What I Wish I’d Known as an Undergrad: Applying to Graduate School, Part I

Having just gone through this process, I find myself looking back on my undergraduate career and wondering what I would have done to better prepare myself for graduate studies. As a freshman, graduate school was far away and perhaps not a destination at all.

Knowing what I know now, I want to share this first piece of very important information: If you want to do research in chemistry, graduate school is vital. Now there are going to be detractors from that statement I’m sure, but for the most part it’s true. At the very least, what I want in a career, and what I suspect many others want as well, requires a Doctorate.

This brings me to important-thing-I-didn’t-know-when-as-a-freshman number two: Most programs appoint Doctorates directly, no Master’s needed. Yes, it’s a five year program, but there is no need to get an official Master’s first. Not only that, but almost every program waives your tuition, pays you a stipend (about $20,000/year), and offers benefits like health insurance. Of course you have to earn these shinies by being a TA or doing research, but not bad for wanting a higher degree.

Finally, I have one last bit of knowledge: Your graduate school experience will consist of about two years of classes followed by three or more of research. This is a dream come true to people like me who enjoy doing research, but if you are hoping for five years of textbooks (I don’t know why…), you are in for a disappointment. Those last few years will be spent on you actually contributing to the scientific community through you thesis. It means original research that you perform under the direction of your advisor, thinking of something that no one has ever thought of before. If this is daunting, don’t worry, you have a few years to mull it over and there will be plenty of inspiration along the way.

Hopefully this sheds light on what to expect in graduate school. If you would like more information, find a graduate student currently working one of your classes as a TA or talk to your department’s secretaries to set up an appointment with one. Also a good idea, talk to professors about your goals of graduate school and get their ideas as to what to expect and how to prepare. Best of Luck!

-Woodward