"SHOULD I GO TO GRADUATE SCHOOL?" is a question frequently asked by majors as they progress toward graduation. It should be kept in mind that many careers in the biological sciences today require graduate education to at least the Master's level. Some students take a year off to sort out their priorities. Whether to pursue a masters or doctoral degree is an individual decision. A good internship can help, but many students regret the delay. For juniors, a summer program can broaden your experience and perspectives and increase your visibility to graduate schools. Funds exist for studying at a biological field station (Crowell Award)and for research participation with SLU faculty as well as with national and international laboratories. If you are unsure about entering a Ph. D. program, otaining a Master's degree may help you to decide what you would like to do. You can't afford not to go to graduate school. Graduate schools support their MS and Ph. D. students with teaching and research assistantships. These assistantships may run from $7,000 - $20,000 and typically provide tuition remission to cover the cost of taking classes. In addition, you can apply for graduate fellowships to supplement the support you receive from your graduate school. Usually the Graduate Record Exam (see GRE below), one or more biology courses plus a year of calculus, physics and organic chemistry are required for admission. Many students are admitted with deficiencies in physics, chemistry or math, but you must be prepared to make them up during the first and second year of your program. You might be able to substitute statistics for one term of calculus. Check the graduate programs you are interested for their specific requirements.

If you are going to apply to graduate programs, the steps below may help you with the process.

1) Selecting a Graduate School

2) Applying to Graduate School

3) The Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Selecting a Graduate School

The first step in selecting a graduate school is to figure out what area of biology or subdisipline truly interests you. Most graduate programs are specialized, such as Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Marine Biology, Neurobiology, etc. By the time you are in your junior year, you will hopefully have some idea about what areas of biology interest you as well as what areas do not interest you. One of the best ways to identify potential graduate schools is to find laboratories that are conducting and publishing research that you would like to do. You may already know about some of these laboratories because of published papers that you read for your course work and in preparation for your senior year experience. You can increase you pool of potential graduate schools by finding more papers in your area of interest, talking to our faculty, and looking at various graduate programs. You can find graduate programs by searching the Peterson and ETS Guides (copies are in the Biology Department office), fliers on the department bulletin board, recuitment ads that are listed on professional society webpages, and the following sites:

www.gradschools.com - All Types of Graduate School

National Council for Science and the Environment - Graduate Programs in Environmental Science

The Society for Conservation Biology - Graduate Programs in Conservation

The American Association of Immunologists - Graduate Programs in Immunology

In addition, many programs will require you to identify a faculty sponsor. Consequently, you will have to contact potential graduate advisors to see if they are willing to accept you as a student. Even if the program you are interested in does not require you specify a facutly sponsor, having a graduate facutly member advocating for you during the admission process certainily will increase your chances of being accepted into that graduate program. Remember, networking never hurts! You can find potential faculty sponsors by visiting graduate program websites, professional society websites, and by checking out the authors of journal articles.

Three strong biomedical graduate programs in northern New York are the Roswell Park Cancer Institute - University of Buffalo , the University of Rochester, and the SUNY Upstate Medical University at Syracuse. SUNY Upstate has recently merged 7 different departments into the Biomedical Sciences Program (BSP). Rochester has an expanding graduate program in immunology, microbiology and vaccine biology (IMV).

How to Apply to Graduate School

START AS SOON AS POSSIBLE; IT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN YOU THINK. MOST DEADLINES ARE EARLY JANUARY (FOR FALL ADMISSION). THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL FELLOWSHIPS.

1. Figure out what, in general, you are interested in studying (see choosing the correct graduate program above ).

2. Take the GRE general and subject tests early enough so that you can retake it/them if you did poorly the first time. Study guides that reproduce past tests are available in many bookstores. Tests are offered in the spring and fall, but many upper tier schools do not accept scores from the December test (received too late for January decisions), so many seniors will need to take the October test (registration for the October test is the first week of fall semester). (See more below about the GRE)

3. Read through journal articles and books published by people you would like to work with, or who study things of interest to you. Pay greatest attention to recent publications.

4. Identify particular people, labs, departments, or universities with a strong emphasis on your research topic(s). Most undergraduate universities have bulletin boards that display fliers and postings from graduate schools. Talk with people (TA's, grad students, professors) from your undergraduate institution; they can give you additional information (e.g., where to apply, how to apply, what to look for, financial support options, things to inquire about).

5. Read through the accounts of those universities offering programs in topics of interest to you (whether it's ecology, wildlife, molecular bio, or marine science) in PETERSON'S Guide to Colleges and Universities (library Reference sections). Peterson's Guide also has info on number of applicants, percent accepted.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO CALL, WRITE, OR ASK QUESTIONS.

6. WRITE EARLY!! Don't assume that stated deadlines are real. Many fellowship decisions may be made much earlier.

a) Write those professors whose work interests you. Use the Internet or Peterson's Guide to find addresses and phone numbers. How many grad students do they have presently? -- lots (too many for individual attention?) or few (are they new to the department?). Are they accepting students that year? How would they support you (financially) if you came? How well have their past students done in the job market? are recent graduates employed or do they have post-doc positions?

b) Write, call or e-mail current grad students of those professors. This is very useful; professors may only tell you the good things about themselves and the department. How well do they like the professor? his/her teaching methods? the department? the area?

c) Write to those departments that have specific programs of interest to you. Include a letter with your intentions (MS, PhD), a copy of your CV, and maybe an unofficial transcript.

When is the application deadline? Request a Graduate School Information Packet.

Get a list of requirements; which ones are flexible and can be waived under certain circumstances?

Funding: is it guaranteed? for how long? is it dependent upon teaching? are fellowships and RA'S (Research Assistantships) available?

Is summer support included? If not, what is available? Do current students think the funding is sufficient?

7. CALL

a) Those professors with whom you would like to work (with or without response to your letter).

b) Those professor's grad students and other students in that department. Is it easy to work with that professor? What are his/her strengths and weaknesses (interpersonal skills, finding funding for grad students, project advice, connections)? what is the expected amount of work and research? how much time do students take to finish (courses, requirements, everything). On average, how much time does that professor spend with his students? Is he/she usually willing to make time for students? If it's a large lab, this is particularly important. Talking with grad students can be extremely helpful; only they can tell you what the grad school and that department are like, what to expect, and how well everyone gets along.

c) The person in charge of graduate applications (often a secretary in the Biology office). Ask whether your file is complete, what's missing (especially your letters of recommendation, GRE scores, transcripts), and when decisions might be made.

8. VISIT, if possible

This is not always possible because of time and/or money constraints, but make an effort to visit those universities nearby, and/or your favorite choice. Also, some departments will pay expenses for a visit of potential grad students. This is your opportunity to meet as many faculty members and grad students in the department, as well as to check up on your file status (complete, incomplete). It will also help them remember you during the selection process; it might give you an advantage over those who don't visit. Your potential advisor or his/her grad students may be able to put you up for a few days. How well would you fit in? Do you feel welcome? Are they enthusiastic about your potential arrival? Do you like the area? the University? the weather?

9. Don't give up!! The decision making process often takes longer than you might expect. Call them if you're concerned, but don't be obnoxious about it. For example, if you're the fifth alternate on a list, they'll have to offer an opening to the four alternates above you, and be turned down by them before getting to you. This can take a while.

10. Don't accept if you're not really sure you want to go there. Don't agree to a school just to "get in" somewhere. Be aware of your chances of acceptance if you reapply; grad school is competitive and all departments vary in what they can offer. Grad school is not for everybody. Take some time off; you could keep busy by getting a job as a research technician, volunteering to help grad students or professors collect data, take a few classes at the graduate level in a nearby university/college, or work at a field station or laboratory. You'll get experience, meet other scientists, and it could even get you some publications. Undergraduate fellowships or internships are often available which pay a modest stipend and/or room and board. You might not get rich, but you'll have a better idea whether grad school is for you.

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Application deadlines range from January to March. For financial aid be sure your application is completed on time. The Graduate Record Exam is given in Canton and/or Potsdam 3-4 times/year). You may take it at other locations; it takes about 6 weeks for the scores to be reported. If you are applying to a New York State school you must take the GRE in NY. To register for the GRE's, forms are available from the Biology Department Secretary or Counseling Services, Dean Eaton Hall. The deadline to avoid a late fee is sometime in November for the December test.

There are two sections on the test: a General Test with Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical sections and a Biology Test with sections on Cellular and Sub-Cellular, Organism, and Population Biology. To prepare, borrow the official Practice Tests from the Department office or the floppy disks available from Academic Computing. Note the description of contents and types of questions. Review the areas in which you are weakest with a good introductory text.

Purpose of the GRE Subject Tests

The GRE Subject Tests are designed to help graduate school committees and fellowship sponsors assess the qualifications of applications in their respective subject fields. The tests also provide students with a means of assessing their own competence.

Scores on the tests are intended to indicate students' mastery of the subject matter emphasized in many undergraduate programs. Since past achievement is usually a good indicator of future performance, the scores aid in predicting students' probably success in advanced study. Because the tests are standardized, the test scores permit comparison of the competence of students from different institutions with different undergraduate programs. For some Subject Tests, such as the Biology Test, subscores are provided in addition to the total score; these subscores may indicate the strengths and weaknesses of individual students' preparation and help them plan their future studies.

The Graduate Record Examinations Board recommends that scores on the Subject Tests be evaluated in conjunction with other relevant information about applicants. Because numerous factors influence success in graduate school, reliance on a single measure to predict success is not advisable. Other indicators of competence typically include transcripts showing the range of courses taken and the grades earned, letters of recommendation, and GRE General Test scores.

Abilities

• The examination is designed to evaluate the following abilities and background of the student.
• Knowledge of basic vocabulary and facts in several biological fields at the equivalent of an upper-level course.
• Conceptual understanding of ideas, relationships, and processes.
• Understanding of basic scientific research, procedures, and tools.
• Capacity to read, evaluate, and draw conclusions from unfamiliar laboratory and field studies.
• Understanding of the connections among biological fields and between biological fields and cognate sciences.
• Some knowledge of the history of the biological fields.

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