Applying to Applying to Graduate SchoolGraduate School

CBSE RESEARCH MENTORING INSTITUTECBSE RESEARCH MENTORING INSTITUTE

Understanding Graduate EducationUnderstanding Graduate Education

What is graduate school?What is graduate school?

Why should I go to graduate school?Why should I go to graduate school?

How is graduate school different from college?How is graduate school different from college?

How is graduate education structured?How is graduate education structured?

Should I complete a master’s degree first?Should I complete a master’s degree first?

Should I work first?Should I work first?

What can I do to prepare for graduate school?What can I do to prepare for graduate school?

What can I do to prepare for a What can I do to prepare for a graduate education?graduate education?

Clarify your career plans and goalsClarify your career plans and goals Research the requirements of your career pathResearch the requirements of your career path Maintain a competitive undergraduate GPAMaintain a competitive undergraduate GPA Develop positive relationships with facultyDevelop positive relationships with faculty Participate in undergraduate research programs Participate in undergraduate research programs Begin talking with graduate students in your Begin talking with graduate students in your

prospective field of studyprospective field of study Do research on campusDo research on campus

How do I research graduate programs? How do I research graduate programs? Step 1: Talk to peopleStep 1: Talk to people

ProfessorsProfessors Graduate Students (TA’s)Graduate Students (TA’s) Career Center AdvisorsCareer Center Advisors Graduate Division, Department, Graduate Division, Department,

and Program Advisors and Program Advisors

What should I say?What should I say?

Tell them what you are interested in Tell them what you are interested in studyingstudying

Ask them if they can recommend schools Ask them if they can recommend schools or particular programs of studyor particular programs of study

Ask them how you can best prepare Ask them how you can best prepare yourself academically for graduate schoolyourself academically for graduate school

Ask them what their experience of Ask them what their experience of graduate school was likegraduate school was like

Step 2: LiteratureStep 2: Literature

Review the literature from your classes. Review the literature from your classes.

What were some of your favorite articles, What were some of your favorite articles, books, studies?books, studies?

Collect authors and citations and then Collect authors and citations and then see where those people are working.see where those people are working.

Develop a vocabulary that will allow you Develop a vocabulary that will allow you to feel comfortable with the special to feel comfortable with the special discourse of the research community you discourse of the research community you hope to join.hope to join.

Step 3: Internet ResearchStep 3: Internet Research Visit Graduate Division websites at the schools you Visit Graduate Division websites at the schools you

are interested inare interested in

UCSC http://graddiv.ucsc.edu/programs

Visit department websitesVisit department websites

Search for professional academic organizations in your Search for professional academic organizations in your filed (MLA, AAAS, APA, ASA, etc.)filed (MLA, AAAS, APA, ASA, etc.)

Try a Google search using terms such as “choosing a graduate Try a Google search using terms such as “choosing a graduate school” school”

http://www.phds.orghttp://www.phds.org http://gradschool.about.com/cs/choosingaprogram/a/http://gradschool.about.com/cs/choosingaprogram/a/

select.htmselect.htm

Remember, choosing a graduate school is Remember, choosing a graduate school is notnot like choosing an undergraduate like choosing an undergraduate college.college.

Make your selection based on a variety of Make your selection based on a variety of considerations, including the status and considerations, including the status and composition of the particular program, not composition of the particular program, not only the reputation of the university. only the reputation of the university.

Factors to consider Factors to consider when choosing schools ….when choosing schools ….

Intellectual environment (grad students, Intellectual environment (grad students, faculty, collaborative, interdisciplinary)faculty, collaborative, interdisciplinary)

Reputation of department, facultyReputation of department, faculty Financial and professional support for Financial and professional support for

graduate students.graduate students. Social environment (esp. among grad Social environment (esp. among grad

students)students) Demographics of students…% Demographics of students…%

minorities…% womenminorities…% women

Factors to consider Factors to consider when choosing schools (cont.)when choosing schools (cont.)

Focus on graduate students vs. Focus on graduate students vs. undergraduates?undergraduates?

Are you interested in multiple professors’ work?Are you interested in multiple professors’ work? Faculty publishing record.Faculty publishing record. Sufficient library, laboratories, research Sufficient library, laboratories, research

infrastructure.infrastructure. Size of the program and the school.Size of the program and the school. Location (geography relative to family/significant Location (geography relative to family/significant

other, city characteristics, available other, city characteristics, available extracurricular activities)extracurricular activities)

Housing, transportation.Housing, transportation.

What to do next?What to do next?

You should apply to 5-10 schoolsYou should apply to 5-10 schools Find online application materials and email the Find online application materials and email the

department with any questions you have.department with any questions you have. Contact faculty that you are interested in Contact faculty that you are interested in

working with.*working with.* Tell them you are interested in applying to their Tell them you are interested in applying to their

program.program. What research are they currently conducting?What research are they currently conducting?

Contact students in the programContact students in the program Have them share their own experiences/satisfaction.Have them share their own experiences/satisfaction.

How is the Grad Application How is the Grad Application process different?process different?

Decentralized among UC campusesDecentralized among UC campuses You apply to each campus separatelyYou apply to each campus separately

Decentralized among departmentsDecentralized among departments Your application must specify an academic departmentYour application must specify an academic department

Role of the Department vs Graduate Role of the Department vs Graduate

DivisionDivision Departments make “decisions” and Graduate Divisions handle Departments make “decisions” and Graduate Divisions handle

administrative details (and finalize financial packages)administrative details (and finalize financial packages)

When should I apply?When should I apply? Spring of Junior YearSpring of Junior Year (Information Gathering) (Information Gathering)

Begin researching graduate programsBegin researching graduate programs Visit websites, order catalogs and publicationsVisit websites, order catalogs and publications Research examination test dates and feesResearch examination test dates and fees

Summer after Junior YearSummer after Junior Year (Materials Preparation) (Materials Preparation) Identify specific department deadlines and requirementsIdentify specific department deadlines and requirements Get research experienceGet research experience Begin preparing application materials (letters, statements, etc.)Begin preparing application materials (letters, statements, etc.)

Fall of Senior YearFall of Senior Year (Application Submission) (Application Submission) Decide where to applyDecide where to apply Complete application materials and submit by required Complete application materials and submit by required

deadline(s)deadline(s) Register and take the required examinations (GRE, CBEST, etc.)Register and take the required examinations (GRE, CBEST, etc.)

What are the components What are the components of the application?of the application?

Application FormApplication Form Statement of PurposeStatement of Purpose Letters of RecommendationLetters of Recommendation Exam Scores (GRE, LSAT, Exam Scores (GRE, LSAT,

MCAT, CBEST)MCAT, CBEST) TranscriptsTranscripts Application Fee (Waiver?)Application Fee (Waiver?) (Supplemental Materials--(Supplemental Materials--

writing sample, lab hours)writing sample, lab hours)

Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement of Purpose/Personal StatementStatement

Part 1: IntroductionPart 1: Introduction• This is where you tell This is where you tell

the admissions the admissions committee what you committee what you want to study.want to study.

Part 2:Part 2: Summarize what you did as an Summarize what you did as an

undergraduate studentundergraduate student Classes, specific projectsClasses, specific projects Research, with whom, title of the project.Research, with whom, title of the project. Work experience, especially if you were Work experience, especially if you were

testing, designing or researching. testing, designing or researching.

Part 3:Part 3:

If you worked for a while after your If you worked for a while after your undergraduate degree and are returning to undergraduate degree and are returning to grad school, indicate what you’ve been grad school, indicate what you’ve been doing while working and talk about what doing while working and talk about what you have learned. Expand on how these you have learned. Expand on how these work experiences have motivated you and work experiences have motivated you and helped you to focus on graduate studies.helped you to focus on graduate studies.

Part 4:Part 4:

Talk about what you want to study in greater Talk about what you want to study in greater detail. Elaboration of opening paragraphdetail. Elaboration of opening paragraph Area of interest, state questions you have Area of interest, state questions you have

surrounding this topicsurrounding this topic Mention the professors that are currently Mention the professors that are currently

conducting research that you are interested conducting research that you are interested in. in.

End statement in a positive and confident End statement in a positive and confident manner, eager and ready for the challenges manner, eager and ready for the challenges of graduate study.of graduate study.

RESOURCESRESOURCESRESOURCESRESOURCES

UNIVERISTY OF CALIFORNIA-Continue the Journeyhttp://www.ucop.edu/journey/documents/ctj2008_report.pdf

UCSC CAREER CENTER-Guide to Graduate School Application-includes timeline for application preparationhttp://careers.ucsc.edu/student/gradapply.html

UCSC LETTER SERVICEhttp://careers.ucsc.edu/letters/index.html

Other Other

Get apps in earlyGet apps in early Find out approximate notification dateFind out approximate notification date Don’t be afraid to follow up with calls and Don’t be afraid to follow up with calls and

emailemail Get ready to move.Get ready to move.

ZIA ISOLA, Ph.D.ZIA ISOLA, Ph.D.CBSE RESEARCH MENTORING INSTITUTE (RMI)CBSE RESEARCH MENTORING INSTITUTE (RMI)

E-2, 537A E-2, 537A

zisola@ucsc.eduzisola@ucsc.edu

(831) 459-1702(831) 459-1702

www.cbse.ucsc.edu/diversity/rmiwww.cbse.ucsc.edu/diversity/rmi

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?