Graduate School Senior Design Seminar, 2003 Arthur Overholser

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Graduate SchoolSenior Design Seminar, 2003
Arthur Overholser
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• I. What Degree?
• II. Why (or why not)?
• III. When?
• IV. Where?
• V. How?
• VI. What is it like in graduate school?

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• I. What Degree?
• M. S. without thesis (M.Eng. at VU)
• May be a terminal degree oriented toward
  practice, often paid for by student
• May be en route to Ph.D
• M. S. with thesis
• A research degree
• May be terminal or toward Ph.D.
• Financial support usually provided
• Ph.D.

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• II. Why (or why not)?
• To better prepare for technical engineering
  practice (particularly the M.S.)
• To prepare for responsible industrial research
  (Ph.D.)
• Ph.D. required for an academic career.
• Money?

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• III. Where to go to graduate school?
• ? Depends on
• Speciality
• Reputation
• Geographic preference
• Your future plans
• ? Get information from
• -- Your faculty
• -- Petersons Guide
• -- The Web
• -- From the graduate departments

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• IV. When to go to graduate school?
• ? For MBA, get experience first
• ? For M.Eng., may wish experience first
• ? For M.S., Ph.D., as soon as you can.

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• V. How to go to graduate school?
• Make the best grades you can. Minimum is usually
  3.0. Better is required for competitive
  departments, best chance of support.
• Take the GRE by the fall of your senior year. Do
  well 2000 total is a reasonable goal.
• Apply in the fall of the senior year to a
  spectrum of schools.
• For thesis M.S. and for Ph.D, expect support.
  Apply for NSF or other fellowships, expect school
  to offer fellowship, research assistantship, or
  teaching assistantship.

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• VI. What is graduate school like?
• Expectations higher
• Student/professor relationships quite different
• Personal, social life is different
• Open-endedness and freedom
• The demands and pleasures of research
• Importance of selecting a thesis advisor
• Difference among fellowships, assistantships
• Timetable