Surviving Graduate School: Advice for Graduate Students
By Tara Kuther, Ph.D., About.com Guide to Graduate School
Getting in to graduate school opens up a whole new world of opportunities -- and hurdles. Don't just survive graduate school. Instead, thrive in graduate school. Read on.
- Time Management and Organization Skills
- Study Skills
- Relationships with Faculty
- Thesis and Dissertation Advice
Time Management and Organization Skills
A large part of whether you make it in graduate school is based on how well you manage yourself -- your time management, organizational, and coping skills.
- Use a Project Planner to Get that Paper Done on Time
- Week-by-Week Academic Planner
- Get it Done with a To-Do List
Study Skills
Good study skills will help you learn more quickly and permit you to devote more of your time to what matters -- gaining research and applied experience.
- Improve Your Reading Comprehension and Efficiency
- Reading Strategies: SQ3R Method
- Full Text Articles and Databases
- What is Your Learning Style?
- Three Steps Towards Success in Graduate School
- How Graduate School is Different
- The Syllabus Decoded
- The First Day of Class: What to Expect
- How to Start the Semester Right
- Get the Most Out of Your Course
Relationships with Faculty
Graduate school isn't all about coursework - it's about relationships. How well you get along with faculty will influence your success in graduate school and also your career afterward.
- Take Your Advisor’s Perspective
- How to Approach a Professor for Help
- Make a Good Impression on Professors
- Choosing a Mentor
- Three Tips for New Graduate Students
- What's the Difference Between a Mentor and an Advisor?
- Why Relationships with Other Students Matter
Thesis and Dissertation Advice
The most daunting hurdle a graduate student faces is writing the thesis or dissertation. Make it a little easier with these tips.
- Stop Procrastinating and Complete Your Dissertation!
- Organize Your Ideas with a Research Journal
- Get Research Experience
- Make Research Contacts with Faculty
- Online Full Text Databases of Articles
Professional Development
Graduate school is the entry to your career. It entails gaining knowledge but, perhaps more importantly, becoming socialized as a professional. What does it mean to be a professional? How do you becoome one? This collection of advice on professional development will help.
- Preparing Your CV
- Statement of Teaching Philosophy
- Public Speaking: Conquer Your Anxiety
- How to Behave at a Presentation
- Grant Writing Tips
- Media Interviews - Are You Ready to Share Your Findings?
- What to Do When Your Article is Rejected
- Postdoctoral Research - What's a Postdoc and How do I get one?
- Tailor Your CV to the Position
College Teaching
Most doctoral students teach at least once during their graduate school career. Most of us receive little to no instruction in how to teach. Start here.
- College Teaching 101
- Writing Your Statement of Teaching Philosophy
- Making the Grade: Beginning Teaching
- Get to the Point(s): Deliver Successful Lectures
Getting a Job After Graduate School
You work hard to get into graduate school - and get out - now what? Getting a job after graduate school often as challenging as getting into grad school. This is especially true for students who see careers in academia.
