Advice for undergraduates
Should you do a PhD straight from undergrad? What can you do now best to prepare?
Recent undergraduates have several advantages in applying to PhD programs, in that they’ve frequently just completed the expected coursework and often have active relationships with letter writers. But there are some significant risks too. If you’re currently an undergraduate, it’s good to start thinking about these tradeoffs, and I’ll discuss other options and give you some tips on becoming a stronger candidate.
The biggest mistakes I see people make going straight from college to a PhD program are (1) they don't know how to work steadily, bounce back from failure, be professional, and/or just get @%$ done because they don't have real-world work experience and treat the PhD as a continuation of college, and (2) they haven't spent enough time exploring what's out there, specialize too quickly, and then discover a PhD is a poor match and lose interest. I’ll provide some guidance later on for the first issue, which can partly be avoided by developing a realistic, supportive attitude toward yourself and paying attention to your and others’ expectations. The second risk is more difficult, and you should continue reflecting on the question as you investigate potential careers.
You will not “age out” of a PhD if you decide to take more time deciding if it’s the right move—working in a research lab full-time first might even make it easier to get admitted. If you’re unsure about whether a PhD is right, look for opportunities to work as a full-time staff scientist instead. Personally I prefer it when people have at least a year or two of work between undergraduate and graduate school. Some of the best scientists (and now professors) I know spent 10 years doing pretty unrelated things before going to graduate school. This can also give you more financial security by allowing you to work and save before what will likely be leaner years.
But if you’re eager to transition directly between your undergraduate and doctoral study, you can avoid these mistakes by getting work experience, especially if you have not held a real job before. Ideally, this job would involve showing up and interacting with people professionally even if you don’t feel like it. (Perhaps your educational experience so far checks that box!) You can also practice doing your coursework at a steadier pace, rarely leaving things to the last minute, and keeping regular hours while you do it. You can avoid the mistake of specializing too quickly by reading broadly in your potential field of study and getting research experience, as described more below, and continuing to learn about other career paths.
If you’re reading this guide before your final year of college and would like to position yourself to be a strong applicant, there are a few more things you can do. (If you’re reading this later, don’t bemoan your possibly misspent youth just yet.)
Take challenging courses in your field of interest and do well in them. Paradoxically, the most important preparatory courses for research in a field are sometimes not offered by the department. For instance, many biologists need good training in statistics and probability and benefit from a foundation in linear algebra, multivariable calculus, and so on, and introductory computer science benefits just about everyone. It is unfortunate that the curricula for many undergraduate majors do not mirror the training that is in fact required to excel in advanced research in that area. For that reason, try to talk with professors and graduate students and skim the kinds of papers you would like to write to learn more about what a good foundation looks like. Keep in mind that a good foundation 30 years ago might not be a good foundation today: fields get “invaded” frequently by new methodologies and perspectives. In general, it rarely hurts to take more quantitative courses.
Develop a habit of skimming and reading scientific papers in the fields that interest you, beyond your coursework. Understanding what people are working on and which topics or methodologies interest you will make it easier for you to hone in on potential PhD labs and can help you find the most relevant research experience.
Gain research experience by working with professors or in their research groups. If you’ve done especially well in a course you like, ask the professor if they have research opportunities for undergraduates. Look too at professors at your school who might not be teaching but who have published papers that you like. Do not be deterred if a professor says you do not have the necessary experience yet; thank them for the information and politely ask what kind of experience they like to see in new lab members. It’s impressive if you can later approach them with that experience. (They may decline again, perhaps because they are out of money or their lab is full. Do not be deterred in that case either. Or on hearing their prerequisites, you might decide their research does not appeal so much to you.)
Cultivate relationships with professors who can advise you on graduate school and speak to your abilities. Attend office hours for relevant courses and ask deeper questions about the material, especially in areas you might want to work. Let professors know you are interested in obtaining a PhD and ask them for advice on how to prepare and what questions and methodologies are at the forefront. Mention how you are doing in other relevant courses. They will understand you might be seeking a recommendation letter from them someday. Keep the main focus of these conversations on scholarship and less on how to strengthen your application or your chances of getting in.