Pre-Grad School Prep?

[yasking]

Greetings fellow forum goers. 

I've recently been accepted to my first choice grad school (which I'm stoked about), but I'm expecting the program to be fairly intense (especially the quantitative methods training aspects). That said, I've been thinking about contacting some of my future professors to ask if they have any suggestions for readings/materials I can review prior to beginning the program that might be helpful in preparing me for the first and second semesters.

I ran this idea by a friend of mine, and they tried to tell me it's frowned upon to ask professors for class-related materials prior to the start of a course. That said, can anyone tell me if this is in fact true? Should I refrain from contacting professors to inquire about materials that may assist me in preparing for a course before the course actually starts?

 

[pcato1]

On 2/18/2017 at 0:57 PM, CCS843 said:

Greetings fellow forum goers. 

I've recently been accepted to my first choice grad school (which I'm stoked about), but I'm expecting the program to be fairly intense (especially the quantitative methods training aspects). That said, I've been thinking about contacting some of my future professors to ask if they have any suggestions for readings/materials I can review prior to beginning the program that might be helpful in preparing me for the first and second semesters.

I ran this idea by a friend of mine, and they tried to tell me it's frowned upon to ask professors for class-related materials prior to the start of a course. That said, can anyone tell me if this is in fact true? Should I refrain from contacting professors to inquire about materials that may assist me in preparing for a course before the course actually starts?

 

That nervousness is common (I still feel it and I'm on my way towards finishing my second year haha). I urge you not to feel uncomfortable with your professors, and asking them to engage with you towards the end of this year in the form of book/material recommendations is a good way to practice overcoming that discomfort. While I don't know about asking for material for specific classes (that can send the message that you're just trying to make it through their course), asking about preparatory materials or reading suggestions for a topic or subject sends the message that you hope to master various areas in your discipline and shows diligence.

If a prof. is impatient, unresponsive, brusk, etc. to a question posed sincerely and in a forthright manner, then now you have a better picture of who they are before you even step into the department. Figuring out personalities is one of the biggest challenges I faced in my first year – again, because I was so afraid and uncomfortable that I kept from engaging and instead relied on accounts from others or remote observations. This sounds like a good way to get a firsthand perspective early on.

That being said, remember that email doesn't always convey a person's personality perfectly (especially older people's haha); so if you receive a rude or unpleasant response, remember not to take it personally, while still keeping in mind this early preview of figures who will one day be your colleagues.

[Sigaba]

16 hours ago, pcato1 said:

[A]sking about preparatory materials or reading suggestions for a topic or subject sends the message that you hope to master various areas in your discipline and shows diligence.

MOO, a demonstration of diligence would include an incoming graduate students plan of action and a reading list organized around areas of interest with a request for feedback.

"To hit the ground running towards my goal of X,, I plan to do A, B, and C. Here's a list of works that I intend to read. If you're so inclined, please let me know what you think."

vs

"What should I do to get ready for my first year?"

[qkhitai]

My supervisor-to-be told me what to read in preparation without my even asking, so it certainly isn't universally frowned upon.

[Bibica]

Agree with everything that's been said above, but I also want to add that there's no problem with saying you're weak in X area (like quant.) and want to improve upon it. You might even learn about extra resources on campus to help you address those weaknesses.

For example, I have a very limited methods background (at least, compared to some of my friends who transferred from math/physics to political science). I mentioned this concern to a potential adviser, stressing that, while it isn't my best subject right now, I am really interested in and excited about the methods training at the university. He explained to me what we are expected to know going into the program and gave me suggestions for what to read/practice before then.

Your program might also have a stats/methods boot-camp situation for people coming in with no background in quantitative methods. You wouldn't want to miss out on something like that.

 

Lastly, though, I would say it is important to dedicate time this summer to mindless fun, since you'll be busy over the next several years (not to say you won't have fun, but you probably won't have weeks without work). I think this is especially important if you're coming out of undergrad, and likely moving away from your friends/support network.