Talk to prospective faculty advisors

Keep in mind that you are evaluating UW-Madison, the Biology Department, and the faculty member’s laboratory as much as the faculty member is evaluating you. Be prepared to ask, as well as answer, questions.

A faculty member might ask you:

• What is your previous research experience? (It is often OK not to have much.)
• Why are you interested in graduate school?
• Why are you interested in studying ‘X’?
• Would you be interested in studying ‘Y’ instead?
• I don’t have research money to support you, so you will probably be a teaching assistant throughout your graduate career. How would you prioritize classes, teaching and research?

Things you might want to ask a prospective advisor:

• How many graduate students work with you and how similar/diverse are their projects?
• What is the difference between M.S. and Ph.D. projects?
• Who generally decides what the research topic will be?
• How could I expect to be funded if I came to work in your lab?
• How long do students in you lab typically take to finish?
• I have some experience studying ‘X’. Is continuing along this line of research compatible with your lab?
• What jobs have your former graduate students started after they have graduated?

Talk with a current graduate student

Talking to current graduate students can be a great way to learn about a program you’re interested in, especially over the phone, video call or in-person. Here are some things you could consider asking a current graduate student:

• What’s the best/worst thing about: being a graduate student, your advisor, the Botany Department, UW, Madison, etc?
• How long have you been in graduate school and when do you expect to finish?
• What is the teaching load like for a TA in the department?
• Do you recommend ‘Professor X’ as an advisor?
• What is the most difficult part of the graduate student process? What is the most important part?
• What is the cost of housing? Is it easy to find a place to live?

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