Book Review - Graduate School: Winning Strategies for Getting In, by Dave G. Mumby
So, are you content with your bachelor's degree -- or do you just think that you can't afford grad school? Perhaps you're convinced that your grades aren't up to par, or that you won't do well in a certain program. The application process seems too daunting, so you've decided to forego the opportunity to attend grad school, and roll the dice in the job market. Don't settle for that entry level job just yet; there's a book you should read before you make up your mind about postgraduate education.
Graduate School: Winning Strategies for Getting In, by Dave G. Mumby, was originally published in 1997. At that time it was one of the few books on the market that offered advice about applying to graduate school. Fast forward 15 years and we have the second edition. The title has been edited, the role of modern technology in the application process has been addressed, a few key sections have been added, and the book now works in tandem with the website http://mygraduateschool.com/. However, one important element has not changed with this edition -- the content of the book remains an asset to "undergraduate college or University students who are either currently planning to apply to graduate school or professional school, or who have not yet made that decision but eventually will."
Information is only as valuable as its source. Much of the advice and insight throughout the book comes from professors and faculty members, interpretations of other books that offer similar advice, and of course, Dave G. Mumby himself. As a professor at Concordia University, and a supervisor to undergraduate honours and graduate students in psychology, Mumby has direct experience with assisting students that decide to pursue or have pursued postgraduate education. Moreover, he is keen on what selection committees look for when evaluating potential grad students, because he has personally served on such committees.
Experience aside, Mumby's words come across in a calm and direct tone; it's a good lecture spliced with an in-depth conversation during office hours. There is a sense that he genuinely wants to help potential grad students. Several books that offer grad school advice have a chapter near the beginning about, "why you shouldn't go to grad school." Instead, this book includes a section entitled, "Find out what grad school is all about." In fact, that sentiment was the motivation for the introduction to this review. It's not often that you hear (or read) the phrase, "grad school is more rewarding than most people think." It's education, romanticize it if you choose, but the point is that Mumby is helpful, honest, and positive. The positive part is especially refreshing.
Don't get too giddy, the book is just as much realistic as it is positive. You don't want a letter of recommendation from just any professor, regardless of whether you hold he/she in high esteem, or vice versa. You're good grades don't guarantee you'll be successful in grad school. Do you even understand how the application process works? And how can you afford grad school? All of these topics are covered. For example, chapter 11 covers "financing your graduate studies," and the entire fourth chapter is dedicated to a discussion about grades -- "two common misconceptions are that one must have outstanding grades to get into grad school, and that outstanding grades are all one needs."
Early in the book Mumby persistently proclaims that "this book explains it all." Initially, that type of statement was repetitive, but that feeling faded as he delivered on all of his promises. Couple that annoyance with the fact that the book's title ends in a preposition, and those are the two biggest flaws of the book. The information is more than valid -- Mumby not only provides advice on various facets of the application process, but he also invites you into the mind of someone on the selection committee. For instance, "one of the first questions that almost any admissions committee will consider is whether the applicant's goals and interests match the objectives and specialties of the program."
Graduate School: Winning Strategies for Getting In doesn't promise that you will get accepted if you decide to apply; but don't count yourself out until you've given the book a good read. It can help you make important decisions about your future in academia, and regardless of the outcome, you'll come away knowing that you were well informed, thanks to this book.
Graduate School
Winning Strategies For Getting In
Author: Dave G. Mumby, Ph.D.
Proto Press Publications
Copyright 2011
All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-0-9682173-5-1
http://MyGraduateSchool.com
Blog: http://mygraduateschool.wordpress.com
Book Review - Grad School Rulz: Everything You Need to Know about Academia From Admissions to Tenure, by Fabio Rojas
This book is different than other books about postgraduate education for two reasons -- the format and the tone. Unlike the hard copy books we've previously reviewed, this is an eBook; a worthwhile change now that so many readers are using the Kindle, the Tablet, or a similar eReader. In regard to the tone, Fabio Rojas is direct and detailed with the advice and information he provides in Grad School Rulz: Everything You Need to Know about Academia from Admissions to Tenure. This is a departure from some of the more humorous books we've recently reviewed, but the serious style of Grad School Rulz is not without merit.
Some readers may be familiar with Fabio Rojas from the blog Grad School Rulz found on orgtheory.net. Holding a Ph.D. in sociology, Fabio is currently an associate professor at Indiana University, and in addition to this eBook he has numerous other publications. You can read his full bio here. One intriguing aspect in his personal bio is that he's an avid jazz fan; ironic, considering that his book is anything but improvised.
The 59 chapters in the table of contents immediately give cause for your eyebrows to raise; however, upon closer inspection it's evident that the chapters are concise compilations of information that is critical to the success of any doctoral student. The author makes no secret that his audience is first and foremost doctoral students, and he reminds the reader that he's providing insight from his personal experience in his field of study. That being said, all the advice within the book is applicable to students on various tracks, studying different disciplines. As Fabio explains, "I trust that you will be resourceful enough to adjust the advice for your own situation."
Although numerous, the chapters are a short and manageable; but this doesn't mean that the book is a quick read. The amount of detail, and the fact that one may have to apply said detail to his/her own specific field of study, requires the book to be read carefully. Information is often organized in lists that resemble class notes, or an outline for a paper. This is extremely helpful, as it would be a tedious read if the pages were full of bulky paragraphs camouflaging helpful hints -- it would be a shame to overlook some of the nuances that are discussed, namely the intricate processes of getting published and securing tenure.
There are several chapters dedicated to the publishing process, and the steps one must take on the path to tenure; however, the strength of the book is that it is straightforward. Fabio uses clear language and gets right to the point, take for example his analysis of teaching as Ph.D. student -- "Don't teach in graduate school unless you are targeting the liberal arts college market or it's a requirement for the degree or financial aid." I'd say that Fabio's advice is pretty clear-cut. Again, there is a great deal of information packed into this eBook, but the straightforward tone ensures that the reader is not overwhelmed or confused.
If you are a doctoral student and you have $2.00 (yes, only two bucks!), I recommend that you download this eBook. The book covers a wide array of topics, but the author walks us along the Ph.D. path in a delicate manner; Fabio is careful in how he presents the subject matter, and the reader benefits from his attention to detail. This eBook could serve as a helpful guide that students could continually reference at different stages of their academic career.
Grad School Rulz: Everything You Need to Know About Academia from Admissions to Tenure by Fabio Rojas
Published by Smashwords (October 1, 2011)
129 pages
Filesize: 163.63 KB
eBook ISBN: 9781466090125
ProQuest & Google Books Thus Far
Two months ago ProQuest announced an exciting new collaboration; works published through ProQuest UMI Dissertation Publishing would be discoverable via Google Books. The aim of this venture was to help authors increase the visibility of their works online, and thus far it looks like the plan has worked:
- In the month of August 2011 individual ProQuest dissertations and theses were viewed in Google Books over 270,000 times -- resulting in more than 1.76M pageviews.
- At present there are nearly 60,000 ProQuest dissertations and theses available in Google Books (20% of which are previews, not full-text).
If you're an author and you haven't selected the search engine option on your publishing agreement, but wish to do so now, simply contact the customer service group at disspub@proquest.com or call 800-521-0600 ext. 77020. In addition, the same group can be contacted if you wish for this option to be deselected.
Stay tuned for more updates from ProQuest in the future!
Book Review - Playing the Game: The Street Smart Guide to Graduate School by Frederick Frank, Ph.D. & Karl Stein, Ph.D.
Elegant. Classy. Charming. Graceful. None of those words describe this book; however, that is precisely what makes it such an effective guide for graduate school. Not many books about graduate school, much less books in general, come with a warning that precedes the preface and foreword. That let's you know from the get-go that this isn't your typical grad school guide. The direct and crass approach taken by the authors sets this book apart from all others in its genre. Toss the semantics out the window, forget about who may get insulted, don't mind your manners, and have a little fun telling students exactly what they need to know to survive graduate school -- Frank & Stein did just that, and it worked perfectly.
Yes, you read that correctly. Frank & Stein. These are the "alter-egos" of the two authors that drew from their personal graduate school experiences, combined that knowledge with insights from grad students that they interviewed, and then created this treasure trove of (uncensored) information about higher education. The book is broken into three distinct sections: Getting In, Getting Through, and Getting the Hell Out. This makes the book relevant to a wide audience. There is information for the undergraduate student that is applying to graduate school, the graduate student that is in the eye of the storm, as well as the veteran graduate student that is trying to wrap up their academic career.
The "tell it like it is" approach often involves foul language that would make George Carlin proud, yet the authors themselves admit that the sophomoric humor is designed to create an entertaining read. Regardless of their chosen vocabulary, the fact that this book holds valuable information is ultimately undeniable. Not only does the book begin with a list of common place terms associated with graduate school, but in the first section alone the authors cover all the intricacies of different types of degrees, the details about various entrance exams, and the nuances of the interview process. It's everything that a student applying to graduate school needs to know, but may be embarrassed to ask for fear of seeming ignorant. No matter how confident you are, we've all been in the situation where we don't want to be the one asking a "dumb" question, and thanks to this section you won't have to be that person.
Let me remind you that this is the "street smart guide to grad school," and part of being street-smart is learning how to read people. In the second section there are two chapters in which Frank & Stein introduce us to the types of students and professors we may encounter on the graduate school journey. Before the authors even begin describing the different types of students, they let you know that "this chapter is an equal opportunity offender." They then inform us about the Dumb-ass Student who everyone agrees is a "frickin idiot," the Know-it-All (who knows nothing) described as "an asshole that is a lot like Cliff Clavin on Cheers," and The Person Who Hates Everything but is attending graduate school, "because he/she hates everything in society so much that he/she sees graduate school as a kind of sanctuary."
The list of students goes on, but I don't want to spoil the rest for those of you that will read the book. The breakdown of professors is arguably more entertaining, and my personal favorite is The Slob, who is "usually very intelligent," but "has so much sh*t piled to the ceiling all over the damn office you usually can't even tell if It's there." They refer to the slob as It because, "it is often hard to tell if the slob is male or female." So what's the point? We get it, these authors are witty and good at making fun of people's characteristics. "Although some of the personalities are a bit overstated for amusement purposes," the point is that you need to understand how to read peers and professors because it will help you navigate the world of post-graduate education in a more effective manner. As Frank & Stein point out, "identifying the personalities of the various professors in your department will help you assemble a much more functional dissertation committee when the time is right."
The authors go into great detail in the third section, entitled Getting the Hell Out. They cover a variety of topics from oral and written exams to defending a dissertation and creating a CV. Much like the first section, this section does not shy away from the "silly" questions that students may have. For instance, before they get into giving advice about choosing a dissertation topic, they cover the difference between a thesis and a dissertation -- two terms that can cause confusion because they seemingly mean the same thing and are often used interchangeably. It's not a case study on the two terms, but rather some background information on topics like a master's thesis compared to a doctoral dissertation. Frank & Stein clearly care about the reader, and they are trying to deconstruct the entire graduate school experience and simply tell students what they need to know in order to be successful. Perhaps their most valuable advice is found in the book's conclusion: "Although we've spent 200 frickin pages making fun of the ubiquitous bullsh*t inherent in the graduate school system, the fact remains that in all actuality, it is an important and necessary part of our society...with that in mind, we cannot stress enough the importance of having a good sense of humor about the whole thing. Those who don't, perish. Or is it publish?"
Got a book you want us to review? Tell us about it.
Playing the Game (Uncensored!): The Street Smart Guide to Graduate School by Frederick Frank, Ph.D. & Karl Stein, Ph.D.
Published by iUniverse Inc. (February, 2004)
233 Pages
ISBN-10: 0595304869
IBN-13: 978-0595304868
Thanks to ProQuest, Publishing Your Dissertation Just Got Better
ProQuest recently announced exciting news for authors that submit theses and dissertations to ProQuest UMI Dissertation Publishing. There is a new enhancement that has been made to the optional Search Engine feature; published works will now be discoverable via Google Books!
Previously, theses and dissertations published through this ProQuest service had been viewable on web search engines such as Yahoo!, Google, and Google Scholar. The addition of Google Books ensures that authors can now increase visibility of their works online. Authors simply have to select the Search Engine option on their dissertation publishing agreement or within ProQuest's UMI ETD Administrator (electronic submission system) and their work will then appear in Google Books.
If an author had not selected this option from the service in the past, and they wish to do so now, they can simply contact the customer service group at disspub@proquest.com or call 800-521-0600 ext. 77020. In addition, the same group can be contacted if someone wishes for this option to now be deselected.
ProQuest hopes that authors take full advantage of this enhancement, and we look forward to sharing more exciting developments in the future!
Grad Students Are Smart, Pt. 4
Recently I began writing this four part series about scholars that have won awards from the Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses at various regional CGS conferences. You can take a look back and read the original intro, as well as the first post of the series, here.
In the final installment of this series I introduce you to Daniel Papsdorf from Wichita State University. Daniel won a Distinguished Master's Thesis Award for his thesis entitled, "Trade, Diplomacy, and War Along the Waters: The Mississippi During the American Revolution." What a relevant time to reflect on Daniel's thesis -- as I write this, the waters of the Mississippi are rising, and the swollen river is creeping over the banks, swallowing entire communities from Tennessee to Louisiana. Although Daniel's work focuses on the time period of the American Revolution, current events demonstrate that the mighty Mississippi has as much an impact on people's lives today as it did when, as Daniel stated, "it served as both a highway and a border between empires" centuries ago. The river is still a valuable asset to America; however, Daniel reminded everyone at the awards ceremony that this waterway has always played a pivotal role in the history and development of this country. The Spanish settlers are now a thing of the past, and the Native American communities have unwillingly relinquished the power they once held over this land -- but while the river floods this spring, as it undoubtedly did at times during the American Revolution, Daniel's work displays that understanding the history of this river is in essence understanding the history of this country. I had a chance to briefly speak with Daniel after the awards ceremony, and he mentioned that he was trying to get down to New Orleans this summer and gain access to some archives to continue his research. I hope Daniel gets access to those archives -- and at the same time, I hope that those living along the Mississippi remain safe and recover quickly from the flood damage. Congratulations to Daniel and all the other award winners, it was a pleasure to meet them and listen to their presentations. Below is a picture of Daniel, and a summary of his thesis as it appeared in the awards program.
Grad Students Are Smart, Pt. 3
Recently I began writing this four part series about scholars that have won awards from the Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses at various regional CGS conferences. You can take a look back and read the original intro, as well as the first post of the series, here.
Today, I introduce you to James K. Anderson from the University of Illinois at Springfield. The title of James' award winning thesis is, "Laughter is Critical: An Analysis of the Sociopolitcal Satire on 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' and 'The Colbert Report' Using the Propaganda Model as a Guide." I watch plenty of Comedy Central, and I'm a fan of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, but I was quite unfamiliar with the "propaganda model." As James explained, with a blend of intellect and humor that would make both Stewart and Colbert proud, the "propaganda model" was developed by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky in 1988. The model states that there are five criteria, or "filters," that are used to define what is "news" in modern society, and governments and corporations use their access to media to push certain social, economic or political messages. At the same time, any type of media that doesn't meet those five criteria is not given the time of day. Using a vocabulary that would make a thesaurus jealous, James explained further, pointing out that The Daily Show and The Colbert Report arguably are legitimate news sources; even though they use satire and comedy, they do not perpetuate the common "state corporate message" discussed in the "propaganda model," and they even undermine that model at times. Now, those are my words, and I can't really do the thesis justice -- it took me several (understatement) attempts to figure out how to word the summary of that model. That alone makes me realize the hard work James must have put into his research and the writing of his thesis. In addition, it was interesting to hear from an award winner from the field of communication, as the previous winners were discussing intricate science and technology. Every award winner is more than worthy, but it's cool to know that someone is writing an award winning thesis about the TV shows many of us watch and enjoy so often. In fact, after hearing James present the overview of his thesis, he has my vote for a guest appearance or interview spot on either program! Below you can find a photo of James and his advisor, as well as the summary of his thesis as it appeared in the awards program. Congratulations James!
Grad Students Are Smart, Pt. 2
Last week I began this four part series covering the scholars that have recently won awards from the Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses at various regional CGS conferences. You can take a look back and read the original intro, as well as the first post of the series, here.
Today I continue the series by introducing you to Dr. Orcun Goksel from The University of British Columbia. Orcun received the Innovation & Technology Award for his thesis entitled "Meshing and Rendering of Patient-Specific Deformation Models with Application to Needle Insertion Simulation." Essentially, Orcun's thesis proposed a way to map a 3D model image that helps surgeons simulate surgery. This is necessary because minimally invasive surgery is very detailed and requires a great deal of training. By using this 3D simulator surgeons can train extensively and practice for the real thing. As Orcun pointed out, think of a pilot using a flight simulator to train for flight. Furthermore, using the flight simulator analogy, when a pilot steers the flight simulator they get feedback and the simulator actually feels like its moving -- in the same sense, the model that Orcun's thesis describes would provide what he called "haptic" feedback. In other words, a surgeon practicing on this 3D model controls a robotic needle, and when that robotic needle pushes something or pierces something during the simulation, there is resistance as there would be in an actual surgery. Now if Orcun is reading this, I hope he can forgive me, because I probably got a few things incorrect -- "so why did you even try to summarize this?" one might ask. Well I did get the gist of it, and I don't have a technological background, so that goes to show you how well Orcun explained this to everyone. It can be difficult to communicate this type of detail to an audience not familiar with the field, but Orcun did a wonderful job and it was a pleasure to hear him speak about his work. For a more detailed (and surely more accurate) description of what his thesis covered you can view the abstract below, as it appeared in awards program. Congratulations Orcun!
Grad Students Are Smart, Pt. 1
I attend regional conferences hosted by the Council of Graduate Schools to market GradShare, network with deans and assistant deans from various universities, and learn how GradShare can better meet the needs of graduate students. At each conference ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, in conjunction with a regional CGS committee, presents awards to two students for their "distinguished master's theses." The winners are selected by a CGS committee comprised of graduate school deans representing a respective region. Each winner is honored during the conference, presented a check and a certificate, and given an opportunity to present their research to the meeting attendees. In this four part series I will be introducing you to four different students that won this award at the WAGS (Western Association of Graduate Schools) and MAGS (Mid-Western Association of Graduate Schools) conferences, and I'll share with you a summary of their award winning research. Each of these scholars is a testament to the value of postgraduate education; their dedication to research in various fields directly contributes to the progress of our society as a whole. It is a privilege to listen to these students discuss their research, and it's remarkable to sit with a crowd of graduate school deans that are both intrigued and impressed by what each student has accomplished. By further recognizing these four students on this blog I hope to motivate other graduate students and celebrate academia.
The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth. - Erasmus
The first person I will introduce you to is Weiyang Liu from the University of Alberta. Weiyang won a Distinguished Master's Thesis Award at the 2011 WAGS conference held in San Diego, and his award winning thesis delved into the "Instrumentation for Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy of Prostate Carcinoma." Huh? In case you missed the title of this blog post, look at it now and nod in agreement. In simpler terms, as Weiyang eloquently and clearly explained to everyone at the conference, he researched an alternative method of prostate cancer treatment that involves light therapy. This method isn't as invasive as other treatments, thus it takes less of a toll on the patient, allowing them to maintain a relatively normal quality of life. Chances are you know someone who has been, or will be, diagnosed with prostate cancer -- 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and 1 in 36 men diagnosed will unfortunately die from prostate cancer (cancerfacts.com, http://tinyurl.com/3p7emkf). As Weiyang pointed out in his presentation, when prostate cancer is first detected there are instances when it cannot be immediately treated, and this often requires a "wait and see" approach. The type of treatment covered in his thesis could be used to treat patients sooner because it wouldn't have the same negative side-effects as more traditional treatments that degrade a patient's quality of life. This presentation by Weiyang provided a chilling reminder about the prevalence and destructiveness of cancer; however, it was oddly comforting to know that there are such intelligent people working to solve the problems that hinder mankind. Congratulations Weijang -- you're a very deserving winner, thank you for your hard work, and good luck!
Below is a photo of Weiyang, and also a synopsis of his research as it appeared in the award ceremony program. Be sure to check back soon for second part of this four part series.
The International Student Experience - An Interview With The Student Union, Pt. 2
Today we bring you Part 2 of our interview with Jessica Stahl from The Student Union -- an online community centered around international students studying in the United States. You can read the first half of the interview here. Let's take a look at the rest of the interview:
GS: What kind of feedback have you had from readers, especially students, regarding the posts written by the international student bloggers?
JS: The feedback has been really good so far. We've tackled a lot of difficult subjects, including LGBT issues and Islamophobia, and on a lot of blogs I've seen comments on those sorts of posts go very negative very quickly, but I'm happy to say that the response we got was almost entirely positive and supportive -- and thoughtful as well. We want thoughtful debate and discussion, and we've been getting some.
And actually, what's been most gratifying is that we've actually had readers send me posts about their own experiences that I then put up on the blog. I really encourage that and wish even more readers would get involved that way.
One of our most emotional recent posts came about that way. I was contacted by a Japanese student in the U.S. after the earthquake and we ended up speaking on the phone for about half an hour as she told me about her parents, who live in Fukushima, which is where the damaged nuclear plants are located.
GS: What are some of the challenges you've faced in creating this new online community?
JS: The biggest challenge is always going to be building an audience and getting them involved. We're lucky because to some extent we have the brand of VOA behind us, but that only goes so far. So that has been a challenge, and continues to be a challenge - finding ways to get the word out to the current and prospective international students who would be interested in what we're doing.
It's coming along slowly but surely though! I'm grateful for every new commenter or Facebook fan or Twitter follower we get, and I make sure to interact with anyone who contacts us in any way.
GS: Can you share some of the methods you've used to spread the word about the Student Union? Which methods have been most successful?
JS: I've largely relied on social media - Twitter, Facebook and various online forums. And that's been pretty successful. I've gotten into a lot of great conversations and met a lot of interesting people on those platforms, and I've made some great connections as well. EducationUSA in particular has been really kind to us since we connected online. So social media has been very valuable.
Although, if I'm honest, the best method for spreading the word has been when the bloggers go and show off their latest post to their friends and families. There's still nothing like old-fashioned word-of-mouth.
GS: Ideally, what is your vision for this community in the coming years?
JS: I'd love to see the community become a real go-to resource for current and prospective international students. I hope prospective students see it as a place to ask questions and get insights on the types of things they won't hear about through other channels. And I hope current students use it as a place to share and commiserate and discuss.
But I also think that when it comes to the specifics of what we'll be doing, some of it is hard to know in advance. Because my goal has been and will continue to be that we are driven by our community. I mean, I didn't know when we started in September that we'd end up building a user-submitted glossary - it just grew out of what we were doing. So I want to make sure that we keep doing that sort of thing and responding to the conversations that develop.
GS: And finally, if there are international students that are interested in guest blogging for The Student Union, how can they get more information about doing so?
JS: I LOVE when people send me guest posts. As long as they fit with what we're trying to do, I'm really happy to post other perspectives and stories. Anyone interested in submitting a guest post can email me with either their idea or a completed blog post at jstahl@voanews.com .
Plus, I expect to be looking for some new bloggers for next school year, so anyone who's interested in blogging regularly should keep an eye on the blog, because I'm sure we'll announce that over the next few months.
GS: Thanks again Jessica. We appreciate you taking time to let us know more about The Student Union, and we encourage our readers to explore the community.
JS: Thanks GradShare!