Marine Ecologist & Social Scientist
1. Figure out your “why” (Ongoing)
Give yourself time for some soul-searching and have a good reason for WHY you are going to grad school. It will keep you going when times inevitably get tough. I specifically recommend the following:
  • Look into if you need a Masters or PhD for your dream job or if you could make up the difference with job experience
  • Take a close look at your finances and the tradeoffs of working versus graduate school (more about finances below)
  • Consider doing a Masters before a PhD unless you’re absolutely certain
  • Remember that what you do right after graduate school likely won’t be your dream job, and is a stepping stone to bigger career opportunities (a.k.a. your journey is the destination)

2. Study for and take the GRE (Spring/Summer)
Check first to see if the schools and programs you’re considering applying to require the GRE. There have been recent research findings and movements to drop the GRE requirement from the graduate admissions process as it is biased and perpetuates inequities in higher education (here and here). However, I’m no expert on each program’s requirements, so check for yourself. If you do need to take it, then give yourself several months to adequately study before taking it.

3. Research potential advisors (Spring/Summer)
Get a sense of the current and past research by checking out their websites, current research papers, and projects of current and past mentees (grad students and postdocs). Especially look for:
  • Current publications (from same year or previous)
  • Commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • What their past mentees are up to now
This all gives you a sense of the type of culture and mentorship you could expect. Make sure their research interests you and that you could envision yourself as part of their team! 

4. Reach out to potential advisors and lab members (July/August)
Once you’ve generated a list of potential advisors, now’s the time to contact them via email (template here), and include a 1-2 page resume attachment. Explain why you think you’ll be a good fit for their lab, and mention that you’re interested in discussing research opportunities for the next academic year. If you don’t hear back from them within a week, try them again. They’re likely not ignoring you, just busy. When they get back to you, schedule some time to talk over the phone or virtually (a few times if you need!) about some of the following: 
  • Their mentoring style
  • Projects in the lab and what work you could do. Especially check if they have an idea already in mind for your thesis or if you can come up with it on your own.
  • Expectations - for output, working hours per week, time off, etc.
  • Funding opportunities - how can you get paid, get your tuition/health insurance covered, and pay for research
  • Timelines - how many years for MS vs PhD on average, when to take qualifying exams, etc.
  • What program(s) their grad students come in through - this will help you figure out the program for you
  • What industries their mentees are employed in after graduating
  • Lab dynamics - supportive, competitive, ~good vibes~
I also recommend reaching out to their current and past graduate students. This will enable you to start building relationships across the lab, ask the students questions about cost of living, grad student life, the professor’s advising style, and anything else you may be wondering. Remember that while you’re shopping around for potential labs/advisors, the labs are also evaluating you (and others) as potential new members. Be yourself!

If you can, try to visit campus sometime before decisions are made (February/March). This gives you a chance to meet with the lab in person, get a sense of the area, and truly envision yourself there. 

5. Create your short list of professors, schools, and programs (Fall)
This is the final list of programs and labs to which you’ll be applying. I recommend only a small handful as it can be time-consuming, pricey and exhausting to apply to a lot. I applied to nine programs and about half ghosted me. Narrow down your list based on what you’re looking for in an advisor, funding situation, the research you can do, and anything else that is important to you. Another tip I have is to make sure the university and surrounding areas appeal to you; are there things that you like to do and fuel your soul nearby? That’ll help you when times get tough. I realized a few years in that being away from my support system and the ocean were negatively affecting my mental health.

6. Work on graduate school statements (Fall)
You’ll likely need to write a personal statement and/or research statement for the programs to which you’re applying. Do your research into the universities and programs so you can include content about why that particular program/university is best suited for the work you want to do. You can likely use similar content for all statements, but pay special attention to guidelines as they will vary across schools and programs. For applications requiring a research statement, include enough background information that a non-expert will understand it, and make sure it’s hypothesis-driven! Include the name(s) of the potential advisor in the statement and WHY working with them is important to your project. Also remember that you don’t have to have your whole thesis figured out by this point; just demonstrate that you’ve thought about a project well enough and how it fits into the resources at the university. 

7. Submit applications (November/December)
I recommend keeping track of all of the different application components, especially the deadlines, required for each school and program to which you apply. Prioritize the application with the earliest deadline and go from there. I was applying to graduate school while working full-time so the majority of my applications were completed late at night and on weekends, so do what works for you. 
Most programs will offer application fee waivers, so if you need financial assistance, then ask for it! Each application can be upwards of $100 so the cost of applying adds up.

When you do get all the applications in, take some time to celebrate yourself! This is a big undertaking and you should be proud of how far you’ve come.

8. Keep in touch with potential advisors (Winter)
Even after your applications have been submitted, it’s important to keep in touch with all professors you want to work with. Reach out to them once you apply and reiterate your interest in joining their lab. Be available for follow-up emails, telephone, and virtual calls to discuss any more details.

I have to warn you: prepare yourself for the possibility that you are not chosen to join a lab and/or for some professors to ghost you. I hate that this happens to prospective students, but it happened to me a few times. I never heard directly from a few faculty when I didn’t get accepted, even though I followed up. It sucks, but the right fit for you is out there.

9. Invitation to prospective student weekend(s) (February-ish)
If things are going well for you during the application process, you’ll likely be invited to at least one prospective student weekend by the program/university. This is usually an all-expenses paid trip that the program or prospective advisor covers because they want to impress you. This does not mean you already are accepted! It is also a time for the labs to invite a few applicants and then make their final decision a few weeks later. Take this as an opportunity to get a sense for the lab, department, and university culture. Talk to graduate students at different stages across the department about how things are going: can they live off of the stipend, are they happy, what do they do for fun, what are the expectations for publications, etc. This experience can give you a good sense for what your life could be like there, so be sure to ask a lot of questions and be yourself!

10. Decision time (March/April)
After prospective student visits to campuses, the professors (and hopefully the members of their lab!) will make their final decision and offer up a position to join their lab the next academic year. You should hear directly from the professor about their decision, and then get a formal acceptance from the university. Often you’ll have a few weeks between when you hear back about a graduate school acceptance and when you need to make a formal decision. This can be a good time for you to ask more questions of the lab(s), compare research projects, funding, etc.

Congratulations if you have multiple offers to consider, and my condolences if you get a few rejections. I applied to nine schools, and due to funding constraints and reasons I don’t even know, was accepted to one school. It ended up being the right fit for me, even if it was really challenging. 

If you do not get in anywhere, take some time to feel your feelings, but don’t wallow in the rejection. Unfortunately, rejection is a norm in the sciences, so you shouldn’t take it too personally. Talk it out with people you trust, and even a therapist, and after some time, get back on the horse. This can be an opportunity for you to keep working, gain additional experience, try again (if you want to), or try something else. 

11. TAKE SOME TIME OFF if you can (Summer)
I cannot emphasize this enough, but between the time you accept a grad school offer and you begin in the lab: please take some time off (if able) to relax, explore, adventure, visit with friends and family, etc. Graduate school is a tough time with weird expectations about when to take time off and when to work, and it’s important you prioritize your overall wellness early and often. I’m so grateful I was able to go on a cross-country road trip and spend a lot of time at the beach with friends.
​
Now is also a good time to figure out the logistics regarding your start in graduate school. Do you need to find a place to live? Quit your job? Pack up an apartment? Give yourself time to get all of this done, and reach out to friends and family for support.

12. Begin in the lab (by August)
Most programs have start dates in early-mid August, so I recommend giving yourself at least a few days in your new space before you have to start classes or teaching. Here are my top five tips for the first semester of graduate school:
  • Give yourself grace when transitioning to being in grad school, especially if you were working full-time beforehand. It takes some time to get back into the groove of having assignments to complete outside of normal working hours. 
  • Seize opportunities to make new friends! Whether it’s in your program, a different one, or a community group, find people who lift you up.
  • Try not to compare your progress to that of your colleagues! I did this a lot (and still do from time to time) and it negatively affected my mental health.
  • Find a routine that suits you, and give yourself one full day off of work.
  • Remember that you are worthy of being in the lab and the program. You have valuable insight and experiences to contribute.

Additional Resources: