Advice for those considering graduate school:
If you aren't sure whether you should go to grad school or get a job, remember that you will always have your undergrad degree as a fall-back plan if you don't like grad school, but it is much harder to go back to school after joining the working world. Think about how much knowledge you've accumulated so far, and how much you like school. If you're happy with what you know (and you will certainly still learn more in the working world), and you can’t stand the thought of any more school, then maybe getting a job is right for you. But if don't want to join the working world just yet, grad school might be a stepping stone you will be glad you took.

About being a woman in a male-dominated field:
Unfortunately, it is true that there are still many prejudices against women in physics. Although society has come a long way, physics and engineering are both fields that seem to lag behind, perhaps even more so at the competitive grad school level. People tend to expect women to do poorly in these areas, and often see it as confirmation when they do but take no notice when they excel. Sometimes things will happen and people will say things that just aren't fair, and it is especially rotten when it affects your grades. Sometimes you can't quite put your finger on it, but women often get less encouragement and poorer marks on subjective assignments like oral presentations. It can be really hard to stand up for yourself or do anything about it, especially when the person who is discriminating is in a position of power. You don't want to dig your hole deeper or be labeled as a "crazy feminist" because that won't get you ahead either, so you really have to pick your battles and often women end up putting up with a lot of foolishness. I don't want to discourage anyone from choosing to come to grad school; it is generally a wonderful environment and the majority of other students (both male and female) are very fair-minded and get along just fine, but it is probably good to be aware that unpleasant situations do happen as it can come as a surprise.

Graduate School Status:
I defended my Ph.D. in August, at the end of my fifth year.

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I enjoyed my undergraduate physics classes and research experiences, and thought a graduate degree was necessary for the careers I was then considering (physics professor, researcher in government/industry).

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I was fairly certain I wanted to study condensed matter physics, but I was not sure of which subfield, so I applied to the top physics programs that had enough breadth to allow me to explore different options. If you know exactly what kind of research you are most interested in, contacting individual professors before you apply is a great idea and will probably help your application, but don't worry too much if you don't want to do this yet; I was still accepted to all but one of the schools I applied to.

One thing I wish I had considered was applying to departments besides just physics; many applied physics departments, for example, give you many of the same research opportunities if you are interested in condensed matter experiment.

Expect to start hearing back from schools in March, but don't worry if your friend gets accepted to a certain place before you do; grad schools send out acceptance letters as they decide on students, not all at once.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I found that visiting different graduate schools was very important in making my decision. All of the schools I visited had excellent research programs, so my decision was made more based on differences in the quality of life of the graduate students. At my top choice before visiting, the graduate students just didn't seem very happy. I didn't like the fact that they were so spread out between different buildings, so that they had little interaction with anyone outside their own research group, and I was surprised by how few current students were willing to come hang out with the prospective students. At my ultimate choice, there seemed to be a great sense of community in the department, and we prospectives were outnumbered by the graduate students who wanted to share their experiences.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
I went to undergraduate school at a small liberal arts college, where the emphasis was on teaching, not research, and where classes were taught as seminars, not lectures. I was therefore disappointed with the quality of my classes in graduate school, but since classes are not the main point (the Ph.D. is a research degree), it did not affect my experiences too much.

Having participated in undergraduate research programs after each of my summers as an undergraduate, I had a pretty good sense of what research would be like, although I think I was unprepared for the extent of the frustrations I encountered. I had a wonderful and encouraging advisor, which is very important (a number of women I knew from other research groups decided to leave before finishing the program), but I started working on a project in which he had little expertise and thus was unable to foresee problems that he might have anticipated in other areas.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Make sure you are really excited about doing research, and get involved in it as soon as possible. I have seen many graduate students spending most of their time taking classes and teaching while floundering from one research group to another, and their degrees often drag on for many more than the average 5.5 years. Don't assume that someone is looking out for you and making sure you are taking the steps you need: seek out professors on your own to talk about joining their research groups, talk with your advisors about when you should be taking required classes and exams, ask your thesis advisor what more you need to accomplish to graduate, etc.

Get to know your classmates by working together on problem sets during your first year; not only will it help with your classes, but the support of these friends will be important later on, whether you are looking for advice about research or just needing a sympathetic ear. Make sure you also have other sources of emotional support, whether they are family, old friends, or people in the community outside your academic program. Everyone finds grad school frustrating at times. But it can also be fun and rewarding, and can prepare you for a wide variety of careers. You just need to decide if it will be worth it for you.

Graduate School Status:
2nd year graduate student

Major:
I am studying condensed matter physics and doing research in organic based light emitting devices.

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I decided to attend graduate school because I need a higher level of education and a higher degree to be able to do research in this field at the level I want. As is so common in this type of work, the more I learn, the more I realize how much there is still to learn. That is why I am so glad to be able to continue my education. There are so many exciting things to study, analyze, and discover.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
When I first started looking at graduate schools, I asked my undergraduate advisor to recommend some schools that would be a good level for me, have the right atmosphere, and would have areas of research that I was interested in. I first eliminated some schools based on location. I had decided I wanted to stay in a big city but I ended up moving to a fairly small city in Iowa, which turned out to be fine. I looked over the research opportunities at the schools and compared them to what I would like to study. I talked with school representatives at a scientific conference I was involved in.

When I had my list narrowed down to seven schools, I sent out applications. Most applications asked for some kind of essay. I could use pieces of the first few essays to help write the later ones. I had my professors at college read through my essays and make comments and suggestions. Getting their opinions was probably the most important detail about my writing. After applications were sent, I awaited the answers anxiously. I visited some campuses that offered me a trip on their expense. After receiving the acceptance and rejection letters (and yes, most people receive some of both), I decided to go to my current university.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I chose it because the physics department has a great atmosphere. The professors are very approachable and the students are not too cutthroat. On top of having a great department, there were many research groups I was interested in and one in particular that fit my research plans well. When I visited, I felt very comfortable on the campus and in the city.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
In graduate school, as compared to undergraduate, you are much more responsible for your own education. Professors are there for their students but don't baby-sit each student's progress. Especially during the first year, you spend a considerably larger amount of time at school and doing homework - imagine that! But, I grew much closer to my physics classmates in graduate school because of this. You are challenged a lot more in all aspects of life, including mental and emotional. Most graduate students think that everyone around them is smarter then they are, but how could that be true? This is something I found is challenging for most people to experience, and something that may not have been experienced as an undergrad.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Graduate school is hard but so much can be gained from the education and the experience. Don't be scared to ask for advice from your professors. My number one piece of advice for incoming graduate students is to work with other students. They're in your classes and are going through the same things as you are. Going through graduate school is a very exciting thing to accomplish and it can add so much to your academic life. Go for it!

Electromagnetism

Graduate School Status:
Graduating with Ph.D. at the end of the month

Major:
Physics, specialty in high power ferromagnetic resonance

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I wanted to further my education in physics in order to have more options in the careers that I choose to pursue.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
The search for graduate schools I wanted to attend was not difficult. I applied to nine schools: three that would have been much more difficult to get into the physics program for different reasons but that I would have been interested in attending, three that would have been somewhat difficult to get into that I would have been interested in attending and three back-ups that would be easy to enter into the physics program. I was lucky enough to have been accepted to all but one school and was able to choose the one I wanted to attend, after visiting most of the schools and talking with graduate students and the departments and different professors. The application process for graduate school was rather tedious, as some of the information they requested seemed unusual and it required some serious research into my past.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
There were several reasons that I choose the university I attended. The first and foremost reason was that I was interested in the research that the magnetics lab at the university was performing. Second, the professor of the group is one of the top in the field of magnetics. This provided a wonderful chance to learn from the best and work at one of the top labs in the world for magnetics. Third, the physics department was rather small which provided a lot of one-on-one time with my professors to really understand what I was learning. Fourth, I received a scholarship to help get started and was given a teaching assistantship immediately. This was a big plus, as life is expensive and it prevented me from acquiring any school loans. Fifth, I liked the atmosphere of the university. It was relaxed and the people in the department were nice. Additionally, the town that the university in was a very nice place to live.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
The first part of graduate school wasn't much different than I expected. The classes were tough but very interesting and research was a lot of fun. It was great to ge my hands dirty and really get to do something on my own.

After my master's degree, things became very tough. Although top in the field, my research advisor did not work in the lab or want to teach us much of anything. At times he would explain things, but not in depth. He preferred we figure everything out on our own, including the entire research project that I was to perform for my dissertation. This was very frustrating as I didn't know much about the subject yet. I ended up building my own high-power system and automating it, and did come up with an excellent program for myself. Additionally, he gave me a very short time line of three years in which to graduate with my degree once I was finished with my masters. I wasn't able to finish in the time line and ended up finishing my degree without a research assistantship or teaching assistantship.

As awful as this sounds, I learned so much. I was able to do everything on my own and learned that I would have no problem running a lab on my own. I was independent and learned how to advise high school students that we had come for the summer, undergraduates that came to work in the lab and teach post docs how to use my very complicated system. I also learned how to keep things up and running, as most of the time my advisor wouldn't pay for them to be fixed when they broke down. I learned to write proposals and reports to the groups that I received funds from, as he felt that this was not his obligation since the funds were paying for my assistantship. He did go over my papers tooth and nail, which was a very painful experience but I learned to write papers that wouldn't just be filed away but papers that were useful and that people could read clearly and learn something from. It was very tough but I learned so much and feel very prepared to go and work anywhere and know that I can do anything that I need to.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
My advice, as I mentioned in the question above, is to make sure you choose the school that is right for you and that you are going for the right reasons. It is no easy task but well worth it. Also, make sure you choose an advisor that is right for you. Talk to the students in their group and really find out what the advisor is like. I had many friends that had a much better working relationship with their advisor and had a lot more support through their work. I will admit, though, that by working for my advisor I am much more prepared for the real world than many of them. It is really a mixed matter, but there are always post doc positions to help when you get out before you have to run a lab on your own.

Finally, choose a subject that you love and that excites you. You will be doing this work for a long time and may end up hating it for a while because it is hard work but in the end will come out loving it again if you do at the beginning. When you are done with graduate school, make sure that you find a job that in some way separates you from your advisor and gives you a name on your own. We had a lady professor who started her career in the 50's and emphasized this point highly. Having the advisor that I had helped immensely to get my contacts and to find a job but if his name is always associated with mine than my work will never be properly my own. I really hope this helps. Good luck and don't forget to have some fun when you are sitting up all night writing you final dissertation!

Geophysics & Planetary Science

Graduate School Status:
Third year graduate student

Major:
Planetary Sciences, minor in Geosciences

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I want to be a college professor. Plus, with an astronomy degree, a Ph.D. is pretty much expected to be hired.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I did an internship at NASA the summer before my senior year of college. My advisor helped recommend grad schools to me. I also got recommendations from my undergraduate professors and advisors. I chose my schools before the start of my senior year and did the applications as early in the fall as I could. I then concentrated on studying for the Physics GREs, in addition to my course work. I applied to six schools, two of which were top in the field, a safety school, and three intermediate schools. I visited two schools and accepted an offer of admission after visiting the second.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
My current university is one of the top universities for planetary science in the world. They have an extremely large program and a wide variety of research such that any topic being studied in planetary science in the world is somehow connected to my university. I was also attracted by the opportunity to work on active NASA missions. I visited the university and got the impression that I could be happy there (a gut feeling, nothing on paper can answer that for anyone).

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
My graduate school program is much more isolated from other departments. My undergraduate university did not have large graduate departments, so I do not really have much to compare it to. The program itself in terms of research is not isolated, but rather a large number of students have no apparent interest in meeting people outside of the department. This was a large surprise to me when I started grad school. I didn't really have a large number of expectations for grad school. It was expected upon graduating that I would attend grad school, so I never really considered other options.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
1. Find out how easy/hard/acceptable it is to switch advisors. A bad advisor can ruin your entire grad school experience. If you have problems with an advisor, address them as soon as possible and change advisors as needed.
2. Talk to the grad students. Often faculty are out-of-touch with actual policies, informal policies, etc. Also, you can get a good idea if the students seem happy or if they regret their decision to attend the particular school.
3. Go to a place where you won't be pigeon-holed. Things happen in life. Spacecrafts fail; advisors die; hot topics become cold. Go somewhere where you have multiple research opportunities that interest you. This is prudent for funding, graduating time, and overall grad school experience.

Medical Physics

Graduate School Status:
First year graduate student

Major:
Medical Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I first heard of medical physics during a Society of Physics Students presentation at my undergraduate university. An alumnus came and spoke to us about his career in the medical physics department at a large research hospital in Boston. It seemed to me like medical physics was a good combination of my love for applications of mathematics and physics and my desire to help people. In order to be certified by the American Board of Radiology, you must have a master's degree in medical physics or an affiliated field, so I knew I wanted to go to grad school.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
There are few Ph.D. programs in medical physics, and during my applications process, I knew I wanted to apply to a place where it would be possible for me to get a Ph.D. if I so desired. That narrowed the search greatly. The applications process was pretty straightforward. I contacted some of the professors whose work I was interested in, and I completed the applications requirements. It was pretty time-consuming, but not too stressful. I had made contacts early on in my undergraduate career that were very willing to write me good recommendations.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
As I said before, the number of programs that offer Ph.D.'s is pretty small. There was one that people in the field seemed to respect a great deal, and I decided that if I got in to that school, I would attend. I managed to get accepted (it was a surprise!), so I am here.

My university does not offer much first-year departmental funding, so it was necessary for me to contact professors I met during the Open House to try to find a lab to start in. I happened to meet an amazing advisor, and my lab actually has a large female population, which is very nice!

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
Juggling coursework, laboratory duties, and research is a whole new experience. It's hard to get used to the feeling that there is always more stuff to do than you have time for in a given day. Though we work hard, the program is full of very social people, and we have a lot of fun as well.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Take a step back and evaluate why you want to get an advanced degree. I figured I had my sights set for a Ph.D., and now that I am evaluating things further, I might leave with a master's degree. If you evaluate these things before you apply to graduate school, you might be a step ahead.

Make sure you're not burned out on coursework! Some people need a year off between undergrad and graduate school. This is not looked down upon in the least.

Nuclear Physics

Graduate School Status:
Third year Ph.D. student

Major:
Experimental nuclear physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I enjoyed physics as an undergraduate, so I decided to pursue physics as a career. The most straightforward way for me to do this was to go to grad school. A Ph.D. isn't necessary, but it provides more options than a bachelor's or master's degree.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
After an initial search of about 25 graduate programs, I applied to 6 schools that had a large variety of programs, in case I decided to change my area of focus. I visited my current program and met some of the current students and professors, who told me much more than a website ever could.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I applied to 6 schools. Due to low Physics GRE scores, I was accepted at one university and put on another’s waiting list. Since I needed to respond to the first university before I heard a definite response from the second, I told the first I would attend. While I'm very happy with my decision, I do wish I had been able to make a less forced choice.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
I didn't really know what to expect from graduate school. It's a lot of hard work, both in the classes and in research/teaching, but you'd expect that. The main noticeable difference is that you have to go home every night after class and really study the material from that day, or you'll be lost when you go to the next class - procrastination is a bad idea. It is important that you go to talks and lean how to give them.

You also have to start thinking like a researcher instead of just a student. At first you'll be way over your head in an unknown area of physics, and you'll be following your advisor's advice every step of the way. The goal of grad school is to teach you how to plan your next step and to critically evaluate your own research. Graduation won't happen when you know everything there is to know about your area. It will happen when you and your committee are confident that you work mostly independently and have produced publishable results.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
When you choose a Ph.D. topic, you become the expert in a sub-sub-sub-sub field of physics. Make sure it's one you're interested in. It's okay to change after you graduate, but it's better if you already like what you're doing. With that in mind, spend some time talking with professors and older grad students about their research. It's very important that you can communicate and work well with your advisor.

Graduate School Status:
Fourth year Ph.D. student

Major:
Applied Physics, Nuclear Physics specialty

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
Getting my B.S. just wasn't enough - I love learning, and there was so much more I wanted to know. I never would have been satisfied just stopping at a bachelor's degree, or even a master's or professional degree.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I actually started out at a different university, where I was supposed to be doing astrophysics. I applied because of the people there and the opportunities that those specific researchers presented. However, the course of my research there gradually turned toward astronomy, which didn't interest me. I reapplied at my home institution and was admitted mid-year by my old Department Head.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I knew the people and the research being done, so I knew I'd have the opportunity to travel to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in order to take part in experiments. I also respected my university as a science and engineering institution, so I knew my degree program would be challenging and worthwhile.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
I was exceptionally good at being an undergraduate, and this carried over into my first couple years of graduate school; I was good at doing homework, good at taking tests, etc. However, I soon discovered that I'm not so successful at self-directed, independent research, which is the meat and potatoes of a Ph.D. So the toughest thing for me has been the thing I didn't expect, which was hitting a wall when it came to doing my research.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Be ready to hit your wall. Graduate school is tough, even (if not especially) after you're finished with coursework. Sometimes you get lucky and find a great advisor with a great project on a great timeline, but if you're like the rest of us, you'll struggle through months of seemingly no progress. But take heart! If you're where God wants you to be, then He's given you the tools you need to get through.

Particle Physics

Graduate School Status:
First Year

Major:
Physics - Particle Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I went into college knowing that I would attend graduate school because a Ph.D. is expected in the career I am pursuing. As an undergraduate, I found that I really liked doing research, so I believe I would have continued my education even if I was pursuing a different career.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
In most cases, you find a research area you want to pursue and then find schools with good programs in that area. This is a great way to decide where to apply to graduate school if you know what research you want to do. However, I was not really sure what area of physics I wanted to pursue in graduate school. I was interested in plasma physics, so I picked a few good schools that offered that field. I narrowed down my list of application schools by looking at the general quality of physics research they produced. I applied to schools that had multiple areas of good research.

Another part of my search and application process that was different from most was that location was a big factor in my decision. I applied to a few schools in colder climates because they were good schools. In the end, there were just some places I knew I could not be happy living.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
It was the school I really wanted. When I got the offer, I accepted immediately. I had done an REU program there a few summers before and enjoyed it. I liked the location, and the school was the best in the state for physics. As an added bonus, my university has a lot of alumni in the career I am pursuing.

Determining what research area I wanted to pursue turned out to be an easy process. I did an internship between undergrad and grad school. I fell in love with the research I was doing in my internship. When I got to my graduate school, they had a research group in that area.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
Graduate school is a beast all its own. It was what I expected in that the courses are harder and you do more research than in undergrad. I was always very busy as an undergraduate, so I was hoping to get some relief in graduate school. I did not. People say it is better because you focus on the areas that are important to you. Even though I spend about as much time working in grad school as I did in undergrad, I find it more tedious because you are always working on the same problem.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
If you are even considering graduate school, take the Physics GRE as early as possible. Only three test days are offered for the subject tests. If you are a junior, take the one at the end of the spring semester. You will have time to get the results and decide if you want to take the test again before you have to send off your applications. Another reason to use this test date is that everyone tends to get busier during the end of the senior fall semester when the other two test dates occur. Believe me; you don't need the extra stress.

If you don't know what research area you want to pursue, it is okay! You can still have a great graduate school experience, so apply.

Make friends in grad school. I know this is hard for most sciences types, but having people to bounce homework problems around with can be invaluable.

Physics

Graduate School Status:
Fifth year Ph.D. student, graduating this August

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
It was necessary to pursue a career as a research physicist. Getting a job with a B.S. in physics is exceedingly difficult.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I was fortunate enough to do many of them online. Other than that, it was not vastly different from applying for undergrad.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I stayed at my undergraduate institution because I had already taken graduate courses. Plus, I knew my advisor from the beginning, and knew that he would be a good person to work for.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
Graduate school has been much more difficult in many ways. The courses were awful and poorly taught. I went to this school as an undergrad, and I still found it challenging. At my school and most schools, to become an actual Ph.D. student, you have to pass a qualifying examination. It was the worst test I ever took, and quite possibly the worst experience as a graduate student. I had several friends who failed out because of it. If you pass the qualifier, you start research, but to be an actual Ph.D. candidate you have to pass a candidacy exam. Then there is always the defense. There are a lot of hoops to jump through.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Everyone knows that medical school and law school are hard, but I have noticed that people tend to underestimate the level of difficulty of getting a Ph.D. I had friends who went to grad school to avoid finding a job or going to medical school. They failed out of grad school. It is harder than you think.

There is no set time limit, which means you could be in school 4 to 7 years. After the course work is done (approximately 2 years), there is no longer a set curriculum. You start doing research. You can't look for research answers in a book. You have to give lots of presentations, so be prepared to sharpen your public speaking skills. Also, you have to worry about funding. Recently, my research group lost some of its funding, and some of our graduate students had to leave with a M.S. They had just passed their qualifiers, too.

Nothing is perfectly laid out for you. Getting a Ph.D. can be very rewarding. I love doing research, and I love my analysis. I have worked with some talented people, and gone to some cool conferences. It has still been rough for me.

Graduate School Status:
Ph.D. student

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I enjoyed what I studied. I wanted to learn more and deepen my knowledge to see how it is to do research as work. Sincerely, I couldn't see me doing anything else.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
It was a bit tedious, as every application process is, but at the end, it was not hard and was definitely worth it.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I chose it for its vast program that wasn't too focused on one single area, but offered different subfields of research that I was interested in. I also chose it for its location and cultural environment.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
It's much more fun, there are many more things to do, and there are more links, contact, and opportunities. I really like it.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Do it if you believe in what you study.

Graduate School Status:
Second year

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
The reason I became a physics major is because I love doing experimental work. With just a bachelor's degree, there aren't many opportunities that allow me to put together and run my own experiments. By going to graduate school, I get more intensive preparation for a research career by learning how to write grant and project proposals and papers as well as conducting actual research. The graduate school experience also provides me with a chance to go to conferences and give talks and posters, and a chance to interact and network with a variety of prospective future employees and collaborators. Without graduate school, there would be a plethora of physics opportunities that I would never be able to access, including being a professor. Having only a B.S. in physics just didn't make sense.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I first decided on the number of schools I would apply to. I didn't want to overwhelm myself, but wanted to make sure I had enough options that I wouldn't have to apply again the following year. I chose six colleges, and of those six I picked two that I knew I would have a hard time getting into, two colleges that I was pretty certain I could get into, and two safety schools that I could fall back on. Of course, I didn't apply to a single school that I didn't want to go to. I researched all of the universities that I applied for, looking at how many graduate faculty members they had, what their research was like, and what percentage of the students got Ph.D.'s and in how many years. Location was no factor for me. Two of the universities I picked because I had done Research Experience for Undergraduates (REUs) through them, and I loved those experiences. I wasn't stressed out about the actual applications; they were all done well ahead of time and I had no difficulties. The hardest thing really was the Physics GRE because it's just so general, it covers two courses I never even took in undergrad, and it has so many questions in such a short time. My score wasn't that good, and it mattered more than I thought it should have to the colleges I applied to. The Physics GRE is in no way an indication of how good a student you are, but the graduate schools do put an undue amount of emphasis on them, so if I could have changed one thing, I would have studied for the Physics GRE a lot more.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
My university was one of the universities I had done an REU through. I had loved all the people I met during that summer, so I already had a pretty good feeling that I could do well there. The university also offered me travel money to come down and visit, so I decided to get a better idea of what graduate life was like there. I have to say, the visit is definitely what won me over. Everyone I met was very helpful and seemed to genuinely like being there. I know they were trying to entice the prospective students to come, but truthfully, the visit was a good indication of my graduate experience. The university wasn't one of those cutthroat ones that pit the graduate students against each other; they want to grant Ph.D.'s to every student they accept and they really want their students to succeed, and I could tell that when I visited. This was a place I could be see myself for the next five or so years of my life.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
It's really not that different from what I expected. The first year was focused on classes and picking a group to join, then research kicked in, and, while there's a few more classes to take, they kind of fit smoothly in with the research. The main difference from undergraduate is that research is the main focus and classes are a side thing, whereas in undergraduate it was the other way around. Also, you never had to teach or find funding in undergraduate school. For my first year, I was require to be a TA, and although it was a pretty good experience, it just ate away all of my free time, since I already had a full load of classes and then have to put together lectures and grade all the lab reports. If your group has funding, you can stop TAing after the first year, but you have to maintain that funding. Learning to write research grants to get funding from the government or a company is something that undergraduate school does not teach you.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Make a plan. You don't necessarily have to know that you want to teach at a university, but you do have to know when all the deadlines are. The first thing you should do is pick out your schools and put together a calendar of deadlines. I also broke up each of my applications into the different sections: personal information, essays, recommendations, etc. Don't try to get all of it done in one weekend; the people writing your recommendations won't like that. Also, make sure you start studying for the GREs way ahead of time. Graduate school is a great experience, but it's not for everyone. I know some people who took their master's and dropped out of the Ph.D. program, and they're much happier, but there are people like me who absolutely love graduate school and are happy to be here for many years. I think the experience is well worth going through the application process. If you love doing experiments, or if you love the theory behind physics, then graduate school is definitely for you. Even if you don't love either of these things, if you want to teach at a university or aren't sure yet where to go, then graduate school can still be a very rewarding experience.

Graduate School Status:
Ph.D. student

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
Honestly, I didn't know what I wanted to do and I thought I still had a lot to learn and wanted to avoid the real world for a while.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I had an amazing undergrad advisor who gave me really good advice as to which schools to apply to. I applied to 6 schools with a good difficulty distribution.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I went to the best school that I got into which was located in a great city.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
Grad school was the first time in my life I ever felt like I was up against something I couldn't handle. I'm pretty sure I (and I think some of my classmates) went through some significant depression without talking to any doctors about it. As an undergraduate, I would study for a test until I knew I knew everything I needed to know, then I would take the test and get an A. In grad school, I would studying my ass off and never feel prepared, then I would take the test and get an average grade which was like a 30/100 (where the high score was like a 40/100). This was kind of traumatic for me and I was not prepared for it. Even though I always ended up doing fairly well in my classes, this change in "method" really freaked me out.

Then, the summer after first year, I had to take the qualifying examinations. My plan again was to study all the time, which was pretty much what I did. I was so stressed out that I felt really unhealthy and slightly sick all summer long. It was probably the worst summer of my life. There were many times that I felt like I wanted to quit, but i couldn't figure out what else I would do with just a B.S. or even an M.S. in physics, so I stayed in and now I'm doing okay. I'm not like everybody, but I think there are more grad students like me than you hear about. I think the difference between me and those who have a fine time in grad school is that I worry about things more. I think that it is a very bad and unnecessary thing that physics grad school is so stressful, but in many schools, that is just how it is.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
You should choose the school where you can thrive. I turned down a full scholarship at a good school to go to a higher ranked, more prestigious school. This was probably stupid. Look for a place that has good research you'd like to do, is in a nice location, and possibly has good teaching (but good luck with that!). Consciously take care of yourself; eat right and exercise - for real - even if it's never been important before, grad school is different.

Graduate School Status:
Graduate student

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I love learning. I love physics! An advanced degree is required for my career choice.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
The application process was tedious and required a large amount of research. Most schools replied promptly, even if I was not accepted. In the end, I chose a graduate school based on location.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
The small, friendly environment of the engineering school was appealing. The location was perfect, right in the foothills of the Rockies.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
My undergraduate experience was much more relaxed and fun than my graduate one. The first year of graduate school was extremely difficult. I rarely took time to even think about something other than coursework. The professors were helpful and personable, just like in undergrad, but the expectations they had on us students were much higher. After surviving the first year, I had quite a feeling of accomplishment. Subsequent years were not as difficult, and I was able to add some hobbies to my schedule.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Accept the fact that free time will be crunched, if not eliminated, for the first year or two. Spend time (even if only a little) getting to know potential research advisors during your first year. Usually they are happy you are interested in their work. They will often try to make arrangements for you to join their group when you are ready. This will give you something to look forward to while you are in the middle of exams, and it will also relieve any stress you may have for finding a funded research position.

Graduate School Status:
Just completed third year

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I wanted to continue doing research in physics (and particularly get involved in cosmology).

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
The search for graduate schools was fine. I asked various faculty members for their recommendations of schools that were good at what I was interested in. The application process was also fine, with the exception of taking the Physics GREs, which was painful (twice!). Actually visiting the schools was a lot of fun and an excellent source of information.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I chose my university based on the location, the level of interest I had in the possible projects available, and my advisor (I knew in advance who my advisor would be).

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
It hasn't differed a lot, actually. I had a lot of access to graduate students during undergrad, so I pretty much knew what I was in for.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Besides yourself, your advisor will have the most impact on your future than any other person. Make sure you know whether or not you can work with him/her, and talk to his/her graduate students to get a better idea of his/her advising style.

Graduate School Status:
Third year

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I decided to attend the graduate school because I want to understand how our world works.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I picked several schools based on the location, which is not the best way to choose a graduate school.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
It was located in the city I was already in, and had a reputable program.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
I expected graduate school to require more work and commitment than the undergraduate program. Boy, was I right! Grad school is no joke. For me, the first year was nothing: 65% work, 30% sleep, and 5% free time. The second year is easier, especially if one manages to pass the comprehensive/qualifying exams (if your school requires those) early on. It gets better as you go, as there are fewer classes to take and more fun stuff to do, like actually doing research.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Those who are planning to go to graduate school should think carefully if that is what he/she really wants to do. Graduate school is a commitment of 4 to 7 years and requires a lot work.

The next step is to think carefully what kind of research one would like to do. It is best if one can have an idea of who are the professors that he/she would like to work with, and apply to the schools where those professors work, for two reasons:

(1) It is important that one picks a school with a research group in a subfield one is interested in. It is a pain to transfer. If one has no clue what he/she wants to do for research, then it may be a good idea to choose a school with people working in many different subfields. This way, there is a wider range to pick from when one starts figuring out what he/she wants to do.

(2) It seems to matter to the admission committee if there are professors there who you want to work with. No one expects the first year graduate students to stick with what they thought they wanted to do when the entered grad. school. However, in my experience, the admission committees like applicants who have a clear goal, even if that goal may change after the first semester.

It is a good idea to visit schools and talk to as many professors and grad students as possible. Most of the departments offer some sort of an open house which one should try to attend. If you can't attend an open house, it is a good idea to e-mail the professors whose work you are interested in (just to see what they seem like), or get in touch with grad students to get a feel for what the program is really like. All schools are different, so make sure you get all info you can get.

Graduate School Status:
Entering 6th year of Ph.D. program

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I wanted to continue learning physics and I thought I could help women in physics by continuing in academia. Being a professor and mentor to future female scientists seemed like something I wanted to do.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I asked my advisor for a few recommended schools based on my qualifications and applied.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
When I visited, I felt that the school I chose really wanted me, not just anybody to fill a spot. They gave my info to professors whose interests matched mine, and those professors sought me out during the visiting weekend. Other schools did not do that, and I felt just like one of the crowd.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
It is a lot of work, a lot of which is independent with very little guidance.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Graduate school is hard work, and long. Make sure it is really what you want before starting. Learn about all the career opportunities are out there that you might like to do, and what additional education they require before committing to graduate school.

Graduate School Status:
Doctoral student

Major:
Physics

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
I wanted to learn physics - really learn it.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
When choosing schools to apply to, I considered the merits of the program based on my field of interest, the structure of the programs, research opportunities in that field and other factors such as the size of the school, diversity of the student body, and geographical location.

After being accepted, I visited the universities that I was interested in (these visits were paid for by the departments). I met professors, learned about their research, spoke with current graduate students and got a general feel for the department.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
I liked the people I met when I visited the university. I was very interested in all the schools that I applied to and thought all would be good matches, so I choose my university because I liked the feel of it.

In the end I ended up doing something very different that what I thought I wanted when applying. Not only did I decide that I wanted a Ph.D. and not a master's and to be a theorist and not an experimentalist, but I also changed my field and advisor three years into my program. I'm really happy where I ended up even though my experience has been very different from what I was originally looking for.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
After the first year or two, graduate school is very different from undergraduate school. Once you stop taking classes and focus on research, you spend a lot of time in the lab/at your desk/on your computer. You begin working on problems that are messy and don't have answers written up somewhere that you can look up. You start going to a lot of talks, reading original papers, meeting others in your field, going to conferences to present your work and writing papers. Graduate school is like an apprenticeship where you are being trained to be scientist.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Graduate school can be a lot of fun. It is also a lot of work. To be a successful graduate student, you should really like what you do and be willing to spend 5 to 6 years at it. The graduate school experience can be very different for different people. The single biggest factor in shaping your graduate school experience is your advisor - what her/his expectations are, how well you work with her/him, how she/he communicates with you. Look for a school that has several professors that you think you could work with. If you can, talk to some of the students who are working in those professors' labs to find out what it is like. (If you don't do this before you choose a school, definitely do this once you get there.) There are normally many resources available to you but you may have to go looking for them. Choose your advisor carefully. Make friends with the older graduate students. Always be willing to ask for help. If you don't like your program or your advisor, you can always switch. Love what you do!

Physics Education

Graduate School Status:
Ph.D. student

Major:
Physics - Physics Education

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
Even early in my college years, I knew that I wanted to work towards a Ph.D. Though it was always a personal goal, I also knew it was very difficult to get a job with only a bachelor's degree in physics. Having a doctorate opens up very many possibilities that simply wouldn't be otherwise available.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
I attended a very small undergraduate university, and I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about jumping straight in to Ph.D. work. So, I decided to look for a program that offered a master's degree. At that time, I also didn't really know what field I wanted to specialize in, so I looked for a program that had a wide range of research options. Getting a master's degree first not only gave me the confidence that I could succeed in a doctorate program, but it also gave me the chance to explore a few different research areas and pick one that I knew I would really enjoy.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
For my Ph.D., I really focused on the research groups and programs. I found a program that did the type of research I really enjoy, and that made the decision quite easy.

The best thing I did was to talk to a lot of people. Long before I applied to any school, I sent out emails to people from the research groups I was interested in. I couldn't believe how much information I got and how many connections I made before even applying. Also, I was looking for a department with a friendly environment, so when groups didn't even take the time to respond, I knew I should reconsider them.

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
I think most people who are serious about attending graduate school realize that it will be a challenge, so in that respect, I wasn't surprised. In many ways, it is not much different at all from my expectations.

Unlike undergraduate, however, research takes the most important role. While my first year was dedicated to course work and getting settled in a research group, in latter years it is research that became most important with a few courses thrown in along the way. Focusing on research provides for a lot of autonomy as well - I really enjoy that aspect, but I've seen some people have difficulty with it. It also means that since the vast majority of your time will be spent on research, being in a field that you enjoy is crucial.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Making connections is one of the best and most important parts of graduate school. The opportunity exists to make many friends from all over the country and world - take advantage of it. Courses, qualifying exams, research, and everything else can make life as a graduate student very stressful. Surrounding yourself with friends who you can have a lot of fun with and who understand what you are going through can be the key to maintaining sanity and a positive attitude.

Get involved in your department. Many times, graduate students can have a seat on different committees and really get a feel for how a physics department functions. I think this is especially important for anyone who wants to be a part of academia as a career.

Finally, be realistic. Graduate school requires a lot of time and effort, and being realistic about what will be required of you is the only way to decide if graduate school is really the right choice for you.

Graduate School Status:
Ph.D. student working on dissertation

Major:
Physics - physics cognition

Why did you decide to attend graduate school?
It's the school you go to after undergraduate. I like research, and I like school.

What was your graduate school search and application process like?
The summer between my junior and senior undergraduate years, I had the opportunity to go to a national meeting in the field. While there, I interviewed prospective advisors. I knew that I wanted a Ph.D. in a physics department, and I didn't want to be the first one to graduate. There weren't many programs to choose from. When application time came around, I applied to 4 schools that fit my criteria and went to my first choice.

Why did you choose your graduate university?
My advisor interviewed well; it looked like we would work together well. The program was a Ph.D. in a physics department; the research was in the subfield of the subfield I wanted (cognitive research in upper-division physics education - there were maybe three people who did that then).

How has graduate school differed from undergraduate or your expectations of graduate school?
There's a lot more BS paperwork. I went to a small school for undergrad, and I didn't have nearly this much administrative paperwork to slog through. Other than that, it's about as I expected it.

Advice for those considering graduate school:
Don't do it unless you enjoy school. No really, don't go to graduate school because of the jobs you might get afterwards. Do it because you want it.

© 2007 - 2008 Laura Seward - Last modified March 10, 2008

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