Applying to graduate school can be a stressful process. To help relieve some of that stress, the physics department held a seminar on Feb. 16 regarding the process of applying to graduate school and providing tips for those looking to take that path.
Allan Guymon, chair of the chemistry and biochemical engineering department at the University of Iowa, spoke to the students at Weber State University and gave them some ideas.
Guymon said students need to know their “why” before applying. He explained graduate school is for the students who don’t want to do the same thing every day, but want to discover new ideas.
Graduate school is all about research and discovery, and if a student isn’t interested in doing that, they shouldn’t apply. Students need to figure out if they want to continue what has already been done or if they want to add new ideas to the old ones.
Once students figure out why they’re going to graduate school, they can start applying.
Guymon asked the audience what the most important thing was to look for when applying to graduate school, to which the audience mentioned location and research.
In response, Guymon mentioned research is the last thing students should consider when applying. Instead, they should first focus on the school’s location, academic position, provided opportunities and their own academic standing.
Nathan Tanner, an audience member, said he was surprised when Guymon told them that research shouldn’t be the focus, but instead to focus on the “location and faculty and that aspect of grad school as opposed to just the subject.”
If a student doesn’t love the school’s location or the size of the program, it will make their experience difficult and could be less focused on their research.
Guymon said the Graduate Record Examinations are no longer required to get into some graduate schools, making the personal statement a more important part of the process.
In a personal statement, students must be able to talk about themselves and explain certain aspects of their schooling and grades, such as why their grades may not have performed well in certain years or why they want to be in graduate school.
Cole Clark, an audience member, said it’s interesting that the GRE is no longer required, and it took some stress off of him. Now he has to focus on the personal statement instead.
The last piece of advice Guymon gave was to stand out. The personal statement is the student’s time to shine, along with their letter of recommendation.
Choosing the person to fill out the letter of recommendation is key. Students should choose professors who will advocate for them and those who are in the department they’re applying for.
Having a solid personal statement and letter of recommendation will help the student stand out in the application process, which will help them get into the school and program they’re aiming for.
