How to Get into Graduate School

Daniel McGown

August 16, 2004

 

 

 

This year I’m heading off to Princeton to start a PhD program in astrobiology. Hurray for me, but this isn’t about that. The goal of this essay is to pass along the tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way for getting you into the program you want before I forget what they are. I’m not guaranteeing that if you Follow My Method ™ you’re going to get have an acceptance letter teleported into your mailbox when you finish reading, but I am going to say that if you do at least some of the stuff in this piece then your chances of getting the program you want over the program you’re willing to settle for increase.

 

First off, let’s set the mood by starting with my list of the Four Don’ts.

 

·       Don’t restrict your choices geographically. Sometimes only a handful of people in the world are doing what you want to do, and they’re not going to come to you. I understand that people have ties, family, friends, property and so on. All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t make your primary selection criterion a radius measurable in miles. Look around, see what’s out there, and keep an open mind.

 

·       Don’t focus on cost. Most PhD students and some Master’s students get assistantships or fellowships that cover their tuition costs. Remember, “grad student” is almost a misnomer. A grad student is less a student that does research than a research employee that takes classes. More expensive schools have more resources with which to provide aid. All PhD students at Princeton receive five years of guaranteed funding including tuition, fees and stipend, because Princeton has an eight billion dollar endowment. Also, the brand name of a school can increase your chances for external support from federal or private sources. Honestly, pick the school you want, and then worry about the money.

 

·       Don’t wait until your last year of school to pick a program unless you want to work for a while. A lot of schools put their deadlines for fall applicants between December 1 and February 1, with some schools going as late as February 15. For undergraduates, that means you have to have everything you need to complete the applications and impress the selection committee done, essentially, by the summer following your junior year, with a little bit of last minute patch time in the fall of your senior year. For working people, that means you have to be able to get together all of your old school records, rec letters, financial information and such forth about a year in advance of when you expect to be leaving work. You may still get accepted if you apply late, but who gets the money is still assigned on schedule, which means a late applicant might have some difficulty arranging for funding.

 

·       Don’t sell yourself short. If you don’t buy a ticket, you can’t win the lottery. Apply to some safety schools you’re sure you can get into, but also make sure to try the “longshots”. The worst case is you’re out, what, a couple hundred bucks for a few. The best is that they might not be longshots after all, and you’re in.