1. Associate Dean, Recruitment and Admissions
The Graduate School
Nyrée McDonald, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Recruitment and Admissions

2. Graduate School
Why you should consider it . . .
How you get in . . .

3. Overview What is a graduate degree?
How is it different from an undergraduate degree?
What will it do for me?
What can I do with it?
How to find a graduate program?
Question and Answer

4. The Goal
Get all of the education you can for FREE!

5. What is a graduate degree?
Degree you earn after completing the Bachelor of Science or Arts degree.
Masters degrees take 2–4 years to complete
course work and original work
M.S. Master of Science
M.A. Master of Arts
Doctoral degrees take 5–8 years to complete!
Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy
Ed.D. Doctor of Education
Sc.D. Doctor of Science

6. True story . . .
A student had requested admission to the Ph.D. in department X, and was accepted. He received a letter saying that he had been admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program in the department of X.
He responded with an that said:
Dear Dean,
There has been some mistake, I applied to Department X, not to the Philosophy Department.

7. Why? Council of Graduate School
Masters degree becoming entry level requirement
Employability improved with specialization
Ph.D. key for future employment and career advancement (22% of jobs 2016)
Drive the innovation that will lead to sustained economic growth

8. Who should consider this option
Thirst for Knowledge
Willing to devote significant time and effort
Relish Intellectual Challenges
Want to search for new and better ways to advance knowledge in your field
Be a contributing member in a global society

9. Unemployment and Median Salaries by Level of Education

10. How is a graduate degree different from an undergraduate degree?
This is your chance to specialize!
Medieval Studies
Transport Phenomena
Research—a topic that interests you!

11. With a Doctorate YOU can:
Do cutting edge research
Become a professor
Explore new frontiers—discover/invent
Improve the “now”
Advance the knowledge of your discipline
Hone independent thinking
Be intellectually stimulated and challenged
Become a leader in your field
Advance your career
Enhance your problem-solving talents
Maximize your earning power
Grow professionally

12. What will it do for me? More Education = More Opportunity
Enhance your leadership ability
Increase earning potential
What will it do for me?

13. Unemployment Rate and Median Earnings by Education Level

14. What can I do with it?
A better question is what can’t you do?

15. How to find a graduate program . . .
Recognize your interest
Talk with your faculty members
Attend graduate school fairs
Search US News and World Report’s list of graduate programs
Search for programs that have faculty in your area
Contact the graduate school, or department and ask for additional information

16. How to find a graduate program . . . (continued)
Contact the graduate school, or department and ask for additional information
Areas of specialty
Average time to completion
Where do the graduates go
Application deadlines
Application content
Funding

17. How to find a graduate program . . . (continued)
Take the GRE (
Contact the faculty you think you may be interested in and provide GRE and transcripts
Make sure you know something about their most recent works and ask questions
Will you be taking new students/ current students
Research experience

18. Apply to the program GRE scores Transcripts
Statement of Purpose/Intent
Letters of Recommendation

19. GRE Scores Relative to all students who have taken the the exam
Strong GRE scores are crucial to the application
How competent you are in Mathematics, Writing
GRE Subject
Specific to a discipline
Few programs

20. Statement of Purpose/Intent
Proposes a goal
Why this goal
How to achieve the goal
With examples or facts or something that occurs to you.
Focused document!
BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND!!!

21. Letters of Recommendation
Written by faculty members with direct knowledge of your academic skills
REU supervisor
Faculty that you have taken courses with
Other professionals in your field who are familiar with your work

22. How to get good letters Be brave Ask for precisely what you want
Be prepared for class
Ask questions
Visit faculty during office hours
Ask for precisely what you want
Example
Select your recommenders with respect to the program

23. Sample of what you want
“I have known XOXO since he arrived as a new recruit to our program last year, in Fall vwxy. In the vwxy - xz academic year, he would drop by my office at least once a week to talk shop, given our common interests in the history of shop. I am currently one of Scott’s academic advisors, and I was his professor for a seminar in Fall vwxz.”

24. What you want?
“He engaged with the course material at a high level and was not circumspect in sharing his thoughts and ideas with the class. It was in these classes where I gained a genuine appreciation for his creativity and his ability to assess and approach classic philosophical problems in novel and interesting ways. He is studious, and a pleasure to work with. He regularly knocks on my door, full of ideas and looking for more reading.”

25. Sample of what you don’t want
“Comes from an academically disadvantaged background. To be sure, he was raised in an environment where very little emphasis was placed on academics and despite XOXO’s obvious intellectual gifts, he was simply patted on the back and not challenged throughout his formation.”

26. Sample of what you don’t want
“She is a bright student but has three children”
“I am professor so and so of blah blah. Mr W took a class from me last Spring, he earned a C. “ End of letter

27. Sample of what you don’t want
“His writing is often imprecise, and his papers generally lack focus. He is anxious to fit as many ideas as he can into a paper, rather than systematically developing a narrow and specific thesis that he can adequately defend. Of course, this is a common problem among many beginning students, and in time these failings can be corrected. Unfortunately, while at XYZ, he has encountered some fairly serious health problems that have partially prevented him from realising his potential in this regard.”

28. What I wish he could follow up on”
“Indeed, last year we had a prominent philosopher of science (one who is not prone to empty praise) visiting XYZ for the semester and who interacted significantly with him. One day he knocked on my office door solely to relate to me how impressed he was with XOXO and how incredibly smart he is.”

29. How to get what you want
Ask the recommender if s/he will write a positive letter of recommendation for you
Be honest with yourself
Recognize your weakness and address them to the extent possible in your statement of purpose!

30. Questions?