Tips on Applying to Graduate School
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Finding a lab
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Start researching labs you find interesting during the summer before applications are due
Stay Organized!
- Create an excel sheet with schools, labs, application requirements, and due dates
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Advice on initial emails
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Contact principal investigators (PI's) you're interested in working with 2-3 months before applications are due
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​Send each PI a personalized email detailing your research background, how it connects to their research, and what you would like to do if you joined their lab
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Attach your CV to the email​​​​
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Ask to zoom and discuss their research more
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Don't get discouraged!
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You will soon find out that many of the labs you were excited about are not accepting students. Don't get discouraged! For example, I reached out to around 30-40 PI's and only ended up applying to 6 programs (keep in mind that everyone's experience is different)
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Personal and Research Statements ​
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Have peers/ professors read over your drafts
- Personal Statement Examples
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Tips on Interviewing
Do your research
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Familiarize yourself with the research of each of your interviewers
- Read over their abstracts and skim their research website ​
Make an elevator pitch
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Practice summarizing your research background in 2-3 minutes
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Have an elevator pitch (2-3 minutes) prepared about your research interests
Ask questions!​​
Funding Opportunities for Graduate Students
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Apply to additional fellowships. at your university