<p>This for all of the UCSD alums out there...</p>
<p>What did you do after graduating and (if applicable) where did you go for grad/professional school?</p>
<p>I'm curious too, especially biology majors.</p>
<p>This is a sampling of my friends from the chem/biochem major:</p>
<ul>
<li>UCSF MD/PhD</li>
<li>UCSF PhD, biomedical sciences</li>
<li>UCSF Pharmacy (x4)</li>
<li>UCSD MD</li>
<li>UCSD Pharmacy (x3)</li>
<li>BU MD/PhD</li>
<li>UCD MD</li>
<li>UCD PhD, chemistry</li>
<li>NY College of Medicine MD</li>
<li>MIT PhD, chemistry (x2)</li>
<li>Harvard PhD, biology</li>
<li>Caltech PhD, biology (x2)</li>
<li>Columbia PhD, biology (x2)</li>
</ul>
<p>So how exactly does this graduate school process work? I'm still rather murky on the whole thing. How long does a PhD for biology take? How can you be selected across the country if the professors don't even know you? Is it all test based? What exactly lies between the end of undergrad and grad school?</p>
<p>it's still early for you :) </p>
<p>don't view college as a mere stepping stone for whatever lies beyond; just do the things you want, get really good at them, and that will lead you along the right path.</p>
<p>(as for requirements, just browse the dept web pages of any biology grad department; admissions guidelines are spelled out there)</p>
<p>Well I just need to research the frontiers of human biology, that's why I'm a biology major in the first place. (So it's a stepping-stone and not a stepping-stone at the same time. ) </p>
<p>I'll go check out the guidelines, I'm just curious as to what actually happens though. Do you just take a test and then apply like high school SATs?</p>
<p>the application process is a little easier than college, in my opinion. it's not so much numbers-based and schools are actively trying to recruit you! plus the degree is free -- in the natural sciences, you'll be paid a stipend of $25-30,000 a year to learn, teach, and research.</p>
<p>All natural science graduate students get $25-30000 a year? Starting from the first year of graduate school? That's so awesome.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>It varies from school to school, but I'd say 25-30k is a good average. And you can get a stipend in many fields outside of the nat sciences as well.</p>
<p>That's practically the best news I've heard about college, I mean here I was worrying about how graduate school is going to cost more than undergrad, apparently I'll be earning money as opposed to spending it. :)</p>
<p>As long as you're not planning on going to professional school. For medicine, law, and business you're on your own when it comes to paying.</p>