Getting What You Came For : The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D.
Author: Robert Peters
List Price: $15.00
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ISBN: 0374524777
Publisher: Noonday Press (11 April, 1997)
Sales Rank: 2,153
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
So Good, I Bought it Twice!
I bought this book in 1997 before starting a masters program. I had a JD and thought that getting a masters would be a piece of cake. Was I wrong! However, at least with Dr. Peters' book in hand, I knew what to look out for, what to concentrate on, and what not to spend my time worrying over. Like an idiot, I tossed the book when I finished my masters program because I thought I'd gotten 'what I came for.' Now I'm applying to Ph.D. programs and knew that this was the ONE book I had to have before starting on this journey. My thoughts were borne out when a respected professor friend recommended the book. When I said I'd not only read it, but had just bought my SECOND copy, I knew from his face that he knew I was serious. Getting What You Came For offers a great service. I thought I knew about academia, but again, the law school experience is not the graduate school experience. Because of Dr. Peters' advice, I made a point of getting out of my intellectual shell and worked on developing a true network of colleagues. Two years out of a rigorous masters program, I continue to be in contact with a large number of classmates and professors - professors who know me, are supporting me in my Ph.D. applications, and who have developed into real friends. This book isn't supposed to be read in one sitting and not every section will be applicable to every reader. Some sections are more helpful once you're in school, as opposed to the applications process, some are more helpful to doctoral students. However, much of the book is applicable to most people. There are sections on issues relevant to minority, women, international, and mature students. Most guides assume the reader is a 28 year old white American male. If you don't fit this profile, your experience will be different. Dr. Peters addresses these differences well.
If you are applying to doctoral programs, most of the book will apply to you. If you are in a program, you will return to Dr. Peters' book often for its advice on time management, thesis writing, dealing with faculty, and employment when it's all over.
I recommend this book highly to anyone considering graduate school. If you are already in a school, you should still buy it - you will get helpful insights that you can use throughout your academic career.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Effective, Informative, Realistic
This is an excellent, excellent book. I used this book as my primary guide to getting through the graduate school application process. Having gone to a good college that was part of a larger research university, I recognized the info. in this book as straightforward and accurate to the climate and tone of serious research universities. Get it. You will prosper. I did; using the advice in this book to manage the admissions process contributed to my succesful applictations. I was accepted into every competititive program to which I applied. I look forward to being able to now utilize the back chapters on the politics of advisors, time management and minority issues to ensure continued success in the Fall.
Rating: 5 out of 5
An Indispensable Reference
I thought I knew what I was getting into when I applied to graduate school the first time. I knew several professors in my field, had earned excellent grades and several top honors, but I didn't know a book like this existed. When I didn't get into any programs the first time around I had time to reassess my true interests (and actually switched fields of study). I also bought this book. It contained much of the advice I had gotten from various professors, but in a lot more depth and clarity, plus more. I read through it eagerly when I was re-starting the application process, and just recently when I was accepted. I'm sure I'll read it again come thesis time. This is an indispensable reference. I wish I had bought it years ago, but I'm glad to have it now.
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