Answers to Previous Questions

What should I do the summer before graduate school?
Should I apply to the master's program or the doctorate program?
I'm miserable in graduate school, and I'm considering quitting. Is this normal?

Question:
What should I do the summer before graduate school?

Answer:
The best way to prepare yourself for graduate school before you begin is to participate in a summer research project or internship, especially in the area you hope to pursue in grad school. If you can, try to arrange with your future institution a way that you can begin your grad school research early (and better get to know your new adviser and new university). On the other hand, trying a research area completely different from your planned grad school research can be very helpful in determining your interests and diversifying your skills and experiences. A huge listing of student opportunities for physics students can be found at Student Opportunities. Read journal articles on the areas you're interested in.

Almost all summer internships and temporary summer employment will pay bachelor's-degree recipients for their work. However, if you can't obtain a paid position, you may want to consider researching part-time voluntarily. This will allow you to easily take on a part-time job during the summer for funding while still gaining valuable research experience.

If you're a very studious type, you might want to look into taking a special summer course or starting your graduate-level classes early if you can. You may want to spend some time studying basic physics to prepare for your fall classes or for your major graduate-level exam (called a qualifier, preliminary, or comprehensive exam). You can casually refresh your memory and keep your mind active.

If you're burnt out from school, consider doing something fun this summer, such as traveling, visiting family and friends, or something unusual that you've always wanted to do. This is a rare time in your life when you may have a summer completely free to do whatever you please.

No matter what you end up doing during your post-college pre-grad school summer, don't forget to have fun! You'll have plenty of time to work hard and stress out during your graduate school career. Enjoy your free time while you can!

Question:
Should I apply to the master's program or the doctorate program?

Answer:
Generally speaking, in the United States, the master's degree is defined by advanced coursework and may or may not require a thesis, while the Ph.D. may require some coursework but is primarily a research degree. A master's degree is usually obtainable in two years, while a doctorate in physics takes an average of 5.5 years (fewer for some, more for others) from the start of the graduate program.

What is your planned career path? High school teachers and industry physicists do not necessarily need a doctorate, but university professors almost always do. It usually doesn't hurt to be over-educated, but the extra years spent in school could be used earning money at a full-time job. A higher degree opens doors, but the doors you may want may already be opened.

If your goal is a terminal masters degree, apply only to the master's program. Do not apply to a doctorate program if you have no intention of pursing a Ph.D. If you later decide that you wish to continue your education within doctorate program, that option will still be open for you.

Universities differ in their policies. Some universities require graduate students to pursue a master's degree before entering the doctorate program. If this is the case, you may need to apply to the master's program first; contact the department if you're unsure. Some universities allow students to enter the Ph.D. program immediately after receiving a bachelor's degree, and a master's degree is either picked up along the way or skipped completely. It makes little difference whether a grad student obtains a master's degree before a doctorate or skips the master's degree altogether.

Some universities with the "bachelor's then master's then doctorate" track also require that their grad students complete a master's thesis. This can be beneficial because it can introduce the students to research, give the students technical writing experience, and provide a starting point for the doctoral dissertation, but this option usually takes more time. Many universities provide a non-thesis master's degree option.

You also have the option of applying for the master's program at one university and the doctorate program at a different university after you obtain your master's degree. There is also nothing wrong with applying to the doctorate program at a university and later deciding to leave there with your master's degree and either enter the workforce or pursue your Ph.D. elsewhere (the grad school equivalent of transferring).

The strength of your application may differ depending on which program you apply to. The common belief is that Ph.D. students are held to a high standard than master's degree students (and therefore, if you are ineligible for a Ph.D. program, apply to the master's program instead), but that may not be the case. Usually, Ph.D.-granting departments prefer grad students who are working towards their doctorates. This is not to say that a Ph.D.-pursuing applicant will always be accepted over a M.S.-pursuing applicant, but many universities do have this preference. On the other hand, a master's student represents less of a time commitment (and, more importantly, less of a funding commitment) for the department. Physics departments pay their grad students' tuitions plus stipends; funding a student for two years is cheaper than funding a student for approximately 5.5 years (especially given that the stipends usually increase with time).

Unless a faculty member from within a department specifically advices you to apply to one program over another, do not try to guess whether the department values master's applicants or doctoral applicants more. Apply to the program that fits your educational and career goals within the policies of the department you are applying to.

Question:
I'm miserable in graduate school, and I'm considering quitting. Is this normal?

Answer:
Graduate school is a sacrifice. I read that before I started, but I didn't know what that meant until I was already in graduate school. I had a lot of extracurricular activities and hobbies during my undergraduate years that I've had to cut back or give up in order to survive in grad school. I, too, have felt like I wanted to quit at times. There would be so many immediate benefits to quitting; life would instantly become freer and less stressful. Instead, I put myself through some very difficult times. Why? We all must have very good reasons for why we want to pursue a higher degree, or we'll never make it through the tough times.

On the other hand, grad school shouldn't completely take over your life. You should have a little free time to pursue hobbies and to relax. If you truly are doing nothing but studying and working all the time, something is wrong. Balance between work and play is healthy.

Grad school isn't for everyone. Re-read that, because it's very important. Especially in academia, students are made to feel that if we don't obtain a Ph.D., we're less successful or less worthy, that we've somehow failed, and that's simply not true. For many, many people, a bachelor's degree will serve them just fine throughout their careers. For others, a master's degree may be all that they want or need. It's a kind of investment problem: if you feel like what you invest now in grad school will pay off later, then do it.

If you decide that it's to your benefit to stick with it, the later years of your graduate education won't be as bad as it is now. Once your coursework is finished, you'll have a much more flexible schedule to work on research at your own pace. And research is the fun part!

A good dose of commiserating with fellow grad students will help you to realize that you're not alone in how you feel. Everyone feels the way you do at some point. Good luck with everything!