Nurturing the Next Generation of Scholars

Matthew Wesley Williams

Associate Director for Fellowships

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July 24, 2009

Race, Gender and Graduate School

This article reports on a 1997 study that indicates that race and gender are significant factors in determining the quality of graduate school experiences. African-American students reported that mentoring, advising, and departmental environment were their most important concerns with regard to the quality of their graduate school experience.

The article reveals the reality of many graduate students who have to navigate difficult academic environments. It is important to know that as a prospective graduate student, there are things you can do to increase the likelihood of landing in a program in which you will flourish. For example,

1. Choose the program based on specific faculty with whom you will work, not based on the reputation of the school. What are their research interests? How might their interests and expertise help you to address your research questions?

2. Talk with current graduate students in the program you are considering. Ask them about their experiences as advisees with specific professors. You may ask specifically how many Ph.D's your prospective advisor has produced in the past 10 years. The answer to those questions may provide some important clues. Remember, every brilliant scholar is not necessarily an effective advisor.

3. Ask the Director of Graduate Studies about retention rates, completion rates, and average time to degree for students of color and women. Answers to these queries may provide hints as to whether a program has a good track record for supporting underrepresented students. It also may reveal the extent to which a program is structured to support timely completion.