What I wish I Would Have Known Then

[rob59404]

There is a lot of good advice on this forum. I certainly benefited from it when applying to programs. I learned a ton about first year comps, grad stipends, admission qualifications, and field classes from reading these posts. However, the posters are usually undergraduates or first or second year graduate students who are experts on these topics, but have not experienced things that come at the end of the graduate program like writing a job market paper, presenting at conferences, and navigating through the job market. As a former grad student (graduated in May) and a current AP, I can offer an additional perspective on these topics. This is a list of issues I wish I would have considered when I was comparing programs during my senior year of UG. Hopefully it will be helpful for those of you who are comparing grad departments this spring.

 

1) Faculty availability – After you complete field courses most of your work is directed towards research. Having an adviser who is available and willing to work with you on a regular basis is essential. So there are two points to consider here. First, figure out which faculty members advise PhDs and also find out how many advisees are typically on their plate. Having a world renowned adviser is great, but if he is splitting his time between six other PhD students and two editorships, it is going to be difficult to fit into his schedule.

 

More generally, try to assess the involvement of faculty members who are not your adviser. Can you still frequently interact with them? Is there a formal seminar or brownbag where you can present your ideas or finished papers in front of faculty? Eliciting feedback from your teachers in these low stakes settings is very valuable when preparing for the real ones down the road.

 

2) Research support – Some research projects require additional funding. This is especially true in experimental. If there is any chance your research goals might need additional funds, figure out if they are offered through the department or the university. If the university wants you to apply for external grants, what support system is in place to help you procure the grants?

 

Support for conference travel varies widely. I went to over a half dozen conferences in graduate school and they were always internally funded so I paid nothing out of pocket. I found that other students had to pay half their way or more. That adds up, so figure out what is offered for travel.

 

3) Preparing for the job market – The end goal of entering the PhD is to graduate and get a job. You want to make sure faculty members are enthusiastic about helping you get the job you want. Do faculty members participate in mock interviews? Do alumni students and faculty members provide lists of practice questions that you are likely to encounter in interviews? Is it common for advisers to personally reach out to search committee chairs to speak on your behalf? This last item is important since search committees see >500 applications, so having a special tip on a particular application boosts your chances at a first round interview.

 

Finally, will the faculty’s support be unconditional on type of job you want. Some departments want their students to exclusively place in research universities. Anyone who does not have the desire or ability to work at such an institution is brushed aside. If you do not anticipate being an economic all-star, it is important to have faculty members who want to place you somewhere that fits your ability and preferences. My goal was to work at an LAC and my adviser and committee members were supportive of that. My preferences would have been met with a lack of enthusiasm or outright disdain in some departments.

On each of these points talk to faculty members and grad students during the visitation day or even outside of it. The job market stuff might seem far away, but your performance on the market will largely determine if you view the graduate school as a success or failure and is therefore of paramount importance.

I hope this has been helpful. I don’t check this site a lot, but if you have any questions feel free to PM me and I’ll respond as soon as I can. Best of luck on the upcoming admissions cycle.

[toalwhen]

That's a very special perspective. Thank you for sharing.

 

I am curious about what PhD candidates usually do after taking 3 years of courses. It is said that there are no courses since 4th year (or 3rd?). And then there will be a very high rate of quit. Is that true?

[chateauheart]

Students usually stop taking courses after the second year. The rate of attrition is roughly constant across the first five years (up to 20-35% cumulative).

[to2012]

One particular piece of advice I would give that is woefully underrepresented on this forum is that TA workload really, really matters.

[tm_member]

Students usually stop taking courses after the second year. The rate of attrition is roughly constant across the first five years (up to 20-35% cumulative).

 

I don't know if that's the norm these days. I took 9 or more credits every semester until the spring of my fourth year. Pure econ programs require at least 60 graded credits and limit students to 12 credits per semester. Anything more is an overload. That means you'll be taking classes until spring of 3rd year at the very least. My school requires 72 credits. To make matters worse, I had to go as far as 79 credits as I switched my focus in 3rd year and needed to take field courses I hadn't planned for in second year. I think I now have the requirements completed for four major fields. :dejected:

[tm_member]

One particular piece of advice I would give that is woefully underrepresented on this forum is that TA workload really, really matters.

 

I think many people would need more elaboration on how it matters.

 

IMHO, working as a TA is good practice for your future. Grading for a professor, holding office hours, prepping for recitations, proctoring exams, dealing with classroom issues, etc. helps you figure out what you want to do after graduation. It's ultimately a drag on your time but not as much of a deadweight loss as it is viewed. I tried to view it as another 3 or even 6 credits of classes. It took me away from research but ultimately has helped in many ways. It also can help if you can TA for a professor you want to get to know. That weekly back and forth really can help build relationships.

[tm_member]

Oh, and a word on the OP itself. Number 2 - funding for travel and research. Regardless of your department's support, if you are paying for that stuff yourself you are doing it wrong.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's great if the department covers that stuff and you should try to be aware before going in what the help they offer is. However, there are so many ways grad students can get travel and research support that if you end up paying for it yourself, you are making an error somewhere. Also, seeking and getting outside support is an informative signal. Ultimately, I wouldn't let departmental funding for research and travel sway a decision on attendance one way or another.

[Catrina]

I don't know if that's the norm these days. I took 9 or more credits every semester until the spring of my fourth year. Pure econ programs require at least 60 graded credits and limit students to 12 credits per semester. Anything more is an overload. That means you'll be taking classes until spring of 3rd year at the very least. My school requires 72 credits. To make matters worse, I had to go as far as 79 credits as I switched my focus in 3rd year and needed to take field courses I hadn't planned for in second year. I think I now have the requirements completed for four major fields. :dejected:

 

This varies by school. At Rice, you can finish the coursework requirements (excluding seminar attendance) in the second year, although most people choose to voluntarily take courses in the third year in order to take additional field courses that they didn't take in year two.