Outreach
When pursuing our goals and aspirations, it is easy to fixate solely on personal accomplishments. In academia, the phrase "publish or perish" describes the pressure to continuously publish scholarly work, often at the expense of a balanced academic journey. However, in my eyes, true success encompasses not just personal milestones, but also the positive impact we can have on others. Therefore, I made this page to serve as a reminder to myself about the importance of giving back, whether that is through mentorship, informal science education, or sharing insights via blog posts. I am always thinking about ways to participate in outreach efforts — if you have any thoughts, let me know!
8/17/2023: Application Resources for Prospective Graduate Students
Applying to graduate programs can be quite the daunting task — it certainly was for me. However, I was fortunate to recieve invaluable guidance and support from various mentors, colleagues, and friends throughout the entire application process. In an attempt to pay it forward, I would like to share some of my application materials via this post. While these resources are not entirely foolproof, and despite not gaining admission to every program I applied to, my hope is that they can provide an extra reference for prospective students preparing for the graduate school appliction process. In my experience, I have observed that admissions committees tend to adopt a holisitic approach when evaluating prospective students. If I had to prioritize these evaluation criteria based on their percieved importance, I would rank them as follows: (1) relevant research experience; (2) reference letters; (3) statement of purpose; (4) undergraduate GPA; (5) graduate record examinations. With that being said, please keep in mind that what I am sharing is based solely on my personal experience.
Below is list of materials that may serve useful when preparing for your applications: