I advise prospective grad students to network with as many interesting people as possible. Networking is key to finding research opportunities and gaining experiences. Even simple conversations can stimulate new ideas or help solidify original ones.
I recommend taking the time to thoroughly research potential graduate programs and supervisors to find one that is a great fit. It is important to work with a supervisor whose interests align with your own, as passion for your research will help you succeed in academia, especially when things get tough! If you are passionate about reproductive health and fertility, I wholeheartedly recommend the MBS program.
My best advice for prospective grad students would be to not be afraid to put yourself out there to the individuals you want to work with or those you believe to be the best sources of information. You are your best advocate! I would suggest doing as much research as possible on different graduate programs at various institutions, as well as the research being conducted to find the best fit for yourself. In my experience, asking current grad students how their experience was and how they achieved their goals was extremely helpful as they provided their authentic opinion.
Pursue research that you truly believe has the potential to improve life. Knowing you are working toward something more than just a degree can help you find the drive to make it through the difficult or dry aspects of your time in graduate studies.
Your time in graduate studies will provide many opportunities, but don't lose touch with yourself. Take the time to do what you need to in order to maintain your sense of purpose and direction, then live out of that. Don't be afraid to try new things, but remember that no one can do everything. Be selective.
Have really good time management! Being ahead on a project will do you wonders when deadlines start to creep up. And don't be afraid to make mistakes and not be entirely sure what you want to accomplish from the start. Faculty are there to help and guide you on your journey but you must also be willing to be challenged and accept productive criticism.
My first piece advice to prospective grad students would be to find a lab or an advisor that you mesh well with and are excited about working with. If you are on the same page and feel comfortable from the start, it makes all the difference. After that, trust yourself and your abilities! You are capable of more than you think.
Graduate Studies is nothing like your undergraduate, it is one hundred times better. However, you must make sure that you choose a topic that you are interested in for your MRP (Major Research Paper) or Thesis. If you do, it will be a great experience. The biggest lessons you will learn will not be in the classrooms, but from your seminar sessions with your own students, one on ones with your professors and advisors but mostly from the people in your cohort. It is a lot of work, but it worth every minute.
I would advise prospective graduate students to read ahead. There are a lot of materials to cover in each reading, and each person depending on where you are from, will understand the material from a different perspective. That being said, respect each other's opinion because though it might be different from yours, it is every bit as valuable. People come from areas with different customs and traditions that are unique. Students from the Caribbean will react to material differently than those in Latin America, and sometimes people in the same countries exhibit different outlooks; it is a uniquely diverse program. Additionally, it is an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself outside cultures of your own.
Allow yourself time to understand your work ethics in this new environment, especially if this is your first graduate program. Pace yourself, it is not a race; do not be afraid to ask questions because we are not experts yet. Do not feel that if you do not know something, it puts you at a disadvantage – you will learn. Your peers are all of the different backgrounds, do not measure your intelligence against theirs /others – you were chosen for this program based on your hard work. Feel confident, write confidently and pay attention to every point no matter how minor, and you will do fine.
Also, start thinking about your research/thesis idea early, it is a long process, and the earlier you know what you are doing, the easier it will be to write.
