Graduate Neuroscience Programs Advice from former Colorado College (CC) students |
Questions
4) What is the major difference between CC and graduate school?
5) Explain what you are doing in terms of your specialization in graduate school.
6) Any additional questions, advice, comments?
1) What was your most valuable educational experience at CC in terms of preparing you for graduate school?
The neuroscience class I took my sophomore year was responsible for shaping a lot of my interests. Doing a thesis project was also valuable. Designing my project, collecting all the data, and analyzing and writing up my results, allowed me to decide if research was something I truly enjoyed. In addition, it gave me experience in an area that I was interested in and let potential employers/graduate schools know that I had more than just classroom knowledge.
Giving powerpoint presentations
Writing my senior thesis.
Working on my thesis project. The experience is as close to graduate school as CC can give you. Lab skills, patience, organization, application for grant money, application of class materials, research (including the ability to critically read journal articles), writing, and presenting are things that you become familiar with during thesis work. Proper execution of these skills will make you a strong graduate student (not to mention a graduate school won't take you without this experience).
Research Design. Neuro classes. Summer and senior research projects.
My most valuable experience by far was the senior research that I had the opportunity to conduct. No single course can provide the laboratory, critical thinking, and writing skills that a block or two of research does. In addition, graduate school is much more similar to a year-round block of independent research than to the usual "read and discuss" format of CC courses. The process of socialization of undergraduates into the world of scientific research is best done as early as possible. Only through actual lab experience can students begin to understand the amount of academic and personal commitment that is necessary to do a good job as a researcher. Undergraduate or inexperienced graduate students frequently do not understand that research does not stop on the weekends or holidays, and they have a hard time thinking of their work in the lab as more than a job that they punch into at the beginning of the day and leave behind when the day is through. Working on a project with Professor Jacobs helped me to realize that my honest dedication was necessary for the integrity of the work. It was at that time that I began to love what I was doing. For all who enter this field, it is that love of science that makes one successful as a graduate student and neuroscientist.
Getting some research experience and writing a senior thesis is one of the best things you can do at CC to prepare for graduate school.
The "hands on" research experience and writing my senior thesis were the most helpful educational experiences at CC. Take advantage of the opportunity to work closely with a faculty member on his/her research - this is a rare experience for most undergraduates which will give you a head start to graduate level research.
The most valuable educational experience for me at CC was working in Bob's lab over the summer. It is very important for undergraduate students to learn to work independently of faculty. Although he was always available, Bob gave me a feel for what it would be like to work in a lab on my own by giving me the freedom to experiment and to learn through some trial and error.
The most valuable experience I had was the research project I worked on with Dr. Jacobs over a summer and two blocks. This experience not only prepared me for the research world in terms of understanding the procedures of experimentation, analysis, writing a paper and submitting it, but also in the fact that it taught me how to organize my time and how to go about working on my own project. Lab work in upper-level biology courses (i.e., Biochemistry) was also helpful, however because it is always under strict instruction, it still does not compare to independent research in terms of preparing you for research in a graduate school setting.
2) In hindsight, what would you have done differently at CC to prepare yourself better for graduate school?
I would have taken more biology and chemistry courses. I’m still playing a bit of catch-up, because I am coming into my Ph.D. program with a different knowledge base than some of the other students.
I would have made more of a pursuit of high grades. I was unaware of how high the bar for admission into graduate programs really is, and it is being raised all the time.
I would have taken more math classes and a computer programming class. There is alot of mathamatics and programming used both in modeling neuronal networks and in analyzing MRI data. I also would have taken more courses that required discussion or writing. Communication abilities are very important.
I would have taken a genetics course, and I would have continually studied past coursework on my own. Neuroscience is truly a liberal arts industry: you apply everything. In addition to the required neuro courses, take genetics, histotechnique, and biochemistry. You're expected to know the basics of these topics. Past college courses will come back to bite you, and you will be expected to know the information without review in graduate school. They will not take time to let you catch up if you forgot what was taught to you as an undergraduate. For example:
a.) Physics: RC circuits, current, voltage, capacitance, resistance. All of these things apply to neuron physiology.
b.) Organic chemistry/Biochemistry: chemical mechanisms, lab technique, enzyme kinetics. These things apply to all benchwork, histotechnique, cellular mechanisms.
c.) Mathematics: differential equations, integrals, statistics. These apply to mathematical modeling techniques of biological systems and to data analysis.
So, work hard at CC to learn what needs to be learned,
and retain that information through continuous SELF-INITIATED study.
I would have taken more molecular biology classes and more computer science coursework.
The one thing that I wish I had NOT done was sell myself short with regard to which classes I thought I could handle. (My experience may not be relevant for present neuroscience majors, who are required to take many of the classes I wish I had taken, but perhaps the general concept is still important.) Instead, I would have taken the most difficult, heaviest course load possible. The graduate students with the most background in biology, psychology, and biochemistry are the ones who make the easiest transition into graduate study. It is possible to get into graduate neuroscience programs without having completed this extensive coursework, but not having it makes your life as a graduate student much harder and more frustrating than it should be. Becoming a good neuroscientist takes an incredible amount of intellectual flexibility, as the field is rapidly evolving and will continue to diversify throughout our lifetime. If you finish your undergraduate studies with a solid knowledge base, you will be more prepared to enter into this mindset than if you graduate without taking high-level chemistry and biology courses because they looked "too hard".
(1) I would have taken more mathematics courses. (2) I would have started thinking about graduate school earlier in my undergraduate career. It is a good idea to begin planning for graduate school in your sophomore or junior year. Also, I think that I should have visited more labs and talked to more professors before choosing a place to go to graduate school. It is very important to make personal contacts and to choose a good mentor. One way to find out if the professor you are thinking about working with is a good mentor is by talking to the professor's current and previous graduate students and post-docs. It is very important to do this.
I would have taken more biology and chemistry courses. Even though many graduate programs allow you to complete these courses as part of your graduate study, you will most likely end up in very large (300 students!) undergraduate lecture courses. It's better to take advantage of the small classes and emphasis on teaching at CC.
I would have done a senior thesis! This would have saved me from the many basic mistakes that I am now facing by writing my first paper in graduate school!
I took a lot of upper level biology and chemistry
courses while I was at CC, and I think those courses were beneficial. I wish
that I had taken some sort of computer programming class. Computer programming
knowledge makes a world of difference when you use computers in every aspect
of your research, as I do. I would also recommend some molecular biology, because
although my research is not in that area, the majority of labs are moving that
direction.
3) What advice would you give to CC psychology/neuroscience majors who want to go on to graduate school in the neurosciences?
Take time off after you graduate from CC and try to get research/lab experience. Not only will working in a lab make you a stronger applicant, but you might find that your interests shift, or become more focused as a result of your internship. Additionally, you might find that you make valuable connections with people that can help you get into the graduate school of your choice.
See #2, hindsight. Also, don't assume that once you have taken an exam you can forget the material. It is true you can learn it again if need be, but it will be assumed that you remember what you learned in undergrad, and that material will be used as the basis for more in-depth study.
Try to decide a general area of research that you are interested in. Make certain that there are multiple researchers within that feild that you could work with at any school you wish to apply to.
Assess for yourself why it is you want to go to grad school and make certain the programs and faculty you are interested in will support your goals. If basic science research interests you, be certain that your curiosity is enough to motivate you through the mindless and tedious parts of research. If you are interested in research with direct clinical applications, ask professors how their research is or will be applied in the clinical setting. If you are interested in teaching, make certain the faculty you are interested in working with (not just program directors) would be supportive of you taking time to gain extra experience TAing/teaching (Most faculty in large research universities have chosen to be there because they want to do research, and many find teaching a chore to be avoided. I've found some faculty don't understand why anyone would want to teach and/or don't want students taking time from their research in order to teach/TA.) If you are thinking of going to graduate school because you don't think you can get into medical school and graduate school is something else you can do in science, I'd explore other options that will keep you working directly with people--physical or occupational therapy, counseling degrees in psychology or social work etc.
In addition to what I said in question 2, when searching for a graduate school, research the school thoroughly. Know the city and the people (students and professors). Really be able to match names (professors) with the work they do. Collegiality is an important aspect to graduate school. Know the strengths and weaknesses of programs and make sure they match your interests. When applying, be in contact with professors that work in your area of interest, and make sure they would be interested in you. Sometimes professors don't want students in their lab, can't afford another student (literally not having proper funding), or already has enough students in the lab.
An absolute must is research experience and a solid background in molecular biology. If computational neuroscience is an interest, coursework in computer science and mathematics is a must. This is, of course, in addition to the neuroscience coursework. Best to cover all bases, especially at a liberal arts school where many specialized types of courses are not available.
Do LOTS of research on graduate programs before you apply. Also, if necessary (and I would actually recommend it), take a year or two off to think about what type of neuroscience you are interested in pursuing. Neuroscience is a much broader discipline than you think it is... figuring out what kind of methodology/ies you want to concentrate on in grad school takes a lot of time and research but is immensely helpful. With regards to picking a program, the best thing you can do is to read up on the research of professors whose labs you are interested in joining. If you find a few researchers whose work particularly intrigues you, you should contact them by email and inform them of your interest in becoming part of their lab. If possible, visit each lab in person and get to know the professor and grad students. It will make a world of difference when final admissions decisions are being handed down. I know of a number of present graduate students in Cornell's biopsychology and neurobiology programs whose grades and test scores did not meet the programs' minimum levels, but who managed to squeak by through the recommendations of one professor.
Neuroscience is an extremely broad field, so it is a good idea to have an understanding of the different areas of research in neuroscience before you start graduate school. Try to acquire basic knowledge of biochemistry and molecular biology, genetics, physiology, computer science (particularly if you are interested in modelling), and psychology. Pick a university which is strong in your particular area of interest, or if you are not sure what kind of research you want to do ultimately, pick a school which has a broad variety of research options.
Also, it is important to get some research experience while you are still an undergrad. It would be a good idea to spend a summer doing research in a big lab at a research university. You may be able to get a temporary position as a research assistant or find some kind of scholarship you can apply for so that you can afford to do this. Pick a university where you think you might enjoy going to graduate school. You can make contacts there which will facilitate your acceptance to graduate school. Also, because the atmosphere at a research university is quite different than at CC, you will learn a lot about how to get along in that kind of environment.
Thoroughly research any programs that you are interested in attending. Ask specific questions about coursework requirements, funding, and graduation rates. Make concrete plans with the professors you are interested in working with. Be up front about your interests in joining the lab, and ask about projects, grants, and time availability of that professor. You may want a professor who provides instruction every day, or you may want more independence but it is important to find out what to expect ahead of time. Also, think about what type of questions you want to research, what methodologies you want to learn, and how you feel about animal research.
Again, do a senior thesis. Nothing can prepare you better for graduate school life than writing your own paper in undergrad. Also, undergraduate research is a must! No student can make an educated decision on whether or not graduate school is the appropriate choice for them if they have never previously worked in a lab. Finally, students should always research the many different fields of neuroscience before they make a decision. There are so many choices, and nobody wants to look back and think "I wish I would have..."
I would first of all take advantage of all the helpful faculty at Colorado College. They have already been through the process, first of all, and second, they have a large network of resources. I would also recommend taking all available challenges that you can at CC. By this, I mean that you should take every applicable class no matter how difficult it may be, and that you should choose to work on more challenging projects instead of ones which will take less time (for example, do a senior thesis instead of taking a couple of blocks off). I suggest this because 1) it will look better to grad schools, and 2) because you will end up doing it again anyway, so you might as well have an introduction to these topics while you are in a nurturing environment like CC. Think of it this way, it might seem hard now, but it will be twice as hard in grad school.
4) What is the major difference between CC and graduate school?
Graduate school involves a lot of self-motivation and self-teaching. At CC, professors make it clear that they are there to help you and that they want you to succeed. In graduate school you’ll find that you have to learn a lot of things on your own. You may have a great advisor, but ultimately, you and only you are responsible for your thesis----if you don’t get it done, no one else will.
Classes are much more effectively taught at CC. In grad school the faculty are more focused on their research than their teaching, and it often shows.
You have to do more than one thing at a time. Obvious, I know, but as much as I knew that it was coming, handling multiple classes, lab research, and departmental duties at the same time was a bit of a shocker coming out of the block plan. Decide what you'll learn the most from and what's most important to you, prioritize, and don't forget to leave at least a little bit of down time for yourself.
Coursework is not the center of the universe. Coursework
is a formality to separate out the people who really want to be there (dropout
rate for grad school is higher than that of Med. School). After that, they
want you to be a skilled scientist and communicator. Another difference
is the requirement for self-initiated organization of your time and resources.
Multi-tasking is the name of the game, and there is no such thing as a block
plan. Organize your time efficiently to make sure you're not a grad student
for 10 years.
Graduate school is more "sink-or-swim" than the environment at CC. People are older. :-)
Graduate school never runs on the Block Plan. Don't expect to be able to take leisurely afternoon naps and go on frequent weekend- or half-week-long skiing excursions. I don't mean to make graduate life seem harsh... once you get used to it, it is extremely rewarding. However, as a graduate student, you are much more than just a student. Research and classes become your life (much to the chagrin of significant others, though truly great relationships can survive it). When you are not in class, you are in the lab or holding office hours for your TA-ship. When you are at home, you are usually up reading or writing until the wee hours of the morning. Experiments do not necessarily stop for holidays, meals, or sleep--they stop when they are finished. You have to have patience and flexibility. Graduate school is nice, though, in that you are one step higher on the totem pole than you were before (you get to order undergrads around!). Also, you are not expected to do well in your courses because you have other, more important things to do. This may not be true for all neuroscience programs that are out there, but it is definitely the case in the large, research-minded universities.
CC is an extremely protected environment. The professors at CC are primarily interested in teaching and Colorado College does not require that professors constantly publish papers in order to receive tenure. The pressures on professors at research universities are entirely different. Most of them put less effort into teaching and more effort into research. In order to maintain their research programs, they must constantly succeed in publishing papers and in writing grant applications which receive funding. This makes for a more competitive environment. As a graduate student, you too will face different kinds of pressures. For me, the most difficult pressures were not academic but interpersonal. The work that you do as a graduate student is not laid out for you. You must decide what kind of research project you want to do and how you are going to do it. Probably no one will really tell you what it is you have to do to get a PhD. It's a sort of hazing process, and you have to be very patient and persistent to make sure that you get what you want. Identify your expectations and talk to your advisor about what her/his expectations are. The most important thing in the beginning is to establish a good rapport with your advisor and other people in the laboratory. Be sure to talk to your advisor and other colleagues very openly about your role in any projects you are working on. You should indicate that you expect to be included as an author on any publications which ensue from projects to which you devote a significant amount of time. In any project, it is best to specify from the beginning who will be involved, what their responsibilities and time committment will be, and what the order of authorship will be upon completion of the project.
You have more responsibilities, both in the lab and in your education. Much of what you learn in graduate school is up to you, but the expectations are always high.
I feel that CC is very different from the environment of graduate school. Althought the block plan requires that students learn concepts quickly, which is a great benefit for graduate students, it is very different from the constant rigor that is faced by those in graduate school. There are no wonderful block breaks, and weekends may often be spent in the lab catching up or meeting a deadline. Also, courses may fall into a less important category because students have so many other commitments. Another major difference is the professor's attitude towards the students. In graduate school, you are not under the constant watchful eye of a professor--you are on your own. It is very important to learn early on how to work independently of a faculty member.
Let me first point out that I am not in graduate
school yet, but am working at the National Institutes of Health with M.D.s,
Ph.D.s, graduate students, post-docs and other undergrads. Therefore I cannot
comment on courses, advisors, etc, however the environment is very similar.
Having said this, you have to be much more independent at the graduate level.
No one will pull you aside and tell you that you need to work harder, or even
what you should be doing. CC is also much more laid back. Not to belabor the
point, but there aren't any breaks in research, and you WILL be expected to
be at the lab whenever you are needed, including Friday nights and Sunday mornings.
Even when you have been in the lab all week. In addition, nobody will care if
you complain.
5) Explain what you are doing in terms of your specialization in graduate school.
I’m working towards my Ph.D. in Neuroscience, with a track in Behavioral Genetics. I’m interested in the genetic and environmental determinants of addiction (especially alcohol abuse) and related phenotypes such as impulsivity, aggression, and anxiety. For my current project, I’m looking at behavioral and physiological differences between inbred lines of mice in their response to stress and in their response to ethanol. I’m measuring anxiety behavior as well as differences in stress hormones and gene expression.
I entered a general molecular and cellular biology umbrella program. I have now joined the Molecular Microbiology and Immunology department and am working toward understanding the mechanism of neuroprotection in a stroke model.
I'm in my first year and still doing research rotations. Overall I am interested in nervous system development. In one rotation I was looking at a couple genes that may be involved in early spinal cord development. I learned a technique in which you inject the DNA that encodes a protein of interest into the spinal cord of a developing chick embryo and then pass an electrical current across the cord. Because the DNA is charged, the current forces the DNA into only half of the spinal cord. A couple days later, you can examine the spinal cord for resulting differences between the two halves. I couldn't bring myself to eat eggs for a couple weeks after doing this project for fear I'd find a beating heart and tiny nervous system developing when i cracked the egg open, but the technique is really neat.
In another rotation I was looking at the possible role of microRNAs (tiny strands of RNA that bind to messenger RNA to prevent translation into protein) in regulating genes involved in development. Most recently, I've been working in a lab that uses structural MRI to compare brain growth of autistic children to that of normal children.
I'm still within my rotations, so I haven't found a home lab to focus on yet. During this rotation I am working in an occupational/environmental toxicology lab. The focus of this lab is the effect of environmental toxins and genetic repair capacity on neurodegenerative disease. My project specifically aims to observe differences in cellular degeneration, genetic degeneration, and metabolic degeneration in a knockout mouse model for AP Endonuclease (an enzyme implicated in gene repair) when subjected to oxidative stress by environmental toxins. The model involves in vivo and in vitro methods of study. In addition to the dependent measures already stated, the independent variables are toxin, toxin concentration, AP Endonuclease wild type/heterozygous partial knockout/heterozygous complete knockout, tissue type (fibroblasts vs. neurons), and toxin application protocol (continuous administration vs. single administration).
I am currently using electrophysiological, molecular, and computer modeling techniques in order to understand how neurons control behavior in a "simple," invertebrate system (Hirudo medicinalis, aka the medicinal leech).
I am enrolled in the Biopsychology program at Cornell University, where I conduct research in neurobehavioral toxicology. Specifically, I am examining the cognitive alterations that result from low-level lead exposure in neonatal and juvenile rats, and I am attempting to elucidate the neurochemical ontogeny of these alterations. I utilize immunocytochemistry to localize region-specific changes in enzyme, neurotransmitter, and receptor expression in the control and Pb-exposed animals, and I collaborate with a researcher at another university who does in vivo neurophysiological recordings in the same animals that receive the behavioral testing. The purpose of this research is to understand the neurobehavioral sequelae associated with lead exposure early in life so that appropriate intervention (biochemical and cognitive) can be devised for affected human children.
I am working on a project called "Human Neuroanatomical Systems for Perceiving Emotion in Music." I am studying music perception in normal human subjects and in human subjects with brain damage. When subjects with damage to a specific region of the brain have impairments in some aspect of music perception, we infer that the region of the brain which is damaged must be involved in that aspect of music perception. This inference is the basis of the lesion method.
My research combines my two main neuroscience interests - neuroanatomy and behavior. We are currently studying the effects of bilateral amygdala lesions on the development of social behavior in rhesus macaques. In addition, I also study the development of serotonergic projections to the macaque amygdala.
I am currently a student in a Doctor of Pharmacy program, and I also do research in the Department of Pharmacology. In addition to pharmacy coursework, I study the responses of adrenergic receptors on the bovine inferior alveolar artery (BIAA) to the effects of various local anesthetics that are utilized in dentistry. This just goes to show you that you can do anything with a neuroscience background!
The research I am working on is clinical in nature.
I am primarily working on a project comparing the cortical activation in working
memory tasks between schizophrenic patients, their siblings and normal controls
using functional magnetic resonance imaging. My lab works on two other projects
as well. We obtain structural scans on these subjects, which we use to compare
the volumes of certain regions of the brain between groups. We also acquire
spectroscopy scans, which provide us with the chemical composition of parts
of the brain using MR. All three of these studies are part of a large study
at the National Institutes of Health with Schizophrenics and their siblings.
The subjects also undergo DNA testing, neuropsychological and eye-tracking tests,
and many other experiements. My day to day work includes teaching the subjects
how to perform the memory task, running the scan, and analyzing the fMRI data.
6) Any additional questions, advice, comments?
Even if you don’t want to do a thesis project (which you should), try to get in a couple of research blocks. At CC we have the benefit of having a lot of interaction with our professors. Take advantage of this privilege and try to get to know and work with your advisors or other professors that have taught classes you’ve enjoyed.
Most programs assume their incoming students will have had a year or two working as a technician in a lab before pursuing a graduate degree. So, if you apply straight from undergrad, don't be discouraged if you are not admitted.
Also, if you consider dropping out in your first year (or two if you are in med school), rumor has it things get better and it is worth sticking it out.
I applied for fellowship support BEFORE entering graduate school and recommend doing the same. National Science Foundation specifically designates some of their fellowships to go to students who apply as undergrads, and so it may be easier to get a fellowship if you apply early. Even though you have to propose a research project, you are not necessisarily expected to do that specific project. Coming up with a project can be difficult but doing the background literature searches can be a good experience in and of itself, even if you don't get the fellowship. Also, applying for support right at the beginning of graduate school (due dates are in the fall) when you're trying to get a handle on an already demanding schedule can be a hassle.
Shop around for schools. The location of and the people at the school are more important than you might initially think (e.g., despite your conviction that you will be in the lab 24-7 and hence don't care where you live, you will find that that isn't the case and a supportive environment is of critical importance). Don't be afraid to ask questions, to harrass slothlike faculty, and to try out new things. Take advantage of lab rotations in order to find out what best suits you. Remember that coffee is your friend.
Thoroughly research the schools that you want to apply to. Check on course pre-requisites, funding, and availability of professors you may want to work with.
When researching graduate schools, make sure that you also research the cities within which they are located! Remember, a graduate student's time will more likely be spent at a quiet coffee shop than at a campus fraternity party. Don't worry so much about a great campus life and concentrate more on a great city (and a great program).
I know that this has been mentioned several times,
but you really should be aware that life outside of CC is not as "supportive".
I think that the most important thing I learned in my first month in the research
environment I am in is that now, more so than ever, you are in control of what
you are doing. I learned that I have to be more assertive and tell people exactly
what I want out of my position instead of waiting for them to ask. There are
people here who never did that, and have worked here for years doing mindless
tasks all day. These people don't get much out of the research experience. I
am sure that this point is true in any work situation, but I believe that it
is more important in the research setting simply because everyone has their
own agendas, and potentially no "personal" skills (to put it nicely).
This is something that I have seen in many labs, and so you should be aware
of it.
| Advisors | Former Students' Advice | |
| Neuroscience major | Outreach Program | |
| Graduates | Links |