Concerns about Graduate School Applications

Graduate School
1

Hi all,

I hope everyone is doing well in this hot summer.

So my plan is to graduate by next summer, and I want to take a year off before I apply to any graduate school. However, my concern about applying to graduate schools has become very serious and stressful because I’m not sure how to tackle it.

I would say I don’t have a prestigious grades/GPA, but I can say that it’s slightly above that average minimum line, 3.0/4.0. Now, the problem becomes this: letters of recommendation and related-field experiences.

I lack both of them, and I know this is very bad because I’m not even a compelling applicant with my GPA in the first place. I bet I’m not gonna ace that GRE exams either, so I know I should have at least something like experiences and good letters of rec in order to be accepted to any graduate school.

The problems that I have are the followings:

First, I’m not “friends” with any professors - by meaning friends I mean is being familiar with the professors and having some connections with them - and I wish I’m friendly enough to approach them first. It’s my excuses, but I don’t even know what kinds of questions I should ask the professors since I can’t even formulate an academic question. I’m so dumb and don’t understand anything enough to ask a question. And this means I can’t ask them for recommendation letters. How would ask someone to write good letters for me when we don’t even know each other?

Furthermore, I have no experience in the fields that I’m currently studying. I know this is one of the most important factors when applying to graduate schools, and I’m very stressed out that I don’t have any research/lab done. This is usually because (1) I lack time, (2) I don’t have the required GPA which is usually 3.5 or higher, and (3) I don’t have many resources. What I mean by not having many resources is that there are not that many research programs that fit my major/studies and if they do, I usually don’t qualify since my GPA doesn’t match their required GPA.

These are all my excuses, but I think now is the time to take some actions to fix my problems. I suffered during my undergraduate applications because I also didn’t know what I was doing with my life. At least at that time, I actually didn’t know what I should have done. However, now is different. I know what I need to do, and not doing it is bad

I have either 2 or 3 semesters left. In any one of your opinions, do you think I can get some research opportunities and become familiar with professors and ask them for recommendation letters? If so, what should I do in order to achieve these goals?

2

YES.

Go to professor’s office hours with questions about the lecture/seminar/“homework”. You don’t have to be fun and witty; they are working and part of their job is to help you. Do it regularly, and you will develop a relationship with some of them. Go every week.

What field are you in? Major? What kind of research do you want to do?

3

Sorry for my late response.

I’m in engineering field. I study materials, specifically. The thing is I’m not sure is what kind of research I want to do. And I’m not sure where to begin either. I know that there are some research opportunities in my university - I recently found out about it - and the biggest concern that I have for that was I need to write a statement of what I will be doing in a research and how I will be doing it. But then I ran into problems like, I don’t know where to even begin with it. I don’t know if I can be as specific as possible or just be general and ambiguous.

I kind of wish that I have more people I can talk to in my field, or just in engineering in general, so that I have some ideas to prepare myself to get into the grad school. I’m doing some research, but sometimes, you know, I can get better ideas if I can talk to people in person. It’s just I’m not a very approachable person, and I just cannot make better connections with people. I’m okay of being alone during school year, eating meals by myself, studying by myself and all. I just wish I have better perspective of this situation because none of my parents nor my relatives have gone to grad school. I think I’m the first one who’s going to the grad school, and my parents cannot give me good advise on this part. You know, I’m technically an adult, but I still need some advice since I’m not that mature and wise enough to know what’s good for me.

This is why I’m asking a lot of questions. Like, maybe it’s my culture or something. I’m just worried how professors would feel if they just find out all I showed up during their office hours is because of the recommendation letters. Wouldn’t they go like: “oh, here is another one that is here for her own benefit, not for actual studying.” And letting people know what I really want makes me feel uncomfortable. I think that’s another big problem too. I don’t know why, but I wish I can fix that problem.

But anyway, what else should I do in order to get into a research? Because I don’t think my GPA is good for many schools that I want to apply, and because I’ve got nothing after graduation, I’m very concerned. And I’m just curious, how does everyone know what they need to do? I feel very lost. Like how do you get jobs or researches or whatever you need to do afterwards? I wish I’m smart enough to know answers to all of these questions…

4

The first thing you need to do is to find a faculty member whose research you are interested in (look up their papers) and volunteer in their lab. It is not so important what specific research you do as an undergraduate but more that you are involved in research. You certainly have enough time to get some experience but you really need to take the initiative and make the first contact. I am surprised that you say a minimum GPA is required. Generally if a student approaches me about research, I am willing to give them a chance to volunteer in my lab.

The second thing is to ask faculty with whom you have had a class (not one with large enrollments) and where you have done particularly well for a letter. This is done all the time.

However, I have not seen in your post any reason why you feel you need to go to graduate school. As an engineer, you might be better off simply working for several years until you know whether your career goals really require a graduate degree. If you then want to go back to a graduate program, your letters might come from people you have worked with and your specific GPA won’t be so critical. Engineering programs often appreciate applicants with real world experience.