Seven tips for success in grad school

Research-driven graduate programs are very different from undergraduate studies. One primary difference is the degree duration – because of the research component, the date of completion is not known. If you’re in a master’s program, you might expect to finish in two or three years. And if you’re in a doctoral program, the time to degree can vary from typically four years to eight (or even nine) years.

As you await admissions decisions from graduate schools in March and April, keep these seven tips in mind when you begin your studies this fall.

• Stop thinking like an undergraduate. Your first year of graduate school will feel a lot like your undergraduate studies, as you’ll mostly be taking classes. But as you progress through graduate work, you’ll see that your education becomes your job and you have to fully immerse yourself in your studies. You’ll have to learn to think like a scholar – be sure to attend lectures in your department and get to know professors.
• Do not worry (too much) about grades. Grades are not that important in graduate school. (At many schools, the prevailing grades are B- and higher.) The focus instead should be on solid academic performance plus research and discovery.
• Plan ahead. You’ll be taking many classes, writing papers, conducting research and possibly even teaching classes – and that’s just in your first year. If you’re in a doctoral program, the intensity shifts after the first couple years – but the independence gained can also make concentrating and completing the degree more difficult.
• Map out a plan for yourself with your adviser – consider key milestones (including publishing) and set a tentative date for graduation.
• Be aware of politics. Graduate students need to understand the position of faculty and administration within their department. Perhaps the most important person to know is the graduate administrator – she or he will be able to help you navigate the politics!
• Foster relationships. One of the most important relationships in graduate studies is that with your academic adviser. Also critical are relationships you’ll form with other students in your department, program, school or university. (These can not only help you get through school, but will become your colleagues throughout your career.)
• Be seen around your department. Establish a presence within your department – and try to be seen as a leader around campus, representing your department or unit in campus governance, tutoring undergraduates, or working with the administration to implement new graduate student policies. If you’re in a relatively large department, be sure your professors can identify you and recognize how you contribute to the progress of the department and of the field.
• Have fun! As a graduate student, you need to be well-rounded. Though your education will take up most of your time, creating time for other things in your life is vital to your overall physical and mental health. You’ll still be a student but you’ll also have less structure than you did as an undergraduate – use your time to explore your interests (perhaps the arts or learning a new language).

You will get out of your graduate degree what you put into it. Work hard but enjoy the journey!