Personal Experiences: Non-Traditional Students

A "non-traditional" graduate student is defined here as a student who is pursuing a higher degree part-time while working in full-time employment, or a student who is continuing education after a significant break or interruption, such as starting a family, starting a career, switching careers, or serving in the military. Below is a sample of experiences from non-traditional female physics graduate students.

Graduate School Status:
First year, part-time

Major:
I'm in the Graduate, Non-Degree program currently, taking classes in physics.

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
The original plan was to start on my graduate degree immediately following my bachelor's degree, as obtaining a graduate degree was an aspiration of mine. But when it came to taking the GRE Physics subject test and actually applying to schools, I was tired of classes and lacking in motivation. I took some time off, and then started working. Once I had been employed for three years, I decided to work towards a master's.

Carefully determine why you want to go to graduate school. "Because it's expected in my field" is not the correct answer. I've heard it said that a you can't do anything with just a bachelors degree in physics, you have to go all the way to a Ph.D. That's a load of BS. I was hired with just a bachelor's degree in physics. You can go on to find a good job with only an undergraduate physics degree. Sure, some doors will be closed to you, but there are open doors too.

I had a hard time with the whole concept of graduate school because I didn't know what I wanted and therefore couldn't really choose an appropriate graduate school. I don't have a particular passion or anything that I'm particularly good at, so my direction wasn't obvious. I suppose that some would say that I took the easy way out; instead of deciding what I wanted to specialize in, I decided to just get a job. Working has given me some added perspective.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
At school, you are constantly studying something, and working at gaining knowledge and a degree. There are some parallels in the workplace, but they can fall a bit short. I felt a little bit like my life was stagnating to a certain degree. I decided that it was time for me to go back to school. The search was not long at all, as there was only really one place nearby where I could go and take classes. I went to the school's website, filled out the Graduated Non-Degree application, gathered all the necessary materials, got a signature from the Physics Department Head, paid my fees and tuition, cleared it with my boss, and viola! I was in graduate school. Granted, it's a non-degree program at the moment, since I enrolled late in the game and missed all the application deadlines. But all of the classes will transfer if/when I decide to apply to the degree program.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
It's 15 minutes from my workplace. It's not my first choice, but it's what's locally available. I may switch to an online/distance learning program through another university at some point. (Hopefully the classes will transfer there, too.)

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate school?
1) I have a different set of responsibilities. As an undergraduate, school was my "career". Classes were my 9-to-5 job, and homework/studying was my evening/weekend job. School came before any part-time job I had. In my part-time graduate program, my work is my 9-to-5 job, and school has been relegated to a "hobby". Work has to come before school (I even signed a contract stating as much).

2) The workload is different. As an undergraduate, I had so many classes that they were hard to keep track of at times. There was never any time to study anything in-depth. Problem subjects would come up and have to be pushed aside to be addressed later, but there would be no time; all of my time was spent just keeping myself afloat. Graduate school is the "later". As a part-time student, I take only one class at a time, and I've found that I do better in school that way.

3) My "school brain" is different. Going to college after high school, I felt like I was on top of my game, especially in math. In physics, several classes would build upon others, and concepts would carry over from one class to the next. After a break of three years, I've found that I've forgotten a lot of the details; I remember general concepts. "If you don't use it, you lose it" certainly applies.

4) The "real world" is different. As an undergraduate student, I didn't know what I would do once I got to the real world. I took classes without complaint (well, mostly without complaint) because I didn't know what I would or wouldn't need once I got to the real world. I've been in the real world now and I know I will never use some of what is required. By the same token, I know what I should pay special attention to, too.

How has graduate school differed from your expectations of graduate school?
When I started work, I was the youngest person in the group by a long shot. When I started back at school, I had hoped that I would feel more camaraderie amongst people closer to my own age. But this hasn't really turned out to be the case. As a part-time student, making the connection with full-time students is difficult. I leave work to go to class and then go back to work again; I can rarely tarry after class. The other graduate students have common struggles and activities that bond them. It's a bond that I can't share, an activity in which I can't join in. I can't relate.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
There's no "right" way to continue your schooling. Traditionally, students go directly from undergrad to grad school. This may be the conventional way, but it's not necessarily right for you. You may want to take some time after your bachelor's to work and gain experience and perspective, or see the world! Or you may want to work and go to school part time; many companies will reimburse part or all of the tuition bill, as well as for books and lab fees, as long as the degree applies to work you are currently doing, you meet grade requirements, and you stay with the company for a set period of time. The bottom line is: Don't worry about what's typical or what your peers are doing. Do what's right for you.

Graduate School Status:
Masters degree student with expected completion in the fall

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
Since my undergraduate days, I have wanted to continue my education and personal development. I went to work after graduating with a B.S. in Physics in 1996. In late 2005, all the necessary things finally came together so that I would be able to go back to school starting January 2006.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
Having lived in my current city for over 30 years, I admit to being fairly "settled" in this area. That prompted me to seek a school nearby. Fortunately, there are good choices here and I didn't need to uproot my family. Applying was a straightforward process - fully documented on the university website. I completed the necessary paperwork and selected my advisor. Normally, a GRE is part of the application process. I provided a detailed resume and waiver request letter to which the physics department accepted my 10 years of work experience in lieu of the GRE.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
In looking at schools in my area, it was clear that for physics, there was a best choice. This was reinforced by my undergraduate experiences at the university and their excellent scholastic and research reputations.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
When I compare my graduate to my undergraduate experiences, I find that graduate school has a more intense pace. This is due in part to attending full-time classes year-round, but mostly to the additional work required for my thesis and graduate research assistant appointment. The one surprise has been that my coursework, thesis, and GRA work add up to more than a full-time job. This has required me to make some adjustments - e.g., working in the evenings and/or on the weekends to keep up the pace.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Many people would like to improve their education and their earning potential through graduate school. Obviously, I thought it over for some time before acting. It can be hard to leave a good job for both personal and financial reasons. I would suggest that the following be included in any decision process.

Clearly identify your educational goals; not just in general terms such as picking a major, but in specific terms such as planning out a preliminary program of study. When you have a concept of which classes you want to take, you can better select an advisor who can support your goals - especially in terms of research and thesis.

Decide which is best for you: going part-time or full-time. This may seem trivial, but it affects a multitude of day-to-day living decisions to include how exactly you pay for your school (and support yourself), how/with whom you carry health insurance, your options for research, and how long it will take you to complete your degree. If at all possible, decide from the start whether or not you want to pursue a Ph.D. In physics, this will mean that you must complete a thesis and you must take the Ph.D. program entrance exam.

Finally, while I have enjoyed a good working relationship with my advisor, you must not be afraid to switch advisors if someone else can better assist you in your endeavors.

Graduate School Status:
Just finished first year

Major:
Astronomy/Astrophysics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I want to be an astronomer and I need a Ph.D. for that.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I basically looked for schools that had good astronomy departments and were in places I could see myself living in for 5+ years. I wanted to be close to or in a city rather than rural area and I wanted a place that wouldn't have really cold weather.

After compiling a preliminary list of schools I wanted to apply to, I sent it around to a couple of my undergrad advisors and professors as well as my current advisors. (I was working in the astro field at this point, which was a great advantage professionally, but may have hurt a bit in getting into schools that preferred applicants to come straight from undergrad.) They made some suggestions of schools to add/drop from the list, as well as some more insight into several of the departments.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
It was the only place that accepted me. :) But it also is a very strong department and has a multitude of research opportunities, so it actually worked out fine.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
It's hard to judge since I've only been here for one year, and to pass preliminary exams, I've had to sit in on several undergrad physics classes (which is typical for astro Ph.D. candidates in the department). To me, the process seems almost backwards since I'm learning stuff I already know, but we need to prove to the department that our knowledge is "good enough" for them. If it wasn't for these qualifying exams, I would say that grad school is actually easier than undergrad: the astro grad classes are more interesting than undergrad physics classes and most of them require papers based on recent literature reviews or research, so it's more applicable to "real world" astronomy. I also did a lot of research as an undergrad and in the job I had, so there's not a big transition for me going into grad school research.

One issue I do have: I feel that I need to work extra hard to "prove myself" to my male counterparts, prove that I deserve to be here and am not here to fill some quota based on the low number of women in the field. I didn't feel this pressure as an undergrad, and perhaps this standard doesn't really exist, but I do get a sense of this attitude. This does cause a bit of extra pressure and frustration. (And there's always the classic line from the recruitment week for prospective students where one of the males said to me, "Wait, your a prospective? Fresh meat for the department!")

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Look at the research opportunities present in the department. It's possible that you may go into school thinking that you'd like to pursue research in a certain area, but then if you change your mind, it's good to have a multitude of options available.

Look at the social life of the grad students: are they miserable, or doing okay? Also look at the retention rate of the grad students: do most grad students stay through the end of the program? Are the qualifying exams used as a weed out process? In most schools, probably not, but this can be the case in some places, which can cause these really stressful exams to be even more stressful.

What type of qualifying exams does the school have? Lots of schools have exams based on the grad level courses taken while at the department, others have exams based on undergrad level material, and some have both. For those that have exams based on undergrad material, you may be told in no uncertain terms that you need to take the corresponding undergrad class (even if you've taken the class before and gotten an A in it). Not only can this be redundant, this leaves less time to take grad level classes in your first year, which means you take the grad classes later, translating into a longer time to attain your Ph.D.

Once you get into the school, find which advisors are most helpful to students (remember, a great scientist doesn't necessarily mean a great advisor). And though grad school is challenging, it's hard for everyone, so classmates tend to form a close community and get through it together :)

Graduate School Status:
Master's student - end of first year

Major:
Honours physics & astrophysics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I wasn't sure what to do after my B.Sc. I took a year off in Europe. I did an internship in high-energy physics in Munich to make some money, and then I toured most of the continent. When I returned, I felt refreshed and ready to start my master's. I decided to do it because I wanted to continue learning about astrophysics. My astrophysics department was still growing, which meant that during undergraduate, I did not have the opportunity to take many courses in this field (actually, only one was offered at the time). A master's degree could finally open the doors specifically towards astrophysics. I was very glad to step through.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
My undergraduate grades were not fantastic. I applied to a couple schools in Canada where I knew my chances of being admitted were low, but I wanted to try anyway. I emailed a couple of professors there. They showed interest in working with me if I was accepted. Unfortunately, I wasn't accepted there, but I was accepted at the university where I had done my undergrad. Professors already knew me here and I had worked with one of them as well; he knew what I was capable of. I believe this helped my application. I did not apply in the U.S. because I had not taken the GRE (and did not want to take it, either).

Why did you choose your graduate university?
Although I am aware of the importance of a good advisor over a famous university, I did not want to apply to a significantly lesser known university than the one I was in. Since the other universities of the "same level or better" (in my opinion) where I applied did not accept me, I opted to stay at my undergraduate university. The location was also an important factor for me; I love the city where I live. Considering the great location and the quality of the university and of the physics faculty (which I had gotten to know over the 4 years of my undergrad), it was not a difficult decision to stay here.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
The first year was mostly taken up by courses. Although I was taking 2 or 3 per semester, they required more work than undergrad classes, so I ended up spending as much time on 3 grad classes as I did on 5 undergrad classes. Fortunately, I had friends who had started grad school one or two years before I did, so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Still, I was very motivated to start research, and therefore I was a little disappointed not to have any time for it during the entire first year.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Don't just do it because it's the "obvious" next step. If you don't like your thesis subject, the amount of work you need to put in, or your advisor, you might not like grad school. Make sure you have a good advisor - I would say that's the most important factor. Ask their other students about them, Google them, and talk to them extensively about your expectations and theirs. Even if you are only doing a master's degree, the wrong advisor can lead to a painful two years. However, once you've got the right combination of advisor and research topic, you will have a great time in grad school and your degree will have been a positive and useful experience, even if you later opt for a non-academic career.

Graduate School Status:
Third year Ph.D. student

Major:
Astronomy

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
As background, I switched from computer engineering to physics in my third year because it took me that long to allow myself to realize that I truly enjoyed physics (especially since I was taking physics courses as my electives) and only initially chose CE due to computer skills and the vague desire for a good job. Astronomy was my favorite topic of applied physics. I didn't have the self-esteem to think I was smart enough to attend grad school (duh!).

I worked for three years after I completed my B.A. because I enjoyed supporting myself and being independent; however, the work I was doing was by no means using all of my abilities. They were jobs which, while semi-skilled, in my opinion could be done by anyone; and that frustrated me more and more. It took a while for me to realize that I wanted to work in astronomy - not teaching, not outreach, not science writing, but to puzzle through new data and apply new theories to further understand the behavior of compact objects (such as neutron stars and black holes). Then I had to work up the nerve to act on my desire.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
Nerve-wracking - I like having control over my future. Gathering all of the information and sending it off was more frustrating than I expected, given that I was working and taking two classes at the time, but I kept lists to stay organized. Departments with online applications were my favorites. I also developed a back-up plan in case I wasn't accepted to any school, which allowed me to sleep at night.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I did a broad search for schools with full astronomy departments rather than joint physics/astronomy departments to ensure the department I chose would be actively involved in research and endowed with resources enough to support its grad students. I narrowed down this search based on my particular research interest (stellar astronomy, specifically compact objects) to find people with whom I would want to work. I visited the schools at which I was accepted to get a feel for the faculty and students and to see whether I would fit in or not. I did not want to spend 5 or 6 years in a poisonous atmosphere or without funding. I chose my school over another due to the larger department, better research opportunities, and friendlier atmosphere.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
I didn't have detailed expectations of grad school other than that it would be difficult, fast-paced, and largely independent. I was lazy during undergraduate and could get away without putting much time into classes. I did not know how to study efficiently, either. Grad school demanded a big change in those habits. Not only was I spending many hours on homework and projects, I also had to deal with the learning curve of being a TA.

I learned to study along the way, rather than saving it all for a few nights before an exam, how to work independently and yet still be able to ask classmates for help and to help them, and how to grade quickly and fairly. I also learned how not to get upset over my lack of perfection and understand where my time would be best spent. I would be lying if I said I wasn't emotionally all over the place until I built up confidence in myself. The first year is always difficult no matter who you are.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
I'm not sure that anything anyone says can help with a decision that is almost entirely up to you. Requisite skills and learning are necessary, but so is the determination to see you through the little hurdles and challenges you will most certainly encounter. Grad school for me has been a combination of learning curve, problem solving, and time management.

Visit your schools and talk to those with whom you want to work, specifically about projects you can start on and about funding. Nail down ahead of time and in writing exactly how you are to be funded and how tuition is dealt with; you don't want any surprises about this. Make sure you get time to talk with the current grad students without any faculty present to get a more realistic portrait of the department.

For grad school itself, control your schedule so that you complete your work in time but that you also get the chance to relax, exercise, and spend time hanging out with your peers (both within your department and outside of it). You don't need to prove to everyone else that you are smarter than they are, but you do need to prove that you are an able worker and thinker. Make use of your school's counseling center, if it has one, as chances are you can talk to someone for free.

Graduate School Status:
Just finished second year in a full-time graduate program

Major:
Physics - Experimental Condensed Matter

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I always knew that I wanted to go to grad school, because I love to learn, and a bachelor's degree in physics left me with a lot of unanswered questions. Right after I finished my B.S., I was offered a job with the federal government and I thought that it would be a great opportunity for me to gain some work experience while taking a break before starting graduate school. Even though, I have to say, that it was very tough to come back to school, I still think that taking a 4-year break before entering grad school was a wise decision. I was more committed to my classes than those who came straight from their B.S. I also think that one becomes more mature and focused on the main goal, which is not to quickly finish your Ph.D., but to learn from your advisor and peers as much as you can, to do good research, to do networking, and to try to become a better scientist. So, if you think that you want to go to grad school, but you've been working for a couple of years and think that it is impossible to go back, think again! It can be done! :)

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
My grad school search was pretty simple for one reason. I got married before I applied for grad school and my husband and I wanted to stay in the area where we were living at the time. So that factor limited my selection to 3 universities, 2 of them where highly ranked universities, and the other one was my "safe" choice. I made sure to have good letters of recommendation and I also put a lot of effort on the essays requested. My transcripts had grades from so long ago that I wasn't counting too much on them. My recommendation is that you always keep in touch with your former professors, so that they remember you whenever you need a letter of recommendation from them.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
Two of the universities which I applied to accepted me. The one I chose had more choices in terms of research fields (and at that time I had no idea what I wanted to do; I didn't even know if I was going to do physics or astrophysics!). It also had a rather big astronomy and physics department and it had a good reputation in terms of their graduate program. It turned out to be the one farthest from home, but it was worth the trip.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
Oh, graduate school is very different from undergraduate school. First, you will not have spare time at all. You will actually study because you want to, nobody will be keeping an eye after you to see if you are doing your homework or not. It is hard, especially if you have been out of school for a while, but it is not impossible. On the other hand, when you are a graduate student, people tend to take you more seriously. You start to call your professors by their first name, because now you are at a different level. The qualifying exams are nasty! You will see that those undergraduate textbooks that seem to be tremendously difficult are actually not that bad after all. In summary, all your perceptions about what's hard and what's not will change. All your perceptions about life might also change.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Just make sure that learning is your passion, that you really want to do it and that you will commit until the end. Then go for it! It will be tough, but the rewards are unimaginable!

Graduate School Status:
Third year Ph.D. student

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I decided to attend graduate school mainly for career advancement and the desire to get back into physics. My undergraduate degree was in physics, but I minored in math/computer science. Soon after joining the workforce, I wanted to work on an advanced degree and, at the time, I was doing research in the computer science area (parallel processing), so I worked towards a master's in computer science. At the time, I didn't want to go after that Ph.D. because I just wasn't ready for all the extra work (qualifying exams and dissertation). Plus, I only wanted to go to school part-time. I received a master's degree in computer science after about 5 years. That was 12 years ago!

Three years ago, I started seeing that the research emphasis at my place of work was dwindling in the computer science area, plus I was getting tired of the work. I then realized that there was a need for more physicists at my place of work. So, I started to check out getting a Ph.D. in physics and took a few remedial classes (since it had been so long since completing my B.S. degree), learned about the special Ph.D. program at work (I could go to school full-time for one year), and decided to go for it!

I'm so glad I decided to go back even though it's been many, many years since my B.S. I've also come to find out that I enjoy physics research more than computer science research. An added benefit is that I'll still be using my computer science knowledge working on my dissertation since I'll be doing modeling/theoretical work. So, in the end, it all will fit together for me.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
My search was a bit limited because of work and family; work is paying for my degree and I didn't want to move my family. I applied to only one school and the process was pretty straight-forward. I was really fortunate to have 2 co-workers and a current faculty member at the school I applied to that really knew my background and potential for the rigors of graduate school.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I chose my graduate university because I received my undergraduate degree there, I was familiar with their program, it was close to home, and the cost of tuition was affordable (my place of employment, who is paying my tuition, had limited education dollars at the time).

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
Graduate school is indeed very different from undergraduate school. I like graduate school because you totally focus on your major and don't have to juggle other subjects that you are not or less interested in. It is more difficult (like the qualifying exams), but the challenge for me has been fun and rewarding. If you are able to go full-time to get your coursework done, it takes a lot of extra time on nights and weekends, but again I think it's been fun. You also get to bond closer with your classmates than in undergraduate school, and they can be a great source of knowledge when you are stuck on a difficult concept or homework problem and you can reinforce what you have learned with them by helping them out when needed.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Make sure you are ready for the rigors of graduate school! While I sort of regret not attending graduate school right after receiving my undergraduate degree, I know now that I wasn't ready for graduate school then and am glad that I waited.