3pg essay

/ 2

______________________________________________________________

Write A brief essay (of no more than 3 pages) reflect on the advice offered in article. Discuss the expert tips that seem most applicable to your individual situation and expectations. What challenges or hurdles do you foresee ahead of you, as revealed by the advice you have been given? Based on what you have read, what do you believe is the most important ingredient for success in graduate school?

Cite any information in your essay that is not your own words or thoughts, using either footnotes or endnotes, to avoid being charged with academic dishonesty or plagiarism.

10 Tips for Surviving Grad School

www.oregonstate.edu/career

1. Take advantage of professors and other contacts around you.

Chances are you will not find yourself in another research position

like this one where you have access to some of the best and the brightest in

your field. You may need those contacts for your first job after you graduate

, too, so best to cultivate relationships early on and not just when you’re ready to ask for recommendations

2. Revise your approach. Starting graduate school with the attitude that it will be a breeze just because you were a stellar undergraduate probably isn’t the best idea. Pursuing an advanced degree won’t be the same as pursuing your bachelor’s, nor should it be. Go into the experience with high expectations for yourself, and the attitude that you’ll need to devote more time to your academic

life to be successful.

3. Get organized. Much of what you do on the graduate level will be useful down the line, whether that means an assignment will become a part of a portfolio or the research you do will find an eventual place on your resume. Come up with a system where you can compile anything you may return to after graduation, separate from any thesis materials you already know you’ll need.

4. Take initiative. There isn’t much hand-holding in graduate school, and you’ll largely be expected to figure things out on your own. The time to become more independent is now. If you do have questions about your financial aid, a big assignment, or anything else, it’s up to you to find the answer. Your professors will definitely appreciate you coming to them sooner rather than later.

5. Expect to be busy. If you struggled with time management an undergraduate, you’ll need to think about breaking that bad habit as soon as you start your new life as a graduate student. The assignments you’re given will be more involved, the exams you take will take ore preparation, and you’ll be spending more of your

time on academic work, whether that’s on research, a thesis paper, or keeping on top of your studying

6. Prioritize.There will be a lot thrown at you from the minute you start graduate school, and it’s up to you to figure out what’s most important to do now, and what can wait until later. Do not procrastinate: Big projects may need to be tackled piece by piece, and you’ll be responsible for not letting all of your other work and

Responsibilities slide in the meantime.

7. Study now. It’s much harder to procrastinate on graduate level work than it may have been when you were an undergraduate so stay on top of your studies. The best way to avoid burnout (and all-nighters) is to manage your time. Keep a calendar, to-do list, or whatever will help keep you on track, because we guarantee the coursework and assignments expected of you will be more intense than those you may have been used to as an undergraduate.

8. Become an expert.

Take advantage of research opportunities. When else will you have access to the caliber of academic professionals and materials that you’ll have in graduate school? Getting more involved in research in your field may also help you cover your tuition and fees, as numerous fellowships, grants, and assistantships

are based on your experience and willingness to conduct research.

9. Budget wisely.

It may be difficult to save money while in graduate school, but it should be your goal to live frugally. You probably have student loan debt waiting for you from your bachelor’s, so you shouldn’t rely on loans to cover all of your college expenses. Find some part-time work that plays to your strengths or looks

good on a resume, like working as a research assistant, and stick to a budget. You’ll thank us later.

10.

Branch out.

Even the most studious among you need to leave the library sometimes and get acquainted

with the rest of your graduate school class. Make sure to take advantage of what your school has to offer from

time to time, whether that’s a lecture series, a student group affiliated with an issue you support, or free pizza

in the student lounge. Even graduate students need a break sometimes.

Resource

: Scholarships.com

ARTICLE TWO

Feb 9, 2017 // At Temple University

5 Tips For Surviving Your First Year Of Graduate School

The first year of grad school can be rough. Check out these tips to make your first year a little more bearable.

5. Treat Graduate School Like a 9-5 Job

Too many students graduate high school and college with extremely poor time management skills. If any of these often used phrases and sentences apply to you, keep reading the rest of this tip:

"I was up until 4 a.m. last night finishing this paper."

"I'm really good at cramming."

"I haven't studied at all for this test... I'm screwed."

"I write my best when I only have an hour to get it done."

Graduate school is neither a test of how intelligent you are, nor a test of the reading and writing skills you have acquired up to this point. Graduate schools know you have the capacity to read and write at a college level. That's why you're there in the first place. Rather, it is a test of endurance, smart time management, and effort.

This also means do not let an opportunity go to waste. Everything you write in graduates school -- particularly if it is a final paper -- should have some meaning beyond just busy work. Whether you are preparing for a conference, engaging in original research, or honing methodological skills, make every word count towards a greater goal.

That being said, many of you will quickly find out that graduate school offers you the opportunity to learn new skills beyond the intuitively important ones -- such as reading and writing. These often include statistical software packages, textual analysis packages, and many other software applications that involve some level of coding. Don't be afraid to branch out and learn something new!

4. Refine Your Study Habits

Many gifted students are able to glide through high school and college without having to study all that much. Others dedicate a lot of time and effort towards studying for midterms and finals. If you feel you fall in the former category, you need to develop those study habits quickly. That means developing a penchant for reading quickly and for comprehension of big picture themes rather than reading for minute details. This may be challenging for the first few months as redeveloping this skill can be challenging when you're tasked with reading several hundred pages a week. Nevertheless, it is important to take it slow at first. Develop a note-taking system where you ask yourself the following questions:

What is the theme?

What is the research question?

What is the hypothesis?

What is the theory?

What does the literature say?

3. Mental Health Is Important

Being in a graduate program offers a whole new set of challenges, not least of which revolves around your mental health. Many students feel overwhelmed with work while a flimsy job market and the crushing weight of rapidly approaching deadlines can deflate even the most enthusiastic researcher. Couple this with the inability of many outside academia to relate and it is no wonder why so many students burn out.

Some argue that graduate programs should take it upon themselves to provide more comprehensive mental health resources and better training for faculty and staff. I agree. But in the meantime, it is incumbent upon you, the graduate student, to be aware of some things you can do to make your time in graduate school a little more bearable.

Last summer I took up yoga, which combines mindfulness with physical health and flexibility. I dedicated between half an hour to an hour of my time five days a week to it and I believe it has helped me focus on my readings and my research at a higher level.

2. Patience

Graduate school can be frustrating for some people. You may be required to take classes you do not care about and because they are graduate level courses, they require a lot of effort and focus. As a result it can become very frustrating. Be patient. You are not going to write the perfect paper, develop the perfect research design, or conduct the perfect lecture every time you try. In fact, most of what you write won't be that good. Every once in a while I'll reread something I wrote from my first year of graduate school and think "wow... this is atrocious." This is a natural feeling. Don't be discouraged. Be patient.

1. "Am I Enjoying This?"

This is the most important question for you to ask yourself every time you walk into your office or your classroom: "Am I enjoying this?" Now, let me be clear. You are not going to enjoy everything about graduate school, as I have detailed above. This question is for those little moments that are meant to put a smile on your face.

That moment when you attend your first conference and own your first presentation.

That moment when a student of yours comes up and thanks you for a great semester.

That moment when your adviser is proud of something you've designed.

That moment when you find a theory that really interests you.

These moments are the reason why you're in grad school.