How to Apply to Graduate School

To which graduate programs will you apply? What graduate program will you ultimately attend?

Selecting a graduate school entails many considerations, much more than just what field.  Although you know what you want to study at the graduate level, you may not be aware that there are differences between graduate programs, both in academic goals and practical philosophies.  In deciding on a graduate school, you may want to spend some serious time thinking about your own precise goals and directions, and use that knowledge to weigh differing graduate programs before you decide where to attend. 

The following guides will help begin your walk through this process.

1. Search the following sites for an idea of the types of information available on grad schools.

Petersons Guide: http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools.aspx Graduate School.com: http://www.graduateschool.com Graduate School Guides: http://www.schoolguides.com/ Gradview.com: http://www.gradview.com/ Just Garcia Hill Website: http://www.justgarciahill.org

2. How important are the following to you, when selecting a doctoral program?

none Low Med High

Educational Effectiveness – Positions held by past graduates

0 1 2 3 4 5

Time to earn degree: 0 1 2 3 4 5# Faculty 0 1 2 3 4 5Faculty Reputation as scientists: 0 1 2 3 4 5% Faculty with research support 0 1 2 3 4 5Scholarly activity (publications and citations) 0 1 2 3 4 5% Full Professors (may be inversely prop to productivity) 0 1 2 3 4 5Total Students in Program 0 1 2 3 4 5Number of Ph.D.s awarded 0 1 2 3 4 5% recent graduates supported by research assistantships 0 1 2 3 4 5% of Ph.D.s who were supported by TAships. 0 1 2 3 4 5% Female doctorates awarded 0 1 2 3 4 5% Minority doctorates awarded 0 1 2 3 4 5% U.S. citizens 0 1 2 3 4 5Other: 0 1 2 3 4 5

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3. List the top three schools that match your objectives:

4. Analyze a Doctoral Program. Choose either one of the programs that you found above, or one of those that came up on PhDs.org and analyze it for the following?

Please note: Do not expect to find all this information, but make a significant attempt. Use the web, and call the school if needed.

5. Talk to your mentor. Often he/she will have the best information regarding mentors.

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Description of Program and Department:

Name of University: City/State

Web Address: Phone #

Program Characteristics:

Particular Strengths of this Program (specialized equipment, centers, etc).

How old is the program? How many prior graduates?

Number of doctoral students in program: Average time to graduation: ___________ yrs

Number of courses required: ___________ credits Time to finish courses: __________ semesters

Research Rotations required: Y/N

How many? How long?

Graduate student association? Y/N/can’t tell

Qualifying exam requirements:

Mechanisms of funding students:

Graduate/Minority student support services (Emotional support and/or professional development activities, etc.):

Application/Entry Information:

Application deadline Spring: Application Deadline Fall

Has online application? Y/N

Application Fee: Will waive? In Project 1000?

Avg. number of applications received: How many given interviews?

Avg. number admitted each year: Funded or unfunded interview?

GPA Requirements?: Y/N

Min GPA: Average GPA: GPA exceptions? Y/N

GRE General Required? Y/N GRE Emphasis: strong/medium/weak?

GRE Specialty Required?Y/N/Optional

Minimum GRE: Verbal _______ Quant.________ Writ _________

Which Test:

Total V&Q:___________ Total VQA: _____________ Minimum score:

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Average admitted GRE: Average admitted:

Diversity:

Statements about diversity or commitment to minority students? Y/N

# of women in program: # American underrepresented minorities:

Financial Considerations:

How large of stipend is provided? How long will they fund you?

How is stipend earned?

How much are Tuition & Fees? Are tuition/Fees covered? Y/N

Is medical insurance covered? Y/N? Medical insurance for dependents?

How much, on average, is housing? Do you need a vehicle? Y/N

Available Mentors/Projects:

How many professors in department are doing research that interests you?

Three Professors of Particular Interest:

Name Emphasis Tenured? # Pubs since 1998

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2.

3.

Ratings:How did this program do in http://www.phds.org/rankings/?

Did this program appear in Thomsons/Petersons (in Tech Lab)?

What does your mentor say about this school? Does he/she have friends/network there?

Why did you choose to look at this school?

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Paying for graduate school

Although graduate students are supported by teaching assistantships, some faculty have grant money to hire graduate students on as research assistants. They will usually try to fill these positions with people that have contacted them personally, but sometimes they will post a public advertisement.

Do not underestimate the value of trying to getting your own funding. In the eyes of prospective advisors, the fact that you are trying to obtain such outside funding is very happily noted, and they will rightfully view you as motivated and confident about your abilities, and thus more competitive among a pool of applicants.

Funding sources

NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES - update August 2013 Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships for Minorities –

http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/index.htm

Individuals who aspire to a teaching and research career at the college or university level Deadline

Benefits

November 20, 2013

A stipend of $20,000Cost-of-Education Allowance: $2,000,

Travel to at least one Ford Fellows Conference.

Three years of support, to be used within 5 years.Eligibility Citizens or nationals of the United States (must have become a

citizen by the application deadline date), Alaska Natives (Eskimo or Aleut), Black/African Americans, Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos, Native American Indians, Native Pacific Islanders (Polynesian/Micronesian), Puerto Ricans

Individuals enrolled in or planning to enroll in a research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. program in one of the following major disciplines and related interdisciplinary fields: Archaeology, Anthropology, Art History, Astronomy, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Ethnomusicology, Geography, History, International Relations, Life Sciences, Linguistics, Literature, Language, Mathematics, Performance Study, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, and Urban Planning.

Other Information You can apply for the fellowship, regardless of how much

graduate education you have, as long as you have 3 years remaining to finish your graduate work after receiving the

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fellowship.NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES - update August 2013Dissertation Fellowships for Minorities

http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/FordFellowships/index.htm

Must have advanced to Candidacy and receive degree within 9-12 months after support begins. Deadline

Benefits

November 15, 2013

A stipend of $21,000

Travel to at least one Ford Fellows Conference.

One year of supportEligibility Citizens or nationals of the United States (must have become a

citizen by the application deadline date), Alaska Natives (Eskimo or Aleut), Black/African Americans, Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos, Native American Indians, Native Pacific Islanders (Polynesian/Micronesian), Puerto Ricans

Individuals enrolled in or planning to enroll in a research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. program in one of the following major disciplines and related interdisciplinary fields: Archaeology, Anthropology, Art History, Astronomy, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Ethnomusicology, Geography, History, International Relations, Life Sciences, Linguistics, Literature, Language, Mathematics, Performance Study, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, and Urban Planning.

(2) National Science Foundation (NSF)

a. Graduate Research Fellowships - https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/

The National Science Foundation funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants, and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the United States. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 40,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships.

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The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level.

(3) National Institutes of Health (NIH) - http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm (note…not exclusively minority)

Note…the school is allowed to supplement you up to the level of funding of the other institutionally supported graduate students, with non-federal money

a. Regular NIH pre-doctoral- RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS FOR INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL FELLOWS (F31) - http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/

These are individual predoctoral fellowships (F31) to promising applicants with the potential to become productive, independent investigators in their scientific mission areas. The mechanism of support is the Kirschstein-NRSA individual predoctoral fellowship (F31) which is intended to provide biomedical or behavioral research training experiences to individuals committed to pursuing a career in research within the scientific missions of the participating Institutes. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Fellowship awardees are required to pursue their research training on a full-time basis, devoting at least 40 hours per week to the training program. The F31 fellowship supports research training applied toward preparation of a dissertation and does not support study leading to the M.D., D.O., D.D.S., Psy.D., or similar professional degrees unless it is part of a combined degree program such as the M.D./Ph.D.

Duration of Support: Individuals may receive up to 5 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level, including any combination of support from institutional training grants (T32) and individual fellowship awards (F31). However, it is not possible to have concurrent NRSA support (e.g., F31 and T32) during the same time period. Applicants must consider any prior NRSA predoctoral research training in determining the duration of fellowship support requested.

Before submitting a fellowship application, the applicant must identify a sponsoring institution and an individual who will serve as a sponsor (also called mentor or supervisor) and will supervise the training and research experience. The applicant's sponsor should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research who will directly supervise the candidate's research. The sponsor must document the availability of research support and facilities for high-quality research training.

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b. The National Research Service Award Kirschstein Predoctoral Fellowship for Minority Students (F31) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/

The National Research Service Award Predoctoral Fellowship for Minority Students will provide up to five years of support for research training leading to the Ph.D. or equivalent research degree; the combined M.D./Ph.D. degree; or other combined professional degree and research doctoral degree in the biomedical, behavioral sciences, or health services research. These fellowships are designed to enhance the racial and ethnic diversity of the biomedical, behavioral, and health services research labor force in the United States. Accordingly, academic institutions are encouraged to identify and recruit students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who can apply for this fellowship.

Sponsor. The applicant must identify an individual who will serve as a sponsor or mentor and will supervise the training and research experience. The applicant’s sponsor/mentor should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research who will directly supervise the candidate’s research. The sponsor/mentor must also document the availability of staff, research support, and facilities for high-quality research training. The applicant must work with his/her sponsor/mentor in preparing the application.

c. RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NRSA PROGRAM FOR NIGMS MARC PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS (F31) http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/

The intent of the MARC Predoctoral Fellowship Program is to encourage students from minority groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences to seek graduate degrees, thus furthering the goal of the NIGMS MARC Branch of increasing the number of underrepresented minority scientists who are competitively trained to pursue careers in biomedical or behavioral research. It is expected that training will be conducted in graduate degree programs of the highest quality.

MARC Predoctoral Fellowships will provide up to five years of support for research training leading to the Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D. or other combined professional degree/Ph.D. in the biomedical or behavioral sciences, including mathematics. These Fellowships are for selected students who are graduates of MARC undergraduate research training programs. Support is not available for individuals enrolled in medical or other professional degree schools unless they are enrolled in a combined professional degree/Ph.D. program in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. Support is also not available for study toward only the Master's degree.

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This NIGMS MARC Predoctoral Fellowship Program should not be confused with the Ruth L. Kirschstein Minority Predoctoral Fellowship Program, a trans-NIH supported program, which has different eligibility and program requirements, and different application receipt dates.

d. Dual Degree Programs: Individual Predoctoral NRSA for MD/Ph.D. Fellowship (F30)

The applicant must be enrolled in an MD program at an accredited medical school, accepted in a science PhD program and supervised by a mentor in that scientific discipline at the time the application is submitted. The typical applicant will apply during the first two years of medical school; however, applications may be submitted at any stage of medical school.

Before submitting a fellowship application, the applicant must identify a sponsoring institution and an individual who will serve as a sponsor (also called mentor or supervisor) and will supervise the training and research experience. The applicant's sponsor should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research who will directly supervise the candidate's research. Furthermore, the sponsor must hold research grant support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

NIDCD DUAL-DEGREE INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR TRAINING PHYSICIAN-SCIENTISTS: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/

For NIAAA, NIDA, and NIMH: INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS FOR M.D./PH.D. FELLOWSHIPS: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/

NINDS MEDICAL STUDENT DUAL-DEGREE MD/PHD OR MD/MPH FELLOWSHIPS: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/

Other listings of grants

GrantsNet: http://www.grantsnet.org/ NSF list of Grants http://www.nsf.gov/funding/National Academies of Science

Other fellowships http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fellowships/American Physiological Society – http://www.the-aps.org/awards/

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The Society for Neuroscience: http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=FellowshipAndAwards&section=professionalDevelopmentSACNAS Grant Summary: http://sacnas.org/students/opportunities/gradJust Garcia Hill Website: http://www.justgarciahill.org/UCLA GRAPES database: http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/grpinst.htm

The Application Process

The typical graduate school application package includes five crucial elements: 1. Letters of recommendation2. Official undergraduate transcripts3. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores4. Personal statement from the applicant5. Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Requesting letters of reference

Letters of recommendation should be requested as early as possible. When requesting letters, please supply an updated version of you curriculum vitae, a list of other letter writers (this is very useful information for a letter writer), the "official" envelope if the graduate school provides them, and the due date (very important). If you want to be extra sure that your letter writers produce great letters, provide them with additional materials such as manuscripts you might have worked on, copies of the prospective mentor's research interests, lists of classes that you have taken that are relevant to the subject area, or perhaps a paragraph on why you think this particular mentor or institution is perfect for you.

To really impress your letter writers with your organizational skills, package all of the above materials in a plain folder so that they do not immediately lose the pieces in different parts of their offices, which they will surely do. If you are worried that the faculty member will forget to write the letter on time (always a good thing to worry about), attach a flashy Post-It reminder on the envelope so he or she will not forget as easily. You can always ask the person to send you a "Letter has been sent" e-mail to alert you of its completion (put your e-mail address on the Post-It).

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If you request letters from faculty from whom you have taken classes but who do not know you otherwise, they will almost certainly comment about your performance in that class. If you did extremely well in the class (usually the case, because that is why you are asking them for the letter in the first place) this is to your advantage. But if you were not in the top of the class, the letter writer may still feel obliged to comment on your specific grade. If for some reason you think you might get a better letter from a person whose class you bombed, be honest with the letter writer by saying, "I know I did not get a great grade in your course, but I really would like a letter from you for the following reasons.” Being open about this will not prevent the letter writer from still mentioning your grade, but he or she will have better insight into your overall goals and personal character, and will be better able to discuss your performance in a more favorable light.

Transcripts

Your transcript provides information about your academic background. Your grades, as well as what courses you've taken, tell the admissions committee a great deal about who you are as a student. If your transcript is filled with easy A's, such those as earned in classes like the fabled Basket Weaving 101, you'll likely be ranked below a student who has a lower GPA comprised of courses in the hard sciences.

Your transcript is not included in the application that you send to the graduate program. In order to have your transcript included in your application, you'll have to visit the registrar's office and fill out forms for each program to which you'd like to forward a transcript. Begin this process early because schools require time to process your forms and send the transcripts. You don't want your application to be rejected because your transcript was late or never arrived. Yes, sometimes transcripts never arrive, due to errors on the side of NMSU, the mailroom at the school to which you're applying, or the varied hazards of snail mail. So, be sure to check that your transcript has arrived and permit yourself enough time to request another transcript if needed.

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Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Your GRE score is a parameter used by graduate schools in their admission process. In the current format, the GRE requires that you memorize more; the test tends to be theoretical. The new format will test the aptitude of applicants to pursue academic programs, their reasoning skills, and their ability to assess real life situations. The main intention is to make the GRE a more accurate assessment parameter.

Questions and their difficulty levels are determined according to your performance in each question you attempt. You get a higher level question if the solution to the previous question is correct. As higher level questions are awarded higher scores, a candidate who moves to higher levels stands to get a higher score.

Each candidate has a different set of questions, based on his or her skills. These questions come from a huge data bank maintained by the testing service. However, it has been felt that a candidate is unduly left at the mercy of a computer program and guesswork could, at times, be responsible for the high scores.

Writing a Personal Statement

This essay may have many different names – Statement of purposePersonal essayStatement of background and goalsExpression of your qualities as an applicant

You should spend significantly more time, thought, and effort on the personal statement than its typically brief length would suggest. It should reflect how you arrived at your professional goals, why the program is ideal for you, and what you bring to the program. Don’t make this a deadline task – now is the time to write, read, rewrite, give to a reader, revise again, and on and on. Use the following as a guide for this process.

Things to think about before you start – “Your” story (don’t be boring)

Create an interesting, non-generic essay that sets you apart Not an autobiography

o What do you want to do? Career objectives and final goals Research fields Particular topics

o Why do you want to do it? (anecdotes good!) Motivation for PhD?

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Motivation for research in general? Motivation for your particular research goals? Motivation for their school in particular?

Why are YOU particularly suited to do it?o Balance academic and personal informationo Balance what you’ve done with what you want to doo Accentuate research experienceo What are your strengths?

What have you done to reach this goal?o Should be relevant to your field of studyo Sound like a scientist, not a pair of handso Include

Research projects Conferences Presentations

Why do you want to go to their school?o Don’t gush or butter up

They know the attributes of their school Talk about specific strengths or groups Talk about several faculty, generally

Important things to remember Make goals sound reasonable and attainable

o Avoid Nobel Prize references Continuously ask

o Is it relevanto Is it interestingo Is it differento Is it memorable

Convey your excitement

What not to mention: Don’t dwell on high school experiences Avoid controversial topics

o Religion or politics may mention, but don’t dwello Mundane aspects of your research

Buffers or descriptive methods

How to meet this writing challenge: Think! Write and re-write Fine tune

o Follow all directionso Tailor for the individual schoolo Grammatically correct

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o Good spelling and punctuationo Answer all questionso Follow all length requirementso Have mentor and others read the essay

Resume or CV

A CV or curriculum vitae is a marketing tool. With your CV you will be able to promote yourself. Imagine the CV as being a brochure that will list the benefits of a particular service. The service being your time and skills! When writing a CV, look at it from your mentor’s point of view. Would you stand out against the competition (the other candidates) and would the mentor want to talk you about being a research assistant?

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Several DOs and DON'Ts in CV Preparation

DO make your vita a clear and concise summary of your professional qualifications. Like any good writing, every word should count.

DO try to obtain copies of several vitae from individuals who are at your stage of professional development or slightly ahead. One of the best ways to construct a vita is by seeing how others have done it.

DO take the time to create an elegant and inviting format, and be sure to laser print the final product on high quality paper. Style matters, and your vita should appear professional, uncluttered, and friendly to the eye.

DO be sure to check the vita carefully for mistakes and typographical errors. Without exception, it must be absolutely error-free.

DO have your faculty adviser, colleagues, family, and friends look over your vita before you send it out. They will undoubtedly spot weaknesses you have overlooked and may be able to suggest ways of overcoming them.

DON'T give the appearance of padding your vita by including such things as extra-wide margins, high school accomplishments, or excessive detail about your research and teaching experience (e.g., details associated with running an experiment, such as "I contacted participants, scheduled them for sessions...").

DON'T list irrelevant personal information such as height, weight, health, or military status. Listing your age, marital status, or the number of children you have is optional (unfortunately, such information can invite discrimination, particularly against female applicants), and excessive details should be avoided (e.g., names and ages of children). Listing hobbies and outside interests is also optional and should only be done if you feel it will enhance your image as a well-rounded professional.

DON'T list categories that have only item (with one exception: a section entitled "Publication" is acceptable for listing a single publication).

DON'T use category subheadings that are more ambitious than their content (e.g., "Articles, Publications, and Grant Proposals" followed by only one grant proposal). Later in your career, you can add some of these sections (for example, "Professional Activities" might include editorships, memberships in academic or grant-reviewing committees, consulting work, and so on).

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CURRICULUM VITAE

Joe P. Samples1313 Mockingbird LaneLas Cruces, NM 88001

Home Phone: (505) 532-1111Cell Phone: (505) 649-1111

Email: jsamples@aol.com (not an NMSU email)

Note: Remove all directions in parenthesis, and don’t show the table borders! Word template on WebCT

Birth Date: January 1, 1980 (not recommended, but some put)

Social Security Number: 586-11-9865 (not recommended, but some put)

Career Objective: It’s personal. Others may share similar goals, but your objective should state your goals in terms that you are comfortable with. It’s a commitment. Stating a goal is a form of identifying who you are and what you want to achieve. It’s action-oriented. It’s you taking control of your life and communicating what you can do to an employer in action terms. It’s directional. By focusing on your future, you can identify the next steps to take, which resources to seek. Your focus can be short-range or long-range. The more completely you examine your future, the better able you will be to evaluate potential work situations. It’s specific. It clearly identifies some facts or elements about a work situation. Broad terms such as “successful” or “challenging” may mean something to you, but they convey no facts to an employer.

Estimated Graduation Date: May 2007

Education: (can be combined with Positions Held)

Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

M.S. 2006 Biomedical Engineering

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

B.S. 2004 Biology

Research Interests: Neurobiology – Learning and memory, long term potentiationRespiratory BiologyPhysiology of VisionCell and Molecular Biology – Cell adhesion and cancer biology

Positions Held (or Work Experience): (start with most recent).

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New Mexico State UniversityDepartment of Biology Undergraduate Research Assistant,

Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program

2005-2006

Department of Engineering

Student Intern Researcher, NMSU Honors Program

2004-2005

Fellowships, Honors and Awards: (Include if you have more than one honor/award)

Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students Travel Award – 2005, 2006

Winner, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science Poster Competition – 2005.

Gold Key National Honor Society - 2005Minority Access to Research Careers-Undergraduate Student Training for

Academic Research (MARC-U*STAR) trainee – 2005 – 2006University of California Berkeley Summer Research Fellowship, 2005

Techniques: (Can include to show skills when young researcher. Drop as mature)

RT-PCRConfocal MicroscopyHippocampal Field Potential RecordingGenomic and plasmid DNA, and RNA

isolation and purification

Western BlottingMorris Maze – Behavioral testingTissue Culture – Primary and Cell LineAgarose and acrylamide gel electrophoresisRNase protection assays

Professional Affiliations: (join professional organizations at student rates!)

Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in ScienceSociety for Neuroscience (student member)International Brain Research OrganizationWomen in Science and EngineeringWomen in Neuroscience

Research Experience: (optional…could combine with research interests)

Undergraduate: NMSU – Used immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy to fate map

developing serotonin neurons in Drosophila melanogaster AWU-DOE Summer Research Fellowship- microcinematography, analysis of Hg

effects on dendritic tree of cerebellar purkinje cells.Scientific Conferences Attended:

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Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students - 2005, 2006Society for the Advance of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science – 2004Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference - 2003, 2004

Committee Service: (Optional; put if have been on committees)

Member, Colloquium Committee, Department of Biology, New Mexico State UniversityMember, Student Selection Committee, RISE Program, New Mexico State University

Extracurricular Activities: (Optional - Probably good for applying for Graduate school but not after. Shows well-rounded nature)

Registered Student Organization: BioScience Ph.D. Students (BiPS), Treasurer, 2003-2004.

Chair of Academic Affairs Committee (2002-2003)

Community Service: (Optional – Like Extracurricular Activities…good to show community involvement)

Science Fair Judge, Fortress Academy, Las Cruces, NM. February 5th 2003Career Day Lecturer, Jefferson Jr. High School, Las Cruces Independent School District 2004, 2005

Oral Presentations:

Annual Conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. Samples, J.P., Martinez, A.O. and Gallus, G.G. (2004) Induced tooth development in the embryonic chicken through overexpression of Hox P99.

Poster Presentations: New Mexico State University Undergraduate Research and Creative Arts

Symposium. Samples, J.P., Martinez, A.O. and Gallus, G.G. (2005) Induced tooth development in the embryonic chicken through overexpression of Hox P99.

Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. Samples, J.P., Gdovin, N.R. and Pipiens, G.G. (2004). Strychnine inhibits respiratory cycle in metamorphic rana catespiana brainstem preparation.

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Publications:

Original Journal Articles:Muller, TL, Ngo-Muller, V, Reginelli, A, Samples, J, Anderson, R. and Muneoka,

K. (2005). Regeneration in higher vertebrates: Limb buds and digit tips. Sem. Cell & Develop. Biol., 10, 405-413.

Giambernardi TA, Grant GM, Samples JP, Hay RJ, Maher VM, McCormick JJ and Klebe RJ (2004) Overview of matrix metalloproteinase expression in cultured human cells. Matrix Biol. 16(8):483-96

Abstracts:

Samples, JP, Troyer, DA, Grant, FM, Giambernardi, TA, and Klebe, RJ (2004). A direct method for extraction of mRNA from frozen sections for use in RT-PCR. Abstract, 6th Annual Symposium on Cancer Research in San Antonio.

Interviewing

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Receiving a letter requesting that you come for an interview clearly indicates that the graduate school you applied to is seriously interested in you. The large volume of applications has meant that admissions officers have to be highly selective in granting interviews. You should realize that the interview is not just a brief exchange between yourself and one or more representatives of the school that has requested your appearance. The interview should not be looked upon as a one sided affair, but rather as an opportunity for a dialogue that has advantages for both the school and you.

THE INTERVIEW WILL PERMIT THE SCHOOL TO DETERMINE:

If your personal attributes are as appealing as your academic record and if your personal attributes will enable you to overcome any deficiency that may appear;

If your personal attributes will place you in the overall acceptable range (if you are borderline);

If you are considered to have some obvious academic or physical deficiency, whether you have the personal attributes to overcome the deficiency.

The interview will permit you to:

Have an opportunity to sell yourself by projecting as favorable an image as possible, and thus overcoming any deficiencies in your record;

Familiarize yourself with the campus, its facilities, and with the members of its student body;

Obtain first hand answers to questions about the school that may not yet have been answered.

What is the Interviewer Looking for?Remember that the interview is another chance to sell yourself so make sure you dress appropriately and are friendly. The interviewer, usually a faculty member, will be looking at:

Communication skills: Can you express your ideas clearly and intelligently. Motivation: Do you have goals for yourself and do you seem interested in

the program? Maturity: Are you responsible enough to be successful in the field? Interests: What educational, social, and cultural interests do you have? Emotional Stability: Do you maintain composure under pressure? Intellectual potential: Have you demonstrated superior intellectual ability?

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Pre-Interview SuggestionsThere are many things that you can do to help you prepare for your interview:

Make a list of your experiences and talents relating to the field of study you are pursuing.

Read the school’s catalog and become familiar with any special facilities or programs it has to offer.

Discuss interview experiences with peers. Be prepared to explain your specific interest in the school you are visiting. Be prepared to discuss, in detail, any research or projects you have

completed. Practice with friends and colleagues. Be well rested, alert, and honest. Dress appropriately and arrive early for the interview. Be yourself. Do not exaggerate your scholastic achievements or activities. Answer the questions raised without trying to anticipate what you think the

interview wants to hear. Sell your favorable assets by fitting them into the interview (i.e. related

work, research experience, community activities, research articles published, etc) Know your strengths.

Avoid controversial subjects and do not raise ethical issues. If you “flub” a question, do not let it bother you for the rest of the interview. Do not hesitate to ask questions about the school or program-or about the

interviewer’s activities (i.e. how much time does he/she have for research).

Talk to a classmate who has had an interview at the school. Get his or her impressions of the school and the interview. Remember that it is unlikely that you will get the same interview-but it is possible.

Write thank-you notes following your interview.

Typical Interview Questions

Why do you want to become a _____? What other schools have you applied for? Why did you get a poor grade in____? Did you participate in any special projects in college? Why do you think you are better suited for admission than your

classmates? What has been your most significant accomplishment to date? Describe any research project you’ve worked on at New Mexico State

University. What will you do if you are not accepted? How do you rank among other students in your major at your school? What made you apply to our school? What are your weaknesses? Describe your exposure to (subject) at New Mexico State University.

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If you are accepted to more than one school, how will you decide which to attend?

Where do you see yourself ten years from now? Can you explain why your admission test scores went up (down) when

you took the test a second time? What message would you like me to convey to the admission committee in

your behalf? What were your most favorite and least favorite courses in college? Have you been interviewed or accepted at any other school?

Questions to Ask at a Graduate School Interview:

How many students will be in my entering class? What is the average time to obtain a Ph.D.?

Who selects the dissertation committee?

Is the support offered in the form of a teaching or research assistantship? How much is the stipend?

Are you guaranteed support for the entire time, or is it on a year by year basis?

Are my tuition and health insurance paid?

What percentage of my entering class will complete their Ph.D.?

If there are difficulties in your application, inquiring minds would like to know:

If you are re-applying, what have you done since your last application? Why are there gaps in your academic and work records? Why have there been changes in your academic performance? Why have you attended numerous undergraduate institutions? Why have you withdrawn from multiple courses? Why are there inconsistencies between your academic record and

standardized test scores? What have you learned from experiencing these difficulties?

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