Going to Graduate School:

How to Apply and What to

Expect Once You Get There

Based on a presentation by Sheila Rosenberg,

former student in USC Neuroscience Graduate
Program (NGP)
Applications require:

Official Transcripts

GRE Test Scores

Letters of Recommendation

Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement

Research Experience
Personal Statement

Why are you interested in grad school?

What type of research are you interested in? (including

some description of your past research experience)

Why do you want to be a neuroscientist?

Interview Tips

Research your interviewers ahead of time

Prepare what you want to say about yourself

Talk to current students

Ask questions!

Write thank-you notes as a follow-up

Do your homework: check out program websites; select at
least 3 faculty whose research interests align with your own
Look over lists of publications; select at least one paper to
look over for each person you are interested in
Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.
~Werner Von Braun
Myths

You must know what you want to study coming into grad
school not true, but you should define your specific
interests and be able to articulate them clearly

You must be familiar with the techniques performed in the

lab you wish to join also not true. But you need to
provide a compelling argument for why you want to work
in a particular area of research.
 What to expect once you get there: here is a typical timeline:

Fall Semester Spring Semester Summer

1st Year Core Class 524 Core Class 525 Research

Neurolunch Neurolunch
Elective Coursework Elective Coursework
Tuesday Seminars Tuesday Seminars
Lab Rotations Lab Rotations
Choose a thesis advisor
2nd Year Neurolunch Neurolunch Research
Elective Coursework Elective Coursework
Written Qualifying Exam
3rd Year Oral Qualifying Exam Research

4th Year Oral Research Thesis Defense

Presentations
& Beyond
Expectations for completing a PhD

Written Qualifying Exam

Oral Qualifying Exam

Dissertation based on original research

Publishing original papers in high-quality journals (and

this last is essential for advancing your career!)
Choosing an Advisor

There are many factors to consider here:

Is the lab publishing in high-quality journals?

Is the lab well funded so that it can support your

research activity?

Is the head of the lab a good mentor who will be

supportive and help you learn to do research and
communicate your results, both oralluy and in writing?
The scientist is not a person who gives the right
answers, he's one who asks the right questions.
~Claude Lvi-Strauss, Le Cru et le cuit, 1964
 Resources

Personal Statements:
http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/grad/gradessaysecrets.htm

http://gradschool.about.com/od/essaywriting/All_About_the_Graduate_Admissions_Essay.html

http://www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_165.asp

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_perstate.html

http://www.petersons.com/gradchannel/file.asp?id=932&path=gr.gs.yourpersonal

Interviews:
http://gradschool.about.com/od/interviews/Graduate_Admissions_Interviews.html
Resources
Getting What You Came For: The Smart Students Guide to
Earning a Masters or Ph.D., Robert L. Peters, Ph.D.

A former version of this file was prepared by Sheila Rosenberg,

Graduate Student in Neuroscience, University of Southern
California, 2008