Let's do this!
Welcome to the first installment of the “Let’s Talk Grad School” newsletter! Over the course of the summer, we will focus on planning for the upcoming social science PhD application process and getting settled as a new PhD student.
Topics to be covered include:
Creating an application timeline
Identifying programs and professors
Preparing application materials and securing fee waivers
Getting settled in a new program
Finding a rhythm with your advisor
A bit about me: I’m a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. My doctoral training is in developmental psychology, which I completed at the University of Michigan (my advisor was Dr. Susan Gelman!). Because I grew up and was exclusively educated in the United States, I am most knowledgable about applying to PhD programs in North America (and psychology/behavioral science programs more specifically). Although I will do my best to learn about processes outside North America, please keep my expertise in mind as your consider my advice.
A bit about my advice: As you navigate the PhD application process and the PhD itself, you will receive a lot of conflicting advice! So, it is entirely possible that I will suggest one thing and someone else will suggest another. Know that there is usually more than one way to go about doing something and what works for some people may not work for others. You will have to decide what will work best for you (and be prepared to try out a few things until you find what is going to work best for you). This disclaimer is a bit vague right now, so I will aim to point out concrete examples of where you might receive conflicting advice as they come up.
A bit about this newsletter: Because this way of connecting with others is new to me, I’m not yet sure whether posts will happen every week or every other week. So, please bear with me as I figure this out. Also, how I go about disseminating information may change in response to feedback, which I always welcome!
A bit about us: In an earlier post, I welcomed those subscribing to the newsletter to share a bit more about themselves, including what they would like to learn about graduate school. 75 of you responded! Here is an overview of who has subscribed as well as preferred newsletter frequency. You will notice that most subscribers are prospective PhD students, which includes undergraduate, post-bacc, and masters students as well as post-bacc lab managers. This makes sense given that I specifically mentioned focusing on the application process this summer!
As for preferred newsletter frequency, no clear winner emerged. For that reason, I will begin the summer by sending weekly newsletters and adjust if necessary. Again, your feedback is always welcome!
Some resources to get us going: If you have not already, I highly recommend securing a copy of “A Field Guide to Grad School” by Dr. Jessica Calarco. This is a fantastic book that every prospective and current (social science) PhD student should have. If currently a student, try requesting a copy through your institution’s library. If no copy is available, consider requesting that your institution purchase one (or ask a trusted faculty member to make this request for you). I was able to submit a request through my institution’s library, which they fulfilled.
If you are in a position to purchase your own copy, you can do so via your favorite bookstore! For me, this would be The Seminary Co-op in Hyde Park! You can also find it at retailers like Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
In addition to this wonderful book, consider reviewing this list of resources I have been aggregating throughout the past year. Although this list contains resources relevant for current PhD students, it is primarily geared toward prospective PhD students. You will also note that one of the tabs includes a template for tracking programs and advisors (PIs). I will discuss these tabs in an upcoming post. For now, just try to get a sense of the range of resources out there (articles, books, blogs, podcasts, etc.). See what information you can digest easily and where you need some more support.
Some homework: This week, take time to think about why you want to pursue (or are pursuing) a PhD. I wish someone had asked me to explicitly do this when I was applying. What skills do you want to learn/develop? What problems do you want to study or even solve? How will a PhD help you professionally? On that point, what are your professional goals? What opportunities do you want available to you upon completing the PhD? You may not be able to answer all of these questions, but do keep them in the back of your mind.
How to reach me: You are always welcome to email me at letstalkgradschool@gmail.com or find me on Twitter @tweetsbymidge.
Until next time!
Margaret