This Is What They Don’t Teach You In Grad School

July, 2010 · By Justin Bengry

You can only learn how grad school works by actually experiencing it.

Many future (and even current) grad students are not sure what to expect at grad school, how things are different from undergraduate studies, or sometimes even how to access the information they need to succeed in this new environment.

This new series will offer advice, experience, and ideas for students already in grad school, as well as those thinking about making the jump or just exploring the option.

It doesn’t have to be this way!

Welcome to a new TalentEgg series! While TalentEgg’s Career Incubator is primarily devoted to articles for undergraduate students and recent graduates embarking on their careers, we also know that many readers won’t stop at an undergraduate degree.

Many will go on to grad school for professional degrees, other master’s degrees, and even doctorates. This new series will offer advice, experience, and ideas for students already in grad school, as well as those thinking about making the jump or just exploring the option.

The series will be written by two TalentEgg writers, each with their own unique experiences in grad school.

Danielle Lorenz

Danielle Lorenz will begin grad school at Carleton University in Ottawa this fall, where she will pursue an MA in Canadian Studies with a focus on Indigenous Studies.

Danielle is just embarking on her grad school adventure, learning the ropes and sharing her experiences with readers as she navigates this new world. In addition to articles on applications and funding, Danielle will also write about life as a new graduate student and offer regular updates of her progress in grad school.

Justin Bengry

At the other end of the spectrum, Justin Bengry recently completed his PhD at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in History with an emphasis inFeminist Studies.

Justin has finished nearly a decade of grad school and wants to share how to succeed and what to be wary of in higher education. He will focus on relationships with supervisors, conducting research and also how to succeed at grad school.

Throughout the summer and fall we will also cover issues and questions surrounding application procedures, fellowships and grants, TA-ing duties and responsibilities, relationships with supervisors and everything in between. This will be an ongoing series of articles, the timing of which will be designed to match your trajectories for applications, anxieties, and needs throughout the academic year.

Feel free to comment on articles with your own ideas and questions for areas you’d like to see us cover!

This blog was originally published at TalentEgg on 20 July 2010.