Planning for Life after CMU

JOB AND SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

march 28, 2005

• You come from a good school and a good field and you can find what you are looking for.

• Planning your future is not something to leave to the last minute.

• You will need to do disciplined work to make the system work for you.

• You have friends on the faculty and in the Career Center.

GETTING A JOB

• CMU Physics majors find jobs

- Technical: non-computing

- Technical: computing

- Non-technical

• Find out where to apply

- Career Center

- Faculty

- Physics bulletin boards - electronic and paper

- AIP b-board

• Use Career Center for all aspects of job hunting

- What are my range of career options?

- Where to apply

- Cover letters

- Resumes

- Interviewing techniques

• Let faculty supplement what Career Center does

• Application process

- At each step, know who you are talking to / the purpose of your communication

- Perfect cover letter: just enough to get them to your resume

- Great resume in whatever format they are expecting

- Dress and act appropriately at the interview

• References

- People who know you and have a positive impression of those traits which concern employers

- Prepare your reference to give a good recommendation

- Ask the person if it is OK to use them as a reference

- Supply with a resume

- If you know someone will be calling, let the reference know and send

a description of job

- If asked for a letter, the same but also supply with stamped and addressed

envelope but not return address

- Supply with summary list of all places they are to supply a reference

• Start to sort out what you want to do NOW!

- Get to the Career Center and talk to faculty

APPLYING TO GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL

• You can take a Physics BS into other grad. schools fairly easily

• Almost anyone can get into Physics grad school (you get paid!)

- Is it right for you?

- There are MS programs

• Narrow the field of schools (spring jr. year and summer after)

- What general fields you are looking for?

- Are there any strict geographic constraints?

- Only consider the absolutes first, don't make subtle judgement calls

- Start talking to faculty

- Start perusing AIP guide to see how it is set up

• GRE's

- Get info: registration, times, (brochures and Web address from Hilary)

(spring jr yr.)

- General Exam

- Take in summer or early Fall; given almost any time

- Now on computer; practice new strategies

- Subject test

- Use the Department sponsored prep course (October)

- Take practice tests

- Take test in October/November

- Take in December again if you must

- WATCH REGISTRATION DEADLINES - THEY ARE EARLY

- Scores from Oct. test not available before registration for Nov. test

• Refine your school list (by end Sept.)

- Areas of interest covered

- Get a sense of reach, middle and safe schools relative to your abilities and record

- Use faculty recommendations, AIP and Peterson's guides to choose a list of about 20-30 potential schools

- Get on those 20-30 Web pages and see what fits you best

- Choose 6-8 schools to apply to

• Fellowships

- Due dates as early as November1 and through Dec

• Applications

- Get application forms and materials from schools you plan to apply to

- Need a checkbook - GRE's and reports, transcripts, application fees

- Due dates

- 1 or 2 schools in Dec

- Jan 1 typical

- A few in January

- Application Parts:

- Application/ personal statement - GRE score reports

- Transcripts - Recommendations

• Offers rolling in (Mid-Feb to April)

- Should include a commitment to financial aid: TA, RA, Fellowship, combination

- Probably visit paid or partially paid for by the school

- Talk to students without faculty present

- Some questions to ask:

- TA or RA responsibilities

- Grad Student facilities, e.g. offices, lounge

- Housing and local transportation

- Does stipend afford a reasonable lifestyle? Are there any mandatory fees?

- Will school help you get settled, e.g. temporary housing

- Are the grad students happy?

- Medical insurance

- How long does it take to get a Ph.D.? Ask for numbers, not sad stories.

- How many people flunk out? Ask for numbers, not sad stories.

- Summer support. Ask for actual history - not projections.

- Qualifying procedure

- Job placement of graduates

- Do advisors who interest you treat their students well? How many students have they taken in the past?

If you want it, see if there are summer RAs available for the summer before you enter the program

• If offers don't come in, find Ghosh or Garoff IMMEDIATELY! We may be able to locate programs with openings