iSchool Application Tips

We know that starting graduate school is a daunting process. There are a thousand things you want to know before you start, but the only way you learn them is through experience. But that's not entirely true.

Student Ann S. says:

I should have started applying for grants/scholarships as soon as I was accepted. Once the program starts, there's very little extra time to focus on writing the necessary essays and personal statements.

Kathleen HRecent Graduate Kathleen H. says:

If you need equipment (laptops, cameras, recording devices, etc) they are available for checkout at the lab (and at some of the libraries). The lockers at Sanchez are available for anyone to use--bring your own lock. If you're trying to follow a certain career path, look at the job announcements for that career, then make a list of everything you need to learn--then take those classes! Visit Ron Pollock in Career Services. Not only will he help you craft an amazing (tailored) resume and cover letter for every job, he will also give you a much greater confidence in yourself and your abilities. The SASI Website has a huge FAQ list which will answer many of your questions about the iSchool, UT campus, and Austin in general.

Student Kate C. says:

What I wish I knew my first semester at the iSchool:

  • You have a mailbox and people will put things in it.
  • There are lockers available.
  • There is a kitchen on the fourth floor.
  • The Fine Arts and Architecture Libraries are beautiful--visit them!
  • Volunteering at PCL is a great way to learn a lot and meet some friendly librarians.
  • If you need to print onto a transparency for whatever reason, you can do this in the lab. Ask a purple shirt; they are friendly and helpful.

Kathleen HRecent Graduate Kathleen H. says:

After getting so many comments about students having a difficult time selecting courses and wanting more guidance, I talked to the curriculum committee to see if there was any way we could help students with this. They said that they've already come up with a solution.

Student Morgan M. says:

My first semester at the iSchool, I wish I knew:

Student Bettie M. says:

I think something very important for people to know coming in is that our department is very wide-ranging and that the students have to be proactive in choosing their path and building towards a career. No one will tell them you have to take this or that for the most part and all the parts of our field can look intriguing so it is easy to kind of get off track and finish up still not sure where you are going. So, I think that self-advocacy and self-direction are important ideas for iSchoolers to embrace.

Paul A-RStudent Paul A-R. says:

Our field is incredibly broad and there are lots of ways to specialize. But you shouldn't feel forced to pick a focus early in your graduate career. Instead, start out by exploring the possibilities offered to you--try classes that fascinate you, even if you know nothing about them; talk to other students and faculty about their interests, and see what motivates them. Overall, be confident in your ability to learn new things and explore unfamiliar territories.

We want to shed some light on all those "what I want to know before I start graduate school" questions, so here you'll find some tips from both faculty and current students that they've learned the hard way. We hope they make your first semester a little brighter!

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Glynn HOur graduate advisor and professor Glynn Harmon knows a lot about what students go through in the program, and he has kindly provided the following tips for new students to keep in mind during the first semester:

  1. Wade into the water before you swim. That is, start modestly and with a lighter load if possible, then increase your speed and load in the following semesters. Become used to Austin, the program and the instructors, etc., so that you feel more at home before taking on a maximum load.
  2. Define your purpose for being here. Consult the career services web site, delineate your dream jobs, and target and re-target your efforts as you progress through the program. Develop your passions and let them guide you.
  3. If you feel discouraged, remember the old adage to go back to the give-up point, and that is where you begin.
  4. Look for an outstanding scholar in the research literature to help you indirectly guide your research and writing style.
  5. Remember that November and April, in particular, are stressful months. Keep ahead of the game to keep the stress monkeys off your back. Stay positive.
  6. Every day say to yourself "This will be a great day, because I will make it a great day."
  7. Consult the key literature guides--annual reviews, encyclopedias, abstracts, etc. before plunging into an assignment to get oriented broadly to see problems in their wider context.
  8. Acquire information/computer literacy very early in the program, if not before you enter.
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Barbara IBarbara Immroth, a professor in the iSchool with expertise in school libraries, youth materials and library management, has the following top three tips for new students:

  1. Attend as many orientation sessions and training sessions as you can to learn how things work at UT.
  2. Join a student group, such as the ALA/TLA Student Chapter so that you have friends in your cohort and fellow students to share your time.
  3. Have some fun in graduate school; there's lots to do on campus and in Austin--take advantage of it while you're here.
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Lynn WLynn Westbrook, a professor in the iSchool and the Stepping Up grant coordinator, has the following top three tips for new students:

  1. Find an advisor who works well with you. You're given a faculty advisor when you come into the School but you can choose the faculty member with whom you'd like to work. If you want someone to direct your course of study in preparation for a very specific career path, then look for an advisor who will do that. If you want someone to help you explore a wide array of options, then look for an advisor who will do that. Tell your advisor exactly what you want from the advising sessions. If you don't get it, then ask around until you do.
  2. Take charge of your learning in each class you take. Read widely and bring your questions into the class discussions, activities, and assignments. If the class isn't challenging enough, then seek out additional readings and meet with the instructor. Some classes, such as 180J, will provide broad overviews of key ideas, theories, issues, and authors; use them to begin constructing your own understanding of your academic discipline. Graduate courses often support development of conceptual foundations--be ready to look for more than the "how to" aspect of a subject. You're responsible for your own learning so speak up when you want more, need help, or have something to contribute. Speak up often.
  3. Take advantage of the whole package that graduate school provides. Visit the libraries, the Humanities Research Center, and the museums. Talk with faculty during their office hours about their research, your career ideas, and the issues in information studies. Read deeply in our field, psychology, education, sociology, public policy, and area studies. Utilize the computer lab, Career Services, and the PCL librarians.