ClickNSmart Team

Life as an undergraduate is more organize than life as a grad student. As a grad student, hours spent in the classroom is much less, but research work is greatly increased. Good life as an undergraduate, such as joining sorority or fraternity, everyday party, and so on are long gone. Laboratory becomes your new home. Even though grad student has more workload compared to undergrad student, you will find your own excitement by doing something that you like. Be creative with your idea! You don’t need to study and follow the textbook, just do research you like about, get the result and then “Boom” (publish the paper and patent your result).

Graduate school gives you a new life and freedom. Graduate school is flexible and free. You can come anytime to the laboratory. Most people spend their time to do research around 8 hours. However, I spend an average of 12 hours/ day during weekdays and zero hour in the weekend (i.e. Have fun over the weekend!). Research is not easy. you need to be patient and work hard. You don’t always get what you want. Don’t be afraid of failing! Learning from failure is the best learning method possible.

In terms of courses, grad classes are flexible. On average you just need to take 9 - 12 classes. But the professors (and your research adviser) have high expectation on graduate students, unlike undergraduates. You really need to have more study hours for every class. No teaching assistant and sometimes no office hours available. A grad student is totally independent. They need to self-study and use your knowledge for your research. The basic idea to take class so you can use your knowledge(theory) for research purpose.

The Key : Research and Publish !!!

ClickNSmart Team

ClickNSmart Team

Many of my classmates and undergraduate friends ask me: “Bunga, How did you find a research adviser? I am interested to do research, but I don’t know where and what to start with.”

If that sounds like you, then I would like to share few tips based on my previous experience doing 1 year of undergraduate research at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA):

1) Start by searching in the department website for any faculty members;

2) Find out about their research interests and see if you are interested in any of them;

3) Once you find the research area that you want, e-mail the professor to set up an appointment to meet and discuss about your interest in doing research with the professor;

4) Before meeting face-to-face with the professor, read again the professor’s research interest so that you can impress him/ her to clearly show your interest;

5) Send him/her a thank you note by e-mail after the meeting and don’t forget to leave your contact information.

6) Follow up with the professor again if after 1 week, you have not heard back from him/ her.

These are very practical tips for those of you looking to find an undergraduate research opportunities. Also notice that I make no mention of any specific major, because the tips above are applicable regardless the academic majors.

Written by ClickNSmart Team

ClickNSmartTeam

Having my Master (M.S) at UCLA, working as a grader and research assistance at UCLA, and now working hard to publish a semiconductor research paper, I decide to write my personal experiences and advice about getting into TOP graduate school.

Graduate school doesn’t mean something that you have to go no matter what. However, it’s more like your own decision. Many people out there become successful in their careers without having a master degree. ” However !! “If you think that your knowledge that you gain during an undergraduate school is not enough and you still want to pursue your dream, then you should go to graduate school. For master, it only takes 1 or 2 years to graduate, but you get more experiences and learn about learning environment as a graduate student. You will get lots of knowledge and experience in research field especially. It is the time to pursue whatever your dream to be.

Below are the strategies to get into TOP university of your dream without having a perfect GPA score:

1) You should talk with the graduate advisor. Keep in touch with him/her by email,phone,or in person. Ask for advising on the graduate curriculum and requirement that you need to fulfill.
2) Have 3 good recommendation letters from the Professors that close with you and know you a lot. Please do not ask for the recommendation letter to the Professor who does not have a good relationship with you. It will screw you up and less chance for getting into the graduate school.
3) Write Personal statement form your heart.
When you write a statement of purpose, you should truly mean it. Explain: who you are, and what do you want go to grad school with this major, and why you choose this school to pursue your graduate degree, and your experiences that relate with your major. Please ask your friend or professor to read your essay and revise it many times.
4) Prepare all transcripts from your undergraduate institutions. Make sure you meet the GPA requirement for each school; it doesn’t have to have a perfect GPA,though.
5) Take GRE for reference. For science and engineering, Quantitative (math) part is more important than verbal or overall GPA. Don’t worry about the English part,just do the best you can.

As a graduate student , even though your grade courses are important, try publish the paper is the most important if you are considering to go to graduate school.
Publish,Publish,Publish to make yourself competitive in academia

Here’s the link about the school tips related

Motivation and tips to get a better grades
Advices for student looking for employments and other similar issues

Gutluck for your study

Written by ClickNSmart

ClickNSmart

Many students start to think after they finish undergraduate program “Master Vs PhD ? What’s the difference?”

1) In terms of knowledge and time

Master Degree : they teach you a specific knowledge in a specialized field. A master’s program usually takes you about 1 or 2 years, sometimes 3 years to complete depending on your field and your adviser. Pursue their life to get more knowledge or a better job.

PhD Degree: they teach you an extensive knowledge in a specialized
field. For PhD, it usually takes you about 4-6 years depends on your field of research and how tough your adviser is. Pursue their life as a professor or researcher.

2) In terms of the Program (taking courses are required for both)

You have an option between Thesis or Comprehensive Test

Master Degree:If you choose thesis, usually it takes longer to finish the program (about 2-3 years). Again this depends on your adviser. Some advisers only require their students to publish 1 research paper, others require their students to publish 2-3 research papers. However, if you choose to take comprehensive test, it only takes you about a year to graduate. But Remember, the test is extremely hard. You have to really know the material well. The professor will test you whether you really understand the Concept or not; Some people fail the test.

PhD Degree:First you choose your advisor and write a dissertation proposal. Then you need to take preliminary test to demonstrate you qualification to continue with Doctoral Degree. After completed test, you more focus on writing your dissertation. The dissertation has to be well published. Usually PhD requires you to publish 4 or more research paper. After you finally done, you require to defend your work in front of your committee (professor) called a dissertation defense. most of them pass their dissertation defense.

3) In terms of Financial Aid

Master Degree: usually you need to pay your own tuition. The program does not offer as much aid to master’s students. However, you can be a teacher assistance and get paid.

PhD Degree: financial Aid is available for students. The schools pay  for your tuition. Also they get more money to be a teacher assistance. The most important for PhD is be of publishable quality.

4) In terms of Career Options

Master Degree: People usually choose to go for a Master degree with a goal that they would like to go out in the industry and gain more advanced knowledge in a particular field; for example, people seeking an MBA degree to gain business knowledge needed to become a manager in a company or start their own businesses.

PhD Degree: I would say that do not apply for PhD unless you are absolutely clear on “Why you need a PhD?” As I mentioned above, a PhD education requires relatively long time and lots of dedication. Therefore, unless you really need a PhD education to advance in your choice of career, then you should not go for PhD. Do not apply for PhD program just because you like to go to school; this is wrong reason. What is next after PhD? Ask yourself this question and try to find a definite answer that suits your career goal, before deciding to apply for PhD.

Hope this article helps.

Written by ClickNSmart

ClickNSmartTeam

Today’s college-bound students face more challenging chance of admission than ever before. The record application statistics states the unprecedented competition to get into BEST universities. The data shows the more and more applicants apply and the less people get admitted.

I graduate as an undergraduate (Chemical Engineering )from BEST University in the United States, UCLA. Next step, I will pursue more advance degree (Master’s degree). On January 2009, i will start as a graduate student in Material Science and Engineering, concentrate on Electrical materials at UCLA. Therefore, I want to share my experience so you can also get into the TOP university

I want to share with you guys, the tips to for you to get into TOP university:

- You must maximize and make your admissions application stand out from the crowd.
- Participate in extracurricular activities that relates into your field of study.
For example; my major is chemical engineering, therefore, I join AlChE (Chemical
Engineering Club)
- Try to make a good relationship with the professor. For example; often come to
his/her office hour and ask the question/ material that you feel hard. Show your interest
to the lecture. From that, you can get glowing letter of recommendation from him/her.
- Discipline, study hard, and try to do the homework on time.
- The most important thing is “ Do not ever feel that school is a duty and boring, but you need to think that school is something that you like”. By that, a good GPA will come to you by itself.
My past experience was Even though I study hard and do all homework, I always get an average grade, never get above than average. This happens because I treat the course as my duty not a hobby. After a month, I change my mind and try to love the course. Finally, I got an A. Therefore your mind is your power. Of course, this needs to come
Along with your work (study hard).
- Have research experience with the Professor. To get admitted to the research group is not as easy as you thought. Just be persistence and always ask the Professor to get into his research.

Quote : No one born genius. Just do the best, believe in yourself, and believe in GOD, you will get into TOP university.

Please leave a comment, what do you guys think about get into TOP university?

Written by ClickNSmart