Hopkins Marine Station

Graduate Application FAQs

Navigating the Application Process

Applying to graduate school can be both an exciting and a frustrating experience, but we are committed to making the application process both transparent and inclusive.  Our graduate students have compiled this guide with frequently asked questions and personal advice about the process. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact current graduate students:

Oceans Department:

Oceans Applicant Resource (OAR) Mentor Program

The Oceans graduate students seek to encourage applicants from historically underrepresented groups in the ocean sciences by mentoring prospective applicants to the Oceans PhD program. The OAR program is particularly suited for students who identify with underrepresented groups in the ocean sciences, those with non-traditional or international academic backgrounds, or those who have faced significant hardship in their journey to graduate school. 

If you are interested in being paired with a current PhD student mentor, please sign up with this form before the application deadline of December 3, 2024. Our goal is to help answer questions about applying to graduate school, a process that can seem overwhelming. As a mentee in the OAR program, you will be paired with a graduate student mentor to receive advice over email or Zoom on our specific PhD program or general ocean sciences, including but not limited to:

  • Preparation of application materials
  • Communicating with prospective faculty mentors
  • The Oceans curriculum and graduate learning environment at Stanford
  • Living in Palo Alto and/or Monterey 

Participation in the OAR mentorship program has no effect on admissions decisions. The program is voluntarily run by current graduate students who are not involved with the admission process.


Biology Department:

As an undergrad, how can I best prepare for graduate school?

A: Beyond taking a rigorous course load and performing well in undergrad, be sure to gain research experience and form meaningful relationships with professors and mentors.

  • Seek out research and work experiences in your field, particularly summer internships
  • Take on small projects or volunteer work to grow your resume
  • Work to publish papers if possible; collaborate with other undergrads, graduate students, or PIs
  • Professors and mentors can help you navigate the graduate application process, including program selection
  • The most compelling letters of recommendation come from mentors and faculty who know you well

Does my undergraduate degree need to match my graduate interests?

A: No, don't feel boxed in by your previous experience!

  • Apply to graduate school (inside or outside of your current field) because you are excited or passionate about a topic, even if the topic is broad
  • Professors respect curiosity and drive more than anything; techniques can be taught 
  • Expertise from other fields can be an asset to a lab needing a fresh perspective
  • Research potential links from your current field to your field of interest—how could they relate to one another?

Should I go to graduate school right after undergrad?

A:  It depends. There are benefits to going to graduate school right after undergrad, while there are also benefits to taking time off by working or traveling. Things to think about when making your decision:

The benefits of going to grad school right after undergrad:

  • Some find it challenging to return to school and work on problem sets or assignments after working outside of academia where math, chemistry, or biology skills may become rusty.
  • A job outside of academia is typically better paid with a more regular schedule, which might make returning to academia challenging.
  • The best reference letters for graduate schools are those written by your research advisors who can speak to your skills and independence in research. Reference letters from supervisors in work that are not research-related are not as helpful.
  • Depending on the area of research, there may be no benefit to delaying graduate school if you spend your time working on unrelated topics, particularly outside of research.

The benefits of delaying going to grad school after undergrad:

  • Depending on your research topic in grad school, real-world experience can make you a more compelling candidate 
  • Working within scientific fields and/or outside them will expose you to a range of professional possibilities
  • These experiences can help clarify what you want to study in graduate school, provide time to thoroughly research schools, and put together an excellent application
  • Taking time off to travel can broaden your perspectives and provide a break before embarking on a 5-year PhD program

How do I make my application stand out? 

A: Do your research and contact potential advisors early and often. Be aware that not all faculty can take students every application cycle—ask advisors about their specific situations up front. 

  • Identify faculty with strong programs in your area of specialization 
  • Reach out to faculty six months to a year before applying
  • Read their key papers, especially recent ones, to demonstrate serious interest in their work
  • Once a line of communication is established with someone you want to work with, STAY in contact; faculty are busy and they may be either very brief or very late (or both) in their communications—this doesn't signal disinterest
  • If you can, set up a meeting over Zoom or visit their lab in-person 
  • These connections will help faculty distinguish your application; if they think you would be a good match for their lab, they can make sure your application is seen by the admissions committee

A: Apply for all fellowships and scholarships that are applicable to you—especially the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

  • Admission to the Oceans graduate program ensures funding for the entirety of your PhD so long as you are maintaining satisfactory progress. However, proactively applying to external fellowships shows prospective advisors that you have what it takes to be a successful researcher; part of your success will be your willingness and ability to apply for grants
  • Prospective advisers may be willing to help you with your proposal
  • Funding from external fellowships is supplemented to match the stipend in the Oceans department.
  • Fellowships you might consider applying for include the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship, the DOD National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, and many others.

If accepted, how will I learn about the lab's environment before I decide to commit?

A: Communicate with the lab's current students, post-docs, and visiting researchers as applicable. 

  • If you have any questions, big or small, just ask—we are here to help!
  • Interview the program: take the opportunity to make sure the school, program, and lab are a good fit 
  • Inquire about how students are supported financially, academically, and otherwise
  • Seek out honest insights into lab culture and your potential adviser's personality and advising style 
  • Find out what the working environment is like, for example, the latitude given to a student to develop her or his research project, the track record of the mentor in helping to place Ph.D. students into good postdocs or jobs, etc. 
  • For Hopkins in particular, get a sense of the pros and cons of living and working at a marine station in Monterey Bay as opposed to living and working near main campus  

A few more pieces of advice. . . 

"Start early.  Applying to grad school takes time."

"It is essential to do a lot of homework before applying to a graduate program and a specific advisor." 

"Talk to graduate students to get a sense of the application process and potentially advice along the way."

"Think hard about the skills you have that make you a valuable candidate.  Everyone has unique skills, and while they may not always be science-related, many of them are important.  Put away the little nagging voice inside your head that says you have nothing to contribute, and sell yourself based on what you bring to the table."

“Two of the most important factors for a happy grad student life include: the student's fit with their potential advisor, and the physical location of where they will be spending the next 5+ years. Other factors are malleable, but these are usually fixed, and incredibly important!" 

"Be open-minded about research opportunities. Graduate school is a learning opportunity, and it will limit your experience if you believe otherwise." 

"Try to work it out with your advisor to come to Hopkins the summer before your first year. You will get a jumpstart on research and also a sense of what it's like to live and work here. "

"Do a practice interview with faculty you know and trust. This will help lessen anxiety during the real interviews with potential advisors."

“Try not to be too nervous during interviews! It's important to show the faculty who you are as a person as well as a scientist, and it definitely doesn't help if your nerves get the better of you. The interviews at HMS are generally pretty casual, and a lot of it is really about seeing whether you'll fit into the lab and the overall community.”