Helping make a tough decision

by Mike Redd '00

For many graduating seniors, the fall semester is one of those special times when one must ask, "What am I going to do for the rest of my life?"

On Tuesday Nov. 9, 1999, the SEAS Undergraduate Affairs Office helped students answer this question by offering a panel discussion titled "Is Graduate School in Engineering For You?"

The panel included three Princeton engineering alumni: Andrew Alleyne '89 MAE, Michele Cooke '89 CEOR, and Kevin Lynch '89 EE, who helped provide insight into the mysterious world of graduate school.

Photo by Frank Wojciechowski Andrew Alleyne gives undergraduates tips to help make the graduate school decision.

As an added bonus, Noe Lozano, associate dean of the Stanford School of Engineering sat in on the panel.

An important question on the minds of many undergraduates is how to decide whether or not to go to graduate school. Dr. Alleyne, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, discussed good and bad reasons for going to graduate school.

Reasons to continue one's education include intellectual curiosity, making a financial investment in oneself, and the quest for personal growth to find more exciting jobs and careers.

An important reason not to go to grad school is as an escape route from a bad work experience. Grad school is meant to be a means to better one's education, not as an excuse to walk away from an uninteresting job.

Other reasons not to go to grad school include the current economic boom, or simply being burnt out from the past four years of school. Dr. Alleyne was quick to point out that the current economic boom, however, is as good a reason to go to school as it is to join the workforce. Due to many people joining the workforce, graduate schools are vying for fewer students. As a result, some could argue that there is a better chance of gaining admission to the top schools.

In determining the perfect school, Dr. Cooke, assistant professor of geosciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, pointed out that one of the most critical aspects of a good grad program is the adviser with whom one would work at a particular school. Other issues include funding and proximity to industry locations related to one's particular field.

Dr. Lynch, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Northwestern University, encouraged students to pursue their interests in grad school, and not necessarily study in the same field as their undergraduate work. He also emphasized the idea that one's career path may change many times, just as one's academic interests may change.

Homecoming Three alums recently returned to their alma mater to advise undergraduates who are considering graduate school. From left are Andrew Alleyne ¹89 MAE, Michele Cooke ¹89 CEOR, and Kevin Lynch ¹89 EE. Photos by Frank Wojciechowski

So now what? Maybe you're thinking that grad school might be the best decision after Princeton. Put a little extra effort into that thesis or independent work so that you can really wow all of those admissions people. Find the school that is right for you by using the web or by vis iting different schools--and don't forget about those niche schools that might specialize in your field of interest. As far as money, many grad students work as research assistants or teaching assistants, and people in Ph.D. programs actually get paid to study.

Weigh your options and figure out what you want to be doing tomorrow, and hopefully you can answer for yourself whether grad school is right for you.