The process of applying for grad school can seem daunting, as you try to navigate dozens of potential universities, programs, and advisors. And then, the culture of how you “get in” to grad school varies even among different fields of biology! With that in mind, I wanted to share a few of my thoughts on how to approach applying for PhD programs in ecology and evolution, and on what I look for in an applicant.
Learn about different labs and programs. I’m convinced that the key to having a happy and successful experience in grad school is finding the right lab and program to join. If you know any trusted grad student, postdoc, or professor mentors, ask them which programs and people they’d recommend, and ask them about the people you’re interested in. Look at websites of different universities, programs, and people and read about their research. Think about the key topics that have gotten you excited about science thus far. Look up the authors on recent papers you’ve enjoyed, and explore their websites and home programs. Think about what you might need and value in a mentor - mentee relationship.
Reach out! In ecology and evolution it is an “unwritten rule” that you should reach out to professors you’re potentially interested in working with before grad school applications go in, sometime during the preceding summer or fall. A concise, informative email of about two paragraphs will do. Introduce yourself, tell them briefly about your background and academic interests and why you’re interested in their work. Ask them if they would be interested in talking with you about your potential interest in their graduate program. If you have any relevant experience or expertise (such as previous labs you have worked in, summer research programs, publications or honors theses) it is important to mention these, but note that none of these are required! You can attach a CV, formatted to highlight your academic and research experience, including any research presentations or papers.
Have a conversation. If they are potentially interested, most advisors will set up a phone or Zoom call to talk with you about your background and research interests, so you can both get to know each other. In ecology and evolution this usually happens BEFORE the official applications are submitted. This conversation is very important for establishing whether you and the prospective advisor and lab are good fits for each other, and for getting a glimpse into what it would be like to work together. It is important at this stage to know a bit about what research is done in the lab (look at their website and recent papers) and to have a few research interests ready to discuss. Though this may seem intimidating, remember that this is mainly to practice having conversations about science—you will not be held to these stated research interests forever, and discovering your interests is a major part of grad school itself!
Apply. Inevitably, some people won’t respond, or won’t express interest, or it just won’t seem like the right fit after steps 1-3. That’s fine! This is all about finding the right fit. Once you have identified some programs and potential advisors that do seem like a good fit, you formally apply to the program. The application has several components. A) One of the most important is the personal statement or research statement. Tell us about you, your research interests, and your career goals. How does who you are shape your goals and interests? How have your previous experiences shaped your academic path? These statements are a chance to get to know you as a person and as a developing scientist, so it is okay to talk about personal experiences, challenges, opportunities, and accomplishments, but remember that this is a professional statement, so you may want to steer clear of childhood stories (which can be trite), unless they are really central to your identity and goals. B) Transcripts from your previous academic work (note that Master’s degrees are not required in ecology and evolution, and many students go straight from undergraduate into PhD programs). Grades aren’t everything, and your previous research experience will vastly outweigh your grades in most professors’ consideration. Many programs (including Stanford Biology) no longer require the GRE. C) 3-4 letters of recommendation. Ideally, these are letters from people who know you well in an academic or research context, and can write positively about your experiences, attributes, and preparation for grad school. Most letters of recommendation will come from professors, though in some cases it may be appropriate to get a letter from a boss or mentor from a professional setting.
Interview! Many programs invite prospective students for an on-campus interview (at least, during non-pandemic times) to visit the prospective advisor(s) and meet other professors and students in the program. This is your chance to get to know the advisor and their lab members and to see what the environment is like in that program. While this step can feel intimidating, remember that it is an opportunity to talk science and meet interesting people—both the people in the program and the other interviewees, who are likely to become your peers and colleagues down the road. The best way to prepare is to familiarize yourself with the research in your prospective lab by reading some of their recent papers (you can also search for preprints on bioRxiv or medRxiv, which post unpublished manuscripts that are not yet published in a journal). Look at the program website to get an overview of the research topics in other labs in the program. Just as importantly, this is your chance to assess how well the program and advisor fit you! Ask lots of questions to faculty and other grad students (especially the ones in your prospective lab) about what life is like in the program, including mentorship style, funding, teaching requirements, student culture and community, and any other concerns you may have. Ecology and evolution PhD programs are typically fully-funded positions that cover your tuition and fees and give you a stipend to cover your living expenses. Programs differ in how much of this funding comes from your teaching versus from research grants and other sources. It is important to ask about this, as funding can really affect your quality of life.
Choose a program! Shortly after the interviews, most programs or advisors will decide whether or not to offer you a PhD position. If you’re fortunate enough to have one or several offers from places you’re excited about going, then you can start weighing your options and, if necessary, having follow-up conversations to ask further questions. If you do not receive offers or didn’t like what you saw in the interviews, this might be a good point to step back and consider trying again in future years—maybe consider different advisors or programs, or maybe pursue further research experience to hone in on your interests. Professors are often in the painful position of having many more fantastic applicants than they have space in their program, and have to make really difficult decisions. Try not to let it hurt your confidence if you don’t get into all the programs you wanted, and remember that even getting interviews is a major accomplishment.
Finally, keep in mind that this is all based on my opinions and experiences, and things may differ from place to place. It’s helpful to talk to more than one person. My goal in writing this post was to help to demystify some of the unspoken expectations and processes for applying to PhD programs in ecology and evolution, and to encourage you to apply!