Graduate Education
Careers in the sciences often require continuing education in the form of graduate degrees. And while there are similarities between these applications and the undergraduate application process, there are a lot of things that may be new to you. We’re here to help you navigate all of it.
Planning for Graduate School
When considering what graduate programs might be right for you, be sure to take into consideration various elements:
- Program Alignment: How does this school/program align with your personal mission, values, interests and goals?
- Geographical Location: Do you want to be close to home? Or are you ready to explore the world? Where do you want to live for the next 2-10 years?
- Research Opportunities: Most graduate school experiences involve research. For this reason, it’s important to consider: what faculty would you be interested in working with at this school/program?
Program Outreach: Once you’ve selected a few schools that you would be interested in attending and read up on the faculty’s research, send an introduction email to 2-3 faculty at each school that you are interested in learning more about. This is a great way to learn more about the program and is fundamental to admissions as graduate school placements (particularly science PhDs) are often largely dependent on faculty members accepting students to their labs.
Graduate School Application Timeline
Writing Your Essays
Personal statements are often one of the most overwhelming pieces of the graduate school application process. In fact, as you begin to apply you may notice that different schools talk about this in different ways. You may see programs require slightly different versions of this document; pay close attention to the school’s website to determine which content is most relevant for each type of essay but generally, here’s what you can expect:
- Personal Statement: This document typically highlights your experiences up until this point, and discusses how you developed an interest in this area. Essentially, a personal statement should answer the question: “Why are you interested in this work? How have you developed your skills and understanding of this industry?”
- Academic/Research Statement: In this essay, we will focus more on your future goals and research interests. Summarily, academic/research statements should provide more details about “your future plans in this industry and how this program will help you to achieve your goals”.
- Statement of Purpose: The most common format we see in graduate school applications combines the premises of the two essays above. In a statement of purpose, you’ll be asked to address: “Where did your initial interest in this work come from? How have you developed your skills over time? What do you hope to do in the future and how will this program prepare you to achieve those goals?”.
Personal Statement Writing Guide
Link to:
LBC Grad School Personal Statement Guide (2).pdf
Tailoring Your Resume
Getting your resume application ready is a critical step in the graduate school application process; from formatting your document to developing your content, use these resources to tailor your resume for this unique purpose.
Watch & Learn: Resume 101
Link to:
https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/t/1_a6ooeude
Resume Sample
Make a copy of this google doc to build your resume
Link to:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18lTJNC_zAGskvbUQQoZznudZmzA5WKaw/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104401031564084575678&rtpof=true&sd=true
Get Feedback
Submit your resume to our dropbox for review
Link to:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfR1n3Vt5WS1-LvHL3GxOZZTYZL_udlownoKXCXY0I71M7h9w/viewform?lor=16&lor=38
Gathering Letters of Recommendation
While you may not need them for another few years, getting letters of recommendation starts at the beginning of every interaction you have with professors, advisors, and professionals in your industry. Use this guide to track your connections with potential letter writers, and to develop emails for making the ask!
Letter of Recommendation Guide
Link to:
Letter of Rec Guide.pdf
Preparing For Interviews
You made it to the interview round; this is a great indicator that you’re doing something right! Get ready for your interview by researching the school, preparing to answer common questions, and making a plan to follow up.
Watch & Learn: Interview Strategies
Link to:
https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/t/1_fk3hezhd
Develop Your Content: Interview Workbook
Link to:
Interview Worksheets.pdf
Practice Your Skills
In addition to doing a mock interview with our team, you can practice using this FREE resource!
Link to:
https://careernetwork.msu.edu/resources/interview-stream/
Testing Resources
Some graduate programs may require you to take the Graduate Readiness Examination (GRE)—a standardized exam for admission. For more information, visit the testing website directly. NOTE: It is always best to check the website for programs you plan to apply to, in order to gain a full picture of testing requirements.
Grad School: GRE
Questions?
For additional resources on applying to pre-health graduate programs, visit the MSU Pre-Health website or connect with an LBC Career Advisor.