myGradStudent

Before we get into the mechanics of a grad school application, we need to talk about what matters to you. Take a step back and ask yourself: What are the most important things in my life? Who makes me laugh the hardest until my insides hurt? When you have a free moment, where does your mind gravitate? When you have a free afternoon, how do you spend it? How do you treat others, and how do you want to be treated personally and professionally? What qualities do you value in a person, and in a community? How does a graduate program show their support for your holistic development?

Your answers will dramatically shape where you apply and how you present yourself as an applicant. By identifying what matters to you, you’ll be able to pinpoint programs that also prioritize those values and actively institute policies to safeguard them.

My answers to these questions? The most important thing in my life is the love I give and receive. My partner makes me cackle like a hyena actively having a stroke. My mind wanders between all my special interests, including the brain but also geology and storytelling, and it often settles into a warm soup of questions and observations that make me thankful my job is asking questions and making observations. When I have a free afternoon, I’m at the seaside, probably with a high fantasy novel in the midst of the penultimate battle, or deep in the woods, or hanging out with my two cats, Spoon and Fork. I treat others with the grace I try hard to give myself; that is, I give them my enthusiasm, patience, attention, kindness, and honesty because we’re all doing our best to do meaningful science and nourish the other parts of ourselves, too. I want to be treated with respect, which a program can formulize through fair compensation, healthcare, work-life balance initiatives, student empowerment, the inclusion of sex as a biological variable, and its support of graduate unions. I want to know if the program supports all my peers through the implementation of disability accommodations, maternity leave, subsidized child care, and DEI programming. I want to be a part of a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary, and diverse group of researchers who are there with humility and for the love of science.

Take a few (many) moments to brainstorm your answers. This will not only help with your personal statement and program choices but also center yourself for a long, difficult, and ultimately rewarding application season.

Okay, this is going to be a 1-2 month endeavor that needs to be fun, exciting, and inspiring. Create a spreadsheet to put all this information in one place-- and me meticulous about your note taking for comparison later on. This will serve as a personalized and centralized place for any programs of interest, potential principal investigators, and all the links to your applications (trust me, you want that in one place!).

“How do I find out what schools to apply to?” you may wisely ask. You can start by using Google, a lot. There are a variety of sites that rank universities by their graduate programs, and be aware that these sites can receive monies to artificially inflate the rank of a university. Cross referencing between these lists is the way to go. Your initial searches will give you insight into the marketplace of programs you can choose from, but remember that prestige is only one metric (and a complicated one at best) for evaluating a school’s ability to nourish your professional growth as a researcher. Graduate program websites will have a list of faculty and their interests, along with links to their lab websites. Take time to broadly see what types of research opportunities are available and to comb through individual PIs for potential mentors. Next, I’d recommend referencing your favorite, dog-eared, coffee stained papers that have been shoved into your desk drawer. What universities are publishing the type of research you want to do? Look up the authors, and visit their lab websites. They may have a Contact Us page with information on available graduate positions in the lab. The website will certainly detail their methodologies, current projects, and recency/frequency of publication.

You by no means need to know whether you’re applying, or who would be your mentor, or what you would study. Just take joy in envisioning yourself in these programs, and fill out the programs’ basic information in the Holy Grail Spreadsheet. I prioritized comparing locations, program focus, professors of interest, teaching requirements, stipend, whether the GRE is required, and necessary supporting documents (Letters of Rec, etc.) for applying. I did most of my research on Saturday mornings in cozy Paneras, snuggled in with a coffee and my favorite fall sweaters.

A couple things to keep in mind while you look at potential schools:

STIPEND. For a Ph.D. in a scientific discipline, you should not be paying, and should in fact be paid (with a stipend), for going to school. This is variable for non-STEM disciplines (though let’s be clear, you should be paid, too). The cost of tuition is covered as part of the acceptance package. For neuroscience, Ph.D. programs pay around 25-50k/year and have variable healthcare packages. When considering the stipend, also keep in mind the cost of living for the area.

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS. I applied to ~10 schools, with each application averaging about $100. This is important to keep in mind so you can start saving early and also only apply to schools that you would seriously consider attending.

GRE ENTRANCE EXAM. Graduate programs are moving away from the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), much like many undergraduate programs are ditching the SAT. Without climbing onto my soap box to discuss its lack of predictive power, its equity gaps in test prep accessibility and cost, and the barrier it presents to a diverse scientific community (see Feldon et al.), the GRE is likely optional or not even considered for your graduate programs. Of course, it is critical to verify the GRE is not required for any programs early on in the application process. I found this to be true for the ~10 schools I applied to and the ~20 schools I considered before narrowing my search.

STAYING AT YOUR UNDERGRAD. Applying to do a graduate degree at the same school as your undergrad, perhaps in the same lab as your undergrad research, has mixed effects. You’ll have a strong grasp of the lab methodologies, which may allow you to begin thesis work sooner, as well as established relationships with lab members and your PI. However, you may not benefit from new methodologies and lab environments; new mentorship insight and styles; and matured professional scientific relationships as a graduate student, as opposed to an undergraduate. I would strongly encourage you to consider other institutions to diversify your training experience and build rapport under new mentors.

I found this step to be the most time consuming and thoughtful portion of the application, and it’s best to do in separate chunks of time, with multiple revisions, and a few trusted advisors to give you feedback. Writing the personal statement can feel daunting: how do I balance showing my expertise while also demonstrating humility? How do I talk about experiences without regurgitating my resume or CV? How do I use 1-2 pages to stand out in a talented application pool?

My tips to you:

• Review the requirements of the personal statement for each school, and keep track of them in the Holy Grail Spreadsheet called GradSchool_Writing&Networking in the Google Drive (Step 1). For neuroscience Ph.D. programs, I found that most schools wanted around 1-2 pages, or 1200-1500 words, and covered the same content in their prompts.

• Have a general personal statement that is customizable for each school. I spent a large portion of my time writing the general portion of my personal statement that would be sent to all graduate schools and left blanks where I would fill in school-specific information. You can see an example of this approach with my personal statement letter to Brown University.

• Actually customize your personal statement for each school. The application review committee uses your personal statement to judge your scholarly abilities and well-roundedness, how good of a fit you are for the program, and how likely you are to accept an offer from their program. Personal statement customization makes or breaks the latter two items. Spend a paragraph envisioning how you would contribute to and be benefitted by attending the program. Here’s an example from my personal statement to Brown University:
  
  

“Based on the encouraging words in my written correspondence with Dr. Redacted, Brown University’s critically acclaimed faculty with expertise in my research areas of interest, advanced microscopy facilities, and community values, it would be an honor to complete my Ph.D. in Providence. My training would greatly benefit from rotations in Dr. Redacted’s lab to apply functional assays to memory studies, Dr. Redacted’s lab to understand genome engineering tools used to study synaptic function and plasticity, and Dr. Redacted’s lab to train in computational modeling. Furthermore, I greatly appreciate and hope to contribute to Dr. Redacted’s work on neocortical oscillations based on my fascination with interneuron oscillatory functions in the amygdala… To prepare me for downstream computational analyses related to connectivity, synaptic plasticity, and structure-to-function relationships, I aim to take electives in Neural Dynamics (NEUR 1440), Statistical Neuroscience, and Machine Learning (CSCI 1420) to build skills in network computational modeling.”

Notably, I did not write these customized paragraphs until much later in the application process so that I could network with prospective PIs and thoroughly research the programs (more on that in Step 7).

• Show don’t tell. Use stories to convey what you want the review committee to take away from your personal statement. They won’t take your word that you’re a curious student, and they certainly won’t remember the statement apart from other applicants. If you show your curiosity by, perhaps, talking about the first time you used an electron microscope, your first “aha!” moment in lab, or the gnawing questions that spurred your undergrad research, the reviewers will come to the conclusion on their own that you are very curious!

• Keep your writing professional, and avoid making jokes or including clichés. This does NOT stop you from being bold, eye-catching, thought-provoking, or shocking (in a good way)! Humor can easily fall flat, but sharing unique stories with a twinge of awe-factor are memorable. Of course, use your discretion to not overshare. This is why you should share your personal statement with a few trusted advisors (including myGradStudent, if you want!) who can help gauge the effectiveness and professionalism of your storytelling!

• Name drop it like it’s hot. Two reasons. First off, it’s important to name your primary supervisor in your personal statement, as they may have colleagues at your universities of interest who will recognize the merit of their work and thus better trust the quality of your research experiences. Naming 1-2 pivotal professors that wrote you a letter of recommendation while detailing a pivotal life experience may be helpful for reviewers to fit that person’s evaluation of you into the context of your life. Secondly, you’ll want to include a paragraph specific to the school of interest, and dropping the names of professors whom which you have established contact or align well with your interests flag your application to be given to the professor for their input. This boosts your chances that the people you want to work with—and ideally, who want to work with you—have your application on their radar to push it to acceptance. Graduate school is relational; tastefully and earnestly recognize those relations in your personal statement.

• Read some examples—and take them with a grain of salt. When I first started reading examples online, I found that the usefulness of exemplar personal statements varied. I swear some people had multiple degrees, basically already did a Ph.D., and saved the world three times over. I started to invalidate my own experiences and how they shape me into the human—and researcher—I am. These essays can be great to look at the standards for format, structure, and professionalism, but try not to get discouraged by the handful of young superheroes.

• Get feedback from a few trusted advisors, but be lenient in how you weigh and adopt their advice. This is a good time for the old saying that there are “too many cooks in the kitchen.” Everyone has an opinion and varying degrees of familiarity to your discipline. I recommend getting feedback from a trusted mentor directly in your field who has been accepted to graduate school (for me, that was my grad student!), a trusted academic outside my discipline (for me, that was my partner), and a trusted non-academic who has a talent for essay writing (for me, that was my grandmother).
  Note on external professional development advising: I didn’t have the best luck with career advising centers during my application. The advice I got was contradictory to what my close advisors were saying and even concerning at times (yes, I can use the word neuroanatomy in my essay, because that’s what I do… no, it’s not me trying to sound smart). In those cases, I chose not to adopt their advice in favor of those who had recently been through the application process in my discipline.

• Focus on the last few years (don’t talk about high school!). Ideally, you’ve had the opportunity to pursue research (or special experiences) in your discipline. If you haven’t it may be worth considering a post-bacc program to strengthen your future application. These recent experiences should be the focus on your personal statement! Notably, about 2/3 of my fellow interviewees did not come straight from undergrad, though I did.

• Don’t do it in a day. I had multiple revision drafts throughout a 1-2 month span, in which I returned to it once a week. I would sometimes write a profound, long paragraph one week… and then laugh about it the following week. The editing process sure keeps you humble, but it’s vital to a successful application.

Creating your CV is a necessary component of the application. Not only is it submitted, but it also helps you organize your life experiences to generate thoughtful personal statements and fill your laborious application paperwork. Check out my CV as an example!

Note: A CV, or Curriculum Vitae, is a document listing your life’s scholarly history. This is in contrast to a resume, which are generally tailored to particular industry jobs with highlighted experiences and qualifications. Even when an application asked for a resume, I still sent my CV (because everything was relevant to the graduate position I was applying for!).

In general:

• Don’t use colorful, creative templates unless you know for sure that your discipline welcomes creative CVs.

• List the most recent events first in each category.

• Do not include anything from high school, including your high school GPA, graduation year, name of the school, or clubs.

• Using more than 1 page is okay. While resumes are typically 1 page, feel free to use 2 pages for proper spacing.

• Do not put a picture of yourself.

• Make it easy to pick out “checklist” experiences. To stand out among a sea of applications, I made sure that all my headers checked the reviewer’s boxes for the ideal applicant. From a brief scan, they could conclude that I had life experiences that aligned with their program.

• Use action verbs in your bulleted descriptions.
  My favorites: piloted, investigated, developed, supervised, directed, led, advised, founded, designed, implemented, performed, mentored, collaborated

• Do not undersell yourself. For example, women are less likely to self-promote, meaning they may be less likely to use action verbs that highlight independence, leadership, and competence in their descriptions. Be sure not to downplay your contributions.

Programs will typically ask for 3 letters of recommendation and may allow for a 4th.

When? It is curtesy to ask for strong letters of recommendation at least 4-6 weeks in advance of the due date. Once the recommender agrees to write you a letter, you can send over your CV, transcript, and spreadsheet. About 1-2 weeks before the deadline, it’s helpful to check in with recommenders to ensure they send their letter on time.

Who? You should have A) your principal investigator (PI) from a long-term research position (1-4 years), B) a professor who knows you by name and taught you in the last two years of undergrad, and C) another professor from a recent class OR a faculty advisor for a teaching or scholarly activity (such as your TA Director or Faculty Advisor for an Academic Project/Extracurricular).

How? I appreciated the security (and record) of email.

Where? When you open up an application for each program, the portal will allow you to send recommenders’ a link to submit their letters. This is not streamlined, and your recommenders will probably request that you send them a spreadsheet to keep track of the emails they’ll receive. You’ll also want this spreadsheet for your own sanity.

Why? You will have an option to waive your right to see the letter or not. Always waive your right to see the letter! Not waiving your right is a red flag to schools that you do not trust the content of your recommender’s letter and/or may feel the recommender could not write freely.

If it wasn’t for my grad student, I would never have known about this critical step in the application process. Here, we’ll discuss making contact with potential PIs to form relational rapport with the program of interest.

Your application will reach any professor whose name is mentioned in it, as a general rule. Therefore, if you have a fantastic conversation with a professor who is on the lookout for your application, who then gets your application from being name-dropped in your personal statement, you are highly likely to get an interview.

First, identify professors you’re interested in working with by combing through department faculty and looking at their websites. Pay particular attention to signs that they’re a strong lab: fleshed out project ideas, some graduate students already committed to the lab, recent and frequent publications, tenure status (tenure gives you more funding security, but assistant professors tend to have early-career charisma and drive to make progress), etc.

Email many PIs! I emailed anywhere from 2-5 per school. Notably, I referenced 1-2 papers that caught my attention, though I only invested significant time into those papers if I received an email back to talk with the professor (conserve your finite energy!). Note that I applied for the NSF GRFP, an independent funding mechanism, and included it in my outreach to show that I’m a dedicated student interested in bringing money to the lab (whether or not I actually got this grant).

If you have the opportunity to speak with the professor, be prepared with an elevator pitch about your research, and ask them a few thoughtful questions about the papers you mentioned in your outreach email. Since my meetings and interviews were on Zoom, I was fully able to have the papers and my notes out for reference! Pro tip: Put your notes on your computer screen so that referencing them doesn’t break your eye contact or focus.

There are additional templates for outlining papers and professors if helpful!

Once you have a solid personal statement and CV, your application is a breeze. Be prepared to identify professors you want to work with (done!), why this program is of particular interest to you (complete!), your qualifications (check!), and your coursework (from your transcript!). All applications are digital and submitted online, unless your discipline deviates from that norm.

I found that it took me approximately 2 hours to fill out and review each application before sending them to the program. Each application was, on average, $100. For 10 schools, I spent approximately $1,000 submitting applications in one cycle, minus 1 school that waived my application fee.

You’ve done the hard work! Get your pumpkin spice latte, settle in, and chug away to the finish line!

Okay, let’s talk about what to except. Truthfully, this part varies widely by discipline. I submitted to neuroscience Ph.D. programs by the end of November and heard back about interviews from some schools before Christmas. Other disciplines, such as physics, heavily base acceptance on the paper application and may not even conduct an interview.

A good way to find out when your program sent out interviews (and when they send out acceptance letters) is through GradCafe, an anonymous reporting site where grad students can post about recent interview or admission letters. Many schools will not send formal rejection letters until the very end of the process (March-April), so GradCafe can help interpret the radio silence.

For my programs, I participated in 1-3 day virtual interview sessions that included 2-4 interviews conducted by professors; panels to learn about grad student life, life on campus, and the program; and meetings with important figures in the matriculation process (Program Directors, admin staff). I was then accepted or denied admission, and schools that accepted me paid (all expenses) for me to visit the school for a few days. Travel costs, food, hotel rooms, and more were paid for directly by the program or reimbursed afterward.

Here are some myGradStudent-approved tips & tricks for the interview process:

• From the time you enter the room (or Zoom) to the time you leave, be thoughtful, considerate, and engaged in professional attire (and an appropriate Zoom background/lighting/Internet connection). You are being evaluated at any and all times—whether you’re talking to admin, professors, current grad students (panels or 1-1 sessions), or prospective students. This evaluation extends past your formal acceptance letter. For instance, many schools will offer alcohol at accepted students events, and prospective students have and will continue to be denied admission post hoc for extreme alcoholism during those events. I’d recommend having little-to-none alcohol; save the celebratory mimosas for when you get home!

• Schools are not only trying to gauge how good of an applicant you are, but also how likely you are to matriculate if given a formal offer. In other words, schools want a high retention rate (their ratio of accepted students to those that actually enroll in the program), so it is important to show informed interest in the school and limited interest in others. One of my favorite resources from applying is University_Profiles in the Google Drive (see Step 1), which helped me not only talk fluently about the positives of the program but also centralized my info-session notes and streamlined program-to-program comparisons for the final decision. There are different ways your interviewers may try to learn about your investment in the program. Here are my answers to some uncomfortable, but inevitable, questions:
  What other schools did you apply to? Where else have you interviewed?
  Since my partner and I are applying to grad school at the same time, we chose a few central hubs around the country to maximize our ability to plant roots together in the area. In the AREA OF SCHOOL, this program is the best fit for me because X, Y, and Z.
  If possible, I kept from naming specific schools, and I never bad-mouthed another institution. If they insisted that I told them specific schools’ names, I would say:
  There are a few key values that I look for in an institution. University X, for instance, does an excellent job in promoting sex as a biological variable, University Y excels in postdoctoral placements, and University Z has great teaching opportunities. Your university, however, is unique in its ability to institutionalize all those values plus X, Y, and Z. For those reasons, this program is of utmost priority for me, and it would be an honor to matriculate into your institution.

• Have your elevator pitch ready. The person interviewing you is going to inevitably ask you, “Tell me about yourself.” My elevator pitch was open in front of me in Google Slides.

• Prepare to talk with each professor beforehand by visiting their lab website, reading 1-2 of their papers in depth (enough to ask a few thoughtful questions about their research), and preparing notes to reference about their interests as well as questions to ask. The Google Drive has professor and paper templates to use if helpful; I ended up creating a one-page Google Slide with my notes and questions to reference during virtual interviews (bonus points that I could keep eye contact even when looking at my notes!).

• Have questions (both about the program and for specific professors) prepared! Try to ask thoughtful questions that are not readily available on the website—it shows you are engaged and informed!

• As you accumulate a list of professors you’re interested in, make sure to ask multiple grad students about their interactions with them! Ask about their mentorship approach (hands-on versus hands-off), their professionalism, and how they make people feel in their proximity. This is incredibly important. I unfortunately received, on more than one occasion, warnings not to work with specific professors, with current graduate students citing instances of verbal or sexual abuse.

• Try to have fun with interview preparation… What other point in your career will you have the undivided attention of so many accomplished professors at the forefront of their discipline? Try to find cozy, inspiring, and fueling (Panera’s chicken avocado sandwich, I’m looking at you) places to study, and read papers with the excitement that this could be your future research or help you get to other groundbreaking projects.

At the end of the day, you will be going to a university for so much more than its name. Your cohort and faculty mentors will become your community for a lifetime, and you want to feel empowered and supported to test the boundaries of your discipline. When making the decision, it can be helpful to:

• Reach out to graduate students in your program for further information,

• Ask professors at your undergraduate institution if they know any alumni (or faculty) from that program to speak with,

• And return to your University_Profiles to make comparisons between different programs, including their benefit packages, research scope, and location.

Decision day is tax day—April 15th!

I’m rooting for you and can always be reached at mygradstudent@gmail.com!