How to apply for a mycology phd?
August 17, 2009 6:40 PM Subscribe
My husband wants to get a doctorate in mycology become a mycologist. We don't know where to start.
My husband is now starting his third year as an undergraduate majoring in biology. He has a 3.5 GPA. It's low because he flunked a few classes as a freshman and than he came back to school several years later. He will hopefully repeat those classes and his GPA will be closer to a 3.8 when he graduates.
He wants to get his doctorate in mycology. We have no idea how to go about applying to graduate school and the counselors at his college haven't been very much help.
1. Are we going to need to borrow a lot of money to get his phd in mycology, or are the financial aid packages for science students pretty good? Will he be able to teach or work as a TA in exchange for his tuition? Is it likely that they will provide a living stipend and/or housing?
2. It's very unlikely that he will be able to do research in mycology before he graduates, there is not anyone at his university doing it. Should he just do other general biology research?
3. What other resources should we consult for applying to graduate school?
Thank you so very much!
My husband is now starting his third year as an undergraduate majoring in biology. He has a 3.5 GPA. It's low because he flunked a few classes as a freshman and than he came back to school several years later. He will hopefully repeat those classes and his GPA will be closer to a 3.8 when he graduates.
He wants to get his doctorate in mycology. We have no idea how to go about applying to graduate school and the counselors at his college haven't been very much help.
1. Are we going to need to borrow a lot of money to get his phd in mycology, or are the financial aid packages for science students pretty good? Will he be able to teach or work as a TA in exchange for his tuition? Is it likely that they will provide a living stipend and/or housing?
2. It's very unlikely that he will be able to do research in mycology before he graduates, there is not anyone at his university doing it. Should he just do other general biology research?
3. What other resources should we consult for applying to graduate school?
Thank you so very much!
Peruse the posts of palmcorder_yajna like that one, and I bet she wouldn't mind if you dropped her a mefimail. She likes mycology, too!
posted by rtha at 7:11 PM on August 17, 2009
posted by rtha at 7:11 PM on August 17, 2009
As far as doing undergrad research is concerned: absolutely. It sounds like you have very little idea what graduate school will be like (yes, they pay you to attend; no, 3.5 is not considered a low GPA), and if nothing else, working with a PI and graduate students in a research lab will give you a pretty good idea of what he can expect if he enrolls in a doctoral program. He might also end up hating the idea: quite a few of the bioscience graduate students I've met are rather unhappy with their choice.
posted by halogen at 7:11 PM on August 17, 2009
posted by halogen at 7:11 PM on August 17, 2009
First, if he's planning to retake classes just to boost his GPA, that may not be necessary. That might be a good idea if he were going to law school, say, where admission is very formulaic, but in the sciences his application would be more likely to be evaluated at a human level. That is, people would look at his transcript, see a perfectly respectable GPA that has been stellar since screwing up as a freshman long ago. (FWIW, I got into a science PhD program with a lower GPA than his).
Any and all biology research would look good on a grad school application, and should hopefully provide a good recommendation as well. A lot of research assistant positions for undergraduates are poorly advertised, so ask around. One exception are NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate positions (commonly known as REUs) that provide funding for an undergraduate to do summer research under a professor's mentorship. If he's willing to volunteer his time he will find many laboratory doors open to him, including at other universities. Try emailing professors who do research he finds interesting, even if they don't need any assistance, they may be able to suggest a colleague who does.
To ditto what others have said above, in the sciences you generally get paid (such as it is) to be a graduate student.
posted by Tsuga at 8:37 PM on August 17, 2009
Any and all biology research would look good on a grad school application, and should hopefully provide a good recommendation as well. A lot of research assistant positions for undergraduates are poorly advertised, so ask around. One exception are NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate positions (commonly known as REUs) that provide funding for an undergraduate to do summer research under a professor's mentorship. If he's willing to volunteer his time he will find many laboratory doors open to him, including at other universities. Try emailing professors who do research he finds interesting, even if they don't need any assistance, they may be able to suggest a colleague who does.
To ditto what others have said above, in the sciences you generally get paid (such as it is) to be a graduate student.
posted by Tsuga at 8:37 PM on August 17, 2009
Also, a good way to start preparing for graduate school is to read up on the primary literature in the field. Find professors who do work you find interesting, then email them expressing your interest and ask if they are looking for a new grad student. This is a very common practice; my advisor estimates that he gets 100 such emails a year.
posted by Tsuga at 8:43 PM on August 17, 2009
posted by Tsuga at 8:43 PM on August 17, 2009
Tsuga's very right about the grades. I'd done a huge amount of research in various labs, and the fact that I had a lower final GPA than your husband, due to some really awful grades freshman year, didn't stop me from getting into several top grad school programs. Which - like most science programs - all pay tuition and offer a stipend and health insurance. In many of the better schools, the stipend is not connected to RA or TA hours, and is year-round. This is very different from humanities graduate programs.
Research experience, not grades, is generally considered the best predictor of success in grad school. Research in general can be exhausting and demoralizing. Your results don't make any sense for weeks at a time, you go through periods when it seems you can't even get the simplest things to work, other labs publish papers on the stuff you're working on just as you finally get some decent data. The sort of skills and fortitude necessary to deal with research aren't really the same sorts necessary to get good grades. (Awful grades throughout undergrad would of course be bad news, but decent grades with a few bad ones early on will by no means make him an unattractive grad student candidate, at least if he's got research experience.) To some extent, it doesn't even matter what sort of research you do. Research in his field would, of course, be better, but general bio research would almost certainly be fine. Even non-bio research (which presents many of the same challenges that bio research does, albeit using different skills) would be good. Few schools have undergrad mycology majors, and few grad schools expect their students to have specialized that much during undergrad.
Taking any upper-level classes (grad classes) would be a good idea too - not only would that be a nice thing to have on his academic record, but upper-level classes are more likely to spend time reading and analyzing actual papers.
In some schools - perhaps his! - there is a lot of funding for undergrad research. Check that out before volunteering time; it's nice to be able to do work that still gets you paid. The best way to find research positions is to talk to professors. They'll also - by far - be the best to advise your husband on grad school and grad school apps. Career counselors can help you write a decent resume, but professors (and grad students/postdocs) can give your husband an idea of what research and grad school are really like, and even if they're not mycology profs themselves, they can probably dig up people at other universities who can describe research specific to that field.
posted by ubersturm at 10:04 PM on August 17, 2009
Research experience, not grades, is generally considered the best predictor of success in grad school. Research in general can be exhausting and demoralizing. Your results don't make any sense for weeks at a time, you go through periods when it seems you can't even get the simplest things to work, other labs publish papers on the stuff you're working on just as you finally get some decent data. The sort of skills and fortitude necessary to deal with research aren't really the same sorts necessary to get good grades. (Awful grades throughout undergrad would of course be bad news, but decent grades with a few bad ones early on will by no means make him an unattractive grad student candidate, at least if he's got research experience.) To some extent, it doesn't even matter what sort of research you do. Research in his field would, of course, be better, but general bio research would almost certainly be fine. Even non-bio research (which presents many of the same challenges that bio research does, albeit using different skills) would be good. Few schools have undergrad mycology majors, and few grad schools expect their students to have specialized that much during undergrad.
Taking any upper-level classes (grad classes) would be a good idea too - not only would that be a nice thing to have on his academic record, but upper-level classes are more likely to spend time reading and analyzing actual papers.
In some schools - perhaps his! - there is a lot of funding for undergrad research. Check that out before volunteering time; it's nice to be able to do work that still gets you paid. The best way to find research positions is to talk to professors. They'll also - by far - be the best to advise your husband on grad school and grad school apps. Career counselors can help you write a decent resume, but professors (and grad students/postdocs) can give your husband an idea of what research and grad school are really like, and even if they're not mycology profs themselves, they can probably dig up people at other universities who can describe research specific to that field.
posted by ubersturm at 10:04 PM on August 17, 2009
Some useful links,
Article on mycology careers also has a list of leading mycological labs around the world.
International Mycological Association
Go to their website, join (it's cheap at 30 euros). Contact your regional IMA committee and ask for their advice.
Basically your husband needs to contact as many academic mycologists as it takes to get good advice. There may well be research that he could do locally.
Admissions committees will be looking for commitment to the field. Find out what the leading mycological journals are and start reading them. Find out what textbooks mycology programs use and start reading them.
posted by atrazine at 10:06 PM on August 17, 2009
Article on mycology careers also has a list of leading mycological labs around the world.
International Mycological Association
Go to their website, join (it's cheap at 30 euros). Contact your regional IMA committee and ask for their advice.
Basically your husband needs to contact as many academic mycologists as it takes to get good advice. There may well be research that he could do locally.
Admissions committees will be looking for commitment to the field. Find out what the leading mycological journals are and start reading them. Find out what textbooks mycology programs use and start reading them.
posted by atrazine at 10:06 PM on August 17, 2009
Well, I got a PhD in mycology, but that was a long time ago. Back then, a PhD in mycology was a guaranteed way never to get a job. By now, things are probably even worse. I never gave employment a thought back then (fungi were, like, so COOL), and I shudder at my naivety. So think about employability.
Then make a list of school with good mycology programs. Of course, that's very few nowadays. Ideally, you should visit the schools and get an idea of who would be your advisor if you went there. A colleague recently told a group of visiting students "Don't pick a major, pick an advisor" and I couldn't agree more. If you want a job in mycology, you can get one (if you can get one) through any related field- microbiology, plant pathology, plant breeding, bioinformation, etc., as long as your advisor is good and respected in his or her field. And getting a PhD is hard- a good advisor makes it much easier.
I got an NSF scholarship which paid for most of my education, but again, this was back in the good old days. None of my young friends have it as easy as I did- they all work part-time. In fact, many of my young friends are technicians, and they get their graduate tuition partly paid by their employers because the education gives them work-related skills. It's a good deal, but it's exhausting.
In my case, after many years of terror, I got a permanent job and am doing mycology (let me repeat: fungi are COOL). I'll be happy to give you advice by email; I can put you in touch with some of the few remaining mycologists. Otherwise, the best of luck.
posted by acrasis at 5:14 AM on August 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
Then make a list of school with good mycology programs. Of course, that's very few nowadays. Ideally, you should visit the schools and get an idea of who would be your advisor if you went there. A colleague recently told a group of visiting students "Don't pick a major, pick an advisor" and I couldn't agree more. If you want a job in mycology, you can get one (if you can get one) through any related field- microbiology, plant pathology, plant breeding, bioinformation, etc., as long as your advisor is good and respected in his or her field. And getting a PhD is hard- a good advisor makes it much easier.
I got an NSF scholarship which paid for most of my education, but again, this was back in the good old days. None of my young friends have it as easy as I did- they all work part-time. In fact, many of my young friends are technicians, and they get their graduate tuition partly paid by their employers because the education gives them work-related skills. It's a good deal, but it's exhausting.
In my case, after many years of terror, I got a permanent job and am doing mycology (let me repeat: fungi are COOL). I'll be happy to give you advice by email; I can put you in touch with some of the few remaining mycologists. Otherwise, the best of luck.
posted by acrasis at 5:14 AM on August 18, 2009 [1 favorite]
While there may not be mycologists per se at his uni, if there is basic biology at all happening I find it hard to believe that nobody works in yeast. They might not advertise themselves as a yeast-studying lab, but yeast are an extremely common model organism for many systems. Grad students and PIs there will likely be informed as to who is doing what in yeast, and provide some basic perspective on careers. There may also be people at the hospital (if there's an attached hospital) doing research into fungal diseases, which are very important in AIDS patients. These people would be in the infectious disease department. Working for either of these groups could get him the basic lab background required plus a little "not bacteria" knowledge.
The above posters are correct in stating that the people charged with advising undergrads frequently do not know their ass from their elbow; try to speak to practicing scientists.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 8:18 AM on August 18, 2009
The above posters are correct in stating that the people charged with advising undergrads frequently do not know their ass from their elbow; try to speak to practicing scientists.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 8:18 AM on August 18, 2009
Be aware that it may be very hard to get a good job after grad school. Postdocs pay poorly, don't have great benefits, and are spread out around the country so you may have to move. But if he loves it, go for it!
posted by miyabo at 8:48 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by miyabo at 8:48 AM on August 18, 2009
3. What other resources should we consult for applying to graduate school?
There are several handbooks meant to guide people through the application process as well as grad school itself. Back when I was applying to Ph.D. programs I used Getting What You Came For by Robert L. Peters and it was a sanity-saver. The book gave me much fuller and more accurate information about grad school than my faculty advisers could have. There are other titles you could look at, too: an Amazon search turned up this, this, this, and this, for starters. I can't vouch for the latter four books; you should read the Amazon reviews as well as seeking out other resources on the topic.
Once you get oriented to the application process, I also suggest that your husband make a regular habit—it doesn't have to be every day, but maybe for an hour once every couple of weeks—of perusing The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed, especially if he intends to become an academic mycologist. Academia is its own world, which he'll be immersed in (even if temporarily) once he starts research at the graduate level. This is one way to get a little contact with the culture of that academic world in advance and demystify the concerns & motivations of academics a little bit. (He can start by taking note of the humanities / sciences divide; when an article makes generalizations about research, publication, teaching, etc., pay attention to which side of that divide the author is coming from.)
posted by Orinda at 9:13 AM on August 18, 2009 [3 favorites]
There are several handbooks meant to guide people through the application process as well as grad school itself. Back when I was applying to Ph.D. programs I used Getting What You Came For by Robert L. Peters and it was a sanity-saver. The book gave me much fuller and more accurate information about grad school than my faculty advisers could have. There are other titles you could look at, too: an Amazon search turned up this, this, this, and this, for starters. I can't vouch for the latter four books; you should read the Amazon reviews as well as seeking out other resources on the topic.
Once you get oriented to the application process, I also suggest that your husband make a regular habit—it doesn't have to be every day, but maybe for an hour once every couple of weeks—of perusing The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed, especially if he intends to become an academic mycologist. Academia is its own world, which he'll be immersed in (even if temporarily) once he starts research at the graduate level. This is one way to get a little contact with the culture of that academic world in advance and demystify the concerns & motivations of academics a little bit. (He can start by taking note of the humanities / sciences divide; when an article makes generalizations about research, publication, teaching, etc., pay attention to which side of that divide the author is coming from.)
posted by Orinda at 9:13 AM on August 18, 2009 [3 favorites]
Hello, younger, opposite gender me. I'm currently doing a mycology based PhD, and I would echo the thoughts of others saying academic mycology is in a pitiful state right now. If he is dead set on going the academic research route, he should look into schools that have forestry programs, because they tend to accumulate mycologists. But if he really just wants to work with cool fungi, there may be a lot easier roads to that kind of job than going through a PhD program.
I have a lot of advice to give about mycology and graduate school in general if he wants to contact me directly - email's in profile.
posted by emyd at 3:57 PM on August 18, 2009
I have a lot of advice to give about mycology and graduate school in general if he wants to contact me directly - email's in profile.
posted by emyd at 3:57 PM on August 18, 2009
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I think getting any general biology research would be helpful in graduate applications, but of course it would be best to have some experience in mycology. If it is possible for your husband to travel next summer, he could look into finding a research opportunity in mycology at another school. Alternatively, if he has any thoughts about a research project in mycology that he might be able to do on his own, he could try to find a professor at his own university that is willing to act as an advisor for that self-driven project. I've known several people that did something like that successfully. Caveat: I went to a small liberal arts school where that kind of thing was relatively easy to arrange; at a large institution, this may be harder.
My strategy for applying to graduate school was to find professors whose work I was interested in, and contact them directly by email to ask if they would be accepting graduate students in the year I planned to start. In my case, I was doing this contacting in late summer and early fall of 2008, and applying for fall 2009.
When you say counselors, do you mean something like a career services office? If so, your husband may be better served to ask some of his biology professors for advice in graduate school applications. He'll need to approach them to ask for letters of recommendation anyway, and while they may not be mycologists themselves, they might have advice on where to start looking. They will certainly be able to help familiarize him with the grad school applications process.
posted by pemberkins at 7:00 PM on August 17, 2009