There are many overgeneralizations in the points made by Aaron (and in the article linked above). Graduate school is HARD, no doubt about it, but I would guess that, in the field of ecology, the vast majority of graduate students are valued and respected members of communities within their program. That was certainly the case in all of my experiences. Graduate school can be an extremely fulfilling time and a very direct stepping stone into a rewarding career.
The generalization that faculty members are oligarchs who steal the student’s intellectual property is absurd. Certainly there are instances where a faculty member mistreats graduate students, but they are *extremely* rare in my experience, and can be avoided if the students are careful in the application process. In particular, for students considering graduate school- meet the potential faculty member before you take the position, and talk to other people in the lab. **Interview on site if at all possible.** Contact students who have left the lab and ask about their experience. If you do these things(especially an on site interview) then you will have a very good idea about your prospects. Take a professional approach to the application process, be careful and selective, and you are likely to end up with a faculty mentor who truly cares about YOUR success and will do all they can to help you advance in your career. Happy Hunting. Ryan Ryan W. McEwan, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Biology The University of Dayton 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469-2320 Office phone: 1.937.229.2558 Lab phone: 1.937.229.2567 Office Location: SC 223D Email: ryan.mce...@udayton.edu Lab: http://academic.udayton.edu/ryanmcewan<http://academic.udayton.edu/ryanmcewan>
