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If
you are interested in advanced training at
the Masters or Ph.D. level, it is never too
early to plan for graduate school. Most graduate
programs require a good general education
in science and math of the kind you will
get at UGA. However, some programs will perhaps
give a little extra weight to courses and
experience related to their particular discipline.
For example, if you apply to a program in
ecology, that program may be impressed with
a few extra undergraduate courses in ecology
or organismal biology. Likewise, a graduate
program in genetics may favor some emphasis
in that area. Keep in mind, however, that increasingly,
the people with the greatest success are those
with the most flexibility and the largest "tool box". All aspects
of biology are increasingly tied together,
and results and techniques from one field
are or will be important in others. Don't
become too narrow too early!
Because
most graduate degrees are awarded for original
research, any leg-up you can get in research
methods can be an advantage. Therefore, try
to do undergraduate research at UGA. Exposure
to the real world of a biological research
laboratory is an invaluable experience. It
will also help you to become familiar with
appropriate, leading graduate programs in
the area of your interest, through discussions
with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows
and others in the laboratory who know the area.
If
you are interested in graduate school, it's
important to GET TO KNOW THE FACULTY HERE
AT UGA, for several important reasons.
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Getting
to know the faculty will help you secure
an undergraduate research experience in
that faculty member's laboratory. Undergraduate
research is an invaluable experience that
will help prepare you for graduate school.
-
Faculty
are a crucial resource for advice and information
about graduate programs and preparation.
-
Faculty
are an important source of letters of recommendation.
The better they know you, the more they
can write an informed letter of recommendation.
-
Faculty
are an important resource you can utilize
for advice in filling out applications.
The
Division of Biological Sciences displays
information about graduate programs in the
BLC hallway of BioSciences. Individual departments
in the division offer similar information.
You can secure additional advice from your
major advisor and the Graduate Coordinators
in each of the division departments. The
Graduate Coordinator is the person who administers
the graduate program of that department, and
together with a graduate studies committee,
handles admission to the program. In other
words, (s)he is a good source of information
on what it takes to get into graduate school.
A list of current graduate coordinators is
appended below.
Be
open to graduate programs in various parts
of the country. Excellent science in all
fields of biology is done everywhere now, so
there are lots of places to consider. Besides
an advanced education in science, graduate
school can provide excellent exposure to
different people, cultures, ways of doing things,
etc. Such experience will broaden and mature
you, which cannot help but be important even further
down the road when you are looking for employment.
Faculty
members at UGA can give you tips on who to
contact at various programs and departments.
You can also USE THE INTERNET - most graduate
programs and departments have a homepage.
Homepages usually offer information about the
program and descriptions of the research
interests of individual faculty members. Browse
those descriptions and contact the faculty
for more information. Most faculty are happy to respond
to such inquiries. You can also find information
about graduate programs in Peterson's Guide
in the library, at the bookstore or on the web. When you pick
out suitable programs, contact the graduate
school at those colleges or universities,
the graduate coordinator of the programs or
departments, faculty mentioned in homepages,
or people suggested by faculty members here
at UGA.
All programs will send you a packet of information
on requirements, deadlines, etc.
Plan
on taking the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) early. Take the verbal, quantitative
and advanced parts of the exams. If you are
applying from another country and English
is not your native language, you will probably
be required to take the TOEFL exam. Most
graduate programs start making decisions in
February for the following year. They must
have your scores by then.
Educate
yourself about the various forms of financial
assistance available from graduate programs.
In general, programs offer fellowships and
assistantships that carry teaching or research
responsibilities. When deciding on assistantship
offers from graduate programs, you
can seek the advice of faculty at UGA.
Many
programs invite their top candidates for
a visit. If at all possible, take advantage
of such an offer. You can also volunteer to
visit. Visits normally entail discussions
with faculty and students, receptions and tours.
Be pleasant and have a good time, but don't
be shy. Instead, be inquisitive. Remember,
it is YOUR future, so take the time to ask
pertinent questions and secure as much information as possible
to allow an informed decision should you
be accepted to more than one program. Find
out about the research programs of faculty,
requirements of graduate students once in
residence, and assistantships. Try to get together
with graduate students for their perspectives
on the program and faculty. Find out what it
is like to live in the area; i.e., recreational
and cultural amenities, cost of living, housing,
spousal opportunities, and school systems
if you have children.
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Approximate
timetable for graduate school preparation
Junior
Year:
Do
laboratory research with one or more UGA faculty members. Speak frankly
with UGA faculty, graduate students and other research and teaching
professionals about career choices and prospects, and the place of
graduate school in your goals for the future. In other words, think
about why you want to go to graduate school. Speak with faculty and
consult graduate school guides and the Internet for information on
relevant graduate programs and schools. Contact programs and schools
for additional information. Make preliminary contacts with faculty
in graduate programs and perhaps ask if you can visit. By meeting
faculty, you become a face with initiative and not just a name.
Senior
Year:
Summer/Early
Fall:
Obtain
application materials for programs/schools
of interest. Obtain information about the GRE and plan on taking the
exam as early as possible. Review
old class notes and textbooks, and pick up
a GRE study guide, in advance of the exam. The GRE has just been restructured
- you take
it on-line (a pencil/paper version is no
longer available), and the questions vary in difficulty with how well
you are doing.
October,
November:
Solicit
letters of recommendation.
November,
December:
Fill
out and submit applications. It's a good
idea to ask a UGA faculty member for help or advice in writing the
essay part of the application.
Make sure any additional materials (e.g.
transcripts) have been secured.
December,
January:
Make
sure your applications were received by graduate schools and are
complete.
February,
March:
Interviews
when available. Be alert, inquisitive and up-beat. Do your homework:
the more you know about a graduate program and its faculty, the more
intelligent questions you can ask at an interview. Talk to the graduate
students already in residence.
March-May:
Acceptance
and assistantship offers. Offers may come
as early as February, but April 15 is the
more or less agreed upon "signing date".
Some schools may
pressure
you to accept an earlier offer. Contact the
other schools in which you are interested to ask about your chances
of acceptance and the
package they are willing to give you in order
to speed up the process. Feel free to seek the advice of UGA faculty.
May-August:
Don't
forget to stop in to say goodbye. We'd like to
wish you well! A final note -- on letters
of recommendation. It’s never too early
to think about letters of recommendation.
That’s why it’s
so important to get to know UGA faculty.
Ask questions in class and at review sessions. Take advantage of
office hours. Find out about
your professors’ research from their web pages (available through
department websites), then talk to them about
it. All of these things help secure informed
letters of reference.
When
you ask a professor for a letter, provide him/her with a resume’,
transcript and statement of interests and
goals. Later, in the spring, write a thank
you note - you can combine the note with an update
on your applications and plans. But do get
back to the professor - remember, you may
need another letter in the future!
Graduate
Coordinators in the Division of Biological
Sciences
Stephen
Hubbell, Botany 583-0393
Katherine
Spindler, Genetics 542-8395
Juergen
Wiegel, Microbiology 542-2651
Alan
Pryzbyla, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
542-1720
Mary
Ann Moran, Marine Sciences, 542-6481
William
Fitt, Ecology 542-3328
Marcus
Fechheimer, Cellular Biology 542-3338
Kenneth
Ross, Entomology 542-7699
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