STEM

We connected with an undergrad in the lab who was planning to apply for several summer research programs. They wanted to know how many recommendation letters they could ask each professor to write. As usual, we edited the conversation for brevity and to remove identifying details so the student remains anonymous.

12
Nov

Your Guide for Considering a Gap or Personal Year

—from the Lab Manager's bench and the PI's desk

Exploring the Process

Figuring out if you should take a year off between finishing your undergrad experience and enrolling in a graduate, medical, or professional program isn't always an easy path. So, if you're feeling stressed out about the uncertainly of it all, know that it's part of the process. Deciding what to do, wondering if taking a break will be worth it, if you should even consider it, (or feeling frustrated because a gap year wasn't part of your 10 -year plan) is stressful.

A laptop computer with the screen open. A coffee cup to the left of the computer and a stack of scientific magazines to the right.

—from the PI's desk

No matter if your long-term career goals include research, medicine, or using your STEMM degree primarily for science communication, policy, or another direction, participating in an undergrad research experience is a unparalleled opportunity. This is in no small part due to the personal and professional development you gain from the exposure to in-depth, experiential learning--especially one that takes places over the course of a summer.

In addition to learning new research skills, communicating your results, and making a discovery to solve a problem or answer a question, you have the opportunity to earn a recommendation letter to support future applications for grad, medical, or professional school, and graduate fellowships.

However, if you are early in your undergrad career, you may not need that letter until a few years after your summer research experience. Sure, you could come back to your mentor after that time and request a recommendation, but that approach has some major disadvantages. Most importantly, the more time that passes between when you leave the lab and when you ask for a recommendation letter, the fewer the specific details about your strengths and successes your mentor is likely to remember—and it’s those specific details that can turn a strong letter into an epic one.

A sticky note that says Grad School Applications: If you want to work with a specific PI, Ask them if they are accepting new students

Question: Is a specific PI is accepting new grad students this cycle?
Solution: Contact the PI directly.

If you want to work with a specific PI, then you need to know if they are accepting new grad students for the degree program you’re pursuing (MS or PhD). If this wasn't obvious to you don't worry because many undergrads on the path to grad school have asked for advice on this subject.

15
Sep

Dr. Blake Guests on Twitter for #GradRecruitWeekSTEM

photo of Dr. Blake. and scheduling details of the twitter chat @youinthelab. Chat date scheduled for Thursday, September 16 at 11 AM CDT (GMT-5).

Dr. Nicquet Blake is the associate dean for admissions & student affairs at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. As part of our Graduate Student Recruit Week in STEM, (#GradRecruitWeekSTEM) she will answer our (and your) questions about the graduate school admissions process while uncovering some parts of the hidden curriculum for diverse students.

How to Participate in #GradRecruitWeekSTEM Twitter event hosted by @YouInTheLab  Sep 12 - Sep 18 2021. What Undergrads Can Do: Ask your burning questions about grad school-we'll turn your DMs into polls. Searching for a grad lab? @YouInTheLab w/your interests, science field, MS or PhD, and LinkedIn link. We'll retweet! What PIs and Mentors Can Do: Need a grad student? Post details about the position and contact info. Share colleagues' open positions with a quote tweet. Tag @YouInTheLab and use #GradRecruitW

Why We Host Graduate Student Recruit Week in STEM


A week-long Twitter event hosted by @YouInTheLab Dates for this year are September 12 -18, 2021. Connecting students searching for grad school positions, open jobs in science, and the people who mentor them.

As a recent graduate who has just begun their grad school apps, following #GradRecruitWeek from
@YouInTheLab has been super helpful to be able to hear so many different perspectives about this daunting process. So THANK YOU to all who participate!!

I feel constantly overwhelmed and confused about the graduate app process. Especially, being an international student, it is daunting to search for opportunities. #GradRecruitWeek gives a feeling of comfort amidst all this and I really want to thank you for organising this!

I like the polls because they are what I’m thinking about or things I didn’t know I needed to think about [when applying to grad school].

I’m a first gen[eration] student so I appreciate being able to DM and not have to ask a question [directly to the Twitter Hive]. Also, that you DM me the polls so I could follow without having to look for the ones from my questions.

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