Applying to Grad School

Resources for Applying to Graduate School

This is a very large topic and we are still developing our resources on the subject, but here are some good questions to start with and sites to check out:

What kinds of science are you interested in pursuing? Start with a literature search to identify people doing research in your areas of interest and then do some googling to see what institutions, departments and graduate programs they are associated with. Often faculty are associated with more than one program!
Are your target programs based on Rotations or Direct Admission? In the former, you are admitted largely based on your grades, letters of rec and test scores, and you do “rotations” – short (4-6 week) projects – in 3-4 labs during your first year to figure out who you want to work with. In the latter, you are admitted specifically to work with a given faculty member. While it is always a good idea to contact the faculty you are interested in ahead of time, it is especially critical for Direct Admission programs. You will not be admitted to a Direct Admission program unless the faculty member supports your admission.
As we just said, it is always a good idea to contact your prospective advisor early in the admission process, meaning early-to-mid fall (applications to US programs are due Dec. 1). Are they taking students in this round of admission? Maybe they already have four students and are about to rotate in as department Chair so they can’t possibly take more. What direction is their lab going in? Maybe the experiments they did two years ago that you loved are no longer funded and they are going in a different direction. Reach out to them with an email that is tailored to their lab and demonstrates that you’ve thought about their science. Find a time to chat by skype or phone. You might even offer to give your poster via skype/zoom.
You don’t have to go straight from undergrad to grad school. Many people take a few years off to work as a technician and develop their skill sets as well as their academic interests. Check out university job sites and you will find advertised technician positions. You can also write directly to labs you’re interested in to see if they might have anything available.

Web-based resources

https://www.cientificolatino.com/
https://nrmnet.net/
https://stemgradstudents.science.gov/