10 Survival Tips for Graduate Students Clarence Spigner, Associate Professor, Department of Health Services, School of Public Health University of Washington, April 3, 2009

Graduate Students Admissions Criteria Statement of Purpose Letters of Recommendation Prior Experience The Interview GPA GRE Faculty/Student Match-up (mentor) Demographics

Statement of Purpose

Letters of Recommendation

Prior Experience

The Interview

GPA

GRE

Faculty/Student Match-up (mentor)

Demographics

1. Focus on Learning and not so much on Grades . (I) Do not whine about the letter grade. (II) Too much emphasis on a letter grade can convey a (false?) impression of being less interested in what is being taught. (III) Give informed opinions during discussion and in written assignments. (IV) Don’t take verbal or written criticism as a sign of the instructor’s dissatisfaction with you . See them as indicators of interests in what you had to say. (V) Take full advantage of office hours.

(I) Do not whine about the letter grade.

(II) Too much emphasis on a letter grade can convey a (false?) impression of being less interested in what is being taught.

(III) Give informed opinions during discussion and in written assignments.

(IV) Don’t take verbal or written criticism as a sign of the instructor’s dissatisfaction with you . See them as indicators of interests in what you had to say.

(V) Take full advantage of office hours.

2. Follow the Course Requirements (I) Believe it or not, required courses were carefully thought-out as essential for mastering the discipline. (II) A 2-year Master’s or 3 - 5-year doctoral program is very short. Take requirements as recommended so that adequate is left to research and write-up the thesis or dissertation. (III) Some required courses can be fulfilled in other departments, but it’s always a good idea to do them “in- house.”

(I) Believe it or not, required courses were carefully thought-out as essential for mastering the discipline.

(II) A 2-year Master’s or 3 - 5-year doctoral program is very short. Take requirements as recommended so that adequate is left to research and write-up the thesis or dissertation.

(III) Some required courses can be fulfilled in other departments, but it’s always a good idea to do them “in-

house.”

3. Don’t Change Career Paths Just Because a Course is Difficult (I) In every discipline there is always one or two courses that seem to have been created solely to deter you from your chosen career. (II) Difficult courses which are essential should NOT be avoided since their absence on your transcript will come back to haunt you.

(I) In every discipline there is always one or two courses that seem to have been created solely to deter you from your chosen career.

(II) Difficult courses which are essential should NOT be avoided since their absence on your transcript will come back to haunt you.

4. Read and Study All Assigned Material . . . and Then Some (I) Always come prepared even if the assignment isn’t 100% clear. Seeking clarification is the purpose of going to class in the first place. (II) Students are not expected to know the material, they expected to know about the material. (III) Establish a daily habit of exposure to news: read newspapers, journals, National Public Radio…to stay informed.

(I) Always come prepared even if the assignment isn’t 100% clear. Seeking clarification is the purpose of going to class in the first place.

(II) Students are not expected to know the material, they expected to know about the material.

(III) Establish a daily habit of exposure to news: read newspapers, journals, National Public Radio…to stay informed.

5. Increasing Your Writing & Verbal Skills are as Important as Developing Research Abilities (I) Valuable points are lost when you don’t clearly articulate. Write it down first and verbally express it well. (II) Revise, revise, and revise. Written work should never be vague, sloppy, illogical, or too rhetorical or reactionary.

(I) Valuable points are lost when you don’t clearly articulate. Write it down first and verbally express it well.

(II) Revise, revise, and revise. Written work should never be vague, sloppy, illogical, or too rhetorical or reactionary.

6. Get to Know the Staff (I) Look to each other for support and to the instructors to do their job. (II) Program staff can provide information essential for academic survival even when it is not in their job description. All that is required of you is common courtesy toward them.

(I) Look to each other for support and to the instructors to do their job.

(II) Program staff can provide information essential for academic survival even when it is not in their job description. All that is required of you is common courtesy toward them.

7. Reach-out Beyond Your Department (I) There is a world external to the campus. Go experience it every chance you get!

(I) There is a world external to the campus. Go experience it every chance you get!

8. Don’t Lead the Revolution . . . Not Yet (I) Students of color especially might feel more of an obligation to fight for social justice on the campus and off. Good! But remember, get your degree. You’ll be in a much better position to help change the world with it than without it. (II) It is possible to mix social change ideals with course work, especially with practicum requirements. (III) It is always good to remember what you wrote in your Statement of Purpose.

(I) Students of color especially might feel more of an obligation to fight for social justice on the campus and off. Good! But remember, get your degree. You’ll be in a much better position to help change the world with it than without it.

(II) It is possible to mix social change ideals with course work, especially with practicum requirements.

(III) It is always good to remember what you wrote in your Statement of Purpose.

9. Maintain Physical & Emotional Health (I) Most faculty might not do it, but always try to practice what you (or we) preach. (II) The university and the community have a wealth of facilities and activities to help take your mind off books… when it’s called for.

(I) Most faculty might not do it, but always try to practice what you (or we) preach.

(II) The university and the community have a wealth of facilities and activities to help take your mind off books… when it’s called for.

10. Look Out for Each Other (I) Try to say hello to other students –remember, no matter how savvy they might appear, they are in the same boat as you. (II) Support others. When they don’t come class or look disheartened, let them know that you are there for them. (III) When class assignments require study-groups, don’t allow any single student to feel isolated. (IV) Form study groups.

(I) Try to say hello to other students –remember, no matter how savvy they might appear, they are in the same boat as you.

(II) Support others. When they don’t come class or look disheartened, let them know that you are there for them.

(III) When class assignments require study-groups, don’t allow any single student to feel isolated.

(IV) Form study groups.