Chemical Forums

Specialty Chemistry Forums => Chemical Education and Careers => Topic started by: TheUnfocusedOne on July 03, 2012, 03:09:10 PM

Title: New Grad Students
Post by: TheUnfocusedOne on July 03, 2012, 03:09:10 PM
Anyone else starting their first semester of grad school this fall?

Seems like it's taken forever, but I'm finally leaving my job at the end of this week. Looking forward to starting school again in a month or so.

Any suggestions from current/past grad students?
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 03, 2012, 08:16:07 PM
I'm starting in Fall too. I'm pretty nervous about being a TA.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: TheUnfocusedOne on July 05, 2012, 08:35:26 AM
Yeah it's gonna be interesting. My friends who've been in grad school say it's not as bad as you think. You don't have to know everything, you can always admit that to them and maybe tell them you'll look into it for them.

Where are you going again?
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 05, 2012, 12:52:20 PM
U. of Chicago, and yourself?
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: TheUnfocusedOne on July 05, 2012, 02:20:38 PM
Johns Hopkins down in Baltimore. I'm excited but nervious since I've been out of school for two years now. I gotta start reviewing for entrance exams.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 07, 2012, 06:58:07 PM
Johns Hopkins down in Baltimore. I'm excited but nervious since I've been out of school for two years now. I gotta start reviewing for entrance exams.
Ahh, yeah... I'm contemplating reviewing... I probably could only pass p. chem at this moment.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: zs3889 on July 07, 2012, 10:32:35 PM
Johns Hopkins down in Baltimore. I'm excited but nervious since I've been out of school for two years now. I gotta start reviewing for entrance exams.

It seems like you are quitting your job and continue grad school, mind if I ask why did you make this decision? Or this was your plan to work for a period before going to grad school?

And also what are the entrance exams? I know there are some chemistry exams that you are required to take before entering grad school (chemistry department), but I am not quite sure what are the exams gonna be like?

Thanks
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 08, 2012, 06:24:29 PM

And also what are the entrance exams? I know there are some chemistry exams that you are required to take before entering grad school (chemistry department), but I am not quite sure what are the exams gonna be like?

Different schools have different exams. Some schools require you to take exams right upon entering which, upon passing, exempt you from course work not in your area of specialization.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: zs3889 on July 13, 2012, 03:47:04 AM

And also what are the entrance exams? I know there are some chemistry exams that you are required to take before entering grad school (chemistry department), but I am not quite sure what are the exams gonna be like?

Different schools have different exams. Some schools require you to take exams right upon entering which, upon passing, exempt you from course work not in your area of specialization.

I see, thanks. According to what I heard from my senior, who went to grad school last fall, he had to take a few exams which include a few areas of specialization out of his area. Is that the common case? where exams like pchem, organic, inorganic and analytical are included in the entrance exam.

On the other hand, do you guys have any thoughts on winter admission?

Actually I have few more questions but I am not sure to post them here or to open a new thread instead. Hope this thread opener wouldn't mind cause my questions will be greatly related to the application process, the timeline and stuff, and I believe new grad students would have a bunch useful information to me.

Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 13, 2012, 10:57:44 PM
I see, thanks. According to what I heard from my senior, who went to grad school last fall, he had to take a few exams which include a few areas of specialization out of his area. Is that the common case? where exams like pchem, organic, inorganic and analytical are included in the entrance exam.

On the other hand, do you guys have any thoughts on winter admission?
I don't know what is common but at U. of Chicago, iirc, the way it work is upon entering, before we even start classes, we take three exams: physics, organic and inorganic. If you do not pass one you need to take a proficiency course in it.

If it is an option, I may just skip the p. chem and inorganic exams as I am going to be doing work in p. chem and most of us take inorganic I the first quarter anyhow so I would just try and pass organic.

Actually I have few more questions but I am not sure to post them here or to open a new thread instead. Hope this thread opener wouldn't mind cause my questions will be greatly related to the application process, the timeline and stuff, and I believe new grad students would have a bunch useful information to me.
These threads dont get a ton of activity so posting a new thread or here does not make much of a difference, your choice!
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: zs3889 on July 14, 2012, 09:49:32 AM
Thanks for the information!

These threads dont get a ton of activity so posting a new thread or here does not make much of a difference, your choice!

I know right, i guess most of the forumers don't visit this subforum.

What about winter admission? Do you have any thought on that? I just graduated this May and I am trying to look for a job at the moment, which is not really working out.

I had plans going to grad school when i was doing undergrad but i didn't start the application because i thought i needed some time to consider my options. So if most of the schools have winter admission, I would just go right ahead and start applying for it now. But from what I heard, winter admission is not very common and that way I will have to wait until fall' 13 admission.

I have been looking at faculties and schools that interest me, should I send enquiry emails to some of the faculties that interest me? Is that what most of the grad school applicants do in the very beginning? (contacting the faculty that you are interested)


p/s: If there is any online guide to the application process that you guys found useful, please share it with me here  ;) thanks
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 14, 2012, 11:00:11 PM
Thanks for the information!

These threads dont get a ton of activity so posting a new thread or here does not make much of a difference, your choice!

I know right, i guess most of the forumers don't visit this subforum.

What about winter admission? Do you have any thought on that? I just graduated this May and I am trying to look for a job at the moment, which is not really working out.

I had plans going to grad school when i was doing undergrad but i didn't start the application because i thought i needed some time to consider my options. So if most of the schools have winter admission, I would just go right ahead and start applying for it now. But from what I heard, winter admission is not very common and that way I will have to wait until fall' 13 admission.

I have been looking at faculties and schools that interest me, should I send enquiry emails to some of the faculties that interest me? Is that what most of the grad school applicants do in the very beginning? (contacting the faculty that you are interested)


p/s: If there is any online guide to the application process that you guys found useful, please share it with me here  ;) thanks
I don't know of any PhD programs with winter admission, I generally would not want to start in winter.

My only real suggestion for applying to grad schools is to be legitimate. If you want to e-mail professors, because you actually have reason to want to email them, then go for it. Don't try and look up how-to guides and do what you think admission committees want, just be legit.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: zs3889 on July 15, 2012, 12:42:37 AM

I don't know of any PhD programs with winter admission, I generally would not want to start in winter.

My only real suggestion for applying to grad schools is to be legitimate. If you want to e-mail professors, because you actually have reason to want to email them, then go for it. Don't try and look up how-to guides and do what you think admission committees want, just be legit.

It seems like you are the only one who is actually keeping up with this thread, guess other new grad students are trying to enjoy their summer as much as possible since they are starting school in a month or so  ;D

Your replies have been helpful and thanks. Are you currently in a phd program too?

My problem is that I am an international student and I graduated this May so legally i will not have a legit status to stay in the states after like september or october (if i dont get a job (which is very likely), or if im not enrolled in any academic program (which is too late)). That way I will have to go back to my home country, maybe get a job while going through the application process.

I believe its somehow harder for an international student to get accepted into a graduate program (due to funding issues because international/non resident students are bound to pay a higher amount of tuition fees), and i feel it would get even harder if im not in the states? and this is what concerning me the most at the moment. Correct me if im wrong!
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 15, 2012, 01:14:11 AM
Are you currently in a phd program too?

My problem is that I am an international student and I graduated this May so legally i will not have a legit status to stay in the states after like september or october (if i dont get a job (which is very likely), or if im not enrolled in any academic program (which is too late)). That way I will have to go back to my home country, maybe get a job while going through the application process.

I believe its somehow harder for an international student to get accepted into a graduate program (due to funding issues because international/non resident students are bound to pay a higher amount of tuition fees), and i feel it would get even harder if im not in the states? and this is what concerning me the most at the moment. Correct me if im wrong!
I'm about to start a PhD program and as such, I do not know about how the process works for international students =/. You'll want to contact specific departments or look at their websites.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: zs3889 on July 16, 2012, 11:39:31 PM

I'm about to start a PhD program and as such, I do not know about how the process works for international students =/. You'll want to contact specific departments or look at their websites.

From what I learn, I believe in general international students face a more competitive situation, due to funding issues. But the good thing is that my undergraduate degree was obtained in the us.

I see that you are going to University of Chicago and actually it is one of the schools that is under my consideration. Somehow I feel that choosing school is not as complex as choosing/evaluating faculties. Ranking of schools shows that where a particular school stands in that field, and I know the ranking is not always and exactly accurate but I would able to have an idea of how good that school is, and from that I would be able to come out with a list of schools that fit me.

However, I am having difficulties on evaluating/judging a particular faculty. People often say that it is important to choose a good professor to work with since you are going to be working with this individual for the next 5-6 years, and I believe choosing the right faculty is more important than choosing the right school. So I was wondering can anyone here give me an insight based on their experience on choosing faculty, or even school.

First thing I would do is look at the research interest and include whoever that their research interest me, then start reading/digesting their recent publications.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: 408 on July 17, 2012, 05:01:25 AM
Most important: research topic and professor.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 17, 2012, 06:30:30 PM
From what I learn, I believe in general international students face a more competitive situation, due to funding issues. But the good thing is that my undergraduate degree was obtained in the us.

I see that you are going to University of Chicago and actually it is one of the schools that is under my consideration. Somehow I feel that choosing school is not as complex as choosing/evaluating faculties. Ranking of schools shows that where a particular school stands in that field, and I know the ranking is not always and exactly accurate but I would able to have an idea of how good that school is, and from that I would be able to come out with a list of schools that fit me.

However, I am having difficulties on evaluating/judging a particular faculty. People often say that it is important to choose a good professor to work with since you are going to be working with this individual for the next 5-6 years, and I believe choosing the right faculty is more important than choosing the right school. So I was wondering can anyone here give me an insight based on their experience on choosing faculty, or even school.

First thing I would do is look at the research interest and include whoever that their research interest me, then start reading/digesting their recent publications.
For me, I basically just threw a dart at a board choosing Chicago. All the schools I was seriously considering had great faculty - and really, just about anything is interesting if you start working on it.

I certainly do not know who I will be working for yet. I have a few people in mind but I'm going to do a couple quarters of course work before I decide with certainty... I go through moods very quickly, my research advisor will probably just be based on if I want to do stat mech or quantum the month I decide.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: zs3889 on July 17, 2012, 07:35:14 PM
Most important: research topic and professor.

I certainly do not know who I will be working for yet. I have a few people in mind but I'm going to do a couple quarters of course work before I decide with certainty... I go through moods very quickly, my research advisor will probably just be based on if I want to do stat mech or quantum the month I decide.

Thanks, and how did you figure all the schools you applied to had great faculty? By judging the schools ranking in chemistry program?

I know that in the first 3/4 quarters, a phd student will be doing course work and such, are you going to have to ta undergraduate classes/labs? My guess is no? then will you be receiving stipend/allowance if you were not assigned to ta-ship in the first 3/4 quarters?
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 17, 2012, 10:05:01 PM
Thanks, and how did you figure all the schools you applied to had great faculty? By judging the schools ranking in chemistry program?

I know that in the first 3/4 quarters, a phd student will be doing course work and such, are you going to have to ta undergraduate classes/labs? My guess is no? then will you be receiving stipend/allowance if you were not assigned to ta-ship in the first 3/4 quarters?
I looked at their websites  and read profiles, I met some of them, in some cases professors at my current university told me about people. Different ways.

I have to TA during the first year only (assuming my advisor can give me full funding later).
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: 408 on July 18, 2012, 03:19:55 AM

Thanks, and how did you figure all the schools you applied to had great faculty? By judging the schools ranking in chemistry program?


I worked for free for him for two months as an undergrad, and traveled across an ocean to do it..  Getting no credit for the work, nor financial compensation, then said "I wanna do my PhD with you"  I then never even dealt with admissions directly, I gave paperwork to him and he took care of the rest.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 18, 2012, 05:59:06 PM

Thanks, and how did you figure all the schools you applied to had great faculty? By judging the schools ranking in chemistry program?


I worked for free for him for two months as an undergrad, and traveled across an ocean to do it..  Getting no credit for the work, nor financial compensation, then said "I wanna do my PhD with you"  I then never even dealt with admissions directly, I gave paperwork to him and he took care of the rest.
That's pretty interesting. What area of chemistry did you go into?
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: TheUnfocusedOne on July 22, 2012, 10:46:05 AM
Sorry I haven't gotten back to you, I've been backpacking in Yosemite for the past week and a half (gotta live it up!).

I've been working for two years now; 6 months at PerkinElmer where I previously did an internship and 1.5 years at a plastic film manufactoring plant. I always planned on going to grad school, but I had a rough senior year and I let applications get away from me. I was planning on going back right after the PE job, which was more or less an extension on my internship, but when the plastics job came around I decided to work there for a bit and get some new skills.

I'm going back because I really miss fundemental research. I always like the idea of researching to gain a better understanding of a phenomenon rather than for profit as well. This worked out really well for me, since I'm at a school I've always wanted to go to and probably working for a professor I've had a strong interested in for years. I can't be sure I would of been accepted straight from undergrad. Plus they gave me a fellowship! 

One word of advice is to stay on top of GREs and doing your apps. Doing that on top of a full time job can be draining. Get employed as quickly as you can too, you want to show that you've been using your chemistry skills and not letting them get rusty.


Quick $0.02 on some other stuff - There are a few programs that accept students in the winter (MSU has constant rolling admissions I think), but you'll have a better chance at getting in come fall. Rankings are helpful, but in the end of the day you'll want to go to a school that had 2-3 solid faculty members with good funding that are doing research you think you can spend 4-7 years doing.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: zs3889 on July 23, 2012, 12:08:12 AM

I worked for free for him for two months as an undergrad, and traveled across an ocean to do it..  Getting no credit for the work, nor financial compensation, then said "I wanna do my PhD with you"  I then never even dealt with admissions directly, I gave paperwork to him and he took care of the rest.

That is sweet! I liked the professor I worked for during my senior year and it would nice to do my PhD with him but I don't see myself staying in this place and this university for the next 5 years.




Sorry I haven't gotten back to you, I've been backpacking in Yosemite for the past week and a half (gotta live it up!).

One word of advice is to stay on top of GREs and doing your apps. Doing that on top of a full time job can be draining. Get employed as quickly as you can too, you want to show that you've been using your chemistry skills and not letting them get rusty.

Quick $0.02 on some other stuff - There are a few programs that accept students in the winter (MSU has constant rolling admissions I think), but you'll have a better chance at getting in come fall. Rankings are helpful, but in the end of the day you'll want to go to a school that had 2-3 solid faculty members with good funding that are doing research you think you can spend 4-7 years doing.

Wow backpacking in yosemite, must have been a pretty awesome trip!

Things that I am worried the most right now are GRE, statement of purpose and writing sample, which are basically the remaining of the application packet that I have to prepare. I just started revising quantitative section last week and it is going fine at the moment but the part I am afraid of the verbal section and I think I am gonna be having some tough time preparing myself for the verbal section. As for statement of purpose and writing sample, did you guys have any guide/template/sample that you used or referred to while you were writing them? I have completely no idea to even start making a draft for each of them.

I don't think I am gonna go for winter/spring admission anymore, better stick with fall admission and now is about time to start my application process. You mentioned that faculty members with good funding, how do you figure? Would this information be in their lab websites?
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 23, 2012, 11:18:10 AM


Things that I am worried the most right now are GRE, statement of purpose and writing sample, which are basically the remaining of the application packet that I have to prepare. I just started revising quantitative section last week and it is going fine at the moment but the part I am afraid of the verbal section and I think I am gonna be having some tough time preparing myself for the verbal section. As for statement of purpose and writing sample, did you guys have any guide/template/sample that you used or referred to while you were writing them? I have completely no idea to even start making a draft for each of them.

I don't think I am gonna go for winter/spring admission anymore, better stick with fall admission and now is about time to start my application process. You mentioned that faculty members with good funding, how do you figure? Would this information be in their lab websites?
Don't stress about the GRE too much, the regular GRE especially, is not that important.

And I did not use a template or anything for my personal statement. The personal statement is a chance to tell the admission committee anything you want, so I did just that. I just wrote what I wanted them to know about me and why I wanted to go to graduate school.

I would probably recommend doing that first. Ignore the quality of the writing, sentence structure and any nerves you have and just write a couple pages about what you want a committee to know about you.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Vivielle on July 25, 2012, 03:22:55 PM
Long time lurker, first time poster here.

So, any advice for the Chem GRE? I will be taking it this fall, and applying to grad schools for Fall 2013. Are there any decent prep books out there?


Thanks!

-Vivielle

(Sorry if prep for the Chem GRE has been discussed to death already.)
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: TheUnfocusedOne on July 25, 2012, 06:24:55 PM
Don't stress about the GRE too much, the regular GRE especially, is not that important.

And I did not use a template or anything for my personal statement. The personal statement is a chance to tell the admission committee anything you want, so I did just that. I just wrote what I wanted them to know about me and why I wanted to go to graduate school.

I would probably recommend doing that first. Ignore the quality of the writing, sentence structure and any nerves you have and just write a couple pages about what you want a committee to know about you.

Thats not a bad idea. I think my statment was the strongest part of my application, but I worked on it for months before hand. It's really meant to give them a good view of what you have to offer.

So, any advice for the Chem GRE? I will be taking it this fall, and applying to grad schools for Fall 2013. Are there any decent prep books out there?

There really are no good Chem GRE prep books tbh. I just took it last fall, unless something good came out since then. Really the test book they send you is the only thing you get, but go light studying it. The types of questions will be close, but the subjects covered will be much different I'd say just review pretty much everything from your undergraduate, but that only worked sorta well for me.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 25, 2012, 06:30:24 PM
Are there any decent prep books out there?
From what I have seen, nope. They all suck.

Study your general chemistry and organic chemistry books really well. Know your lab techniques. Know the basic p chem formulas and the know point groups.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Vivielle on July 29, 2012, 05:27:43 PM
Thanks for replying about the chem GRE.


Study your general chemistry and organic chemistry books really well. Know your lab techniques. Know the basic p chem formulas and the know point groups.

Jorriss- what are "the know point groups"? I've never heard of those before, although if that's a topic from advanced inorganic I've yet to take that class.

Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on July 31, 2012, 09:09:13 PM
Thanks for replying about the chem GRE.


Study your general chemistry and organic chemistry books really well. Know your lab techniques. Know the basic p chem formulas and the know point groups.

Jorriss- what are "the know point groups"? I've never heard of those before, although if that's a topic from advanced inorganic I've yet to take that class.


Point groups are a way of classifying the symmetry of molecules. Generally, in inorganic chemistry you learn group theory applied to chemical problems and part of that is learning point groups.

Group Theory is a lot to learn but point groups dont take that long.
Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: fledarmus on August 01, 2012, 08:48:45 AM
Thanks for replying about the chem GRE.


Study your general chemistry and organic chemistry books really well. Know your lab techniques. Know the basic p chem formulas and the know point groups.

Jorriss- what are "the know point groups"? I've never heard of those before, although if that's a topic from advanced inorganic I've yet to take that class.


My guess is that "Know the basic p chem formulas and the know point groups" was intended to read either "Know the basic p chem formulas and know the point groups" or "Know the basic p chem formulas and the known point groups". I've never heard of "the know point groups" either.
 

Title: Re: New Grad Students
Post by: Jorriss on August 01, 2012, 10:40:30 AM
Thanks for replying about the chem GRE.


Study your general chemistry and organic chemistry books really well. Know your lab techniques. Know the basic p chem formulas and the know point groups.

Jorriss- what are "the know point groups"? I've never heard of those before, although if that's a topic from advanced inorganic I've yet to take that class.


My guess is that "Know the basic p chem formulas and the know point groups" was intended to read either "Know the basic p chem formulas and know the point groups" or "Know the basic p chem formulas and the known point groups". I've never heard of "the know point groups" either.
 


Woops.

Yes, that should read 'know the point groups.'