For Neuroscience Majors
with Interests in
Applying to Ph.D. Programs

Freshman and Sophomore Years

1. Take core major courses
   
2. Find out about faculty interests and research
3. Get to know faculty members, advanced students who are involved in research, and get involved in research yourself (FSRP might be good, but so is just doing things for the heck of it.
4. Start looking at and applying for summer research opportunities on and off campus (probably in that order).
   
5. Investigate various career choices and start reading original research in these fields - find out where the best work is being done
6. Begin to plan on course choices that will best prepare you for your graduate career.
   
7. Join the Society for Neuroscience as a student member.
8. Join the Scranton Neuroscience Society and become an active member.
9. Attend any research/science-related event held on campus, which CERTAINLY includes the monthly meetings of What's News in Science, Medicine, and Technology.
   
10. Get involved in Kids Judge! Neuroscience and/or the Brain Bee.
    
11. Think about attending a Society for Neuroscience meeting.
    

Junior Year

1. Take more advanced courses
2. Get very serious about your research activities; aim for having something to present at meetings.
3. Do research for credit, particularly if it affords you the time you need to do serious research.
4. Apply for summer research opportunities off and on campus (probably in that order).
   
5. Try to watch Seniors going through the application process to get a feel for what it's like.
6. Start drafting your curriculum vitae.
7. Start drafting your personal statement(s) - this can be a source of great stress - don't put it off!!  You may have to customize it for various programs. 
   
8. Get very serious about attending a Society for Neuroscience or other professional meeting.
   
9. Start choosing programs you'd like to attend in graduate school.
10. Start choosing faculty in the above programs that you would like to work with.
11. Read everything you can that the faculty have published.
12. Consider writing to graduate faculty prospects expressing your evolving interests and ask if they could provide you with preprints of research not yet published.
13. Start looking at the admissions standards and processes of the schools in which you have an interest.
14. Prep for taking the general GREs.  You may not take a specific topic GRE, since there isn't one in Neuroscience.
    

Application Year

1. Do your summer research .
   
2. Narrow down potential schools to 20-30.
3. Consider taking the general GREs - IF YOU ARE PREPARED!!!  Take them as if the 1st time is the last time.  By doing it in the summer, however, you can try again in the fall, if things go badly.  
4. If you can't do the preceding, prepare for the GREs
5. Continue to polish and update your curriculum vitae and personal statement(s).
6. Consider applying for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.  Even if you don't get it, it's impressive for you to have tried and you'll be in better shape for the application process that often happens in your first year of graduate school.  Some programs require their students to try.  Doing it now will make life that much easier when you're adapting to a graduate environment. 

August ­ September

1. Get application information and forms.
2. Read the preceding and re-read them!!  You don't want to miss a deadline and sometimes deadlines shift if you want to be considered for financial support.
3. Make yourself a calendar with ALL of your deadlines.  Always try to leave yourself buffers.  Bad things happen to good people.  Don't let the unexpected hurt you.  An additional advantage of working ahead is a great reduction in mailing costs for overnight deliveries.
   
4. You can begin a file at Career Services, but some faculty do not use that office. 
   
5. Get ready for that NSF application, if you're shooting for it.
   

October - November

1. If you haven't taken the GREs, get ready - set - take them!!!
2. Contact prospective faculty.  Even if you've contacted them before, remind them that you are applying to their school and state that you have a special interest in working with them.  Only say this if it's true, of course.  NEVER tell multiple faculty at the same school that they are "the one."  Lying can, and should, kill you quick.
3. Start showing drafts of your personal statement to anyone who can and take advice from those you trust.  Obviously, the faculty with whom you have been doing research should be involved.  Obviously, your advisor could be involved.  The Office of Career Services will also look it over.  You want this document to be lucid, honest, and ERROR FREE!!!!
4. Get an official copy of your transcripts and triple-check it for accuracy.  Fix any problems well in advance of your application dates.
5. Be on the lookout for any special procedures, deadlines, application forms that you have to submit for scholarships, fellowships, or other forms of financial assistance. 
   
6. Talk to faculty about your application plans an arrange for an adequate number of letters of recommendation.  Offer to share the current state of your personal statement and vitae with them.  You'll give them final drafts with the application forms later.
   
7. Submit your application for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, if you've decided to take that path. 
   

November - December

1. Complete your applications.
2. Give letter of recommendation materials to faculty with clear MAILING deadlines (via the calm regular US Postal Service).  Provide faculty with a clear listing of the programs you are applying for with mailing envelopes for each.  If materials are to be returned to you, for the love of god - don't just put your name and address on the outside of the envelope  - include the name of the school to which the materials must be sent.
3. Research indicates that waiving your right to see the above letters increases the impact of the letter in the evaluation process.   It is STRONGLY encouraged that you waive your right to see your letters.  Why bother having a letter written and then devalue it?.  Obsess over whether you have completely filled out your your portions of any forms that go with your letters. 
   
4. Maintain  a copy of each application.
   
5. Submit your applications in a timely fashion.
6. Request, and pay, ETS to send your GRE scores to appropriate institutions.
7. Do the same with our Registrar's Office for your transcripts.
   

January - April

1. Wait patiently and be prepared for surprise telephone interviews.  Have intelligent, incisive, mature questions to ask the person who calls. 
   
2. Practice and prepare for interviews.  Have intelligent, incisive, mature questions to ask during the interview process.
3. Learn how to effectively book airline reservations.  Don't forget to bring your photo ID to the airport.
4. Continue to think carefully about the schools you have applied to and rank order them as you think and/or visit them. 
   

April - May

1. If you have an offer from other programs but haven't heard from higher, or closely, ranked schools, call them to calmly and professionally ask about the status of your application.  If you have been in contact with faculty at these schools, you might ask them about the status as well. 
2. If you are holding multiple offers and have clear rankings for them, be a good citizen and promptly write to lower ranked schools and tell them that, although it was a difficult decision, you have to decline their kind offer.  By doing this, you make them happy and you may want to go there for a post-doc or teaching position someday.  Also, you're probably making an other applicant very happy because as you drop out, they drop in.
3. Finally, accept your best offer and, again, inform the other schools of the painful decision you had to make.  Leave them wishing they gotten to know you better.