Thoughts on how applying to grad school in the sciences is gatekeeping at its finest:

1) Why are grad school apps so expensive? ~$100 per app! Who can afford this as an undergrad/post-grad student.

Imagine applying to 10 programs, that's 1k (excluding GRE/TOEFL costs)! /1

2) Why do prospective grad school applicants have to jump all sorts of hoops for fee waivers?

You got to either demonstrate financial need by sending in your FAFSA/letter from college official, or write a long paragraph explaining your extenuating circumstances. /2

Why do I need to convince you that I'm broke as an undergrad?!

I was lucky that I accidentally found out about fee waivers by attending ABRCMS. If this didn't happen, no way I could have applied to 10 schools. /3

Also don't get me started how you need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to be eligible for most of these fee waivers after meeting all their eligibility requirements.

Why are International students, DACA, and undocumented students ineligible for these fee waivers?! /4

3) Imagine being a first-gen student and not knowing that for certain PhD fields you are expected to contact professors way ahead of time?

And if you don't make contact with prospective advisors when you're applying, then it will be extremely difficult to get accepted. /5

Really wish there was a list of what STEM fields you are expected to find advisors so grad school applicants know this way early in the game.

From what I gathered, it seems to be Comp Sci, Psychology, Ecology and Evolutionary Bio. Though I'm sure I'm missing more. /6

4) If you're an undocumented immigrant you have to not only figure out all of this, but you have to do all this extra hw.

Undocumented students have to email all prospective schools to figure out if a) they accept undocumented students and b) if funding exists for them. /7

There are some graduate schools that accept undocumented students, but they have to figure out their own funding by TAing every semester, applying to external fellowships, etc.

They do not have the luxury to just apply to grad school without thinking about all of this. /8

5) Haven't forgotten that personal statement. As a prospective applicant, you are somehow suppose to know what the difference is between a personal statement, research statement, diversity statement, and statement of purpose. /9

You also have to be aware that you really need to explains gaps in research experience or a low GPA in your personal statement. The lack of an explanation by you or your letter writer will hurt your app. /10

I had a good friend who took 3 gap years after undergrad to support his fam.

By the time he was in a stable financial situation to apply to grad school, schools did not give him interview offers because of his gap years. /11

It feels like we got to choose between familial responsibilities and science at times.

You know we're human right? We can't put life on hold just for grad school apps. /12

I had another colleague tell me that her 3.2 GPA was not competitive for grad school by an admissions committee faculty member at a state school and she did not know that she had to explain this in her application...
/13

You know that first-gen and underrepresented students are working several jobs while volunteering in research labs + taking classes, right?

You can't expect us to have a perfect GPA. We're human after all and we also got familial responsibilities. /14

Also why are all personal statements different size lengths. Ranging from like 500 words to 1500 words.

Be nice if there was a consistent limit across all schools. /15

6) Grad School Admissions are next...Why do you tell prospective applicants mad late in the game if they are rejected. I got mine around March/April.

If I didn't receive an offer, I would have need to have applied to post-bacs, which are due Jan-March?! /16

Also transparency on how big class sizes are per program would be great.

If applicants knew how big the class sizes are for different PhD programs, they can take this into account on whether they should apply or not. /17

This would be especially helpful for International students if they know how many programs accept international students?

From what I've been gathering private universities tend to have more funding than public universities. /18

Also, can't forget that STEM PhD programs have a diversity recruitment issue.

Don't get me wrong I know that Deans, Assistant Deans, some faculty profs, and pretty much grad students work like crazy on recruitment. /19

But I remember being told by profs that not enough underrepresented students apply to grad school hence why it's not diverse.

I don't believe that sooo much money goes into recruitment and there aren't enough URM students in the app pool. /20

I think it's more of an issue with specific admissions committee. When they recruit URM students, they only want the best of the best of the best. Literally what I've been told. /21

Also been told that you know Rob if you prob applied now you wouldn't have gotten into grad school cause we are more selective.

I had a 3.8 GPA, 2 years of research experience and a summer research experience, avg GRE score.

Like who are you looking for as an applicant? /22

I don't want to hear that there are not enough talented underrepresented students applying to grad school.

There are. You just got to stop expecting for someone with like +5 yrs of research experience, 4.0 GPA, 5 publications. Come on... /23

I'm sure I've missed more points on applying to grad school. Definitely feel free to include them in the thread and how you navigated this. /24

With all of that being said, I was lucky that I had an amazing PI who helped me navigate all of this as an undocumented immigrant and supportive mentors who told me about so many opportunities. /25

Grad school applicants, I wish you the best this grad school app cycle.

Remember that you are not alone in this process. Ask your colleagues, mentors, PIs, and Twitter science professionals if you have grad school app questions.

Never stop making those dreams a reality.

And lastly can't forgot @cientificolatin. We are working extremely hard to make the grad school app process in STEM transparent and will continue to expose the hidden curriculum of grad school apps . /27