Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Grad school on Planet Earth, by one who has been there

As students who follow Dr. Jon’s recent prescription for entry and success in graduate school (‘Grad School or Bust,’ issue 7) are likely to find themselves with a bad case of A1N1 — arn one? Nar one — a dose of reality is in order. If you think you might be interested in grad school in the sciences, the most direct preparation is a BSc honours degree. This will help you determine whether you have an aptitude for a career in science, and also what area(s) you are most interested in. Talk to the profs you might be interested in working with; plan out background courses in the third year. There are a number of other financial aid or work programs available, like MUCEP and SWASP: Profs advertise these, and they are good entry-level jobs to see if you like science Don’t expect to waltz into a $20k stipend because it beats working. There are plenty of highly motivated folks competing for those same stipends. Likewise, don’t think that getting an undergraduate NSERC is a matter of luck, like the lottery; students earn those, too. Keep you marks up. Post-graduate scholarships are available, and if you have one you’re much more marketable when shopping around for a program. An 80% average is pretty much the minimum to be competitive: That 65% that got you into honours won’t compare well with US institutions where B is 80%. Most Canadian programs will support you with a combination of fellowship, stipend from your supervisor, and teaching; foreign programs may have difficulty supporting you until you establish residence. Grad School is not for the faint-hearted, and not a good option if you only think you might be interested. Most Canadian universities will require a BSc hons for MSc work, but at many U.S. institutions you can go straight for a Ph.D if you have what it takes. You should have a pretty good notion of your research interests before you start applying. Some programs expect you to choose a supervisor straight away; others will let you take classes for a year while you refine your interests. If your BSc hons subject is something you want to continue, write the people who authored your key papers. They’ll be interested in someone who can show knowledge and interest in what they’re doing. Ask your profs: They know people who have grants and are looking for students and can guide you towards programs in your area. Not everyone can get into Harvard, but the research you want to do may not be being done at Harvard. It may not be being done in Canada: Ask yourself whether you want to go abroad for study (not as Dr Jon suggests, for excitement and zest: UN Las Vegas ain’t so hot). Cautionary Anecdote: The Grad Who Tried to Work the System. Got accepted into a Ph.D program on a government fellowship. Realized nobody was going to make him do anything. Spent his days scuba diving, evenings partying. Employed as a teaching assistant, he tutored his own students after hours, for extra cash. At the end of two years, found that (surprise!) nobody wanted to take him on as a research student. Dropped out, had to pay back every dime of the fellowship (always read the fine print). Works at a scuba shop these days. His name, by the way, was Jon. Stephen M. Carr, Professor of biology

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