Graduated with a Biochemistry degree in '12... been stuck since

[ClimbingGrad12]

Hello all,

 

I graduated from a public university in New Jersey last May ('12). I had one job but since that job ended, I haven't been able to do find anything else to do and have been stuck living at home since. I've very seriously contemplated graduated school but have absolutely nobody to advise me throughout this process. I did research as an undergraduate for 4 years however, didn't publish but I did write a senior honors thesis and graduated with High Honors from my field of study. I also graduated with a 3.67 cumulative GPA. I took the MCAT, got a 29. Unfortunately for this past application cycle (for Fall '13 matriculation), I was waitlisted only at one school. Everywhere else i was rejected.

 

I am reapplying, however I'm concerned about what I will do with my life if I don't get in. I've been seeking further laboratory work since my job ended (it was Epic Training work at a hospital), however with this market I don't know if anything will come from this. As such, I'm very seriously contemplating graduate school. I don't know anything about it however and have no clue what the process is or what to do and am thus coming here for any and all possible assistance. If somebody is willing to help me through this process, I would highly appreciate it. How do I get started, what do I do? How do I select schools? Essentially how do I even begin this process? I haven't taken the GREs. I will probably need to prepare for them, how do I prepare. Et al. Thank you all.

[aberrant]

To get you started, how about asking yourself "why do I want to go to graduate school?" along with "what kind of program / degree do I want to get from graduate school?", and see what you can come up with?

 

by the way, what exactly "(your) field of study" is? If it is just biochemistry, are there any disciplines / topics / subjects in biochemistry that you find them interesting?

Edited June 6, 2013 by aberrant

[ClimbingGrad12]

Yes actually I have a strong interest in Cell and Developmental Biology in addition to Clinical Research. Why do I want to do this? I love research and miss the bench. I want to design my own problems and solutions, something I don't think I'll have the opportunity to do with just a bachelors. I want a PhD and maybe, if I have the chance, to get an academic position at a Univeristy...

[aberrant]

When you said "academic position", do you mean being a professor? Given that being a professor nowadays is almost a second option, would it still worth your time to pursue a PhD for something other than being a professor? Is a PhD necessary to get a position other than being a professor? Would you settle for being a research scientist in the industry, given that you may or may not be able to "design (your) own problems and solutions"?

 

Being a graduate student not only get to do research, but also have to learn various things, from writing manuscripts to writing a grant proposal. Do you foresee yourself doing that occasionally in the next 5, 6 years? What about in a long run as a professor, when you have to write regularly and less lab work?

 

Finally, do you think that you'll be able to "survive" the next 5 or 6 years, starting from taking classes (and possibly teaching) for the first 1 or 2 years, reading papers routinely and give presentations throughout your PhD, study for prelims / qual exams at the end of your 2nd / 3rd year, and still being productive in research? Some people may find the idea of multitasking dreadful, and I think that if someone cannot "enjoy" these things, they will have a difficult time to do well in grad school.

[ClimbingGrad12]

Yes to everything. I've already thought probably 95% of this through. The only difficult part is getting started in actually applying. That's where I'm stuck.

[aberrant]

If I were you, I would

 

1. start volunteering in CDB. keep your research experience grow. i doubt that it is a good thing to have an academic / research gap for a long time.

2. start looking for LORs immediately. Informed them about programs that you are planning to apply, etc. Keep them in touch with a monthly / bimonthly updates, until the application cycle begins (which should be sometime around late August - early October, depends on the programs).

3a. start to look for schools and programs that you want to apply. Look at those CDB programs and see if any PI's research matches your interest. Put them on a list, and build a list of schools and PIs that you specifically want to work for. You can filter schools out based on many things -- location, weather, environment, etc.

3b. consider applying predoctoral fellowships if possible/necessary/you wish.

4. after building up a list, you can cut the list down by various methods:

- send/give the list of schools that you are interested in to your LORs, and ask them for opinion -- whether if it is a good program, a long shot, a program with little funding, a program has little reputation in CDB that may bothers you. (remember, ask them if they are willing to write LORs to all/some of these programs on your list)

- eliminate school(s) based on the number of POIs per school. Not a very wise idea if you are planning to apply to a school that just has 1 POI -- we never know if this POI has funding / space / good to work with. If things don't work out between you and your POI during your first year, then you may be stuck in an unhappy situation.

- contact POI with your credentials and questions. express your interest, and see if they are taking any students next year (or the year after, depends on individual program's curriculum).

5. start writing a draft of your SOP / PS, ideally it is transferable to other schools, if not, then, that is what it is since different schools ask different questions. General questions usually including "why do you choose our program", "why do you want to get a PhD", "what makes you a good potential PhD student / researcher", etc.

6. schedule your GRE exam(s). General GRE = requirement, subject GRE = depends on programs. Most programs "strongly advise" you to take subject GRE, but it is not mandatory.

7. schedule your TOEFL exam if you are an international applicant.

8. study for your GRE (if necessary). Start passing your SOP/PS to people you trust, get feedback, and keep fine tuning it.

9. Write/build your CV and resume.

10. keep e-mailing / in contact with your POI, maybe research the programs more, etc.

11a. keep doing your current work. prepare yourself for GRE (prep test), etc.

11b. talk to other people that can help with your grad school application / application process, whether it be professors, grad students, just basically people have experience in it to build your knowledge.

12. make a plan B just in case things don't work out

Edited June 7, 2013 by aberrant

[biochemistry professor]

You should talk to your former research advisor about graduate school options. She/he can point you to programs to look more closely at.

 

Also, not all programs require GREs.