On June 22, UBRP students gathered together to hear four guest panelists unravel the mysteries of graduate school. UBRP students were advised about the best ways to look for graduate schools, how to make applications stand out in the selection process, and offered suggestions for minimizing the high demands of graduate school curriculums. The goal of the seminar was to promote success after UBRP.

Ray Moellering, BS, a UBRP alum, who was just accepted into Harvard’s doctoral program in chemistry, encouraged students to research a variety of graduate schools and send an application to every one that interested them. With so many graduate programs to choose from, it is beneficial to evaluate their requirements and curriculum demands to find a program that fits your needs.

Dr. Bentley Fane, a UBRP faculty sponsor in Veterinary Science and Microbiology, expressed the importance of standing out during the selection process. Even if you have a perfect GPA or high GRE score, you may look similar on paper to the competition. Applicants who describe one or more unique qualities, such as special talents and experiences, will increase their likelihood of being accepted to the school that they wish to attend.

Ujwal Sheth, BS, a BMCB graduate student finishing her degree, advised the audience to look into the labs that interest them. Before you choose a school, you need to know what they offer in the research field. A few of the more important aspects to look for when choosing a lab are the hours you are expected to work, the stability of their grant money, and the work environment. Pursuing a post-graduate degree in the biological sciences will necessitate many hours in the lab, so it is essential that you scrutinize the research facilities.

Dr. Carol Gregorio, a UBRP faculty sponsor in Cell Biology and Anatomy, shared her experiences serving on the graduate school admissions committee at the University of Arizona. She stressed the importance of undergraduate lab research experiences. Working in a lab is not just a job: you should view your lab work as an opportunity! The experience gives you a chance to assess whether you are in a career area that truly interests you, and if so, take an active role in performing experiments that you may have helped design. When seeking admission to graduate school, Dr. Gregorio mentioned that having at least one published paper on your application sets you apart from other competitors. Working in a lab as an undergraduate helps you develop the critical thinking skills needed for succeeding at the graduate school level.

Attendees received extremely helpful advice. The guest speakers gave a clear understanding of the graduate school application process and revealed many of the mysteries about this process by providing useful examples from their own experiences.

Kelsey Thorson, UBRPer in Dr. Wells’ lab, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics,