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5th out of 33 books
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12 voters
Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D.
Is graduate school right for you?
Should you get a master’s or a Ph.D.?
How can you choose the best possible school?
This classic guide helps students answer these vital questions and much more. It will also help graduate students finish in less time, for less money, and with less trouble.
Based on interviews with career counselors, graduate students, and professors, Getti...more
Should you get a master’s or a Ph.D.?
How can you choose the best possible school?
This classic guide helps students answer these vital questions and much more. It will also help graduate students finish in less time, for less money, and with less trouble.
Based on interviews with career counselors, graduate students, and professors, Getti...more
Paperback, 399 pages
Published
April 11th 1997
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
(first published 1992)
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I've been a bit MIA from book reviewing thanks to applying to further education programs. Most of my spare time is going towards refining my statements of purpose. This book has been an invaluable help for me, though.
I had a frantic moment of, "Oh my god, why am I doing this" a couple of weeks ago. I called one of my librarian friends, and he said that this book really helped him out in his pursuit of graduate education. I ran over to Border's that same night and bought myself a copy, intending...more
I had a frantic moment of, "Oh my god, why am I doing this" a couple of weeks ago. I called one of my librarian friends, and he said that this book really helped him out in his pursuit of graduate education. I ran over to Border's that same night and bought myself a copy, intending...more
As someone who's thought seriously about grad school for the past two and a half years and made sure to do my research thoroughly, this book just confirmed things I had already learned/figured out. Most of the things about choosing an advisor/university were useless for me because a)I am in a niche enough field to not have these luxuries and b)I already am committed to a place.
I was hoping there would be a bit more about coursework, since I've been out of school for so long, but any mention of...more
I was hoping there would be a bit more about coursework, since I've been out of school for so long, but any mention of...more
This is the first general how-to book about grad school that I have read. With that in mind, I CANNOT recommend it enough - especially to people interested in academics. It may be THE book I wish I had read much earlier. It should be required reading for the summer before college - better yet, the summer before senior year of high school.
Peters (a PhD'd biologist) does a fantastic job of covering the gambut of issues that students encounter in graduate school: everything from managing the unrule...more
Peters (a PhD'd biologist) does a fantastic job of covering the gambut of issues that students encounter in graduate school: everything from managing the unrule...more
I bought this book last year before I started my research degree, but only actually opened it last week. Better late than never I suppose. Although the first part of the book has to do with steps I have already passed, I still find it very helpful and a bit comforting. It is very US centric, however, there are universal truths about doing a graduate degree that anyone in any situation will appreciate. If you are in grad school or contemplating it this is a very practical and easy to read book th...more
An excellent book for anyone considering or currently in grad school. The range of topics covers everything from deciding to go to getting a job afterwards.
It's hard to believe how much advice the author was able to gather with just one pass through grad school. His advice isn't limited to science majors either; he includes lots of advice for those in the humanities and social sciences. In addition to advice, there's also lots of stories from real graduate students.
The author writes informative...more
It's hard to believe how much advice the author was able to gather with just one pass through grad school. His advice isn't limited to science majors either; he includes lots of advice for those in the humanities and social sciences. In addition to advice, there's also lots of stories from real graduate students.
The author writes informative...more
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Why didn't anyone tell me about this book 5 years ago? Well, I ended up skipping some of the sections in the middle that were just too painful for me at this stage of the game (picking an adviser with a reputation for mentoring, choosing a do-able project, etc.). And I think this book (especially the section on writing the thesis) contributed to my recent dip in morale (oh, how will it ever come together?). But after reading the last section about the job search, I feel a glimmer of inspiration....more
I read this book to understand better the context of people I serve as a campus minister for grad students. Peters provides plenty of anecdotes that together paint a pretty detailed picture of graduate student life. I also found myself wishing that I read this before my own graduate experience. Peters offers good advice on almost every facet of grad student life. His advice on the importance of networking and building relationships with professors outside the classroom is especially good. If you...more
Jul 08, 2008
Seth
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those considering graduate school
Recommended to Seth by:
I heard about it on the internet. I think it was about.com
Lots of good information for those considering graduate school. I don't think I read every page, and I didn't read it completely in chronological order either - it's more of a manual with chapters on specific things pertaining to graduate school. It opened my eyes to quite a few things, and gave me a lot to consider as I thought about graduate school... I think it will help you too. It is a little old (1994 I think) so it's not completely up to date, but there's plenty of thorough research and i...more
This and "Graduate Admissions Essays" got me through the PhD application process in one piece. Beyond admission, Getting What You Came For gives great guidance on managing your day to day workload in a graduate programme, networking and building relationships, and getting on the job hunt. I am not there yet, but I feel well prepared and ready to take it on!
Has great advise and suggestions. I would recommend paging through it before you apply to schools. More information about general graduate/doctoral programs than Design in specific.
This book is a must-read for everyone applying to graduate school, even though some of the information is outdated (especially the section on technology - yikes!).
Nov 20, 2007
Kariann
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone beginning graduate school
Shelves:
resources
I read this book the month before I started my M.A. program and boy was it a great read; I could easily blame all of my progress and relatively speedy progress on it. Some of the technical advice isn't all that helpful or difficult to figure out on your own (i.e. buy a computer), but overall it gives the aspiring academic-in-training practical advice on how to make the most of the grad school experience without letting the B.S. of the process (hoops like exams, departmental politics, etc.) get i...more
Very comforting and reasonable. Smooth use of appropriate aphorisms and anecdotes. Will likely come back to this in future moments of panic.
This book is quite outdated from 1990s views concerning technology and publishing, but some of the strategies and pointers are wonderful!
Didn't actually finish reading this book, but instead have come to the conclusion that I should probably not go to grad school right away. :\
It was, however, a very informative and readable good and a great guide for undergrads thinking about grad school.
It was, however, a very informative and readable good and a great guide for undergrads thinking about grad school.
i wish i read this before i even decided to go to grad school. but its still good and useful after the fact.
An essential book for anyone considering graduate school.
I give his book 4 of five stars because the content at times is quite dated. Sometimes the author actually mentions programs that are defunct or no longer exist such as CorelDRAW. Still I find the commentary for writing and information quite engaging and I feel that this book has benefits.
Jun 28, 2011
kalen takács
added it
-read up to the end of ch 11-
a little dated. ie, it's been a long time since i've read anything that uses "he" consistently as a supposedly gender-neutral pronoun.
a little dated. ie, it's been a long time since i've read anything that uses "he" consistently as a supposedly gender-neutral pronoun.
This book was not very helpful to me because most of it really didn't relate to MFA programs, and much of it was meant for someone who has not yet begun the process of applying to graduate school. However, if you're in a science field, are an undergraduate, and are considering going to graduate school, I think this would be a very helpful book.
A little dated in some places, but still a valuable read.
When I started grad school, I really felt like there was some sort of instruction manual that I missed getting a copy of. As it turns out, there was no such thing, and most of us are just faking our way through as best we can.
This would be that missing book I longed for so heartily.
If you are a graduate student in ANY discipline, or are considering applying to graduate school, go get this book. Do not pass go, do not collect your proverbial $200 dollars. GO GET THIS BOOK.
This would be that missing book I longed for so heartily.
If you are a graduate student in ANY discipline, or are considering applying to graduate school, go get this book. Do not pass go, do not collect your proverbial $200 dollars. GO GET THIS BOOK.
Oct 05, 2007
Sarah Burton
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
prospective MA or PhD students (not law, business, MD)
This is a very helpful book! And Robert Peters is a great writer, too. Half professorial advice, half grandfatherly advice. I learned to apply for a PhD instead of an MA because more funding is available to PhD students; that half of PhD candidates drop out; and that being a female academic is indeed difficult. He gave helpful sample questions too, ones every prospective student should ask of his/her school before applying.
A great resource. I intend to *strongly urge* any future students who approach me about applying to grad school to read this. It's a must read for those considering it, because the description of grad school experience is spot on. It's also an excellent source of advice for anyone currently in grad school, PhD or MA.
Out of all the career and education guides, this one was the most useful. It is meant for those considering non-professional or research-based degrees, but I would recommend it anyone consider grad school. Supplement this with an additional guide specific to your degree of interest--such as "Law School Confidential" by Miller or "Architect?" by Lewis--and you will be well on your way to making an informed decision.
Highly informative, but a new edition would be helpful at this point. Parts are completely outdated, however, other sections remain entirely relevant. Regardless, this book should be an essential read for anyone even vaguely entertaining the notion of graduate school. Read it sooner rather than later; I deeply regret not reading this book before I finished my B.A. I would have done things different.
I only read the parts of this that were applicable to my interests/plans, so take this with a grain of salt. But it seemed like this same advice is more helpfully dispensed in Gregory Colon Semenza's grad school guide.
This writer, unlike Semenza, has a Ph.D. in the sciences, which I take it are quite different from the Ph.D.s in the humanities.
This writer, unlike Semenza, has a Ph.D. in the sciences, which I take it are quite different from the Ph.D.s in the humanities.
Jul 10, 2007
Brian
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone in grad school or even vaguely considering looking into grad school
Shelves:
owned-and-read,
academic-advice
This book is invaluable, from the earliest stages of picking a program, on through completing your dissertation and looking for jobs, tons of great advice and inspiration! The author kind of irritates me with his attitudes; he's clearly not the kind of guy I'd want to be friends with, but someone worth dealing with for his insights.
I read this after I started the PhD program, and most of it is still useful. I actually skipped over the part about negative politics (like colleagues and others who are "against" you) as I didn't think it applied to me; unfortunately I recently experienced some shit so I went back and read it.
Pretty good overall.
Pretty good overall.
I read this a semester into my Master's program at the University of Louisville, so the application part did not apply, but I did skim it, and it seemed to be accurate and helpful. I will go back to it as a resource should I decide to go back to school to pursue my Doctorate.
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