Dean's
Research & Career
Resources &
Awards,
Department
CNS/UT
Tips for Applying to Graduate School in Astronomy
Before you apply, check out this page:
A graduate school veteran's advice
(pdf)
Read about the Astronomy Job Market, where to apply for jobs, and more about preparing for, applying to and succeeding in
graduate school.
To which schools should I apply?
This online database will help you compare graduate programs:
Graduate School Finder
Getting In: An Applicant's Guide to Graduate School Admissions, a very useful book.
Online Book
Read - Fran Bagenal's article in STATUS, Applying to Graduate School, (see Getting In).
Graduate Student Resources
(pdf)
How do I write an effective essay/personal statement?
In Astronomy, an effective essay will be about 1 to 2 pages long with a
description of your education and experience as it relates to your
future graduate career. You should mention any research experience you
have or special projects you may have done in a course, and maybe try to
tie these, or other interests you have with a specific faculty member or
researcher at the University to whom you are applying. One thing to
remember is that this is very different than your essay to get into an
Undergraduate program, you have things to cite from your last few years
as an Undergraduate, don't spend too much time on any childhood wishes
or experiences.
Write a winning statement of purpose
TIP: WRITE THIS EARLY and have many people proof it for you, friends, graduate students, faculty - whoever you can get.
When do I need to request recommendation letters?
Find out deadlines for schools you are applying to; most are December or January - so ask for letters at least two months in advance... but
faculty can't send the electronic ones until you submit your online application. Make sure to let any recommender know the deadline,
where to send/submit a letter, and send friendly reminders.
Timeline for your senior year of college -
What is the minimum GPA required?
It is minimum 3.0 for any graduate program. But, for the top 10 schools in Astronomy, you should have at least a 3.5.
Is it important to publish a paper, or can I just try to get research experience?
Publishing a paper in a refereed journal (co-author or
author) would be the best outcome from a research experience, but more often students are able to create a poster and
possibly present it at a conference. This is invaluable experience even if it doesn't result in a full length paper. There are different avenues in
which to pursue some sort of publication; the College of Natural
Sciences has a Research Forum each Spring in which you may be able to
present a poster with no accompanying publication; and at the UT
Astronomy Bash Conference in Austin you may be able to present a poster
with an accompanying publication, so check for these options. When Graduate
Admissions faculty are looking at your application, they will want to see something about research and listing a poster,
presentation or paper is very important.
Should I visit my top choices for Graduate School?
It is a good idea to visit schools, if you can. You can see what the environment is like and if you think the school would be a good
fit for you. If you visit before you apply, try to
meet with faculty or researchers to be able to talk about what they are
doing with their research when you write your essay. (You may also find
out about their research on their department webpages.) Make sure and prepare some standard questions to ask at each school.
Some questions to ask while visiting Astronomy grad schools:
Sample questions for graduate schools
(pdf)
Questions to ask, including special concerns for women:
Good questions to ask of graduate schools
(pdf)
