How different is grad school from undergrad?

[ResilientDreams]

Hi, sorry if this is the wrong forum! I totally understand if it has to get moved because it belongs somewhere else.

I'm a senior in undergrad and I'm applying to PhD programs in Developmental Psychology and I was just wondering...how much different is grad school than undergrad truly? I'm already used to working through my weekends and I'm writing an honors thesis while balancing a class load and actually acting as a TA for a lower level class at the same time...while not at the same level as grad school obviously, is it at least similar? I've never pulled all nighters in college, I always start my work really early, and I feel like I have a pretty decent work/life balance regardless of how busy I am (and the working on the weekends part). Is this a good sign for me in grad school or is the fact that I already work and study a lot mean that in grad school I'm going to have to work and study even more to achieve the same results I've had in undergrad?

Thanks for the advice!

[PsyDuck90]

From my experience, a doctoral program has been very different from both my BA and MA experiences.

You don't really spend a lot of time studying per say, as there aren't too many formal exams. There is an exceptional amount of reading (1 class may assign about 100 pages of reading for a week, multiplied by however many classes), and most classes have papers/presentations rather than formal exams. Classes are structured more as strict discussion rather than lecture, as the faculty assume you learned the basics going in. 

Also, there is clearly a lot more emphasis on research. You can expect to spend a lot of time also working on research (either projects that are already ongoing in the lab or starting on something you come up with). 

Again, this is all based on my experience as a 1st year. Other people may absolutely vary. 

[Hope.for.the.best]

5 hours ago, ResilientDreams said:

I'm already used to working through my weekends and I'm writing an honors thesis while balancing a class load and actually acting as a TA for a lower level class at the same time...while not at the same level as grad school obviously, is it at least similar? I've never pulled all nighters in college, I always start my work really early, and I feel like I have a pretty decent work/life balance regardless of how busy I am (and the working on the weekends part). Is this a good sign for me in grad school or is the fact that I already work and study a lot mean that in grad school I'm going to have to work and study even more to achieve the same results I've had in undergrad?

The short answer is very different. In undergrad, you were told what you needed to know for a topic. More often than not, the topic is well known and established, e.g. t tests and ANOVA. In grad school, however, you are expected to figure out something that has never been looked into. That means a lot of reading to understand the background and gaps in literature, a lot of thinking to formulate and investigate some hypotheses and aims, and a lot of writing and presentations to put your findings together. Your advisors will guide you, but don't expect them to tell you everything like undergrad. They will expect you to have the initiatives to look things up. 

What you are experiencing is kind of like grad school, but be warned that grad school is more intensive. Having said that, your habits of starting work early (instead of last min) and striving a good work life balance are helpful for grad school. It is very important to pace yourself in grad school like running a marathon. You don't want to work too hard to burn yourself out, but not too laid back so you can keep yourself on track. Having gone through the PhD journey myself, I would say setting accomplishable goals every week has been very helpful. 

[gillis_55]

With the caveat that I am currently applying for PhDs, so this advice isn't from me - 3 close friends of mine have completed PhDs and I've had lengthy discussions with them about it so I can apply with eyes wide open. One thing they both said that stuck out to me was, as a PhD student you are most often working alone. While you may receive general guidance (or not, depending on your advisor), it's up to you to drive your research and meet your self-set deadlines. In undergrad and at the master's level, there is so much more support from advisors to keep you on track and there's also coursework to keep you connected with your classmates. Both friends felt quite isolated by the end of their PhDs and were happy to be done. They did not regret doing it, but definitely struggled in the last couple of years. 

Another thing they mentioned was perfectionism and getting over not being the "best" - there will always be more work to be done than humanly possible, and there will always be superstars who are smarter, harder working etc. than you. It's important to keep an identity outside of academia and remember that your inherent worth is not tied to your publication count. Finally, be very judicious with volunteering your time on extra projects, committees, journals, etc - it's very easy to end up in a place where you have way too much on your plate. 

It sounds like you already have great habits about starting work in advance and pacing yourself, so those skills will serve you well in grad school. I think the trick for me will be keeping a healthy balance with other parts of my life, and not getting sucked into the trap of never feeling good enough. 

[CHAO_O]

On 10/9/2018 at 2:53 AM, Hope.for.the.best said:

The short answer is very different. In undergrad, you were told what you needed to know for a topic. More often than not, the topic is well known and established, e.g. t tests and ANOVA. In grad school, however, you are expected to figure out something that has never been looked into. That means a lot of reading to understand the background and gaps in literature, a lot of thinking to formulate and investigate some hypotheses and aims, and a lot of writing and presentations to put your findings together. Your advisors will guide you, but don't expect them to tell you everything like undergrad. They will expect you to have the initiatives to look things up. 

What you are experiencing is kind of like grad school, but be warned that grad school is more intensive. Having said that, your habits of starting work early (instead of last min) and striving a good work life balance are helpful for grad school. It is very important to pace yourself in grad school like running a marathon. You don't want to work too hard to burn yourself out, but not too laid back so you can keep yourself on track. Having gone through the PhD journey myself, I would say setting accomplishable goals every week has been very helpful. 

I like it! Marathon indeed! A marathon with a vague aim which gets clearer and clearer while running, if not, lol R.I.P.