How I Chose My Grad School

“Next year will I be a Hokie, a Wildcat, a Badger, a Lion, or a Gator?” Like you might be thinking this isn’t a new version of the “lions, tigers, and bears…oh my!”, but simply what was going through my head for the last year and a half as I have been preparing for graduate school. When I first began this search for the graduate program that would be best for me, I constantly went to sleep at night thinking just that.

Over the past four years of my undergraduate career, I have attended several dairy/agricultural conferences and competitions. At these, I have met several graduate professors with outstanding dairy science programs. This past summer, I was approached by three of them with potential graduate assistantship offers, without me even having to ask! To be honest, it was the best feeling to be acknowledged for my achievements and begin thinking about the next chapter in my life. However, at the same time I wanted to attend all of them at once! Unfortunately this is impossible, so I had some decisions to make. I know that this is a common dilemma with most students, so I’ll share with you what helped me.

Keep a Pros and Cons list for each Graduate Program.

• I’m a list kind of person so this always helps me keep track of my thoughts and then the paper can speak for itself when it comes time to decide.
• The hardest part for me was that I may have had one or two cons for each school but several pros for each. The best part is, you can always go for a PhD after somewhere else!

Do your homework!

• Get on the computer and spend time on the website for the University’s graduate school. This saves time during your visit and answers a lot of the basic questions.(i.e.; location, professor’s previous research, application process, etc.)
• Prepare a list of questions for your visit to each University (some questions should relate directly to the specific program).

 Visit as many schools possible.

•  I know that once I visited the schools I was considering it really helped me decide if it was somewhere I could live, people I could enjoy being around, and research I enjoyed.
• It is also a great time to look at potential apartments if you have the time. It may not seem like it at first, but the closer it gets, you may run out of time to take another trip to figure all of that stuff out.

Arrange communication with graduate students in the respective programs currently.

• I had a Skype session with some of the graduate students at UK. I think having that initial conversation with them calmed my nerves a bit and also got me thinking about the things I couldn’t read on the internet.
• This also gave me more insight to not only my major professor and his habits and guidelines but also what it would be like to work with a group of people I hadn’t spent much time with.
• The current graduate students know more about the ins and outs of a program than you can read about or even find out from the professor sometimes.

Start figuring out what focus in your major that you’re most interested in.

• I took time to think back to what classes and experiences I enjoyed the most over the past years. Then I also considered what some questions were that kept me intrigued.
•  Look up published papers on different topics and see which ones you want to keep learning more about.
• Also, consider what your goals are afterwards and see if choosing a certain program will help you reach them.

Look at the financial aspect of it all.

• It was probably the least exciting part for me, but it’s something you have to consider. Learn more about the average graduate assistantship or fellowship in your field of study and at the specific University.
• However, don’t let a couple thousand dollars more in stipends make up your decision. The research and overall feel of the program should make up your mind.
• Make sure that it is a package that you could live on, so look up and ask about apartments, other college fees, and other living expenses in that area. If not, ask about alternatives.

Most importantly spend time communicating with your potential major professors!

• Something that Dr. Bewley at UK has told me for the last four years since I met him was to think carefully about the professor. He believes choosing a major professor is just as important as finding your spouse. This is because you’ll be spending a LOT of time with them over the next 2-3 years. It can make or break your experience in grad school sometimes.

Ask all schools you’re considering when they need to know your decision.

• Professors understand that you may be considering other schools. However, if you are not interested in their program, they need adequate time to find someone else that would be interested.
• Also, if the deadlines are close together, let all professors know that you are considering other schools. Some may ask if you are, but not all will. So be honest with them upfront.

Take your parents and current undergrad professors and advisers thought into consideration.

• They have a lot of great advice and think about things that you may not while you’re panicking about deciding.
• Plus, if you’re parents are like mine, they will make your favorite dinners and desserts during this somewhat stressful time.

These are the main things that I did to help me make the big decision. I am proud to say that I will be attending the University of Kentucky in the fall, and I know that I have made the right decision! If you ever have a question or run into me on campus feel free to say hi! I love getting to meet fellow gators! 

Go Gators & Go Wildcats!

Lauren Mayo

Class: Junior
Hometown: Riverview, Florida
Major: Animal Sciences Specializing in Dairy Industry
Minor: Agricultural Communications
Involvement: Dairy Science Club President; Collegiate Farm Bureau President; Block and Bridle Club; American Dairy Science Association Student Affiliate Division Officer at Large(2011); Girl Scouts of the USA Lifetime Member; Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Adult Volunteer;  coordinated UF Ag Facts Friday, educating college students and public about the importance of agriculture
Hobbies: Dairy cattle judging and showing, scrapbooking, cooking and baking, outdoor