The Bottom Line
Essential reading for graduate students in the humanities and social sciences. The advice for surviving and succeeding in graduate school is this book's strongest feature.
Pros
- Offers advice for before and during grad school
- Covers personal and social aspects
- A humorous and quick read
Cons
- Not a lot of detail in some sections
- Oriented towards humanities and social sciences
Description
- The first four chapters describe what graduate school is really like.
- Chapters 5 through 9 cover the admissions process in detail.
- Chapters 10 through 14 focus on surviving graduate school.
Guide Review - Review of Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide
A quick perusal of the college admission shelves of any bookstore reveals an overwhelming array of choices. Where do you start? Try Getting What you Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning a Master's or a Ph.D., by Robert L. Peters. This is the classic guide to getting in to grad school, covering the entry process and so much more. Most guides to grad school cover the admission process and stop there, leaving the new student at loss on the first day of school. Peters' guide is useful throughout. Reread sections as needed to keep you focused as you progress towards your graduate degree. Plus, Peters' wonderful sense of humor and cartoons add life to the text and make it feel like a conversation with a caring mentor.
