The last of my Graduate school posts will cover the most important part of the Graduate school experience - the dissertation/thesis. The ultimate goal of Graduate school is the awarding of a degree by the successful defense of a dissertation or thesis. If the defense is successful, the committee will award a degree to the graduate student.
Selecting a topic for the dissertation or thesis is a difficult process, which requires the investment of many hours and a deep knowledge of the content area. The student should be sure that adequate research on his/her topic exists, but not so much research that his/her topic has already been brought to light. Furthermore, the topic should be one that interests the student, as the dissertation will take the student a large amount of time to research and the student must be able to defend the research.
The first step to a successful dissertation defense is to present a proposal to the dissertation committee. The proposal acts as an outline for the proposed question, time allotted for research, and availability of information on the topic. The dissertation committee will vote to accept the proposal or veto it - a veto meaning that the student must make changes to his proposal. If the proposal is accepted, the student may be working on his dissertation.
Writing the thesis is a time consuming process. The average thesis should take between six months and a year to write, assuming that the student does not procrastinate. Writing may begin as soon as the proposal has been accepted, but availability of information may impede writing for those dependent on survey results. Generally, it is best to start writing as soon as possible, and keep a steady pace. Procrastination does add time to the process, turning what could be a year-long endeavor into a project for multiple years.
Getting a graduate degree is an admirable goal. However, before you decide to jump into the world of graduate studies, it is wise to do your research. A good program will have supportive faculty, a cohesive student group, and connections with potential employers beyond graduate school. Know before you go!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Graduate School: What Most of Us Don't Know, Part II
Graduate programs, like undergraduate programs, represent a large investment. Naturally, comparison shopping is in the best interests of the potential graduate student. A smart student will look at potential thesis advisors, cost of attendance, the admission process, and reputability of the department of interest.
Admission to graduate school is a painstaking process. The admissions panel may be sent hundreds of applications, but only a small percentage of those who apply are granted admission.
One graduate program narrowed the applicant pool this way: The admissions panel will create a sort of "short list" of students that they view as potential graduate students. The "short list" is then divided into several piles, then given to an admissions panelist, who will try to "sell" the top applicants in his or her pile. Following the "selling" of the applicants, the panelists decide who they will move into the next round of decisions. Finally, the panel reviews applications and makes the final decisions concerning admissions.
One of the best things a person can do to gain admission to a graduate program is to get to know the professors. A professor can vouch for a student he or she feels would thrive in a graduate program, thus significantly increasing chances of admission. Furthermore, the student should attempt to make connections with all faculty in his or her department, so that he or she may choose the best possible thesis advisor.
The most important criteria for admission to a graduate program are: undergraduate grade point average in major field, recommendations from faculty known by members of department, undergraduate grade point average in junior and senior years, GRE General Aptitude Test verbal score, undergraduate major relation to field of graduate study, and undergraduate grade point average overall. Even supposing that an applicant has each of these criteria under control, graduate programs weight these criteria differently. Each program chooses what matters most to them, so an applicant who receives a fellowship in one program may be rejected by another. Utlimately, admittance to a program is a matchmaking game.
Admission to graduate school is a painstaking process. The admissions panel may be sent hundreds of applications, but only a small percentage of those who apply are granted admission.
One graduate program narrowed the applicant pool this way: The admissions panel will create a sort of "short list" of students that they view as potential graduate students. The "short list" is then divided into several piles, then given to an admissions panelist, who will try to "sell" the top applicants in his or her pile. Following the "selling" of the applicants, the panelists decide who they will move into the next round of decisions. Finally, the panel reviews applications and makes the final decisions concerning admissions.
One of the best things a person can do to gain admission to a graduate program is to get to know the professors. A professor can vouch for a student he or she feels would thrive in a graduate program, thus significantly increasing chances of admission. Furthermore, the student should attempt to make connections with all faculty in his or her department, so that he or she may choose the best possible thesis advisor.
The most important criteria for admission to a graduate program are: undergraduate grade point average in major field, recommendations from faculty known by members of department, undergraduate grade point average in junior and senior years, GRE General Aptitude Test verbal score, undergraduate major relation to field of graduate study, and undergraduate grade point average overall. Even supposing that an applicant has each of these criteria under control, graduate programs weight these criteria differently. Each program chooses what matters most to them, so an applicant who receives a fellowship in one program may be rejected by another. Utlimately, admittance to a program is a matchmaking game.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Graduate School: What Most of Us Don't Know, Part 1
As a First-Year student, I have heard of Grad school in passing. "Wish him luck," my advisor once said, "he's taking the GRE today." I thought "Okay. Whatever that's about."
As it turns out, Grad school is a tricky business. The application process is far more elaborate than I realized. The pitfalls of doing X,Y, and potentially even Z can keep an applicant from being admitted. Not only that, but many students lose motivation and focus within a few years and drop out of their programs.
I have learned that Grad schools love to see students who either apply fresh from an Undergraduate program or after no more than three years on the job market. Another selling point for admissions is a collection of publications- the more you have published within your field, the more marketable you become. An applicant should stay as close to his field as possible while considering job offers, lest he have a job that he cannot defend as preparation for his Ph.D.
Graduate school applicants should take care when choosing their advisors. One's advisor has the power to make or break a bid for a Ph.D. The ideal advisor will not only be able to provide professional contacts and connections, but will be supportive personally during what sounds like a particularly stressful time. Other qualities to look for in an advisor are tenured status and stamina- advisors should be able to keep up with advisees and yet be secure enough to maintain the integrity of student research. A good rule of thumb for selecting the best possible advisor is to begin scouting advisors at various Graduate schools during the Junior year of Undergraduate study. This allows applicants to narrow the list of prospective thesis advisors before it can become a problem.
Scouting advisors at the Graduate level can be tricky. One needs to make contact with potential advisors, while being mindful of status and respectful of the advisor's time. A great way to learn about professors who would be great thesis advisors is to ask undergraduate professors within the field. An undergraduate professor may know of another professor whose work matches the interests most likely to be addressed in the doctoral thesis, thus providing a connection to an advisor who would support your work.
And that is part I of what you need to know about Graduate school.
As it turns out, Grad school is a tricky business. The application process is far more elaborate than I realized. The pitfalls of doing X,Y, and potentially even Z can keep an applicant from being admitted. Not only that, but many students lose motivation and focus within a few years and drop out of their programs.
I have learned that Grad schools love to see students who either apply fresh from an Undergraduate program or after no more than three years on the job market. Another selling point for admissions is a collection of publications- the more you have published within your field, the more marketable you become. An applicant should stay as close to his field as possible while considering job offers, lest he have a job that he cannot defend as preparation for his Ph.D.
Graduate school applicants should take care when choosing their advisors. One's advisor has the power to make or break a bid for a Ph.D. The ideal advisor will not only be able to provide professional contacts and connections, but will be supportive personally during what sounds like a particularly stressful time. Other qualities to look for in an advisor are tenured status and stamina- advisors should be able to keep up with advisees and yet be secure enough to maintain the integrity of student research. A good rule of thumb for selecting the best possible advisor is to begin scouting advisors at various Graduate schools during the Junior year of Undergraduate study. This allows applicants to narrow the list of prospective thesis advisors before it can become a problem.
Scouting advisors at the Graduate level can be tricky. One needs to make contact with potential advisors, while being mindful of status and respectful of the advisor's time. A great way to learn about professors who would be great thesis advisors is to ask undergraduate professors within the field. An undergraduate professor may know of another professor whose work matches the interests most likely to be addressed in the doctoral thesis, thus providing a connection to an advisor who would support your work.
And that is part I of what you need to know about Graduate school.
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