Graduate School 101 & FastTrack Grad Program Nancy M. Amato

Poll Time URL : slido.com Hashtag : #grad What do you plan to do after college? According to you, what are the advantages of a graduate degree? What will keep you from applying to grad school?

Graduate School - Why? Not just to avoid getting a job! Opportunities Want to learn a topic in greater depth, perhaps start out a rung or two up the ladder Interest in research – these opportunities almost always require advanced degrees Meet job goals/requirements Demand There is an acute shortage of U.S. engineers with advanced degrees Companies are highly motivated to help attract more engineers into advanced studies

Advantages of Graduate Education Greater job flexibility and responsibility Challenging job assignments Development of specialized skills Development of research skills Higher wages Confidence in solving complex problems Develop leadership and teamwork skills Develop oral and written presentation skills Become an independent learner Become a better life-long learner

Grad School – Types of Programs Industry Professional Programs MBA Law School Medical School Masters Coursework Only Thesis (research oriented) PhD Government Academia Defense National Laboratories

Finances Questions you may ask… What % of students are on financial support? What is the salary of a graduate student? What is the cost of living / attending school? Paying for it all… Assistantships TA, RA, etc. Stipends, tuition/fees, health insurance, often Fellowships External (e.g., NSF, DOE) – flexible, portable, employment obligation Internal Outside Jobs Loans…especially for professional degrees

Options for Graduate Education Grad School Options Pros Cons Continue graduate school immediately after finishing bachelor’s degree Flexibility - Not tied to a particular career path Don’t have to disrupt career How will you fund? Some students are already burnt out after 4-5 years of school Work for a few years and then go back to school Can save up money to self-fund graduate school. Can put complete focus on school It is very difficult to give up full-time salary once you have become accustomed to receiving it Will you have to give up your job? Get a full-time job and go to school part-time Easy to self-fund graduate school Time constraints Time to graduation can be very long Reduced flexibility

Life in Grad School Coursework Research (Thesis MS or PhD) Varies significantly Occasionally leveling required Usually 1-2 years Deeper, more specialized courses Research (Thesis MS or PhD) Start early and get involved Identify a faculty advisor/research area First assist others, then take your own direction

Where should I go? Searching for a program Deciding on a program Talk to your professors Talk to current/previous graduate students, people that have the job you want Attend graduate school workshops or career fairs/conferences Rankings Deciding on a program Faculty working in my area of interest - VISIT!!! Research areas Degree programs (M. Eng., M.S., Ph.D.) Employability of graduates Rankings Available resources

Grad School Applications What are Schools Looking For? Start Early GPA, GRE scores are important as filters GRE General Test, GRE Subject test Letters from Faculty Not bosses Best, profs you did research with Statement of Purpose (Research Interest) Other supporting information CV Courses taken Research projects/publications How to Apply ApplyTexas at Texas A&M Check dept websites for other institutions Evaluation of Applicants GPA GRE Scores Rec. Letters Academic Preparation Personal Statement Research Experience

Deadlines – When Should I Apply? Check with university/department; varies by program/department Posted deadline may be in early spring (e.g., Feb. 1 or Mar. 1) Target Dates (in order to be considered for all possible funding opportunities): Get application in by December 15th Get all other materials in by January 1st

Application Advice - How Can I Make My Application Stand Out? Get experience (both research and industry) Internship and Co-Ops Undergraduate Research – class credit (291s, 485s, 491s), summer research programs (USRG, REU), etc. Show interest Establish contacts with faculty and staff Visit the campus and department Spring/Summer before your Senior year is critical Have a plan Programs/faculty Deadlines (admissions and fellowships) GRE (where to send scores) Have a back up plan - Work? Request recommendation letters EARLY Professors can be procrastinators too!

Texas A&M FastTrack Graduate Program https://engineering. tamu Allows students to take up to 3 graduate courses while an undergraduate that can count towards BOTH the undergraduate and graduate degree Departments specify pairs courses: an undergraduate course (typically 400-level) and a graduate course on same topic Students take the grad course and get “credit by exam” for the undergraduate course The undergraduate course is applied to the BS and the grad course is “reserved” to be applied to a future graduate degree MS degrees with thesis typically require 8 courses, so with proper planning students can get a BS & MS in 5 years Most (but not all) departments in the college participate Eligibility and application info on the web (url above)

Texas A&M FastTrack Graduate Program https://engineering. tamu Most (but not all) departments in the college participate Eligibility and application info on the web (url above) Ask your EH Departmental Track Co-Ordinator Departments offering FastTrack Program Aerospace Engineering (AERO) Biomedical Engineering (BMEN) Computer Science & Engineering (CSCE) Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECEN) Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISEN) Mechanical Engineering (MEEN)

Why Texas A&M? Highly ranked programs Faculty visibility 7th among public schools 8 total top 10 programs among public schools Faculty visibility 400+ tenure track faculty Wide range of degree programs offered M.Eng., M.C.S., M.S., Ph.D. Fast track Distance Education Employability of graduates Less “start up” time, especially if continue/extend undergraduate research

Resources Notre Dame University Graduate Fellowship Database http://graduateschool.nd.edu/professional_development/research/

Quiz Time URL : quizizz.com

Questions? Nancy Amato Sr. Director for Engineering Honors Programs Unocal Professor, Computer Science and Engineering amato@tamu.edu