53rd DPS Meeting
What to Look for in a Graduate School
DPS 2021
53rd Annual Meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences
Virtually Anywhere
3
–
8 October 2021
Schedule
Meet with representatives from graduate schools in GatherTown.
- Sunday, 3 October, 7:00 PM EDT - Grad Pavilion Hour
- Wednesday, 6 October, 11:00 AM EDT - Graduate School Fair
Participating Schools:
- Auburn University
- Arizona State University
- Boston University
- Cornell University
- Northern Arizona University
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of Arizona, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
- University of Central Florida
- University of Colorado, Boulder, Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences Department
- University of Colorado, Boulder, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department
- University of Maryland
- University of Southern Queensland
- University of Texas at San Antonio / SwRI
- University of Washington
- Western University
What to Look for in a Graduate Program and School
Selecting a graduate school is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. Explore the information below, and come prepared for the DPS Virtual Graduate School Fair.
- Arrive early and give yourself plenty of time to visit with school reps.
- Visit the schools you are most interested in first.
- Visit school websites, download and read their content.
While you are browsing the various programs consider some of the following:
- Career Goals
- What is your career goal?
- Where do you ultimately want to work?
- Academia: (University or Small College)
- Aerospace
- Communication, Media or Science Writing
- National Labs & DOD
- Planetaria, Science Museums or Public Outreach
- Policy
- Observatory/Science Operations
- Data Science
- Research Interest
- What courses are taught?
- What type of research will you conduct?
- Faculty
- Who are the faculty and what are their backgrounds?
- Are they attending the meeting? Can you meet with them?
- Are they presenting their research at the meeting?
- Are they published?
- Do they collaborate with their students?
- Internships
- Are internships a required part of the degree program?
- Ask where students have done their internships.
- Does the school help with finding these opportunities?
- Application requirements
- Find out the admissions requirements (GPA, test scores, etc.)
- What is the application deadline?
- Facilities
- Are the labs, research and computer facilities up to date?
- What facilities are available to graduate students?
- Reputation
- Consider the reputation of the program and the faculty at each college.
- Ask other people about the programs.
- Location
- Where is the school located? (city, rural, ocean, mountains)
- Where do you want to live?
- Campus Environment
- What size is the school and the program?
- Placement information of Past Graduates
-
- Ask to see the placement information for past graduates
- What types of jobs have they taken?
- Where are they working?
- What are their salaries?
- Cost
- Ask about tuition, room & board, books, fees and living expenses
- Are there fellowships, assistantships, stipends or financial aid available to graduate students?
Be ready to talk about yourself!
- Prepare your elevator pitch, this is your chance to sell yourself.
- Update your vFairs profile.
- Have your CV ready to upload
- Network throughout the week
- Invite faculty from your top schools to your iPoster or Oral presentation
- Follow-up after the meeting
- Ask if it would be possible to arrange a campus visit in which you could meet with admissions representatives, current students, and faculty.