A future for the rest of us

It’s a lovely time to be graduating. Spring has sprung, midterms have passed, and any seniors in their right minds would be escaping the library and enjoying the last few weeks of college with old friends. But it’s getting awkward to run into people. Nobody wants to ask anyone else what their plans are for next year, since chances are they don’t have any. In these last weeks of the semester, thanks to the economic crisis, some of Columbia’s problems are becoming more obvious than ever. Namely, why doesn’t our school help us plan for a successful future unless we fit into one of three categories—finance, law, or medicine?

It is no secret that the Center for Career Education at Columbia is geared towards those of us who majored in economics or interned at the long-lamented Lehman Brothers. And, although pre-professional advising exists, it is only for those of us who want to become bankers, lawyers, or doctors. So what about the rest of us? As it stands now, we pretty much fend for ourselves, especially those of us pursuing post-graduate studies.

I applied to graduate school in the fall, and it was a lonely journey. I knew of only one Columbia event remotely related to graduate school and careers in academia. The panelists all held masters degrees and worked in Student Affairs. As someone who wanted to get a Ph.D. in the sciences, I desperately searched for resources already in place in the Columbia system that would apply to me, but to no avail. This made me think about what Columbia could do for students who want to continue their education right out of undergrad. Personal statements, resumes, recommendations, and interviews for graduate school are different from those on law and medical school applications as well as those on job applications. And with the bleak job market, more students than ever are applying to graduate schools—a friend of mine said the number of applicants to his graduate program had increased by 300 percent since last year. With funding tightening, schools are likely cutting down the number of available slots for new students. It is important for Columbia undergraduates to earn advanced degrees to further their careers in both professional fields and academia. Since competition is fierce—and growing—the University should invest in more resources to help students do their best.

In 2002, six departments at Columbia created peer-advising programs. Now, as far as I know, the psychology department has the only program still functioning. As a peer advisor, I rounded up some current graduate students one evening to discuss graduate school with prospective applicants in the department. The turnout for the event was impressive—30 students interested in graduate school showed up, and like me, they were nervous and hopeful. If there are this many students interested in grad school in the psychology department alone, what about other departments? Without peer advisors organizing sporadic Q&A sessions, students who want to go to graduate school in other disciplines are truly on their own. An easy step we could take to help students on their way to graduate school would be to reawaken the peer-advising programs in other departments.

I work in a lab with scientists at different stages in their respective academic careers. Luckily, they gave me useful advice, but for the most part I had to chase down the resources I needed—and thanks to my specific situation, I was able to find them. I can imagine that students doing more solitary research, such as in the humanities, must have an even harder time locating the help they need.

Another resource I made use of was the fellowships office because I was applying to international as well as American programs. If I had not received feedback on my essays and applications, there is no way that I could have successfully completed them by December. It seems unfair that students applying solely for American programs do not have a comparable office of advisors to critique their essays or help them decide which professors to ask for recommendations. These sound like simple tasks, but they can quickly take over your life—any help makes a huge difference. Why do medical school, law school, and fellowship applicants receive assistance while those interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or a master’s do not? They are no less important and no less overwhelmed. I am concerned that this lack of support will deter undergraduates from applying.

It is surprising that there is no first and logical place at Columbia to obtain information about applying to graduate school. While one must work hard on one’s own and cannot reasonably expect to have advisors tailored to applicants in every conceivable discipline, I am positive Columbia could do more to help undergraduate students get into graduate school.

The author is a Columbia College senior majoring in psychology and anthropology.