what not to ask a phd student

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Five Frustrating PhD Questions To (Never) Ask A PhD.

Imagine the scene. You find out your friend/ relative/ the stranger you met three minutes ago is working on their PhD. And y ou gave up on academia after completing your hard-earned bachelor’s degree so the world of graduate school is still shrouded in mystery, and is still a p retty huge deal.

But you should wait before launching into your questions. Others have been here before you and they’ve made mistakes. For the sake of the real-life PhD in front of you read on and get a crash course in the five frustrating questions you really shouldn’ t be asking pursuing their PhD as well as some good alternatives to keep the conversation flowing.

To summarize and make your life easier, here are the five questions:

How much longer do you have to complete your PhD?
What are you doing with all your time off in the summer?
You are a teacher, right?
What exactly do you do all day?
How come you just can’t hand in that article you are working on?

By the way, if you want to watch the video on PhD questions that you should not ask, where I am a bit more candid, check it out:

https://youtu.be/L-OzZIzoYRA Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Five Frustrating PhD Questions To (Never) Ask Your Doctorate (In Business) (https://youtu.be/L-OzZIzoYRA)

1. So When Do You Get Your PhD After Your Name?

Also known as : When will you be done? How long will it take?

Those letters are called post-nominal letters and can be placed after an individual’s name to indicate that they hold a position, academic degree or honor. Choosing whether or not to include them on your future business cards is a big decision and most PhD students will happily talk post-nominal letters with anyone. The frustrating part of this question is the when .

Asking a PhD student in the deep, dark depths of research when they will be done is like asking an unemployed person when they’re going to get a job. They don’t know and it’s as sim ple as that. The PhD student is putting in the work to get through the many requirements of their program just like the unemployed person is updating their resume and sending in application after application.

But the harsh reality is that hard work in both scenarios doesn’t necessarily bring quick results. The real progress is often dependent on other people; the advisor who signs off on your great idea or the manager who invites you for interview. You can hustle for weeks on end and still come away from a meeting or interview with dashed hopes and a new awareness of how far you have to go before you reach your goal.

Will it happen next week? Next year? Before pigs fly? Keeping optimistic and celebrating the small successes can keep you going when you lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel but it’ s not easy. And having people in your life and at social gatherings focus on th e end date just makes it worse. It will be done when it’s done and that’s the end of it.

Good alternatives: What are you working on right now? What is your next big milestone?

2. What Are You Doing With All Your Time Off In The Summer?

The summer vacation part of school where you skip out the doors sometime in June and don’t have to think about work until after Labor Day is a distant memory for those pursuing a PhD. The same for spring break and winter break. There just isn’t time, especially i f you’re on the t enure track with a substantial amount of research . Your research has to be your priority.

Don’t think it’s work 24/7 – it’s not. Those undergrad “all-nighters” are a thing of the past. Neglecting to take care of yourself in order to spend more time working is the fastest route to burnout there is. And days where you forget all about the research are as vital to a PhD student’s self-care as eating and sl eeping well. Take it from someone who knows. But no matter how well-balanced you manage to make your life there will never be enough of those days.

This is not a situation unique to PhD students. It is very rare to come across anyone who thinks they get enough time away from work to spend with their family, pursue personal goals or travel. And any graduate student will be quick to educate those who think going back to school is the best way to reclaim those four months off that we all took for granted as high school students .

Once you embark on a PhD it has a sneaky habit of stretching and expanding until it feels like this thing you are doing is your whole life. If you believe in the value of your research and find your specific topic engaging and empowering to study then that might not bother you. What certainly will bother you is when people assume that your academic pursuits mean you don’t have to work when the kids aren’t in school.

Good alternatives: What do you like to d o when not working on your PhD? How do you relax and recharge when your work is stressful?

3. You’re A Teacher, Right?

Well sort of. Teaching in some way, shape or form at their university on courses related to their subject area is often part of the PhD student’s journey . Employment at the university as a PhD student comes with fun benefits like stipends (money) and fee waivers (lowe red course fees).

But taking this one aspect of a PhD’s work and labeling them “just a teacher” is about as dangerous as calling an actor who waits tables to pay the rent while he works for his big break “just a wait er.” It undermines and trivializ es the true core of why they are doing wha t they are doing: their research.

Teaching is a noble prof ession. You don’t reach the PhD stage of your academic career without a lot of help and support from some superb teachers along the way and teaching as part of your own PhD program is a way to give back to the next generation.

Unfortunately that doesn’t change the fact that marking endless papers , or responding to an undergrad’s frantic emails about how her mark on the midterm will affect her GPA , takes time and energy. Valuable time and energy that you cann ot spend on your own research. And having acquaintances marvel at how light your schedule is when you tell them you’re teaching three to four courses an entire year (a pretty full schedule for anyone) does not help.

Good alternatives: Do you teach at the university as part of your program? How do you balance your teaching responsibilities with your research?

4. What Exactly Do You Do All Day?

Hard work in many career paths produces easy to see, tangible results. Construction workers build houses, surgeons remove tumors and firefighters put out fires. The value of their work is universally understood and appreciated . But the work required for a PhD is not like this. It is the work of ideas , questions and words . The journey is complex and unpredictable , exploring wide but also continually refocusing and refining .

Progress like this is hard to see , even harder to measure and almost impossible to understand from an outsider’s perspective. Hours of explanation would not help someone with no interest in your research topic comprehend the magnitude of your middle-of-the-night lightbulb moment last Friday. Or why it is so important that you figure out how to get a copy of that obscure Australian journal published in 1994. Or why that minute vari ation in your lab results means doing hours and hours of what you’ve been doing already but with one key change.

The problem with this question of what exactly a PhD student does all day is that there’s often no way to answer it that will satisfy the asker. They could follow you around for three weeks and still be as clue less about what exactly you do because your schedule is not what you do. Your schedule is the means by which you work towards something that makes complete sense to you (and hopefully your advisor) but is as often as inaccessible to the general population as the meaning of hieroglyphics on the wall of an Egyptian tomb. So , how about try a different question.

Good alternatives: What is your favo rite part of an average day? What are the advantages of doing your PhD compared to the usual 9-5 job?

5. Why Don’t You J ust Hand In What You’re Working On?

When the going gets tough and things j ust aren’t falling into place you vent your frustrations to those outside the PhD bubble and this is the question you get. And there is log ic to it. Because handing in what you have will get you the feedback you need t o take the next step and make your work better, right? Not exactly.

Passing over your incomprehensible scrawl of notes and half-developed work to anyone in a supervisory capacity at the university is lik e displaying your bowl of mixed up egg, sugar and flour in a bakery window. Nobody wants to see that.

You know what they want to see? What they need to see? Evidence of your best work. They’re not looking for perfection – far from it. But they are as sessing and evaluating and having something thought-out and put together , a cake rather than a bowl of ingredients, helps them support you in finding the best way forward.

The PhD process involves in-depth a ssessment every step of the way. Papers , questions and answers; a PhD is not for the faint of heart. And that is all before you defend your doctoral dissertation. Support and encouragement and other help may be much appreciated but “just hand in what you have” is not.

Good alternatives: Is there anything I can do to support you during this busy time? What are you currently working towards?

So there it is – five questions nev e r to ask the PhD . All you have to do is steer clear of them the next time someone studying for a PhD crosses your path . The PhD will be pleasantly surprised at your skill in avoiding all their least favorite questions and everyone will go home happy.

If you are currently studying for your PhD or considering doctorate study then check out the other posts on this blog for lots of PhD information, insight and support. If you want to read a bit more about PhD life, you should check out the following articles:

If you are thinking of a Professor, here are some comment ‘do professor’ questions in this post.
Tips to write a statement of purpose that you will find extremely useful.
Advantages and disadvantages of doing a Doctorate in Business.
A guide to writing a research paper for your PhD (complete with step-by-step videos).

R3ciprocity.com is an online proofreading platform where you can get peer review support and suggestions for your own writing and help others by doing the same for them. Join the r3ciprocity project today and get started.

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Questions to ask current students in PhD programs

By hejduk July 1, 2010 in Applications

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socialpsych

Those are great questions. Now that I know a bit more about grad school, I'm trying to think of other things that might be important but that people might not think to ask...

Advisor questions:

- How often do you meet with your advisor? Is your advisor fairly accessible to you?

- Do you publish together with your advisor? Do you get to be first author?

- Do you work primarily with one person or can you work with multiple people?

- In case of an unforeseeable personality mismatch, is it possible to switch advisors? Do people ever do that?

- Are there any PhD research seminars/workshops that are focused on explicitly giving you research skills, or do you primarily learn by doing?

(if applicable:) - Are there opportunities to collaborate with faculty in other programs/departments?

Funding questions:

- Where does research funding come from? What grants (if any) do students apply for? Are they generally successful? Does it ever feel like your research is limited by the amount of funding you have available (rather than how much research you can or choose to take on)?

- Is your funding tied to your advisor or does it come from the department/program, or from the school?

- Do you spend a lot of time worrying about/searching for/applying for funding?

- Is your stipend sufficient to live in the city where campus is located? (I think I avoided asking this as an applicant because I thought it would be awkward, but a few applicants have asked me now that I'm a grad student, and it's totally fine)

- How long does it typically take to finish the program? If longer than the guaranteed funding, where does your funding come from?

Location questions: What's the city/town like? safe? fun? expensive? Where do students typically live?

Do you feel stressed about finding a job after graduation?

What is the hardest part of grad school for you?

Is there a particular type of student who does well in this program? A particular type who does poorly?

What percentage of students leave the program, and why?

Family/lifestyle questions (if applicable): Are there students in the program who have kids? Do the faculty understand and support family obligations? Is the atmosphere generally family-friendly?

...I could probably think of more, haha.

fuzzylogician

Feel like an idiot now! I had been emailing specific people from different programs websites, specifically those with similar research interests. I didn't end up having much luck in getting responses back, so I just decided to email 10-15 students I could find at each program I'm interested in.

I got an email back from one of my "blanket" emails, with the responder informing me she had been out of the program for a year, and to contact the admin office for current students emails. When I contacted the admin and told them I had emailed 10-15 students, they recommended I not continue doing that.

I take criticism quite well, but I felt so embarrassed! This whole application process is so confusing, and I hope that I didn't burn any bridges. I apologized for the mistake I had made, and while the conversation ended good, I still can't help but feel like I'm a candidate sticking out in a bad way.

No more mass emails for me...

American in Beijing

Feel like an idiot now! I had been emailing specific people from different programs websites, specifically those with similar research interests. I didn't end up having much luck in getting responses back, so I just decided to email 10-15 students I could find at each program I'm interested in. I got an email back from one of my "blanket" emails, with the responder informing me she had been out of the program for a year, and to contact the admin office for current students emails. When I contacted the admin and told them I had emailed 10-15 students, they recommended I not continue doing that. I take criticism quite well, but I felt so embarrassed! This whole application process is so confusing, and I hope that I didn't burn any bridges. I apologized for the mistake I had made, and while the conversation ended good, I still can't help but feel like I'm a candidate sticking out in a bad way. No more mass emails for me...

Don't feel bad. I honestly wouldn't worry about it. I don't think people are going to consider it a bad thing that you wanted to be well-informed about the program before you apply. Maybe next time you should just e-mail the administrator and ask if there are any students who are willing to field such questions.

Everything socialpsych said.

Degree requirements questions:

- How many classes are students required to take? How much choice, how many required classes?

- Are required classes offered on a regular basis or do students sometimes find themselves taking a required class in their 5th year b/c it wasn't given earlier?

- Are there language requirements? How long does it usually take students to meet them?

- How long does it take students to pass qualifying papers / exams? Do students feel that the load is reasonable and that they have enough time to prepare?

- How long does it take students to become ABD? How long do students usually take to write their dissertation?

Cohort / student body questions:

- Do you collaborate with your cohort on assignments?

- Have you published with anyone from your cohort / other students?

- Do you go out with other students after class? are there regular activities organized by the students for the students?

- How do you choose offices? can you change offices after some time?

Do you get enough sleep? Do you have free time to engage in hobbies?

What would you change in the program?

What is the program's best feature?

Are you happy?

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Questions to Ask During Your PhD Interview

By Zebastian D.
August 22, 2020

As someone applying for PhD positions, you’ll no doubt be thinking of and preparing for the interview with your potential supervisor(s). You’re absolutely right to be doing this and planning your answers to some of the PhD interview questions that they’ll probably ask you; make sure you’ve read our guide on this to help you prepare.

Remember though that the PhD student-supervisor relationship works both ways; as much as the potential supervisor is interviewing you for a PhD position within their lab, you should also have the mindset that you’re also interviewing the professor for the role of supervisor, and be ready to ask questions! Ultimately the key thing you want to know after your PhD interview is you are both a good fit for each other.

With that in mind, I’ve prepared a common list of questions that you should consider asking to help you decide if the supervisor and the research lab is the right fit for you. You don’t need to ask all these questions but instead use this list as a guide for picking what feels most important to you.

I should also note that some of the answers to these questions can usually be found through a quick Google search of the potential supervisor or looking at their university profile. So do think about which questions in particular you want to bring up in person at the PhD interview.

Now on to the questions….

How many PhD students have you supervised previously, and did they all gain their PhDs?

You’re asking this to firstly work out how experienced the professor is at supervising students, based purely on the numbers previously supervised. The reason to ask the second question of how many students gained PhDs is to get an idea of the supervisor’s track record of successful supervision. The lower the percentage of students that went onto complete their PhD under his or her supervision (and not leave the program early ), the more alarm bells that should be ringing for you. This of course shouldn’t be your only data point in the decision-making process, and you should try and find out more about why those that left their PhD program before completion, did so. Equally it’s also a possibility that some students have been successful in their PhD research in spite of a supervisor’s lack of support. A good way to get a truer sense of this is by speaking to the supervisor’s current and past students.

Whilst a supervisor’s successful track record can be reassuring, don’t be put off if they haven’t supervised many (or even any) students before, particularly if they’re still fairly new in the job. There are many other ways in which you can get a sense of the supervisor-student fit.

How many years does a PhD project usually take in your lab?

If you’re in the UK, a full time PhD should normally take you 3-4 years to complete , as reflected by most funding grants for PhD research being for this time frame. You want to know and have some reassurance that most students in this lab do finish within this time frame. Asking this question will also help you better understand the supervisor’s attitude towards completion time frames; is this someone that would have no issue with a student that’s been working on their PhD for 6 years or are they driven to help students complete ‘on time’.

What are the key milestones for progression that you expect from students?

This is a good follow on from the previous question. Some supervisors can be very ‘hands off’ and set no expectations on their students about deliverables and if this is the type of student-supervisor relationship you’re after (which some are), then perfect!

However, whilst a PhD project is an independent body of work, that doesn’t mean you have to do it in isolation. Having a supervisor that also acts as a mentor is important; a key aspect of this is to help keep you on track to complete your project ‘in time’, which is most effectively done using regular milestones.

The actual milestones will vary between supervisors but what you’re looking for in their response is some indication that they’ve actually thought about them. Examples of milestones may be the completion of the literature review within the first 6 weeks of starting, first experimental data captured by month 3 and first paper published by the time you end year 1.

How many other students do you supervise?

You ideally don’t want your supervisor to have too many (>5) other PhD students under his or her supervision at any one time, simply because of the dilution of their time that will naturally occur. Being part of an active research lab is a big advantage however, so you don’t necessarily want to be the only student under their supervision either. Remember that the professor may also be responsible for several Master’s and undergraduate students too so you just need to know what to realistically expect from him in terms of available time to meet with you regularly.

How often do you meet with your PhD students?

You don’t want a supervisor that’s too prescriptive in how you run your project, but you do want someone who you know you can rely on to meet with regularly. Some professors set weekly one-on-one or group research meetings that occur at the same time, day and venue; you know exactly what you’re getting here. Others tend to meet less frequently but still at regular intervals. A good balance would be to have catch up meetings every 2 weeks but it’s important to know upfront what the expectations are from both sides about how often to meet.

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How flexible is the direction of the PhD project?

At the PhD level of higher education, the supervisor is there to provide mentorship and guidance to help you avoid going in a completely wrong direction with your research. You should however expect to have the freedom to take your project in any direction you want to (within reason). This should be the case even if it means deviating from the original research questions that were proposed at the start; you and your supervisor should be in agreement before you start about how much flexibility there can be. Remember too that sometimes the project may have to stay closely aligned to the original plan if it’s required by the industry funder, so this decision may be out of the supervisor’s hands to some extent.

What funding is available for this project?

You should know by the time you come to interview if the project is to be self-funded or if there is specific funding associated with it. It may feel like an awkward question to ask but you need to be very clear on how much of a living stipend you should expect and if there is any additional funding for things such as conference travel, paying for journal publication fees or other bench fees; you don’t want any unpleasant surprises about finances when you’ve already started the PhD.

Do you expect there to be any changes in funding during the course of the project?

Specifically, you want to find out if there’s any risk that the funding associated with the project could be removed. Most often, funding bodies don’t transfer the entire monetary amount of the agreed funding up front in one lumpsum (which can be in excess of £75,000 for a 3-year studentship). Instead, payments are made in instalments and may be done so on the basis that certain milestones are met. For industry funded projects, for example, there may be a service work element (such as specialist analysis using university-based equipment) associated with the funding which will need to be delivered on time for the university to continue to receive money. In reality a complete loss of funding is unlikely to happen, but you should find out if this is at all a possibility of happening.

What is the source of the funding?

It’s important for you to understand how your project will be funded. As discussed in the previous question, the specific funder may place certain requirements on the university that need to be fulfilled to receive the funds. Don’t let this put you off applying or even impact your decision to take on the specific project, but it’s an important factor to be aware of.

Are there any opportunities to earn additional money as a PhD student?

Even if you will receive a stipend during the course of your research project, it comparatively won’t be a lot of money to live on. If you want it, the opportunity to earn extra money can make a big difference in managing your finances. This may in the form of one day/week working as a research technician or paid work preparing and delivering lectures to undergraduate students. It’s useful to know if these opportunities will exist to help you manage your expectations about your finances. Make sure you don’t let yourself feel obligated to take on this additional work however, even if it is paid; the priority will be ensuring your research progresses on schedule.

Will I have the opportunity and be expected to publish papers?

In the UK there is no requirement for you to have published any journal papers before you are awarded a PhD. Doing so however can go some way towards making your final viva that much easier, and also giving you a ‘head-start’ on your publication track record if you continue on into academia after your PhD.

You should get a sense of if your potential supervisor sees an opportunity for you to publish your research, if this is something that you want to do. Equally you should be aware of the supervisor’s expectations about publishing to avoid any potential conflict between your supervisor wanting you to publish work during your PhD and you wanting to wait until you’re in the post-doc stage before writing papers.

How many papers have previous PhD students published with you?

Knowing the answer to this should give you a good idea about the expectations and opportunities of publishing papers during your PhD. It’s certainly a positive sign to know that previous students have successfully published their research and is often a sign of a good supervisory system being in place.

How often does your research group present at academic conferences?

Having the opportunity to present your research at an academic conference is a key experience to have obtained during your time as a PhD student. Some supervisors actively encourage this and ensure that all funding applications include allocations for paying for conference related fees. Others are less convinced about the value of students going to conferences, particularly due to the additional expense of doing so, and may therefore not be as supportive of conference participation.

It’s useful to know what the norm is within the supervisor’s research group so that there are no surprises further down the line.

Is there funding support available for attending conferences?

Again, to be clear on expectations of funding and support for conference attendance, you should find out if there are funds specifically allocated for this purpose. If there aren’t, does the supervisor actively provide support to their students in applying for additional funding for this?

Are there courses and training sessions available for PhD students?

Find out if there are extra resources available to you should you want to use them. For example, do the supervisors students go on paper writing courses, or workshops on how to perform literature reviews? There are lots of new things that you’ll be doing during your PhD, especially at the beginning so it’s good to know that there’s external help available if and when you need it.

What are your past PhD graduates doing now?

This is an interesting one to find out from the supervisor. Are most of their graduates continuing their career development within academia or have many moved into industry work or even to a field completely different to their area of research? Ideally, you’d want this to align with your own career options. If most PhD holders have gone into industry whereas you want to pursue an academic career, you should try and find out why they ended up leaving academia. For example, did these graduates initially have aspirations of becoming professors themselves but were not able to do so or does your particular field normally open up more opportunities within industry?

What kind of support do you or the university provide for helping with jobs after?

In particular, what role does the supervisor play in helping their recent PhD graduates find their next job role? Do they have any connections within industry that they’d be able to help you network with? Or have any of their past PhD students stayed on in the lab as post-docs and are there resources in place for you to potentially do the same?

Will there be opportunities to teach undergraduate students?

The opportunity to give lectures to undergraduate students or lead tutorials with them can be a good way to earn some extra money during your PhD (note though that not all universities/departments formally pay PhD students to do this). Getting teaching experience is also important if you’re planning on continuing on down an academic career path at a university so it’s useful if you can gain some of this during your PhD.

Do you as a lab do any team activities together?

This will help you get a sense of the environment you’ll be working in for at least the next three years. Is this a lab with several PhD students and post-docs that make up an active ‘research family’? Does the team ever go out for lunch together or day trips away together to unwind? This can be a great way to build a sense of comradery in a research job that can often feel like you’re working alone in. Some supervisors actively encourage and get involved in nurturing a team environment whilst others are more hands-off, leaving the students to do their own thing.

What is the work environment like? Do students work in a shared office space?

Be clear on what your daily workspace will be like at the lab and university. Do all PhD students sit together in an open space or are there smaller office spaces for one or two students to work in? Some people prefer the buzz of an open space whilst others like the quiet of lone working. Either way, you should know what your work environment will look like for the next three years and plan accordingly (e.g. buy some noise cancelling headphones if you need some quite time in the open plan office).

I’ve given you a number of different questions to think about and ask your potential supervisor at your PhD interview. Not all of them may be relevant, or even appropriate to ask, so do think carefully about which ones you do want to bring up at the interview and which answers you could find out independently by either speaking to other students or looking online. Your research project and your experiences at the university will be so much more enjoyable if you can make sure you and your supervisor are a good fit for each other. The best way to do this is to ask questions!

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Postgrad checklist: what to ask when picking a PhD

Avoid nasty surprises during your PhD by asking universities the right questions

If you’re thinking about pursuing a PhD, then you are probably already weighing the relative merits of different universities. Each university – and, indeed, each university department – has its own distinctive culture and environment. Gathering as much information about it beforehand will help you make the most informed choice possible. Here’s what to look out for:

Responsible recruitment

To avoid any nasty surprises, make sure your university recruits its PhD candidates responsibly. You can do this by asking for their recruitment data, including application numbers and acceptance rates for the past 10 years. Find out the average supervisor-to-PhD student ratio, and that of your chosen supervisor. It’s also worth knowing their completion rates: look for the proportion of students completing within three and four years of full-time study respectively (pro rata).

Subsistence funding

Aside from traditional scholarships, some universities have smaller pots of funding for continuing PhD students who self-fund part of their degree. Ask about their availability and distribution.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

Athena SWAN , Stonewall Diversity Champions , and the Race Equality Charter can be useful indicators of an institution’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Local initiatives are also important. Given the recent #metoo conversations , find out whether the department is taking steps to address sexual harassment and gender-based violence among staff and students. Likewise, you could look into initiatives to decolonise the university and protect BAME staff and students. And ask about disability and mental health support and resources – students’ union/association officers may be best placed to provide additional comment.

Restrictions on paid work

Some universities limit the amount of paid work PhD students can undertake for the university. Funded students need protection from being pressured into underpaid/unpaid work, but unrealistic restrictions can be detrimental to the wellbeing of self- or part-funded students who need access to well-paid, flexible jobs. Find out the policy on paid employment, and determine whether there are processes for workarounds, should you need them.

A quiet study space is invaluable when researching and writing. In recent years, some universities have been moving to open-plan offices and hot-desking arrangements for both research students and staff. Find out how and when space for PhD students is allocated (and ask whether there is any planned change to this provision).

Project funding and conference funding

There may be internal funds available for postgraduate initiatives, such as reading groups, seminars, and conferences. Find out whether this funding includes paying organisers for their time. Ask about the availability and reliability of funding for presenting at conferences.

Teaching and teacher training

Will you be offered paid discipline-specific training and mentoring ? Find out the type of teaching you will be eligible to undertake at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level. Find out how and when teaching opportunities are advertised and filled . Ask about the associated contractual arrangements (hourly or fractional), pay grade and workload. The local trade union contact may be best placed to explain working conditions more concretely. Ask if your institution will subsidise your application to become an associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Preparation for the academic job market

Look out for the availability of structured training and guidance – such as help with developing a publication strategy, writing book reviews, preparing conference papers, and applying for library fellowships. Ask about grant-writing training for applying for postdoctoral research fellowships. Find out how many graduates have secured external funding in the last ten years – for example, from the British Academy , Leverhulme or Marie Skłodowska-Curie .

Internal opportunities for early-career researchers

Ask about teaching and research opportunities for PhD students post-thesis submission and pre-graduation. The department may offer full-time fixed-term postdoctoral research and/or teaching fellowships on an annual basis. Ask how many new entry-level open-ended academic positions have been created in the last ten years , and the number of these filled by their own graduates.

Future prospects

Find out the first destinations of the programme’s PhD graduates. Look for the percentage of PhD graduates in full-time academic employment five and ten years after graduation . Ask how the PhD recruitment policy has responded to PhD graduates’ employment prospects – again, this is about making sure your university recruits responsibly.

Where possible, get this information in writing and supported by university documentation. Ask that data be differentiated according to gender, race and ethnicity, disability disclosure, fee status (international vs Home/EU), funding status (full-, part- or self-), and mode of study (full- or part-time).

Muireann Crowley is an English literature tutor at the University of Edinburgh. Anahit Behrooz is a PhD student, also at Edinburgh. Additional research by Maria Elena Torres-Quevedo, Tess Goodman, Niki Holzapfel and Sarah Stewart

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20 questions to ask about potential PhD programmes

There usually comes a time in a PhD application process when the candidate can ask the admission committee questions about the programme. If you made it to this stage, you may b e wondering: What questions should I ask about the PhD programme?

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase using the links below at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I truly believe can benefit my audience. As always, my opinions are my own.

What makes this PhD programme unique?

What are the requirements in terms of coursework, how does this programme structure the thesis writing process, how long does it take on average for phd students to complete the degree, how much flexibility do phd students have to create their unique programmes, what facilities and equipment are available to phd students in this programme, how are phd students of this programme integrated into the wider academic community, do phd students in this programme interact with senior scientists beyond their research group, how common is it for phd students in this programme to co-author academic articles with supervisors and colleagues, what support is offered to phd students in the programme, does the programme offer any financial support, does the phd programme provide grant writing support to phd students, does the programme encourage and support phd students to work as teaching assistants, what happens if there is a problem with a phd supervisor, what are common career trajectories of phd students who complete this programme, what does the programme do to prepare phd students for the job market, does the emphasis lie on training phd students for academic careers, does the phd programme foster industry connections, collaborations with external partners and public outreach activities, does the programme organise networking events or career fairs for phd students, questions to ask about a phd programme’s setup.

A PhD interview is not just an opportunity for you to convince your interviewers that you are a good match for their programme. Your interviewers should also leave a good impression on you! This relatively open question allows them to convince you to choose their programme over any other offers that you may have. It is a good way for you to see what arguments they have to offer.

The amount of coursework can differ from PhD programme to PhD programme. Therefore, it is good to ask about specific requirements in terms of courses to follow, credits to earn, etcetera.

Similar to coursework, the thesis writing process can also differ from PhD programme to programme. Is the process divided into fixed stages (such as data collection, data analysis, and writing up)? Or is the process flexible? How is the thesis supervision organised? It is good to have answers to these types of questions in advance.

Most universities indicate the length of their PhD programmes. However, there can be a difference between the supposed length and the actual one. Potentially, a PhD programme takes 4 years on paper but most PhD students take 6 years to complete it. This information is useful to consider before committing to a programme.

You may have specific requirements for your PhD. Unique interest. And you should be aware that unexpected things can happen. For instance: care leave, illness or simply failed experiments can delay the completion of a PhD programme. Therefore, it is good to test the water and ask about the stance of the PhD programme when it comes to being flexible.

You may also like: 9 smart questions to ask a professor about graduate school

Questions to ask about a PhD programme’s environment

You want to know what the PhD programme offers to PhD students, for example in terms of office space, lab equipment, laptops, etcetera. Think about the type of facilities and equipment that you would need for your specific PhD research.

There can be a huge difference in terms of how PhD students are treated in different universities. In some, they are considered regular students who have limited contact with senior scientists besides their supervisor/s. In others, they are treated as colleagues and/or staff members who are included in department meetings, research exchanges or joint lunches. Try to get a feeling for the situation in the specific PhD programme that you are considering.

As a follow-up to the previous question, you should enquire about the contact that PhD students of a specific programme have with scholars outside of their supervisor/s or small research unit. Being exposed to different perspectives, people and insights can hugely benefit PhD students’ work. Therefore it is good to know whether PhD students in a programme tend to work in isolated silos.

Co-authoring ( when done right! ) is hugely beneficial to PhD students. It enables them to learn the art of writing scientific papers, and how to collaborate effectively. Furthermore, having publications can boost their career. In some universities, it is very common for PhD students to be included as co-authors in joint research papers. In others, it is not.

Questions to ask about a PhD programme’s support mechanisms

It is smart to start with a relatively broad question, to see what support mechanisms are offered in a PhD programme. This can be, for instance, a PhD council, a study advisor, or a mental health counsellor.

Some departments have funds, for instance, to support fieldwork. Some also offer budgets to PhD students, so that they can participate in (international) conferences. You can even think of travel reimbursements if you have a longer commute. It is good to know about possibilities for financial support in advance.

PhD students without full-time funding often rely on grants and bursaries. Additionally, gaining experience in grant writing during a PhD can be advantageous in an academic career, regardless of one’s funding situation. However, grant writing is time-consuming and often requires approval and administrative support from the university. Is this support provided?

Working as a teaching assistant during a PhD has financial benefits, and also improves PhD students’ chances of securing work as a lecturer once they graduate. Try to find out whether the PhD programme helps students to find these positions, and whether they support them (for instance by being flexible with the coursework schedule, etcetera).

A PhD supervisor plays a major role in the success of a PhD student. Unfortunately, not all PhD supervisors are good ones . Without being overly pessimistic, it can be a good idea to ask what would hypothetically happen if there is a problem with a PhD supervisor in the programme.

Questions to ask about a PhD programme’s career training and prospects

Try to get a sense of what PhD students of a programme do once they graduate. This question also helps you to assess what type of career trajectories are highlighted in the programme. Based on this information, you can draw some conclusions about the programme’s outlook on post-PhD careers.

Some universities don’t do anything to prepare PhD students for the job market. Be it the academic or the non-academic one. Others may offer special training sessions, application support and other job-market-related activities. Even though you are only exploring options for PhD programmes, it can be smart to think ahead.

Many PhD students start their degree programmes with the ambition to pursue academic careers and ultimately become professors. The reality, however, looks very different: only a very small percentage ultimately pursues an academic career. New insights about the possibilities to work in a non-academic setting and a highly competitive labour market play a role in this trend. Finding out whether a PhD programme is aware and adjusts their training to this reality can be informative.

Being exposed to job opportunities outside of academia, and conducting practice-oriented research go hand in hand with the relationships that are fostered with industry, community or any other external partners. These connections are also increasingly valued by grant and promotion committees.

A PhD programme is not solely responsible for your career after graduation. Yet, it can be advantageous if a PhD programme actively organises events or fairs that help PhD students to network, and to forge good relationship with external parties.

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Ten simple rules for choosing a PhD supervisor

Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Catherine Bannon

J. scott p. mccain, introduction.

The PhD beckons. You thought long and hard about why you want to do it, you understand the sacrifices and commitments it entails, and you have decided that it is the right thing for you. Congratulations! Undertaking a doctoral degree can be an extremely rewarding experience, greatly enhancing your personal, intellectual, and professional development. If you are still on the fence about whether or not you want to pursue a PhD, see [ 1 , 2 ] and others to help you decide.

As a PhD student in the making, you will have many important decisions to consider. Several of them will depend on your chosen discipline and research topic, the institution you want to attend, and even the country where you will undertake your degree. However, one of the earliest and most critical decisions you will need to make transcends most other decisions: choosing your PhD thesis supervisor. Your PhD supervisor will strongly influence the success and quality of your degree as well as your general well-being throughout the program. It is therefore vital to choose the right supervisor for you. A wrong choice or poor fit can be disastrous on both a personal and professional levels—something you obviously want to avoid. Unfortunately, however, most PhD students go through the process of choosing a supervisor only once and thus do not get the opportunity to learn from previous experiences. Additionally, many prospective PhD students do not have access to resources and proper guidance to rely on when making important academic decisions such as those involved in choosing a PhD supervisor.

In this short guide, we—a group of PhD students with varied backgrounds, research disciplines, and academic journeys—share our collective experiences with choosing our own PhD supervisors. We provide tips and advice to help prospective students in various disciplines, including computational biology, in their quest to find a suitable PhD supervisor. Despite procedural differences across countries, institutions, and programs, the following rules and discussions should remain helpful for guiding one’s approach to selecting their future PhD supervisor. These guidelines mostly address how to evaluate a potential PhD supervisor and do not include details on how you might find a supervisor. In brief, you can find a supervisor anywhere: seminars, a class you were taught, internet search of interesting research topics, departmental pages, etc. After reading about a group’s research and convincing yourself it seems interesting, get in touch! Make sure to craft an e-mail carefully, demonstrating you have thought about their research and what you might do in their group. After finding one or several supervisors of interest, we hope that the rules bellow will help you choose the right supervisor for you.

Rule 1: Align research interests

You need to make sure that a prospective supervisor studies, or at the very least, has an interest in what you want to study. A good starting point would be to browse their personal and research group websites (though those are often outdated), their publication profile, and their students’ theses, if possible. Keep in mind that the publication process can be slow, so recent publications may not necessarily reflect current research in that group. Pay special attention to publications where the supervisor is senior author—in life sciences, their name would typically be last. This would help you construct a mental map of where the group interests are going, in addition to where they have been.

Be proactive about pursuing your research interests, but also flexible: Your dream research topic might not currently be conducted in a particular group, but perhaps the supervisor is open to exploring new ideas and research avenues with you. Check that the group or institution of interest has the facilities and resources appropriate for your research, and/or be prepared to establish collaborations to access those resources elsewhere. Make sure you like not only the research topic, but also the “grunt work” it requires, as a topic you find interesting may not be suitable for you in terms of day-to-day work. You can look at the “Methods” sections of published papers to get a sense for what this is like—for example, if you do not like resolving cryptic error messages, programming is probably not for you, and you might want to consider a wet lab–based project. Lastly, any research can be made interesting, and interests change. Perhaps your favorite topic today is difficult to work with now, and you might cut your teeth on a different project.

Rule 2: Seek trusted sources

Discussing your plans with experienced and trustworthy people is a great way to learn more about the reputation of potential supervisors, their research group dynamics, and exciting projects in your field of interest. Your current supervisor, if you have one, could be aware of position openings that are compatible with your interests and time frame and is likely to know talented supervisors with good reputations in their fields. Professors you admire, reliable student advisors, and colleagues might also know your prospective supervisor on various professional or personal levels and could have additional insight about working with them. Listen carefully to what these trusted sources have to say, as they can provide a wealth of insider information (e.g., personality, reputation, interpersonal relationships, and supervisory styles) that might not be readily accessible to you.

Rule 3: Expectations, expectations, expectations

A considerable portion of PhD students feel that their program does not meet original expectations [ 3 ]. To avoid being part of this group, we stress the importance of aligning your expectations with the supervisor’s expectations before joining a research group or PhD program. Also, remember that one person’s dream supervisor can be another’s worst nightmare and vice versa—it is about a good fit for you. Identifying what a “good fit” looks like requires a serious self-appraisal of your goals (see Rule 1 ), working style (see Rule 5 ), and what you expect in a mentor (see Rule 4 ). One way to conduct this self-appraisal is to work in a research lab to get experiences similar to a PhD student (if this is possible).

Money!—Many people have been conditioned to avoid the subject of finances at all costs, but setting financial expectations early is crucial for maintaining your well-being inside and outside the lab. Inside the lab, funding will provide chemicals and equipment required for you to do cool research. It is also important to know if there will be sufficient funding for your potential projects to be completed. Outside the lab, you deserve to get paid a reasonable, livable stipend. What is the minimum required take-home stipend, or does that even exist at the institution you are interested in? Are there hard cutoffs for funding once your time runs out, or does the institution have support for students who take longer than anticipated? If the supervisor supplies the funding, do they end up cutting off students when funds run low, or do they have contingency plans? ( Fig 1 ).

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Professional development opportunities—A key aspect of graduate school training is professional development. In some research groups, it is normal for PhD students to mentor undergraduate students or take a semester to work in industry to get more diverse experiences. Other research groups have clear links with government entities, which is helpful for going into policy or government-based research. These opportunities (and others) are critical for your career and next steps. What are the career development opportunities and expectations of a potential supervisor? Is a potential supervisor happy to send students to workshops to learn new skills? Are they supportive of public outreach activities? If you are looking at joining a newer group, these sorts of questions will have to be part of the larger set of conversations about expectations. Ask: “What sort of professional development opportunities are there at the institution?”

Publications—Some PhD programs have minimum requirements for finishing a thesis (i.e., you must publish a certain number of papers prior to defending), while other programs leave it up to the student and supervisor to decide on this. A simple and important topic to discuss is: How many publications are expected from your PhD and when will you publish them? If you are keen to publish in high-impact journals, does your prospective supervisor share that aim? (Although question why you are so keen to do so, see the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment ( www.sfdora.org ) to learn about the pitfalls of journal impact factor.)

Rule 4: It takes two to tango

Sooner or later, you will get to meet and interview with a prospective PhD supervisor. This should go both ways: Interview them just as much as they are interviewing you. Prepare questions and pay close attention to how they respond. For example, ask them about their “lab culture,” research interests (especially for the future/long term), and what they are looking for in a graduate student. Do you feel like you need to “put on an act” to go along with the supervisor (beyond just the standard interview mode)? Represent yourself, and not the person you think they are looking for. All of us will have some interviews go badly. Remember that discovering a poor fit during the interview has way fewer consequences than the incompatibility that could arise once you have committed to a position.

To come up with good questions for the prospective supervisor, first ask yourself questions. What are you looking for in a mentor? People differ in their optimal levels of supervision, and there is nothing wrong with wanting more or less than your peers. How much career guidance do you expect and does the potential supervisor respect your interests, particularly if your long-term goals do not include academia? What kind of student might not thrive in this research group?

Treat the PhD position like a partnership: What do you seek to get out of it? Keep in mind that a large portion of research is conducted by PhD students [ 4 ], so you are also an asset. Your supervisor will provide guidance, but the PhD is your work. Make sure you and your mentor are on the same page before committing to what is fundamentally a professional contract akin to an apprenticeship (see “ Rule 3 ”).

Rule 5: Workstyle compatibility

Sharing interests with a supervisor does not necessarily guarantee you would work well together, and just because you enjoyed a course by a certain professor does not mean they are the right PhD supervisor for you. Make sure your expectations for work and work–life approaches are compatible. Do you thrive on structure, or do you need freedom to proceed at your own pace? Do they expect you to be in the lab from 6:00 AM to midnight on a regular basis (red flag!)? Are they comfortable with you working from home when you can? Are they around the lab enough for it to work for you? Are they supportive of alternative work hours if you have other obligations (e.g., childcare, other employment, extracurriculars)? How is the group itself organized? Is there a lab manager or are the logistics shared (fairly?) between the group members? Discuss this before you commit!

Two key attributes of a research group are the supervisor’s career stage and number of people in the group. A supervisor in a later career stage may have more established research connections and protocols. An earlier career stage supervisor comes with more opportunities to shape the research direction of the lab, but less access to academic political power and less certainty in what their supervision style will be (even to themselves). Joining new research groups provides a great opportunity to learn how to build a lab if you are considering that career path but may take away time and energy from your thesis project. Similarly, be aware of pros and cons of different lab sizes. While big labs provide more opportunity for collaborations and learning from fellow lab members, their supervisors generally have less time available for each trainee. Smaller labs tend to have better access to the supervisor but may be more isolating [ 5 , 6 ]. Also note that large research groups tend to be better for developing extant research topics further, while small groups can conduct more disruptive research [ 7 ].

Rule 6: Be sure to meet current students

Meeting with current students is one of the most important steps prior to joining a lab. Current students will give you the most direct and complete sense of what working with a certain supervisor is actually like. They can also give you a valuable sense of departmental culture and nonacademic life. You could also ask to meet with other students in the department to get a broader sense of the latter. However, if current students are not happy with their current supervisor, they are unlikely to tell you directly. Try to ask specific questions: “How often do you meet with your supervisor?”, “What are the typical turnaround times for a paper draft?”, “How would you describe the lab culture?”, “How does your supervisor react to mistakes or unexpected results?”, “How does your supervisor react to interruptions to research from, e.g., personal life?”, and yes, even “What would you say is the biggest weakness of your supervisor?”

Rule 7: But also try to meet past students

While not always possible, meeting with past students can be very informative. Past students give you information on career outcomes (i.e., what are they doing now?) and can provide insight into what the lab was like when they were in it. Previous students will provide a unique perspective because they have gone through the entire process, from start to finish—and, in some cases, no longer feel obligated to speak well of their now former supervisor. It can also be helpful to look at previous students’ experiences by reading the acknowledgement section in their theses.

Rule 8: Consider the entire experience

Your PhD supervisor is only one—albeit large—piece of your PhD puzzle. It is therefore essential to consider your PhD experience as whole when deciding on a supervisor. One important aspect to contemplate is your mental health. Graduate students have disproportionately higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to the general population [ 8 ], so your mental health will be tested greatly throughout your PhD experience. We suggest taking the time to reflect on what factors would enable you to do your best work while maintaining a healthy work–life balance. Does your happiness depend on surfing regularly? Check out coastal areas. Do you despise being cold? Consider being closer to the equator. Do you have a deep-rooted phobia of koalas? Maybe avoid Australia. Consider these potentially even more important questions like: Do you want to be close to your friends and family? Will there be adequate childcare support? Are you comfortable with studying abroad? How does the potential university treat international or underrepresented students? When thinking about your next steps, keep in mind that although obtaining your PhD will come with many challenges, you will be at your most productive when you are well rested, financially stable, nourished, and enjoying your experience.

Rule 9: Trust your gut

You have made it to our most “hand-wavy” rule! As academics, we understand the desire for quantifiable data and some sort of statistic to make logical decisions. If this is more your style, consider every interaction with a prospective supervisor, from the first e-mail onwards, as a piece of data.

However, there is considerable value in trusting gut instincts. One way to trust your gut is to listen to your internal dialogue while making your decision on a PhD supervisor. For example, if your internal dialogue includes such phrases as “it will be different for me,” “I’ll just put my head down and work hard,” or “maybe their students were exaggerating,” you might want to proceed with caution. If you are saying “Wow! How are they so kind and intelligent?” or “I cannot wait to start!”, then you might have found a winner ( Fig 2 ).

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Rule 10: Wash, rinse, repeat

The last piece of advice we give you is to do this lengthy process all over again. Comparing your options is a key step during the search for a PhD supervisor. By screening multiple different groups, you ultimately learn more about what red flags to look for, compatible work styles, your personal expectations, and group atmospheres. Repeat this entire process with another supervisor, another university, or even another country. We suggest you reject the notion that you would be “wasting someone’s time.” You deserve to take your time and inform yourself to choose a PhD supervisor wisely. The time and energy invested in a “failed” supervisor search would still be far less than what is consumed by a bad PhD experience ( Fig 3 ).

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The more supervisors your interview and the more advice you get from peers, the more apparent these red flags will become.

Conclusions

Pursuing a PhD can be an extremely rewarding endeavor and a time of immense personal growth. The relationship you have with your PhD supervisor can make or break an entire experience, so make this choice carefully. Above, we have outlined some key points to think about while making this decision. Clarifying your own expectations is a particularly important step, as conflicts can arise when there are expectation mismatches. In outlining these topics, we hope to share pieces of advice that sometimes require “insider” knowledge and experience.

After thoroughly evaluating your options, go ahead and tackle the PhD! In our own experiences, carefully choosing a supervisor has led to relationships that morph from mentor to mentee into a collaborative partnership where we can pose new questions and construct novel approaches to answer them. Science is hard enough by itself. If you choose your supervisor well and end up developing a positive relationship with them and their group, you will be better suited for sound and enjoyable science.

Funding Statement

The authors received no specific funding for this work.

120 Questions to Ask Grad Students

Are you thinking about grad school or just curious about what it’s like? You’re in the right spot. I’ve put together a list of questions that get right to the heart of the grad student experience.

From the nitty-gritty of research woes to how they keep their social life buzzing, these real-talk questions are designed to give you the lowdown straight from the grad students themselves. So, grab a coffee and gear up to get the inside scoop!

Table of Contents

Navigating the Graduate Program

How did you choose your graduate program?
Can you walk me through your typical day as a grad student?
What resources do you wish you had known about when you started?
How accessible are faculty and advisors in your program?
What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about grad school?
How do you manage the workload and academic expectations?
What strategies do you use to stay organized and meet deadlines?
How does your program incorporate interdisciplinary study?
In what ways does the program challenge you intellectually?
How do you find research topics or projects to work on?
What is the process for thesis or dissertation proposals in your program?
Can you describe the comprehensive exam process and how to best prepare for it?
What support does the program provide for academic writing and publishing?
How has your research benefited from collaborations within your program?
Are there opportunities for teaching or assisting in undergraduate courses?

Academic Experience and Research

What drew you towards your current research focus?
How do you navigate collaborations with other researchers?
What has been your biggest academic challenge during your grad studies?
How do you go about selecting your courses each term?
What research methodologies do you commonly use in your field?
How is your academic performance evaluated in your program?
How do you balance independent study with structured coursework?
How often do you participate in academic conferences, and how do you prepare for them?
How does your program support innovative or risky research ideas?
What’s the process for applying for research grants or funding?
Can you describe a research breakthrough or significant moment you’ve experienced?
How do you handle setbacks or challenges in your research?
How often do you meet with your thesis or dissertation advisor?
In what ways do you contribute to your field beyond just your research?
How do traditional research dissemination methods compare to new ones in your field?

Financial Aspects of Graduate School

What types of financial aid are available within your program?
How do you manage living expenses while attending grad school?
What advice would you have for someone applying for scholarships and grants?
Are there opportunities for paid research positions or fellowships?
How common is taking out loans, and how do students handle repayment concerns?
Can you discuss the cost of living in the area relative to the stipend provided?
How transparent is the program about the full cost of attendance?
What are some unexpected expenses you have encountered?
Are there on-campus employment opportunities that align with your academic goals?
How do you budget time and money for educational travel, such as conferences?
Are there financial literacy resources or workshops offered by the university?
How have you balanced seeking financial aid with focusing on your studies?
In your opinion, what is the return on investment for your graduate degree?
Can you share some money-saving tips for other grad students?
How does your program assist students with financial emergencies?

Challenges and Coping Strategies

What has been the most difficult aspect of graduate school for you?
How do you handle stress and maintain mental wellness?
What strategies do you use to overcome procrastination or lack of motivation?
Can you share a time you experienced failure and how you dealt with it?
How do you stay resilient when faced with academic setbacks?
Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome, and if so, how do you combat it?
What have you learned about yourself through overcoming grad school challenges?
How do you approach seeking help or resources when challenges arise?
What is your advice for maintaining a positive attitude in tough times?
How do you manage to keep up with your personal commitments while being a grad student?
In what ways do peers or mentors support you through challenges?
How do you balance long-term projects with immediate deadlines?
What’s your approach to developing a consistent study routine?
Can you share tips for effective communication with faculty when problems occur?
How do you adapt to shifting research landscapes or academic trends?

Career Planning and Professional Development

How has your grad program prepared you for your future career goals?
What networking opportunities has your program provided?
Can you describe the career services or professional development resources offered?
How do you stay informed about job market trends in your field?
What steps are you taking to build your professional portfolio?
How does your program facilitate connections with industry or alumni?
What importance does your program place on internships or practical experience?
In what ways do you gain leadership experience during your studies?
Can you discuss the importance of mentorship in your professional development?
How do you plan to transition from academia to your professional field?
What role do conferences and workshops play in your professional growth?
How does your program encourage entrepreneurship or innovation?
What strategies have you employed for job searching or career advancement?
How important is teaching experience for your career path?
Can you share any successes or challenges in finding post-doc positions?

Social Life and Networking

How do you balance social activities with your academic responsibilities?
Can you recommend ways to meet new people and make friends in grad school?
How do you find the time to maintain relationships outside of grad school?
What role do student organizations or clubs play in your life?
How important is networking in your graduate experience?
Can you suggest effective strategies for building a professional network?
How does your program foster a sense of community among grad students?
What types of social or networking events have been most beneficial for you?
How do you utilize social media for networking purposes?
In what ways do you collaborate with students from different departments?
How do you stay in touch with peers and collaborators after they graduate?
Have you participated in any mentoring programs?
How does participating in group projects enhance your grad school experience?
Can you discuss the importance of teamwork and interpersonal skills in your field?
How do you create opportunities for interdisciplinary networking?

Program Specifics and Department Culture

How would you describe the culture within your department?
What makes your graduate program unique from others in your field?
How does your program’s culture influence your academic experience?
Can you explain how diversity and inclusion are addressed within your department?
What are the typical outcomes for graduates of your program?
How transparent is the program about student success rates and placement?
What sort of values and expectations does your program emphasize?
Can you discuss any signature events or traditions within your department?
How does your department support students in their first year?
Are there any unique facilities or resources that set your program apart?
How does your program integrate feedback from students?
What role does collaboration with other departments or universities play?
Can you provide examples of how your department handles conflict resolution?
What is the student-to-faculty ratio, and how does it affect your learning?
Does your program have a formal system for evaluating and improving the curriculum?

Work and Study Balance Techniques

How do you manage time effectively to balance work and study?
Can you share some tactics for maintaining focus during intense study periods?
How does your day-to-day schedule cater to both academic and personal needs?
What strategies do you use to prevent burnout?
How do you make time for hobbies or interests outside of grad school?
Can you share advice for new grad students on establishing a work-study routine?
How flexible is your program with accommodating part-time work?
What are your top tips for efficient time management?
How do you prioritize when faced with multiple tasks and deadlines?
Can you provide guidance on seeking work-study or assistantship roles?
How do you negotiate with employers regarding your academic commitments?
What role has self-care played in your success as a grad student?
Can you describe any valuable tools or apps for organizing your time?
How do you keep your energy and motivation levels up throughout the semester?
How do you set boundaries between your academic life and personal time?

Frequently Asked Questions

What should i consider when choosing a graduate program.

Research the faculty’s expertise, available resources, the program’s structure, financial aid options, and the department’s culture. Understanding your long-term goals and how a program aligns with them is crucial.

How many years does a graduate program take?

A graduate degree can be earned in many different ways, but it usually takes about two years. There are accelerated programs that can shorten the time to one year or even less, but these are rare. Some fields, such as law or medicine, may take more time.

What are some common traits of successful grad students?

Successful grad students often possess the following traits:

Self-motivation : Driven to achieve personal and academic goals.
Resilience : Bounces back from setbacks and persists through difficulties.
Time management : Balances study, work, and personal life effectively.
Passion for research : Deeply interested in their field of study.
Communication skills : Articulates ideas and research findings clearly.

What are the biggest challenges of graduate school?

The biggest challenges of graduate school often include:

Intense workload : Managing the high volume of reading, complex research, and rigorous academic expectations.
Financial strain : Covering tuition and living expenses, often on a limited budget or stipend.
Time management : Juggling various commitments such as coursework, research, teaching assignments, and often personal responsibilities.
Stress and burnout : Coping with the sustained mental and emotional pressure to perform and produce results.
Imposter syndrome : Battling feelings of self-doubt and fear of not being intellectually capable or deserving.
Uncertain career prospects : Navigating the competitive job market and anxieties about future employment opportunities after graduation.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking to dive into grad school yourself or just wanna understand what your grad student pals are up to, these questions will give you the scoop you need.

Remember, grad school’s a big world with lots to explore, so use these icebreakers to start some genuine, insightful chats with those who are living the grad life. After all, who better to learn from than those hitting the books and living out their academic adventures every day?

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Robby Salveron

Graduate School Application Tips & Advice

Applying to graduate school can be both exciting and a little overwhelming. You’re making a decision that could advance your career or allow you to dive deeper into a subject area that fulfills your personal goals, but you’re also making a significant investment of your time and finances.

With proper research, a clear head, and confidence, however, you can find the perfect program and submit an application that the admissions committee will be hard-pressed to reject.

Are you thinking about applying to graduate school? Here’s what every prospective student needs to know.

Tips for Applying to Graduate School

1. find a program that aligns with your goals ..

Finding the right graduate program can sometimes feel like the hardest part of the process. It’s important to find the right program for you, and with different degrees and certificates popping up at universities across the country, there are likely dozens of options available to you.

Write down the most important features of your ideal program before you begin your research. For example, do you want a full-time, on-campus experience or a flexible, online environment? Do you want research-based coursework or a program with experiential opportunities integrated into the curriculum? Once you have your list of non-negotiable features, you can kick off your research.

Learn More: How to Organize Your Grad School Search

After you’ve explored a range of programs, consider your career goals and how each program can help you achieve them. If you’d like to hone your skills to work in a specific focus area of a broader field, for instance, a program that offers a concentration or certificate aligned with those skills can be beneficial. On the other hand, if you’d like to have flexibility in your chosen career, pursuing a broader degree program that can be applied across various functions may be better suited to your needs.

Investing in this research upfront will help you find a graduate program that is right for your specific goals and allow you to feel more confident in your choice when it comes time to complete and submit your application.

2. Ask questions .

The old-school idea that the admissions office is a scary room filled with judgment is a falsehood. Today, graduate school admissions counselors are here to help guide you through the application process process. They want to be there to support your educational journey. If you have any questions, ask . Don’t worry that your interactions with the admissions team could impact your application. If anything, your interactions will only help improve your application before review and help demonstrate your sincere interest in the program.

Many colleges and universities offer online resources where prospective students can find information about the application process and requirements. Getting in touch with an admissions counselor, though, may be the most efficient way to find answers to specific questions you might have. Engaging with them will also give you a chance to get to know the school better and decide if what they offer is really the right fit for your needs.

Consider This: Admissions counselors are well-versed in the logistics of application requirements, individual programs, and financial aid and scholarships . If you have specific questions, be sure to reach out to them for the clarity and insight you need at any step of the process.

Prospective students should not be afraid of contacting faculty, either. If there’s a particular class you’re interested in taking or a lab you hope to work in, contact the faculty member in charge. Ask about that faculty member’s research and pose any questions about the degree program that you might have. You may have a better chance of standing out during the admissions process if you express interest early.

Ready to Get Your Questions Answered?

Reach out to our admissions team for personalized advice on the application process.

GET IN TOUCH

3. Understand the timeline.

Although the application process varies by college or university, the vast majority will require you to submit your transcript, letters of recommendation, professional resumé , and statement of purpose. Your transcript alone could take weeks to be delivered and processed, so don’t wait until the last minute to start applying.

In an effort to avoid procrastination, consider developing a calendar of deadlines. Map out when you need to apply to each of your desired schools and the specific requirements for that program. For example, if you need to submit your undergraduate grades, create a to-do at least a month before the application deadline that reminds you to order your transcript.

4. Update your resumé.

Before sending your resumé, make sure it’s optimized for your grad school application . In general, your experience should be listed in chronological order, starting with your current position, and described in bullet points using action-packed verbs, such as “achieved,” “improved,” “launched,” “negotiated,” or “trained.” Quantify any achievements and show your results, whether it’s the number of people you’ve managed, dollars you’ve raised, or articles you’ve written.

To help your resumé align with your grad school application, be sure to tailor it to the program you intend to pursue by showcasing your skills, highlighting relevant experience, and including your professional achievements.

5. Write a strong statement of purpose.

While some might think that a statement of purpose —or personal statement —is an afterthought during your application review, many admissions committees, consider it one of the most important components of your application. The statement of purpose can make or break your application for admission.

The key to crafting an impactful statement of purpose is to not get caught up in what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Use this opportunity to tell the committee more about who you are and your background while also explaining specifically what you hope to get out of the program. Be sure to address the unique features the school offers that interest you most.

For Example: If you plan to apply to Northeastern, you might consider highlighting experiential learning as the unique feature that interests you about your program. In this case, you might explain that you’re excited to tackle real-world projects in your desired industry and learn from faculty who are experts in your field of study.

No matter where you apply, a strong statement of purpose should include:

Insight into what drives you, whether that’s professional advancement, personal growth, or both
The features about the school that appeal to you most
Your expectations of the degree program and its potential impact
Authenticity and a clear picture of what makes you unique

6 . Choose appropriate references .

Letters of recommendation are another piece of the application process that helps elevate your application for admission. When it comes to asking for letters of recommendation , carefully consider whom you’re contacting. You want to choose someone who knows you well and can speak to your strengths.

Reach out to a professor you regularly interacted with who can detail your academic accomplishments and describe why you were a standout student. You can also ask a former supervisor who’s working in a field that aligns with the graduate program you’re pursuing. No matter your choice, make sure it’s someone you know in a professional or academic capacity—not a friend or family member—who will to provide a positive recommendation representative of your character.

You can typically provide either a professional or academic recommendation in support of your application, but programs have specific requirements around who is writing the recommendation and what the content needs to address. Research what each program requires before you coordinate your references.

When asking for a recommendation, provide your chosen reference with as much information about your request as possible. The more insight you can provide, the better your recommendation letter will be. Include in your first outreach:

The name of the school you’re applying to
The degree you’re pursuing
Why you want to enroll in that specific program
Your resumé

Make sure you keep your timeline in mind as you embark on these communications, especially if you reach out to a professor. It’s likely your letter isn’t the only one he or she needs to write, so be respectful of their time by giving as much notice as possible. Four weeks is ideal.

7. Proofread your materials before applying.

You could be a perfect fit for your desired program, but if you submit materials that are riddled with spelling and grammar errors, the admissions team might dismiss your application before ever digging into it. Triple-check your materials and make sure that when you do press send, you’ve included all necessary documentation and hit all deadlines set in place by the university.

It’s easy for an individual to unknowingly overlook their own mistakes, so it can also be helpful to ask a friend to review your materials before you submit them, as well. Reading your materials out loud to yourself can also help you spot potential mistakes.

Though this may seem like a lot of effort, remember: Your application is the first impression you will make on the university, and it’s important to put your best foot forward.

8. Be true to yourself .

Of all the tips for applying to graduate school, the most important is being true to yourself. Being perfect is not the recipe for admission; admissions committees want to know the real you and understand your ambitions. Whether you’re a working professional hoping graduate school can bring you to the next level of your career or a recent graduate looking to further master your chosen skill, just be yourself, and you’ll start off in the right direction.

Applying to Northeastern’s Graduate Programs

If you are interested in applying to one of Northeastern University’s 200+ online, on-ground, or hybrid graduate degree and certificate programs , there are various resources available to help you along the way.

First, it is important to understand the application process and requirements. Specific application requirements vary by college and degree, so be sure to explore the admissions information for your desired program before getting started. In general, however, the application requirements for Northeastern’s graduate programs include:

A completed online application
Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools you’ve previously attended
A statement of purpose that details your goals and interest in the program
One to three letters of recommendation (varies by program)
Your updated professional resumé or curriculum vitae
Your official GRE, GMAT, or LSAT test scores (if required)
A non-refundable application fee

Additionally, international students who are non-native English speakers must submit proof of English proficiency in the form of TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo test scores, though the minimum scores vary by program. Students who do not meet the minimum requirement for these scores may also apply to the university’s Global Pathways program .

As always, students who intend to apply to a graduate program at Northeastern should also research the application deadlines for their program of interest. Be sure to set a timeline for yourself and avoid procrastination to ensure that you’re able to submit all of the required materials on time.

The faculty and admissions team at Northeastern are always available to help prospective students throughout this journey, and prospective students are always encouraged to reach out to ask questions and get personalized advice . Whether you need information about selecting the right program, the application process, program-specific requirements, financial aid, or anything in between, the admissions team is here to help.

The First Step Toward Grad School Success

Once you’ve made the decision to further your education and pursue a graduate degree or certificate, submitting your application is the first step toward being a successful graduate student.

No matter where you choose to apply and ultimately attend, there are countless resources available to help you throughout the process.

To learn more about the specific schools and programs you are interested in, it’s always best to start by reaching out to admissions teams and faculty to get to know what makes them unique and ask any questions you might have. Building these relationships early on will help you find a program that fits your personal and professional goals, and can ultimately help you through the process of getting accepted to a program that’s right for you.

Are you interested in applying to graduate school? Explore Northeastern’s degree and certificate programs , and contact us for personalized advice.

This article was originally published in August 2017. It has since been updated for accuracy and relevance.

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The Best Questions to Ask During a PhD Interview

A PhD interview is not only a chance for the department to determine if you’re a good fit for their program, it’s also an opportunity for you to decide if their program is right for you. Coming to the interview prepared with some questions shows the selection committee you’re serious about their program. Stuck on what to ask? Give these questions a go!

1. Are there opportunities for summer funding or travel grants?

Not all programs pay students during the summer months. If this is the case, you should ask if the program provides financial support for students to do research-related activities in the summer like take language classes or do fieldwork. Are there grants available from the department or university for research-related travel? In a similar vein, does the department or graduate school provide travel grants to reimburse PhD students for conference expenses?

2. What are recent alumni doing now?

Getting a PhD is a big investment of time and money so potential students want reassurance that it will pay off in the future. Before you commit to a program, find out where its recent alumni are now working. Do most alumni go on to positions in academia or are most of them working in industry or alt-ac?

3. What sort of special resources does the university have for research in this field?

Some universities have resources above and beyond the norm, such as their own collection of papyri or a world-renowned affiliated hospital, which graduate students can access for their research. This can give one program an edge over another.

4. How long does it take on average for students to earn their degree?

The length of a PhD depends on which country you are studying in, however if one program has a longer-than-average time to degree it’s worth finding out why. Does the program require more coursework or have more exams than other similar programs? It’s also work asking what percentage of students don’t complete the program as a high percentage could be a red flag.

5. Will I have the opportunity to teach during my PhD?

If you want to be a professor, teaching will be an essential part of your job. It is extremely beneficial to gain teaching experience during your PhD and many North American PhD programs actually require at least one year of teaching.

6. Will I have the opportunity to publish during my PhD?

Publishing is an important part of academic life, but the publishing expectations of graduate students will depend on the field. If you are interviewing in STEM and social sciences, it is more relevant to ask how many first author papers most students publish by the time they graduate. In the humanities, where graduate publications are rarer, the better question will be if most students publish while they are in the program. In both cases, you should also ask how the faculty helps students learn to navigate publishing process.

7. What is the funding level of this PhD position?

If the job posting or department website doesn’t go into detail about PhD funding, you can take this opportunity to clarify the funding level and total cost of the program. Depending on your circumstances, you might also want to ask whether the department offers any paid assistantship positions or supports external fellowship/grant applications.

8. What makes this program unique?

The core elements of all PhD programs are the same, so try to ask a question that gets at the differences. What does this program do to differentiate itself from the competition? It can be interesting to hear how multiple faculty members in the same department answer this question.

9. Are there any planned absences in the department in the coming years?

Do any key faculty members (including your supervisor) have sabbaticals planned while you would be doing your PhD?

10. How does the dissertation process work in this program?

It’s helpful to ask questions such as can students choose their own committee members, does the university offer finishing fellowships, and how long on average does it take students in this program to complete their dissertations?

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CORRESPONDENCE
02 April 2024

How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its philosophical foundations

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Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati, India.

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You have highlighted how PhD training assessment has stagnated, despite evolving educational methodologies (see Nature 613 , 414 (2023) and Nature 627 , 244; 2024 ). In particular, you note the mismatch between the current PhD journey and the multifaceted demands of modern research and societal challenges.

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Losing Advice: The Need for Students to Have a Connection with Their Academic Advisor

How well do you think the students of Penn State know their academic advisors? If they are anything like me, the answer is not well. Up until recently, I couldn’t even tell you who my advisor is; its Katelyn Perry, as I have found out.

The only reason I took the time to look for my advisor is because I have to meet with her to discuss the possibility of adding a second major. However, now that I want to meet with her, I’ve noticed that it is very difficult to get an appointment time. Despite realizing that I should meet with my advisor, I am unable to actually do so. As it is the end of the semester and students are starting to pick future classes, advisors are becoming busier.

My story is just one example of what is causing a lack of connection between student and advisor. The two causes being that students don’t realize how much help their academic advisors can be, and that when they do realize this, the student often faces difficulty scheduling a meeting time.

Why does any of this matter?

Looking at the College of Liberal Art website within Penn State, we see that an academic advisor is meant to help students with their schedules, major planning, academic activities, and overall helping students achieve their goals and graduate from Penn State feeling prepared. [i]

Academic advisors are like a “lifeline,” theoretically they should know as much about students as possible so they can accurately help their students achieve their goals. [ii] For this to happen, a student needs to have a basic connection with their advisor, which is currently lacking.

As Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, you have the ability to consider and implement policies to help fix this.

To combat this issue, the College of Liberal Arts at Penn State should look at adopting the following policies: mandating student-advisor meeting and hiring more academic advisors.

Mandating Student-Advisor Meetings

Problem and cause.

In order for a connection to form, and for students at Penn State within the College of Liberal Arts to utilize their advisors, they must actually meet with their advisors.

In a study done last year, it was discovered that only 52% of students surveyed had gone to see their advisors to make sure they were on track to graduate. [iii] Thus, implying that half of the students have not met with their advisors and have no connection with them. Meaning, half the students in this study do not reap the benefits that come with an academic advisor.

One aspect of this could stem from students not understanding what an academic advisor is supposed to help them with, especially if the student comes from a high school where such advisors aren’t available or also under utilized.

Another part of the reason for this is that students thinking that any problem they have can be fixed with an email, so why bother going in to actually meet with their advisor? Or they don’t think they need to see their advisors until it’s too late. Such as students struggling to get into classes for the next semester, or when they are trying to make scholarship, degree, or internship deadlines.

Current Solution

All freshmen students within the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a Liberal Arts seminar class -LA 83.

LA 83 is taught by academic advisors themselves, and within this class freshmen learn about numerous aspects of Penn State that will help them through the next four years attending the university. Some of the units include extra circulars, employment advising, and degree planning and advisement.

In this class, the advisors who instruct these students do go over the importance of seeing your advisor and encourage them to schedule meetings. It is an educational approach to trying to get students into their advisor’s office and forming those connections that will help those students achieve their goals.

However, students are not required to go see their advisors, and so many of them don’t.

A New Mandate

To help foster connection between advisor and student, I recommend a mandate that will require students in the LA 83 class to schedule an appointment and visit their advisor at least once, within the semester they take LA 83.

This mandate would be easy enough to implement, there is no additional cost because the class already exist, so the only thing necessary to do is add an extra grade into that grade book. Students could prove they saw their advisor by either obtaining a signature or -going off of a similar assignment that already exists in the course- taking a selfie with said advisor.

The meeting doesn’t have to be anything extreme, just a “get-to-know-you” type of thing. This has the benefit of students understanding how to use Starfish as well as become a bit more comfortable with their advisor and more likely to come to them in the future.

Hiring More Academic Advisors

The second reason that students lack a connection with their academic advisor is that the advisor are simply too busy to form any strong connections. And with the added mandate making more students come see them, the advisors will just get busier.

By doing a search onto the advising website, there are 35 possible subject areas listed, but only 24 people on the advising staff. [iv] For example, my advisor -Katelyn Perry- advises for both Anthropology and Labor and Human Resources.

This double up means that any advisor who has to focus on more than one area will have too many students and have to be an expert on too many specialized areas in order to properly advise their students.

This may not seem like a big deal, but keep in mind there are at least 3,500 undergraduates within the College of Liberal Arts, and again, only 24 academic advisors. [v] Split 24 ways, that’s still an awful lot of kids to know.

The current solution to this issue is by having peer advisors. They are upperclassmen trained to help other students with schedules and basic questions about degree planning. However, any major decision made still need to be discussed with a student’s academic advisor. Especially since advisors are the only ones who will be able to help the students in areas such as bypassing class requirements or who will know the in-depth version of university policies.

Bottom line, peer advisors are great for simple tasks, but students still need their advisors for anything major, and this truly doesn’t help them connect with their actual academic advisor.

Change to the System

To combat this workload and ever-growing student population, the College of Liberal Arts should hire more academic advisors. At least one for every subject offered within the college; meaning at least 11 more advisors.

This will spread out the number of students each advisor is responsible for, so students can come in more frequently and advisors will better be able to remember the students they see. It will also allow advisors to hone their knowledge about the specific subject they advise for and better be able to help their student plan out their goals.

Admittedly, the college will have to pay for these added advisors, but at other universities where similar policies have been implemented advisors have paid for themselves.

This is because when students have more connections with their advisors, and feel better in their academic planning, they are more likely to continue schooling at that university. Thus, the university benefits from their tuition and can use it to pay for those extra advisors. [vi] But more importantly, students benefit from these connections and stay longer.

A student’s connection with their academic advisor is one of the most important connections they need to make in their university career. These connections make college feel more manageable and like we have someone who is always going to be there to help us as students travel down paths to reach our goals.

Mandating student-advisor meetings to foster this connection is certainly feasible. Just as hiring more academic advisors will greatly benefit students and advisors alike, allowing them to more easily get to know each other and more accurately plan to reach that student’s goal.

Being the dean of this college, you can help your students by accepting these few simple policies.

Bibliography

[i] “Academic Advising.” College of the Liberal Arts , 3 Jan. 2024, la.psu.edu/student-services/academic-advising/.

[ii] Porter, Rob. “3 Reasons Why You Should Connect with Your Academic Advisor.” Vault, Vault, 1 Nov. 2022, vault.com/blogs/admit-one-vaults-mba-law-school-and-college-blog/3-reasons-why-you-should-connect-with-your-academic-advisor.

[iii] Flaherty, Colleen. “Eight Ways to Boost Student Engagement with Advisers.” Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs , 9 Mar. 2023, www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/10/eight-ways-boost-student-engagement-advisers#:~:text=Just%2055%20percent%20of%20students,t%20benefit%20from%20advising%2C%20however. Accessed 24 Mar. 2024.

[iv] “Meet the Academic Advisers.” College of the Liberal Arts , 12 Dec. 2023, la.psu.edu/student-services/academic-advising/meet-the-academic-advisers/.

[v] “Apply.” College of the Liberal Arts , 12 Sept. 2023, la.psu.edu/apply/#:~:text=Right%20now%2C%205%2C300%20undergraduate%20students,and%20any%20career%20they%20choose.

[vi] Venit, Ed. “Who Could Benefit the Most from More Academic Advising?” EAB , 11 June 2021, eab.com/resources/blog/student-success-blog/benefits-more-advising/#:~:text=This%20makes%20sense.,or%20intensity%20of%20advising%20efforts

2 thoughts on “Losing Advice: The Need for Students to Have a Connection with Their Academic Advisor”

– I really like this title! I would only suggest to maybe add specifically at Penn State or specifying for Liberal Arts majors at Penn State – From what I read, I gathered that your thesis is that students lack an active advisor at school, despite being promised one, and that this connection is necessary for student success, so Penn State should look to adopt policies of mandating student-advisor meetings and hiring more academic advisors. – Your problem is articulated well with evidence and your use of student surveys as evidence highlights well the extent of this problem. – You harms are explicated well in the introduction and your “why does this matter section”. These harms include a lack of advising figure, student uncertainty and overworking of advisors. – This issue brief follows the problem, current solution, and counterplan arrangement, which is demonstrated well throughout the issue brief. – Yes, all six sources are cited and effectively used. – I believe that this policy recommendation is very feasible, as I’m sure it is something the College of Liberal Arts is already aware of. Your solutions are well thought out and overall would not be that difficult to implement in a timely fashion, adding to the efficacy of the solution. – I enjoyed the use of the infographics, as they visually displayed the workload of the advisors and the small portion of students that have met with their advisor. I think you built a very strong case for your policy. You highlighted how this was a problem using a personal anecdote, which demonstrates that this is an active problem and using evidence from both the Liberal Arts website and student surveys further illuminates the problem and how many people are effected. Overall I think this is an incredibly strong argument! Well done!

I think your topic is great and the harms are clearly outlined. I like how your writing is almost conversational as well and establishes a personal connection with the issue (ethos). I do like your thesis, however instead of saying “this issue” it might be better to say “the issue of (students’ lack of connection with their advisors)”. I like your incorporation of your sources, but wish that your infographics enhanced your writing instead of simply serving as a filler. The method of problem, cause, solution works very well for this as many people don’t recognize it as a problem but your brief highlights how it is urgent. I think the solution is feasible, and you could also mention how in the honors college a solution like this already kind of exists, with specialized advisors for students. I don’t think your solution is insanely drastic, which means it is actually plausible (for example, requiring students to meet with their advisor three times a semester might not be possible, but once is great). I think you have a great argument going and love how you highlight the instrument too of mandates. Awesome job, Skylar!

I also think just maybe clarify the scope- are you looking at just Penn State? You acknowledge it with evidence that it’s a nationwide issue but the solution is meant to be implemented just at Penn State so maybe solidify that distinction more.

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Exploring generative ai at harvard.

Jessica McCann

Harvard Correspondent

Leaders weigh in on where we are and what’s next

The explosion of generative AI technology over the past year and a half is raising big questions about how these tools will impact higher education. Across Harvard, members of the community have been exploring how GenAI will change the ways we teach, learn, research, and work.

As part of this effort, the Office of the Provost has convened three working groups . They will discuss questions, share innovations, and evolve guidance and community resources. They are:

The Teaching and Learning Group , chaired by Bharat Anand , vice provost for advances in learning and the Henry R. Byers Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. This group seeks to share resources, identify emerging best practices, guide policies, and support the development of tools to address common challenges among faculty and students.
The Research and Scholarship Group , chaired by John Shaw , vice provost for research, Harry C. Dudley Professor of Structural and Economic Geology in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, and professor of environmental science and engineering in the Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science. It focuses on how to enable, and support the integrity of, scholarly activities with generative AI tools.
T he Administration and Operations Group , chaired by Klara Jelinkova , vice president and University chief information officer. It is charged with addressing information security, data privacy, procurement, and administration and organizational efficiencies.

Klara Jelinkova, Bharat Anand, and John Shaw.

Photos by Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer; Evgenia Eliseeva; and courtesy of John Shaw

The Gazette spoke with Anand, Shaw, and Jelinkova to understand more about the work of these groups and what’s next in generative AI at Harvard.

When generative AI tools first emerged, we saw universities respond in a variety of ways — from encouraging experimentation to prohibiting their use. What was Harvard’s overall approach?

Shaw: From the outset, Harvard has embraced the prospective benefits that GenAI offers to teaching, research, and administration across the University, while being mindful of the potential pitfalls. As a University, our mission is to help enable discovery and innovation, so we had a mandate to actively engage. We set some initial, broad policies that helped guide us, and have worked directly with groups across the institution to provide tools and resources to inspire exploration.

Jelinkova: The rapid emergence of these tools meant the University needed to react quickly, to provide both tools for innovation and experimentation and guidelines to ensure their responsible use. We rapidly built an AI Sandbox to enable faculty, students, and staff to experiment with multiple large language models in a secure environment. We also worked with external vendors to acquire enterprise licenses for a variety of tools to meet many different use cases. Through working groups, we were able to learn, aggregate and collate use cases for AI in teaching, learning, administration, and research. This coordinated, collective, and strategic approach has put Harvard ahead of many peers in higher education.

Anand: Teaching and learning are fundamentally decentralized activities. So our approach was to ask: First, how can we ensure that local experimentation by faculty and staff is enabled as much as possible; and second, how can we ensure that it’s consistent with University policies on IP, copyright, and security? We also wanted to ensure that novel emerging practices were shared across Schools, rather than remaining siloed.

What do these tools mean for faculty, in terms of the challenges they pose or the opportunities they offer? Is there anything you’re particularly excited about?

Anand: Let’s start with some salient challenges. How do we first sift through the hype that’s accompanied GenAI? How can we make it easy for faculty to use GenAI tools in their classrooms without overburdening them with yet another technology? How can one address real concerns about GenAI’s impact?

While we’re still early in this journey, many compelling opportunities — and more importantly, some systematic ways of thinking about them — are emerging. Various Harvard faculty have leaned into experimenting with LLMs in their classrooms. Our team has now interviewed over 30 colleagues across Harvard and curated short videos that capture their learnings. I encourage everyone to view these materials on the new GenAI site; they are remarkable in their depth and breadth of insight.

Here’s a sample: While LLMs are commonly used for Q&A, our faculty have creatively used them for a broader variety of tasks, such as simulating tutors that guide learning by asking questions, simulating instructional designers to provide active learning tips, and simulating student voices to predict how a class discussion might flow, thus aiding in lesson preparation. Others demonstrate how more sophisticated prompts or “prompt engineering” are often necessary to yield more sophisticated LLM responses, and how LLMs can extend well beyond text-based responses to visuals, simulations, coding, and games. And several faculty show how LLMs can help overcome subtle yet important learning frictions like skill gaps in coding, language literacy, or math.

Do these tools offer students an opportunity to support or expand upon their learning?

Anand: Yes. GenAI represents a unique area of innovation where students and faculty are working together. Many colleagues are incorporating student feedback into the GenAI portions of their curriculum or making their own GenAI tools available to students. Since GenAI is new, the pedagogical path is not yet well defined; students have an opportunity to make their voices heard, as co-creators, on what they think the future of their learning should look like.

Beyond this, we’re starting to see other learning benefits. Importantly, GenAI can reach beyond a lecture hall. Thoughtful prompt engineering can turn even publicly available GenAI tools into tutorbots that generate interactive practice problems, act as expert conversational aids for material review, or increase TA teams’ capacity. That means both that the classroom is expanding and that more of it is in students’ hands. There’s also evidence that these bots field more questions than teaching teams can normally address and can be more comfortable and accessible for some students.

Of course, we need to identify and counter harmful patterns. There is a risk, in this early and enthusiastic period, of sparking over-reliance on GenAI. Students must critically evaluate how and where they use it, given its possibility of inaccurate or inappropriate responses, and should heed the areas where their style of cognition outperforms AI. One other thing to watch out for is user divide: Some students will graduate with vastly better prompt engineering skills than others, an inequality that will only magnify in the workforce.

What are the main questions your group has been tackling?

Anand: Our group divided its work into three subgroups focused on policy, tools, and resources. We’ve helped guide initial policies to ensure safe and responsible use; begun curating resources for faculty in a One Harvard repository ; and are exploring which tools the University should invest in or develop to ensure that educators and researchers can continue to advance their work.

In the fall, we focused on supporting and guiding HUIT’s development of the AI Sandbox. The Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching’s annual conference , which focused exclusively on GenAI, had its highest participation in 10 years. Recently, we’ve been working with the research group to inform the development of tools that promise broad, generalizable use for faculty (e.g., tutorbots).

What has your group focused on in discussions so far about generative AI tools’ use in research?

Shaw: Our group has some incredible strength in researchers who are at the cutting edge of GenAI development and applications, but also includes voices that help us understand the real barriers to faculty and students starting to use these tools in their own research and scholarship. Working with the other teams, we have focused on supporting development and use of the GenAI sandbox, examining IP and security issues, and learning from different groups across campus how they are using these tools to innovate.

Are there key areas of focus for your group in the coming months?

Shaw: We are focused on establishing programs — such as the new GenAI Milton Fund track — to help support innovation in the application of these tools across the wide range of scholarship on our campus. We are also working with the College to develop new programs to help support students who wish to engage with faculty on GenAI-enabled projects. We aim to find ways to convene students and scholars to share their experiences and build a stronger community of practitioners across campus.

What types of administration and operations questions are your group is exploring, and what type of opportunities do you see in this space?

Jelinkova: By using the group to share learnings from across Schools and units, we can better provide technologies to meet the community’s needs while ensuring the most responsible and sustainable use of the University’s financial resources. The connections within this group also inform the guidelines that we provide; by learning how generative AI is being used in different contexts, we can develop best practices and stay alert to emerging risks. There are new tools becoming available almost every day, and many exciting experiments and pilots happening across Harvard, so it’s important to regularly review and update the guidance we provide to our community.

Can you talk a bit about what has come out of these discussions, or other exciting things to come?

Jelinkova: Because this technology is rapidly evolving, we are continually tracking the release of new tools and working with our vendors as well as open-source efforts to ensure we are best supporting the University’s needs. We’re developing more guidance and hosting information sessions on helping people to understand the AI landscape and how to choose the right tool for their task. Beyond tools, we’re also working to build connections across Harvard to support collaboration, including a recently launched AI community of practice . We are capturing valuable findings from emerging technology pilot programs in HUIT , the EVP area , and across Schools. And we are now thinking about how those findings can inform guiding principles and best practices to better support staff.

While the GenAI groups are investigating these questions, Harvard faculty and scholars are also on the forefront of research in this space. Can you talk a bit about some of the interesting research happening across the University in AI more broadly ?

Shaw: Harvard has made deep investments in the development and application of AI across our campus, in our Schools, initiatives, and institutes — such as the Kempner Institute and Harvard Data Science Initiative. In addition, there is a critical role for us to play in examining and guiding the ethics of AI applications — and our strengths in the Safra and Berkman Klein centers, as examples, can be leading voices in this area.

What would be your advice for members of our community who are interested in learning more about generative AI tools?

Anand: I’d encourage our community to view the resources available on the new Generative AI @ Harvard website , to better understand how GenAI tools might benefit you.

There’s also no substitute for experimentation with these tools to learn what works, what does not, and how to tailor them for maximal benefit for your particular needs. And of course, please know and respect University policies around copyright and security.

We’re in the early stages of this journey at Harvard, but it’s exciting.

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36% of IIT Bombay graduates fail to get placement, says report

Despite being a premier institution, iit bombay faces a setback as 36% of its latest batch fail to secure placements, signaling challenges in the job market and raising concerns about unemployment..

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Concerns mount as IIT Bombay left with 36% graduates without job offers

IIT Bombay faces 36% graduate unemployment months after IIM Lucknow and BITS Pilani seek alumni help for placements
India Employment Report reveals 29% graduates unemployed
Concerns mount over job market challenges for highly educated youth

It is no secret anymore that this is simply not the best time to be in the job market. In recent months, some of the top companies in the world have carried out mass lay-offs, and implemented hiring freezes and other cost-cutting features.

Even though it is that time of the year when IIT and IIM "100% placement" news grab eyeballs, the latest batch of students at IIT Bombay faces a significant setback. With 36% failing to secure placements, concerns about unemployment in India are on the rise.

Out of 712 students who registered for the 2024 placements out of the approximate 2000 total candidates, a staggering 36% are yet to find jobs.

HIGH SALARY PACKAGES A NO-NO?

An official from IIT Bombay's placement cell, speaking to Hindustan Times, attributed the difficulties in inviting companies to campus to the global economic meltdown, with many companies hesitant to accept pre-decided salary packages.

According to officials, this year marks the first time that students from the computer science and engineering branch, typically achieving a 100 percent placement rate, have failed to reach this target. This course remains the most sought-after at the institute.

While the institute aims to maintain high average salary packages, there are growing concerns that this focus may not be aligned with the needs and aspirations of all students, leading to complexities in the placement process.

In the initial phase of placements in December, it was announced that 85 candidates had received offers exceeding Rs 1 crore. However, this figure was later corrected, revealing that only 22 students had actually received such offers. The placement season is set to proceed till May 2024.

Despite efforts from the institute, many students are faced with dilemmas regarding job offers, with some opting for alternative paths to employment rather than accepting initial offers.

With a significant portion of companies seeking talent from the domestic market, the dynamics of the job market are evolving, posing new challenges for both students and recruiters alike.

In the wake of these developments, it becomes imperative for stakeholders to come together and devise strategies that address the evolving needs of students and the realities of the current job market situation.

IndiaToday.in has reached out to IIT Bombay for a reaction and is yet to receive a response.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Such news about students grappling with job placements at a top-notch institute in India comes as a shocker and many on X (previously Twitter) have started to talk about it.

"This is from IIT Bombay, supposedly one of the better colleges in India. If these people can't find jobs, it tells you just how massive & serious the problem is," said one user on X.

"Is anyone tracking the scale of the unemployment in India? Do we have competent policymakers to deal with this mess?" they added.

"Getting into IIT was supposed to be sure-shot way to jobs/success. Not anymore," a user stated.

"Even IIT's situation is like this. What can we expected from other Institutions," commented another.

HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG INDIAN GRADUATES

As per the India Employment Report 2024 released by the Institute for Human Development and International Labour Organisation (ILO) on March 26, finding a job at this time is very difficult, especially for the more educated youth in India.

As per the report from ILO, the unemployment rate among Indian youth with a graduate degree is 29.1%. On the other hand, the unemployment rate among illiterate individuals is 3.4%. Thus, the chances of one being unemployed in India increase 9 times when you get a graduation degree.

In 2022, 83% of the unemployed population in India comprised young Indians aged between 15 and 29. Indian youth are now more educated, but there are simply not enough jobs for the educated masses.

IIT BOMBAY NOT THE FIRST TOP INSTITUTE WITH PLACEMENT ISSUES

IIT Bombay is not the first premier institute in India to face placement issues in the current job environment.

First IIM Lucknow, now BITS Pilani asking alumni to help out with placements. This is the first time I am seeing such groveling after 2008. "help them tide through current crisis" "gentle request to please keep this in mind" "Thanking you very much in advance" pic.twitter.com/TI27X7THk6 — Ravi Handa (@ravihanda) February 22, 2024

"You are well aware of the current industry downturn and its effect on the businesses and prospective hiring. The global economy has not experienced this kind of slump since decades. The technology sector is radically impacted, with around 4 lakhs employees being laid off globally since January 2022,” the letter stated.

The closing placement statistics for BITS Pilani's Indian campuses in 2022-23 stood at a healthy 89.2%. But Kumar noted that the hiring slowdown had only deepened since then.

A month before, in January 2024, it was IIM Lucknow, one of the top b-schools in India, that was forced to walk the same path.

The institute has reached out to its alumni network to secure jobs for 72 students of the current batch in order to maintain its 100 percent placement legacy for its students.

IIM Lucknow is reaching out to alumni to help them with placements. It is “crucial to maintain the legacy of IIM Lucknow’s 100% placement record”. It isn’t about 5-10 people but 72 candidates at IIM-L do not have a job. Imagine the status at other B-schools. pic.twitter.com/uYaTCmY3h7 — Ravi Handa (@ravihanda) January 31, 2024

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Publications, professional pathways, online and hybrid graduate and certificate programs broaden the horizon for continued learning..

Illustration with photos of several Gonzaga University online program participants connected by a curving line.

Stories by Peter Dunau, Dale Goodwin (’86 M.A.T.), Lucy Klebeck (’23, ’24 M.A.) and Kate Vanskike (’22 M.A.)

Advancing in a chosen career. Starting a new profession. Looking for personal growth. These are a few reasons people start poking around on university websites for graduate or certificate options to consider. With online programs available across the nation, making choices can be hard. What kind of learning experience do I want? What do I hope to gain? How will this effort actually pay off?

Here, participants in several programs share their experiences and why Gonzaga was a great choice.

Thoughtful Pursuits in Educational Leadership: The Online Ed.D.

Russ Fiorella (’25 Ed.D.) and Catherine Olver (’25 Ed.D.) are both doctoral in candidates in Gonzaga's Doctor of Educational Leadership program. They come from different educational experiences: Fiorella was immersed in Jesuit schools and Olver attended public schools.

graphic pathway with photos of 2 individuals

With interests in Ignatian pedagogy, project based learning, instructional coaching and principal leadership, Fiorella has helped lead the design and facilitation of professional development workshops. Olver has 17 years experience teaching and working in mental health and runs special education programs in public schools, specializing in helping those with trauma and behavioral issues.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO EARN THE ED.D. AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE GONZAGA?

Fiorella: I recognized in myself a desire to pursue education leadership but had to do a lot of digging to figure out what that meant for me. During the preliminary interview with Gonzaga faculty, the word they used often was “transformation” – of mind, of heart, of self. I knew I could trust them to accompany me as I pursued my purpose and deepened my vocation as an educator and leader.

Olver: I was drawn to action research, which aims to find solutions to problems. I chose Gonzaga because of the small class sizes, the ability to keep my current teaching position, and how knowledgeable the faculty is on the issues of the current education system.

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN YOUR CAREER?

Fiorella: I think my future is less about what I want to do next and more about how I am called to be a leader in light of what I will have learned and where the greatest “apostolic debt” can be paid forward.

Olver: I hope to teach principals how to implement multiple frameworks at once so they can learn to prioritize their social-emotional learning without compromising other academic systems.

WHAT STANDS OUT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT GONZAGA?

Olver: I assumed that a private, Catholic university would expect that I would be religious or think very conservatively while being surrounded by mostly white people. I was pleasantly surprised by the diverse faiths, outlooks and inclusive atmosphere that Gonzaga provides. It made me feel like I could belong and effect change in my field, even if I did not fit the religious mold.

Fiorella: In my first six months, I have wrestled with questions at the intersection of research and the practice of leadership, such as “Do you want to be right or do you want to be effective?” or “Is this a technical problem or an adaptive challenge?” I am grateful to have peers in diverse roles across the education ecosystem with whom I can learn as I tackle these questions. Similarly, I have benefited from personalized support and coaching from my adviser and other instructors.

Maximizing Power: The Online M.E.

It was serendipity that Josh Lankford (’13, M.E.T.D.) entered the Master of Engineering in Transmission and Distribution when he did, hoping to find mentoring and practical knowledge as he tackled the complex problems in the power sector.

Illustration of pathways with photo of Josh Lankford (’13, M.E.T.D.)

Lankford is a vice president at Umatilla Electric Cooperative in rural Oregon, overseeing engineering, IT and operations. Since 2009 when he joined as a distribution engineer, UEC has become one of the top five fastest growing and top 10 largest cooperatives out of 900+ nationwide in terms of kilowatt sales.

He appreciates the broad knowledge gained through the online T&D program in Gonzaga’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, where every course was relatable to his job.

“The real-world projects gave me more of a commonsense approach and get-it-done attitude to the many different and exciting projects we have day to day,” he says. “The T&D program really helps build validity and that’s imperative in a lean utility like UEC.”

About T&D

Established in 2007, Gonzaga’s online engineering degree and certificate in Transmission and Distribution cover substation design, grid operations, system automation and renewable energy, all built around real-world scenarios for the electric power industry. “Our courses focus on what engineers working in power need to know,” says Assistant Director Jilliene McKinstry. “From designing grounding plans for substations to choosing transmission line poles and understanding how renewables affect the grid, the program has thrived because it has focused on what students and industry need today.”

Nurses Expand Their Horizons: The Online M.S.N.

Whether drawn back to school to learn a new specialty, conduct research or develop management skills, students in the Nursing Leadership in Healthcare M.S.N. program find an array of academic choices where distance delivery is not at the exclusion of hands-on learning.

pathway graphic with photos of 4 individuals

“The resources I’ve gained throughout my Gonzaga education have given me hope that I can be an effective agent of change,” Irby says. “I have been well-supported and ‘seen’ in a way that is sometimes hard to achieve through virtual learning.”

Bianca Hernandez (’24 M.S.N.) , 10 years into pediatric nursing, pursued the degree after her supervisor “took me under her wing as her clinical nurse coordinator where I found my passion for leadership.” She was introduced to financial management, staff delegation and performance evaluations.

“My goal is becoming a director and truly being an advocate for our patients and for our nurses,” Hernandez says. “Gonzaga has set me up for success, not only by providing the best education, but also creating an environment geared toward my career – positive, innovative and inspiring.”

“I wanted to develop my own personal leadership philosophy,” she says. The M.S.N. in Nursing Leadership in Healthcare enhanced her understanding of evidence-based practice, legal and regulatory issues and quality improvement strategies, which she has leveraged to help develop programs to improve patient care and support caregiver well-being.

Negus hopes to transition from active nursing into teaching at her local community college, and ultimately return to Gonzaga to teach and “allow myself the chance to give others the life-changing experience I was given by this University.”

Helping Those Most Vulnerable: The Hybrid Certificate in Foundational Leadership

In 2021, Pat Castaneda received a Certificate in Foundational Leadership (CFL) from Gonzaga. That same year she started Manzanita House, a nonprofit that attempts to meet the needs of immigrant and refugee populations.

After growing up in Venezuela and living in England, Castaneda settled in Spokane where she found her passion. She chose Gonzaga’s CFL because it covered topics, such as diversity and actualized leadership, that resonated strongly with her. The nine-month, non-credit certificate program has practical learning, mentorship and assessments to hone interpersonal communication skills, self-awareness and working with diverse identities.

As executive director of Manzanita House, Casteneda works with people from all types of religions, backgrounds and languages – skills she gained during her CFL work.

ADVICE TO OTHERS THINKING ABOUT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL?

“It’s never too late. Especially for immigrants who feel that at a certain age that you cannot pursue a change, but it is never too late.”

Expanding Leadership Out of the Military: The Hybrid Ph.D.

Among Gonzaga’s graduate leadership programs , there is a sector consistently represented among students: the military. Veteran Nick Brock (’25) shares his experience.

Retired in 2022 as Air Force chief master sergeant, Brock’s final assignment was managing approximately 1,500 enlisted airmen and equipment at 77 worldwide locations and a $30 million annual budget. He also “had the humble responsibility of educating and mentoring while modeling the way,” he says.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A LEADERSHIP DEGREE, AND WHY GONZAGA?

Initial inspiration came from a cadet who shared their academic story. I thought as an emerging leader, there must be more than formal military education to build my playbook, and knowing an eventual return to my home state of Washington was a goal, I researched GU and discovered the Organizational Leadership (ORGL) program . Curriculum descriptions and a picture of Mount Adams drew me in, while the hybrid-immersion structure catered to my situation. Online learning allowed for base-to-base transfers without disruption, while on-campus immersions connected me to the institution community. I was so enamored with ORGL and Dr. Kem Gambrell’s pitch at the graduation banquet that I elected to apply for the Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies . Once accepted, I took it as a sign of fate and have enjoyed every step along the way.

Although I enrolled in Gonzaga for academics, the community proved far more beneficial. The care and empathy felt at GU forever changed my outlook. I return each summer to mentor students and also participate in alumni adventures with a core group of amazing Zags who share similar passions.

Something for Everyone

Whether hoping to advance in your existing career or shift to something completely new, Gonzaga offers a wide variety of certificate programs (no prior degree required) and graduate offerings. Many offer the convenience of online coursework with the perks of occasional visits to campus.

Careers & Outcomes
School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
Doctor of Educational Leadership
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies
Master of Engineering in Transmission and Distribution Engineering
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Testimonies from Mindfulness & Leadership Students

Illustration of pathways with colored circles at points along the paths.

Leading by Following First

Joe Barsh Is Not Playing Around

Then & Now: The Evolution of Health Sciences

Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group

New student information, please take the time to read through all of this important new student information to get you started., new student set up.

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My.ucdavis.edu is a portal you can use to access your email, your schedule, your bill, and has links to all sorts of resources. Once you log in, you can edit the tiles on the main screen to have easy access to the things that are important to you. I would recommend using myAccounting , mySchedule , and myQuicklinks . In the Finances tab, you will also see a link to myAwards – please note that these are awards through the Financial Aid office, and completely separate from any funding through the department or college. Academic appointments and departmental fellowship for example are not reflected in myAwards.
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International Students

International Student Orientation Program
International students are required to attend the International Student Orientation Program. Please be sure to read all the information on the “Newly Admitted Students” website. For more information about requirements for international students, please contact SISS with the following: Website : http://siss.ucdavis.edu/ Email : [email protected] Phone : (530) 752-0864 You can find your advisor based on last name here .
English Language Courses for International Students
Many international students will need to take UWP 225 / UWP 226 during their first academic year . The policy regarding this requirement can be found here . For more information about the English Course Requirement, please visit this website. This course will NOT count toward your degree requirements, or units needed for the degree, but it will count towards the 12 units needed to be a full-time student in any given quarter. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to take this course in the fall, as it will help you be successful in the graduate program at UC Davis.

Domestic Non-Residents

Establishing California Residency for Tuition Purposes
If you are classified as a domestic non-resident, after one year, you can establish California Residency for Tuition Purposes, and not be charged the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition. While it takes a year to establish residency, it is important to begin the process early (in the first month of arriving in California, and definitely before December/ the end of your first quarter) with steps such as: • Getting a CA driver’s license or ID card • Registering to vote in California • Registering your vehicle in California (if you have one) Please take the time now to understand the steps required so you can start early. More information can be found here . Also, view our checklist on how to establish residency here. **Failure to take these steps EARLY can result in a denial of your in-state residence. Students denied residence will continue to be charged (and responsible for paying) the Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition.

Insurance and Health Services

*If this is an emergency, Dial: 911 – This website only provides information on non-emergency services

The Health Insurance Requirement

All registered graduate students are eligible for, and automatically enrolled in, the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP); it is included in the quarterly student fees. As long as you are registered and your fees are paid each quarter (whether that be individually or via an academic appointment such as a GSR or Teaching Assistant), you have student health coverage through SHIP. https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/insurance For more information on the Student Health Insurance Plan, visit: https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/insurance/ship-benefits-information . If you plan to continue to carry private insurance, you may submit the SHIP Waiver application online: http://shcs.ucdavis.edu/insurance/waiver/ .

UC SHIP Insurance Benefits

UC SHIP Benefits for this enrollment period can be found here: Insurance | Student Health and Counseling Services (ucdavis.edu) . UCOP information regarding SHIP is listed here: Home | UCSHIP (ucop.edu)

New Student Immunization Requirements

Be sure to submit your immunization records. More information can be found on the SHCS New Student website .

Counseling / Mental Health / Basic Needs Services

*For Emergencies, Dial: 911 – this FAQ only provides information on non-emergency services

UC Davis has counseling and mental health professionals on campus to help students. See the most up to date information here: Counseling Services | Student Health and Counseling Services (ucdavis.edu)

Additional services can be found here: Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center - Mental Wellness (ucdavis.edu)

Other Important Information

UC Davis Calendars and Important Dates
Take a moment to review the Registrar's Calendars and put important dates on your personal calendar. There are important deadlines on the 10th, 12th, 20th, and 25th days of instruction you should become familiar with. Fee Payment Deadline: the "student fee payment deadline" is relevant for our Undergraduate Students. As a Graduate Student, please pay attention to the " Graduate Student Final Fee Payment Deadline " each quarter, and make sure you have a zero balance on your account by this later graduate student deadline. For these dates, check out the Graduate Studies Calendar! Even if you are fully funded, it is your responsibility to make sure your fees are paid by the deadline.
Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)
All registered graduate students are eligible for, and automatically enrolled in, the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP); it is included in the quarterly student fees. As long as you are registered and your fees are paid each quarter (whether that be individually or via an academic appointment such as a GSR or Teaching Assistant), you have student health coverage through SHIP . For more information on the Student Health Insurance Plan, visit this link . If you plan to continue to carry private insurance, you may submit the 2023-24 SHIP Waiver application online . The deadline to submit the waiver online is September 1 (to be effective in Fall quarter).
Housing Information Web Sites
Here are a few housing resources/websites to help you get started. Most leases in Davis will be for the full academic year, so be sure to do your research before signing a lease. • Student Housing Office (Official UC Davis information) • Community Housing Listing , operated by Associated Students of UCD. This site is especially helpful if you are interested in renting a room in a larger house. • Graduate Studies Resource Page : Lots of links and helpful information here! • Graduate Studies student facebook page: This page is managed by Graduate Studies, and invites all incoming students to join. Students frequently post housing info, roommate opportunities, and upcoming vacancies • Graduate/Profession Housing Facebook Group: This page is managed by students, and can be tricky to join. See instructions here . • Davis Enterprise annual Housing Day insert (not affiliated with UC Davis): Features individual listings and contact information for local rental management companies • The California Aggie : The campus student-run newspaper often carries classifieds and ads for housing. • Craigslist.org (not affiliated with UC Davis). Some apartments, and room leases will be listed here. • Uloop.com (not affiliated with UC Davis). Like craigslist, has individual postings • Yelp.com (not affiliated with UC Davis). Includes reviews of apartments near Davis. • Note: Always be cautious of scams or misleading information when searching for housing online.
Campus Map and Transportation
The online Campus Map available via this link . TAPS is the UC Davis Transportation Services. Parking permits (yes – campus does ticket!), driving, and bicycling information can be found on their website . Graduate Studies also has some transportation information as well. The UC Davis Bus System is called Unitrans. It has routes throughout Davis, and cost $1.25 for a one ride fare. Discounted passes are available.
Get a Free Bike Helmet!
You are in graduate school and investing a lot of time, money, and energy into your brain. Protect it! Take a short training and sign a pledge with Helmet Hair Don't Care! and get a FREE helmet.

Still have questions? Please contact the Graduate Coordinator for the BMEGG, Christal Wintersmith, at [email protected] or make an appointment. If the direct link doesn’t work, you can visit: https://appointments.ucdavis.edu/default.aspx . Choose "Get Scheduled," then select “Biomedical Engineering” and "BME Grad Advising." Christal's other contact information is: Email: [email protected] Office phone: 530-752-2611 Office: 2306B GBSF (in office/remote days will vary) Walk-ins also available if door is open.

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VIDEO

5 Most Common Questions Asked During PhD Interviews
Things to not ask a PHD student 🥹😒😡 #phd #doom #lifestyle #ashortaday
No value of PHD? PHD but no NET
🥸PhD or not PhD: the tale of Eternal student James.#ai #entertainment #aiart #chatgpt #aigenerated
Is PhD mandatory for Assistant Professor job?
PhD & Masters Application Rejections, What Should I do Next?

COMMENTS

Five Frustrating PhD Questions To (Never) Ask A PhD
The PhD process involves in-depth assessment every step of the way. Papers, questions and answers; a PhD is not for the faint of heart. And that is all before you defend your doctoral dissertation. Support and encouragement and other help may be much appreciated but "just hand in what you have" is not.
Crucial Questions To Ask Graduate Students
First, speaking with current or past students can provide valuable insight into the program and its various offerings. This can allow you to ask questions about courses, faculty, resources, and more. Additionally, it will help you understand what type of workload or culture exists in the program and whether or not it fits your career ambitions.
Questions to ask current students in PhD programs
The questions I ask are: What is the atmosphere of the department? Are people (faculty, staff, etc) friendly and collaborative? What are the teaching assignments like? While teaching, are you still able to properly attend to your coursework? is there a strong support network for students' spouses? Monthly "potlucks"?
Questions to Ask a Prospective Ph.D. Advisor on Visit Day, With
The department had a chronic problem of over admitting PhD students. Usually a student is not admitted to a graduate program, if at least one professor is not willing to take that student. Here students were struggling to find supervisors. From the day one, we were advised to volunteer in research labs and not to ask for research assistantships.
3 questions you should never ask a PhD student
PhD's are extremely iterative. The subject is always in a state of flux, with even the most carefully prepared PhD will likely end up looking nothing like what was intended.
To ace your Ph.D. program interviews, prepare to answer—and ask—these
To ace your Ph.D. program interviews, prepare to answer—and ask—these key questions. You've made it to the last step of the Ph.D. application process: the interview. Congratulations! But amid the excitement and butterflies, don't neglect the crucial next step: preparation. Grad school interviews—in which aspiring graduate students meet ...
PDF The Definitive 'what do I ask/look for' in a PhD Advisor Guide
⠀Advisor's current PhD students⠀ ⠀Current PhD students in program⠀ ⠀Advisor's current PhD student (candid)⠀ ⠀Yourself⠀ Research Fit & Projects How directly applicable will your future technical skills be to the roles you want after graduating. [If set on industry] What 'research methods' does the lab use?
Questions to Ask During Your PhD Interview
The reason to ask the second question of how many students gained PhDs is to get an idea of the supervisor's track record of successful supervision. The lower the percentage of students that went onto complete their PhD under his or her supervision (and not leave the program early ), the more alarm bells that should be ringing for you.
PhD Interview Questions and Answers
Be honest about the things you find challenging, but identify them as training needs and discuss how you expect to improve upon them as part of your PhD. Do answer: I feel that I'm a good written communicator. My existing academic and professional work demonstrates an ability to put forward ideas clearly and concisely.
Three questions to ask yourself before quitting your PhD
Below are three questions that can help a candidate decide whether to quit or continue with their doctoral studies. 1. Are your problems solvable? Kate Kenfield. Shane Huntington. A disengaged ...
phd
I'm in mathematics, though I don't know if the answers to this will be field-dependent. There have been previous good questions that answer what to ask graduate students here and only somewhat relatedly here (about what to ask students of potential advisors). However, I don't know what good questions are to ask professors themselves.
Questions To Ask When Looking For A Lab
Picking the right lab is one of the most important aspects of graduate school. This important decision can either teardown or lift up one's graduate school experience. Based on one's personality, it is very important to pick a research advisor that can take time to understand you and work well with
Postgrad checklist: what to ask when picking a PhD
Responsible recruitment. To avoid any nasty surprises, make sure your university recruits its PhD candidates responsibly. You can do this by asking for their recruitment data, including ...
28 Questions I Wish I Had Asked When Selecting My PhD Advisor
List of questions: 1. Advisor-student relationship: Will the advisor-student relationship be more casual ("let's get a beer and chat about life") or just formal, and work-focused? 2. Are ...
20 questions to ask about potential PhD programmes
A PhD supervisor plays a major role in the success of a PhD student. Unfortunately, not all PhD supervisors are good ones. Without being overly pessimistic, it can be a good idea to ask what would hypothetically happen if there is a problem with a PhD supervisor in the programme.
Ten simple rules for choosing a PhD supervisor
A considerable portion of PhD students feel that their program does not meet original expectations . To avoid being part of this group, we stress the importance of aligning your expectations with the supervisor's expectations before joining a research group or PhD program. ... You could also ask to meet with other students in the department ...
120 Questions to Ask Grad Students
What are the biggest challenges of graduate school? The biggest challenges of graduate school often include: Intense workload: Managing the high volume of reading, complex research, and rigorous academic expectations. Financial strain: Covering tuition and living expenses, often on a limited budget or stipend.
What to Ask at Your PhD Interview
Whilst it's possible to generalise about the PhD supervision process, the actual routines are as varied as the people involved. Ask how often your supervisor typically 'meets with' their students (whether face-to-face or otherwise), how often they expect to read and feedback on work, etc. Again, this shows that you're serious and thinking about ...
Tips for Applying to Graduate School
2. Ask questions. The old-school idea that the admissions office is a scary room filled with judgment is a falsehood. Today, graduate school admissions counselors are here to help guide you through the application process process. They want to be there to support your educational journey. If you have any questions, ask. Don't worry that your ...
PDF Questions to consider asking during your graduate school visit
graduate students came up with based on what they wish they'd known to ask. Please view this list as a starting point for formulating your own questions. Be bold and explore! Questions to ask faculty (we also recommend you get their students' perspectives on these topics): 1. What kinds of skills do you expect your students to come in with?
The Best Questions to Ask During a PhD Interview
A PhD interview is not only a chance for the department to determine if you're a good fit for their program, it's also an opportunity for you to decide if their program is right for you. Coming to the interview prepared with some questions shows the selection committee you're serious about their program.
How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its
You have highlighted how PhD training assessment has stagnated, despite evolving educational methodologies (see Nature 613, 414 (2023) and Nature 627, 244; 2024). In particular, you note the ...
New programs ensure graduate students leave Mason with more than a
Historically, graduate students are academically prepared to do a job in their chosen field, but may lack the skills to GET a job, exacerbating the student debt issue and leaving many Americans to wonder about the value of higher education. ... "When graduate students ask what they can do with their degrees or where they will work, this ...
What questions should one ask to the former/current students of a
Link to the urch.com forum discussing exactly these kinds of issues: Questions to ask current graduate students. The problems people have differ greatly by field, e.g. the funding issue depends on whether students are supported by grants of their advisors (sciences and engineering) or by the university. Also whether the courses in the field are ...
Losing Advice: The Need for Students to Have a Connection with Their
However, students are not required to go see their advisors, and so many of them don't. A New Mandate. To help foster connection between advisor and student, I recommend a mandate that will require students in the LA 83 class to schedule an appointment and visit their advisor at least once, within the semester they take LA 83.
Exploring potential benefits, pitfalls of generative AI
That means both that the classroom is expanding and that more of it is in students' hands. There's also evidence that these bots field more questions than teaching teams can normally address and can be more comfortable and accessible for some students. Of course, we need to identify and counter harmful patterns.
36% of IIT Bombay graduates fail to get placement, says report
IIT Bombay faces 36% graduate unemployment months after IIM Lucknow and BITS Pilani seek alumni help for placements; ... Even though it is that time of the year when IIT and IIM "100% placement" news grab eyeballs, the latest batch of students at IIT Bombay faces a significant setback. With 36% failing to secure placements, concerns about ...
Professional Pathways
Among Gonzaga's graduate leadership programs, there is a sector consistently represented among students: the military. Veteran Nick Brock ('25) shares his experience. Retired in 2022 as Air Force chief master sergeant, Brock's final assignment was managing approximately 1,500 enlisted airmen and equipment at 77 worldwide locations and a ...
New Student Information
Please take the time to read through all of this important new student information to get you started. New Student Set Up Submitting your SIR (Statement of Intent to Register) We ask you SIR as soon as possible (whether you are attending UC Davis or not) so that we can plan accordingly, and you can complete all the steps to start here in the Fall. Please submit your SIR by April 15.
Tuition & Fees for Graduate Students
Tuition and Fees for Full-Time Students . While enrolling in 9 credits is considered full-time for academic purposes, graduate students enrolled in less than 12 credits are charged for tuition on a per credit basis. These charts show the cost of one semester or one academic year at UAlbany at the 12 credit rate. See per-credit rates.