Planning for Graduate Work in Chemistry
IN CHEMISTRY MAY/JUNE 1991
This article is adapted from Planning for Graduate Work in Chemistry:
Suggestions for the Student, Considering Aduanced Study, Fifth Edition,
1990. ACS Committee on Professional Training.
[Reproduced with permission.]
[Note: this article contains much valuable information and is included
for that reason. However, the implication that jobs are readily available
for chemists is misleading in today's market. The projections of a "serious
shortage of scientists" referred to in this article were later found
to be significantly in error. In addition, many institutions that hire chemists
have undergone "down-sizing" since this article was written. The
job market in 1996 is down significantly in almost all fields of employment,
including chemistry. Unemployment for chemists is, however, relatively
low - about half the national average.]
A career in chemistry offers one of today's greatest opportunities for an
intellectually rewarding and a financially comfortable life. Demographic
projections indicate that within the next decade there will be a serious
shortage in the United States of scientists with advanced training.
Those students who seize the chance to fill this void will be in commanding
positions to shape their careers in stimulating and creative ways according
to their own dictates. Among the numerous scientific disciplines, those
that are chemically oriented offer particularly fine opportunities for broad-based
training. Chemistry is the central science. It interacts on one side with
physics and mathematics. on a second side with biology and medicine, on
still another side with earth and planetary sciences and, of course, with
business and commerce. A person with solid training in chemistry, is prepared
to assume a wide variety of positions in industry, academia, or government.
As bright as a future in chemistry promises to be, however, it is not necessarily
appropriate for everyone. You must attempt to appraise objectively your
own particular talents and consider them in relation to those required for
graduate work.
Admission to Graduate School
A distinguished undergraduate record from an institution known for high
standards generally guarantees admission to graduate school and the granting
of financial assistance. An unimpressive grade record, however, frequently
belies the motivation and creativity that forecasts success in graduate
school. Letters of recommendation from persons acquainted with your work
may be particularly helpful in such cases, especially if they can point
to an apptitude for research as evidenced by your participation in an undergraduate
research program or a summer job.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission to almost
all graduate programs in chemistry. Generally, the verbal, quantitative,
and chemistry test scores are required, and the analytical is highly desirable.
For foreign students, a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score
is required by almost all institutions. The GRE and TOEFL should be taken
before the end of the fall semester of the senior year so that the results
will be available by the following February when most departments make their
decisions concerning graduate admissions.
Choice of Graduate School
Graduate training in chemistry is one of the world's great bargains. Imagine
being paid as a student to do some thing that is interesting. challenging,
and enriching. Graduate stipends today are sufficient not only to cover
the cost of training but to allow reasonably comfortable living as well.
Competition has developed among schools with respect to the financial perquisites
being offered to prospective students. Your choice of graduate school, though,
should not depend primarily on the stipend and perquisites that are offered,
but rather on the suitability of the school for your particular academic
needs.
No two graduate departments are alike. Some are very large, others rather
small; some are in urban surroundings, others are away from a city: some
have a long tradition, others are relatively new on the scene. Each has
its unique collection of professors, its particular style of teaching, and
its own constellation of strengths and weaknesses. Where bigness and diversity
may work best for some students, smallness and intimacy may be better suited
to others. Whether a department is big or small, however, a factor of overriding
importance for your graduate career is the person who will direct your thesis
research. The association of professor and graduate student often has a
mutual effect in shaping attitudes, skills, and insights, and it is an experience
that should provide inspiration and stimulation for both student and teacher.
Do not rush into this acadernic liaison in haste, but first talk with other
students as well as with several professors whose work interests you and
whose personality seems to be compatible with yours. And, realize that your
first choice is not irrevocable; if things fail to work out as anticipated,
it is better to lose a little time in making a change of adviser than to
persist with a mismatch.
Resources
One important source of information on graduate programs in chemistry is
the ACS Directory of Graduate Research, a copy of which is probably
available in your library or departmental office. This useful volume includes
fields of interest and current bibliographies for the faculties of all the
departments that have Ph.D. programs in chemistry, chemical engineering,
biochemistry, medicinal/pharmaceutical chemistry, clinical chemistry, and
polymer science. Peruse the directory to familiarize yourself with its contents,
and use it to gain specific information about the departments in which you
are interested and the individual professors whose work appeals to
you. Another source of useful information is Petersen's Guide to Graduate
Study in Chemistry, which is probably also in your library or departmental
office.
A third source of information is the brochure that a department of chemistry
will send to you upon request. In many instances these are eleganty constructed
exhibits of the department and its college or university. They contain pictures,
descriptions of each faculty member's research, and other data that are
directly pertinent to your interest in choosing a graduate school.
For those of you who already have well-developed interests in a particular
field of chemistry and even in a specific professor there will be little
difficulty in narrowing your choice of graduate schools. However, as a word
of caution to those who have been attracted to a department by the work
of one individual, you should realize that your plans to study with this
person may not materialize. The faculty member may find it impossible to
accept any more students at the time you are ready to begin research: or,
as frequently happens, you may change your interests as your training advances.
It is wise, therefore, not to limit vour attention to one faculty member
but to investigate the activities of other members of the department as
well. Many of you, though, will not have reached so well-defined a position
by the time you apply to graduate schools, and for you the Directory
of Graduate Research, Peterson's Guide, departmental brochures, and
discussions with advisers, teachers, and friends will be of invaluable assistance
in determining the attributes of various departments.
Visits
Visits to the departments in which graduate study is contemplated have become
a routine part of the process of choosing a graduate school, and you are
strongly advised to undertake these. In most cases, the institutions are
prepared to assist you in financing the visit, and it helps if you can coordinate
visits to several institutions in a single trip. Some departments prefer
to entertain their prospective students individually, while others set aside
a day or more on which they invite a selected number of students who have
expressed an interest in the department. Many schools do it both ways and
are anxious to accommodate any special requirements that you, the prospective
student, may have.
When to Apply
Many departments start to consider applications to graduate school during
the fall semester, and most try to be finished by late winter or early spring.
You should initiate your inquiries early in the fall semester and, if at
all possible, submit your applications before the end of the calendar year.
Although there are many available positions in graduate schools, each department
has its individual capacity, so early applicants stand a better chance of
being accepted and being given financial aid than late ones. For a reasonable
length of time, an institution will honor its commitment of accepting you
for graduate work and providing you with financial aid, generally until
you decide either to accept or reject their offer. Once you have accepted
an offer, however, it is incumbent on you to honor your commitment by not
changing your mind in the face of another offer. It is prudent, therefore,
to wait until you have heard from the institutions in which you are most
interested before making a final decision. Institutions would rather wait
for your firm decision than to have you renege on a decision made in haste.
Generally, April 15 is taken as the ultimate deadline for a decision on
your part, but the earlier you can bring your deliberations to conclusion
the more it will be appreciated by departments which have the difficult
task of efficiently managing their graduate recruitment programs.
It is generally advisable to enter graduate school in the fall semester
rather than at mid-year. However, if circumstances demand the latter,
many departments are receptive to mid-year applications. If this is
your situation, you should write to the chairpersons of the departments
in which you are interested for information concerning departmental policy
and guidance as to how to apply.
Financial support
The remarkable financial assistance for graduate students in chemistry has
already been noted. For incoming students it generally comes in the form
of a teaching assistantship. Less frequently, it comes in the form of a
research assistantship in the first year; although after the first or second
year most graduate students are supported in this fashion. Fellowships also
are often available, some of which are administered directly by the department
and others by external funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation.
Included among these are fellowships specifically directed to women and
minorities. Teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships
generally include tuition allowances (subject to federal income tax) in
addition to a stipend that is sufficient to support reasonably comfortable
living. Some departments provide financial assistance for only nine months,
others for 10-12 months of the year, so you should be attentive to the financial
details of the particular departments in which you are interested. If these
are not made clear to you by reading the departmental brochure, write to
the chairperson of the department for more information.
Some departments offer first-year research appointments as a way of attracting
especially well-qualified graduate students. While enticing, these have
the disadvantage of removing their recipients from the teaching arena. A
teaching assistantship provides an opportunity for you to work with students,
to exercise your knowledge and understanding of chemistry, and to associate
with skilled and experienced teachers as well as with other graduate students
who are also in the process of learning. The short-range as well as long-range
benefits of this teaching experience are so tangible and valuable that it
is recommended that a period of service as a teaching assistant be a part
of the graduate program for all students, including those who hold fellowships.
After Choosing a Graduate School
Once you have been accepted into a graduate program there are a number of
practical matters that require your attention. What is the academic calendar
of the institution? What housing arrangements must you make? Does the department
give entrance/placement exams and, if so, what should you study in preparation
for them? The department you have chosen may have some form of entrance
or placement examination as a means of learning about your academic background.
These are simply diagnostic devices to aid the department in designing the
best curriculum for you. The examinations are usually in the four traditional
areas of chemistry: analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.
To help you prepare for them, many graduate departments are willing to refer
you to several standard textbooks in these areas to serve as adequate reviews.
Some departments will even provide you with sample questions from their
recent examinations to allow you to judge the level of expectation. You
should not hesitate to inquire about and request such additional inforrnation.
Graduate work in any discipline is an exciting, challenging, and stimulating
endeavor. Today in chemistry it is especially so because of the unprecedented
developments that are taking place in the field. Science has been the quintessential
feature of the twentieth century, and its pace is accelerating as we head
toward the twenty-first century. Chemistry, the central science, provides
unparalleled opportunities for those who possess the motivation, drive,
and creativity to attain an advanced degree. This applies with particular
force to members of minority groups and to women, who will make a major
impact on American society by joining the ranks of the professional chemists.
The intellectual rewards that come from doing independent research are great;
the financial rewards are real and demonstrable. Graduate work in chemistry
will prepare you for the important role that you can play in the science
of the twenty-first century.
Copies of this booklet are available from the CPT. Please send requests
to CPT, ATTN: Dolphine Hite, at ACS Headquarters.