping them in races and helping the team place better and just trying to get the team to be as good as we possibly can,” Jack Agnew said.

COURTESY OF OHIO STATE ATHLETICS

Brothers Jack and Kevin Agnew reunite as teammates on the Ohio State men’s cross-country team for the first time since competing together in high school.

Page 12

Thursday, October 5, 2023

SPORTS

ON PAGE 11

Big Noon Kicko heads to Columbus for the first time in the 2023 season

REILLY CAHILL Lantern Reporter

cahill.256@osu.edu

FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be heading to Columbus for the matchup of two of the final four undefeated teams in the Big Ten: No. 4 Ohio State and Maryland.

Big Noon Kickoff, a pregame college football TV show headlining big matchups, came to Columbus three times last season for matchups against Iowa, Indiana and Michigan. Ohio State was also featured on Big Noon Kickoff on the road at Penn State. Ohio State has headlined the show 14 times — the most of any school — and won 11 times.

Big Noon Kickoff started hosting its show from college campuses in 2019. This will be the ninth time that Ohio State has hosted the broadcast. Ohio State is rumored to be hosting the show again Oct. 21 against Penn State.

The stage for the show will be set up outside of Ohio Stadium and will start at 10 a.m. until the kickoff at noon. Fans are encouraged to get there at 9 a.m., before the show starts, to get closer to the stage. The show will be set up in front of the RPAC and across from Gate 32.

The event involves free food, T-shirts, music and other prizes for fans. Oftentimes, celebrities also show up. Fans are encouraged to create their own sign

supporting the Buckeyes, as there is a prize for fans with the best signs.

The pregame show is hosted by Rob Stone and features Matt Leinert, Brady Quinn, Mark Ingram and former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. Stone has also hosted pregame shows for the World Cup. Leinert, Quinn and Ingram are former college football stars. Meyer won a national championship as head coach for Ohio State in 2014 and won two for Florida in 2006 and 2008.

FOX Sports covers the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12. This will be the first time this season that the FOX Sports crew sets up their show at a Big Ten school.

This game will be Ohio State’s 111th Homecoming game, where the Buckeyes are 75-19-5.

Despite being undefeated, Maryland is still unranked and coach Ryan Day is 32-0 against unranked teams. This is the first time that both the Terrapins and Buckeyes are undefeated, playing against each other.

In 2022, Ohio State defeated Maryland on the road in a tightly contested 43-30 battle. The Buckeyes are 8-0 against Maryland all time and will look to make it nine straight on Saturday.

After two years away from cross country, the Agnew brothers’ journey continues at Ohio State.

ZACHARY RILLEY | LANTERN FILE PHOTO