So You Want to Go to Graduate School

Graduate school can be one of the most rewarding and exciting opportunities in your life. It can be transformative.

The training that you receive in the process of obtaining a PhD puts you at the forefront of human knowledge and technology while simultaneously exposing you to the deeper workings of the universe. You’ll develop confidence and the ability to solve nearly impossible problems.

Pursuing a master’s degree expands your subject knowledge and prepares you for independent projects and leadership roles, while a professional degree, such as a JD or MD, is essential for some career paths.

A graduate degree can open up an array of career opportunities that were once inaccessible to those outside of an elite social and economic background, such as finance, management consulting, and faculty. Sounds amazing, right?

If you’re considering graduate school, here’s my most important advice: Get out and meet people! Even if you’re a sophomore or junior, now is the time.

Many undergraduates in physics, astronomy, and related fields apply for summer research opportunities during their second or third year. Summer research is an excellent way to see what graduate school is like—you are paid to work on an amazing research project, develop relationships with experts who can give advice and write letters of recommendation for you, and get a peek into the lives of the graduate students in your lab.

Research opportunities are somewhat competitive, so apply to lots of external programs, such as Research Experiences for Undergrads (REUs), programs at national labs (e.g., the Department of Energy’s SULI program), international labs (e.g., CERN), the SPS Summer Internship Program, and any others that interest you. Also, ask about summer research opportunities at your school—sometimes there is nothing available until you ask! Applications for summer programs are often due in January.

Professional meetings are another great place to find out about graduate programs. Each year the American Physical Society and American Astronomical Society host big meetings with graduate school fairs. Attend, if you’re able, and talk to all of the representatives. The Physics Congress, coming next in 2025, is another fantastic conference for undergraduates that features a large graduate school fair. But you don’t need a grad school fair to find out about grad schools. Ask the people you meet where they went to graduate school and what it was like. Ask current graduate students about their programs, ask fellow undergraduates where they are planning to apply, and ask professors where they teach.

If traveling long distances is difficult, there are likely local and regional meetings, such as SPS zone meetings and APS section meetings, that can introduce you to graduate school options and potential mentors. If you want to go to graduate school in another field, check out the key meetings in that field. Talk to everyone, and ask tons of questions!

Don’t Miss the 2025 Physics Congress

Hosted by SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma, the next Physics Congress will be October 30–November 1, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. Keep an eye on the SPS website for details,

Matthew Wright.