January 27, 2012

6:00 PM

Graduate School Prep Club: Applying to Graduate School!

Choosing a Grad School• Rankings• Faculty Research!• Atmosphere

Overall Rankings1. Caltech

1. MIT

2. University of California—Berkeley

4. Harvard

4. Stanford

6. University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign

7. Northwestern

7. Scripps Research Institute

7. University of Wisconsin—Madison

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/chemistry-rankings

Biochemistry Rankings1. Harvard

2. University of California—Berkeley

3. University of California—San Francisco

4. Scripps Research Institute

5. University of Wisconsin—Madison

6. MIT

7. Stanford

8. Caltech

9. Yale

10. University of California—San Diego

Whose research interests you?• Adviser will be most important factor of your

research experience…• Choose schools with more than one faculty

member whose research interests you.

Tips• Apply to a variety of schools (don’t be afraid to

apply to a great school!)• Have back-up choices• Start gathering application materials early…

Any time!• Look into/begin doing undergraduate research.• Consider doing a research program during the

summer.• Read journals and learn about research from

faculty at other schools.• Start working on your list of schools to apply to

(ask faculty for help)

Senior Year• October

• request recommendation letters/transcripts• Register for GRE/chemistry GRE

• November• Take GRE (or earlier), chemistry GRE (October or

November)

• Mid-December—Mar 1• Apply to schools (look at your choices’ deadlines)

• Jan/Feb• Hear back from schools

• Feb/March• Visit accepted schools

• April 15• Deadline to accept or decline

Application Requirements• Personal statement• Previous research experience and/or interests

statement• GRE/Chemistry GRE• Recommendation letters• Transcript

What do schools look at?• Grades/Courses• Research experience• Recommendations

Visitation Weekend• Travel/accommodations usually covered• Learn more about faculty research• Talk with students• Atmosphere of the program!

Myths

• You have to know what area of chemistry you want to study.

• Grad school is expensive.• Applying to grad school is expensive.• You should visit schools before you apply.• You have to have a great score on the chemistry

GRE.• If you want a masters, you should apply to a masters

program.