Deciding on Graduate School by Derrick Ross
"When making the decision to go to graduate school, I took into account a wide variety of options. Field, professor, and funding were the most important variables. I had already been conducting undergraduate research, and this gave me an edge for knowing which fields I would be interested in. I was able to create a list of about twenty schools that I considered applying to. This later became a list of a top five due to budget constraints. Applying to graduate school ended up being about $100 per school after averaging it all out. I recommend applying to all the schools you are interested in.
Personally, the first major decision I had to make was what type of degree I wanted to obtain. The two traditional degrees offered are a Masters Degree, and a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD). These two focus on how to perform, and how to conduct research. The third and less traditional degree varies by name but is often referred to as the Coursework Masters. This degree does not involve any type of research and as the name states, only requires coursework. The difference in the two traditional degrees, at least from an engineering point of view, is that with a Masters you will become familiar with the research process and have conducted one or possibly multiple projects. This is with a PhD awarded only after you have contributed to the knowledge base of your field and are a leading expert on the subject studied. Neither degree is necessarily better. Your decision should be based on what type of career you would like to pursue after completing your graduate degree. Personally, I was interested in learning how to properly conduct research, so I searched jobs with titles like Research Director and Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Both of these jobs usually require a PhD, which led me to my choice.
The next major decision I had to make was which professor I would like to work with. I recommend creating a list of your top ten professors. It really is more about which professor than which school. Many students get caught up with the prestige of the school. It is important that there is a professor at the school that closely represents your interests. Picking a professor is a lot like dating. You have to make sure both you and the professor can, at a minimum, tolerate one another’s personality, or else the next two-six years of both of your lives will be miserable. I was able to obtain a recommendation letter from my professor who personally knew a professor I wanted to work with. Without this letter, I am not sure I would have been able to secure a position in the lab I work in today. Now, I work well with my professor and love every day of school.
The key to picking the right professor is to attend interview weekends. Acceptance often comes with an invitation to an all expense paid interview weekend. I still remember opening my first letter and feeling overwhelmed with joy knowing I was one step closer to earning a doctorates degree. If the trips are fully covered, I recommend going to all the interviews possible. I went on every trip I was offered because it allowed me to get a better prospective on the many differences within the programs. These visits gave me a chance to speak with professors and find my match. It is as much of an interview for the professor as it is for you. The key is to ask lots of questions abut the program, funding, the lab, and projects you are interested in.
Additionally, I was able to speak with other graduate students that I would potentially be working with, and a great opportunity to understand the culture within the department. Collect as much information as you can.
Finally, I considered funding. A PhD candidate is usually funded during their degree program. The professor will be paying you so it is critical to understand how they handle funding for students. I checked the lab’s website to see if any specific grants could be possible sources of payment. Individual fellowships and teaching assistant opportunities can also provide funding. Some programs fund Masters students, so be sure to ask. It is critical that you understand the funding situation during your visit. When selecting my school, I was initially worried about funding because it was not guaranteed past my first year. Fortunately, I have managed to obtain it every quarter since. Moral of the story: Make sure you figure out how funding will work before making any decisions."
Biomedical Engineering Doctoral Candidate at The University of California Davis
