Being A Successful Grad Student

There is no perfect formula for negotiating graduate school. However, many people have thought about and written on this topic, and there are some common themes that everyone who has gone to graduate school seems to focus on. We'll summarize a few of these themes here, and give you some pointers to places to get more information.

Obviously, choosing an advisor, and to a lesser degree a special committee, is pivotal in determining your experience as a graduate student. We discuss some factors in making these decisions in sections 1.12.2 and 1.4. After you have chosen an advisor, though, what else should you do to start your graduate career out right? We offer the following advice:

• Read a lot. This is particularly important in your first few years. Keep notes on the papers you read, summarizing the questions they answer, their contributions, and their shortcomings.
• Keep a research journal, with dates and details of your original work. Most graduate students are never faced with having to justify that their work is their own, but it is wise to protect yourself. It will also be useful when you are writing papers or your thesis.
• Don't be afraid to try new things. This could mean pushing your research in a new direction, taking the time to learn about a topic that might not seem directly related to your work, or even deciding to pursue a different thesis topic than the one with which you started.
• Manage your time. Set regular appointments with your advisor. Set goals for yourself throughout the week. Avoid trying to cram all of your research into the night before a meeting with your advisor.
• Find a mentor. Whether it is your advisor, another committee member, or even a faculty or researcher from another department, having a source of advice and support is invaluable.

It is also important to plan your graduate career, rather than just letting it carry you along. Keep in mind what your career goals after graduate school are. If you want to get an academic job, you might want to look into some of the teaching courses or workshops that Cornell offers (see section 1.6), or try to get extra teaching experience. You can also use summer positions to gain experience that may not be easily available within your research group.

While summers in Ithaca are beautiful, the summer is also often a good time to get outside experience, working in industry or at a research lab, or visiting a group at another university. Many Ph.D. students find that in their final year or two they prefer to focus on their thesis than to spend time away from Cornell, so you may want to look for a position elsewhere during your first couple of summers.

Most advisors are very supportive of their students and want them to succeed. However, advisors do not always have the same priorities as their students. The more you communicate your goals to your advisor, the more they can help you. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to make sure you get as much out of graduate school as possible.