Applying to Graduate School

February 7, 2013

Christine Dunne

Anthony Varca

So you want to go to graduate school…now what?

• Sign up for the GREs• Do this as early as possible• Taking them twice is normal!

• Subject GREs?

• Pick your schools

• Pick Professors you would work for

• KNOW your deadlines

Organization is Key

University Deadline 3 Rec's Transcripts PS PA GRE Subj. GRE Resumes

University of Pennsylvania 1-Jan-2013

Columbia 15-Dec-2012

UC Berkeley 18-Dec-2012

UC Santa Barbara 15-Dec-2012

Princeton 1-Dec-2012

NYU 12-Dec-2012

Col. State - Fort Collines 15-Jan-2012

NSF GRFP 27-Nov-2012

• Information Deadlines• Recommendation Deadlines (may be different)• Just a personal statement or personal achievements as well?• Unofficial transcripts or official ones?

Choosing Professors

• Choose at least 2-3 professors you would want to work for at each school

• Look on each schools website for information about professor’s research

• Keep information in excel spreadsheet (easy access later)

Andrew Meyers

Synthesis and study of complex molecules of importance in biology and human medicine. His group has developed laboratory synthetic routes to a broad array of complex natural products,

http://www.chem.harvard.edu/research/index.php

Tobias Ritter

Development of novel reaction chemistry. We seek to discover molecular structure and reactivity that can contribute to interdisciplinary solutions for challenges in science

Eric Jacobsen

My research group is interested in all aspects of selective catalysis, and especially in the design, discovery, and study of systems that mediate fundamentally interesting and useful organic reactions

GREs (General & Subject)

• General GREs• Can only take once every month and 5 times per year• Leave enough time for the scores to reach the school

(~3-4 weeks)• May have to retake so schedule that in to the process

• Subject GREs• Only offered in the Fall/Spring• Schedule in advance (locations fill up quick!)• Make sure your schools actually REQUIRE them

• Who to send your 4 free scores to?• Safety schools

Resumès

• Not your typical ‘co-op’ ones

• Can exceed 2 pages

• Include your major GPA

• All university achievements

• Discuss with co-op supervisor what can be included

Who to ask for a rec.?

• Research Advisor

• Co-op Supervisor

• Professor with good relationship

• Faculty Advisor

• Additional co-op supervisor

Transcripts

• Does the school require hard copies?• How many copies do they need?

• Unofficial transcripts• Use a good scanner (check the specifications on

each schools applications)• Some library ones aren’t very clear

• Order official transcript weeks in advance• Avoid overnight fee• Insures on-time delivery• Remember you can only request 3 copies per day

Personal Statement

• Read each schools specific idea of a personal statement

• Statements of Purpose vs. Personal Statement

• Word limits!

• Theme it• My personal statement followed a theme of taking the

unconventional path through university to achieve my goals

• Why you want to go to graduate school (discuss career goals)• Don’t just say I want to go to grad school because I don’t

know what else to do

• Remember that when writing:• Be direct/to the point• Don’t try to ‘fluff’ too much

Example Personal Statement Prompts

Personal Achievements

• Separate from Statement of Purpose

• Focus on one specific trait that you have

• Even if you think you aren’t that ‘diverse’ there is always something to write about!

• Prompt example:

Supplementary Documents Example

*Make sure when discussing your research experience you do not release proprietary information (specific to co-op research)*Literature – possibly choose a paper that has assisted you in research

Good Luck!

• A lot to keep track of but organization is the most important

• Do not hesitate to ask older students for help• Personal Statement Examples, etc.

• Submit before deadlines

• Get excited for some visits!!

• Any Questions?