The Latinx Guide to Graduate School PDF
Preview The Latinx Guide to Graduate School
The Latinx Guide to graduateschool This page intentionally left blank The Latinx Guide to graduateschool Genevieve Negrón-G onzales and Magdalena L. Barrera duke university press durham and London 2023 © 2023 duke university press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of Amer ic a on acid- free paper ∞ Designed by Matthew Tauch Typeset in Alegreya and Bitter by Westchester Publishing Services Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Names: Negrón- Gonzales, Genevieve, author. | Barrera, Magdalena L., [date] author. Title: The Latinx guide to gradu ate school / Genevieve Negrón- Gonzales and Magdalena L. Barrera. Description: Durham : Duke University Press, 2023. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: Lccn 2022039694 (print) Lccn 2022039695 (ebook) isbn 9781478019671 (paperback) isbn 9781478017035 (hardcover) isbn 9781478024309 (ebook) Subjects: Lcsh: Hispanic Americans— Education (Gradu ate) | Hispanic Americans— Gradu ate students. | Universities and colleges— Gradu ate work—S ocial aspects. | Education, Higher— Social aspects— United States. | bisac: sociaL science / Ethnic Studies / American / Hispanic American Studies | education / Schools / Levels / Higher Classification: Lcc Lc2670.6 .n44 2023 (print) | Lcc Lc2670.6 (ebook) | ddc 378.1/5508968073— dc23/eng/20221011 Lc rec ord available at https:// lccn . loc . gov / 2022039694 Lc ebook rec ord available at https:// lccn . loc . gov / 2022039695 Cover art: Illustration by Adriana Arriaga. Wededicatethisbooktotheup-and-coming Latinx/a/oscholarsandpractitioners. ¡Ánimo! This page intentionally left blank Contents xi Acknowledgments 1 Introduction: You Thought You Were Buying a How-to Book but Ended Up Getting a Love Letter, Manifesto, and Flashlight 3 El Comienzo: How This Book Came About 6 Our Journeys to Gradu ate School 12 Latinx/a/os and Higher Education: ¡¿Pa’ Qué?! 14 ¿A Dónde Vamos? A Road Map of the Book 19 A Note on Voice and Narration 20 One Final Note: “Se Hace Camino Al Andar” 23 1 To Grad School or Not to Grad School? 27 Two Real ity Checks If You Are Considering a PhD: Finances and the Academic Job Market 30 Identifying the Right Program(s) for You 32 “When’s the Right Time?” and Other Common Questions 36 Do Your Research before Signing Up for a Professional Research Degree 40 The Finances of Grad School 43 Putting Together Your Application 47 Requesting Strong Letters of Recommendation 50 Get Or ga nized and Allow Time for the Proc ess 52 What to Do When the Decision Letters Arrive 57 Reflection Questions 58 Sample Email Inquiry to Potential Faculty Mentors 59 2 Learning to Be a Grad Student 60 Getting Your Act Together: Grad School Begins before Classes Start 66 Am I Good Enough to Be Here? Confronting the Culture of Academia 68 Grad School Is a Pro cess and a Per for mance 71 Cultivating Your Grad Student Identity 74 Reflection Questions 74 Preparándome para Grad School: A Checklist 77 3 Essential Skills in Gradu ate School 80 Cómo Vuela el Tiempo: Managing Time 88 Read Like an Academic 93 Become a Thoughtful Contributor 98 Envision Yourself as a Professional Writer 107 Ready for an Argument? Asserting Your Voice as a Scholar 109 Getting Feedback on Your Writing 110 Know When to Stop Writing 111 If Essays Are Sprints, Then a Thesis Is a Marathon 116 On Beginning Again (and Again) 116 Reflection Questions 117 Suggested Readings, Resources, and Tools 118 Example of a Topical versus Argument- Driven Outline 121 4 Unwritten Rules of the Acade my: Navigating the Gray Area 123 Racism and Unwritten Rules 125 An Orientation to Unwritten Rules 133 Conferences and Professional Networking 140 Social Media and Managing Your Online Presence 143 Last Thoughts on Unwritten Rules 143 Reflection Questions 145 5 Navigating Professional Relationships in Gradu ate School 146 White Supremacy and Grad School Relationships 148 Caretaking Professional Relationships 154 The Purpose of Office Hours 157 When Difficulties Arise in Your Life 158 Getting Critique viii contents 162 Letters of Recommendation 163 Dealing with a Difficult Professor (for One Semester, Maybe Two) 165 Dealing with a Mismatch or Difficult Advisor 166 Maintaining Relationships with Your Mentors over Time 167 The Cohort. Oh, Lord, the Cohort. 172 Navigating Chisme 173 Remaking Mentorship: Mentoring above You, to the Side, and Below 177 Cultivating Relationships in the Acad emy beyond Your Institution 178 Remaking the Acade my by Rethinking Academic Relationships 178 Reflection Questions 180 6 Navigating Personal Relationships in Gradu ate School 183 Latinx Culture Is Relational: Busting the Myth That Grad School Requires You to Hide at Home 184 Romantic Relationships during Gradu ate School 190 Gradu ate School and Kids 199 Communicating with Your Family 202 Your Relationship with Yourself: Mental Health, Self- Love, and Prioritizing Wellness 204 Reflection Questions 205 7 Life after Gradu ate School 206 Preparing to Be Postgrad 208 Picking a Preliminary Pathway: Industry, Nonprofit, or Academia? 210 Navigating the Academic Job Market 216 The Logistics of the Academic Job Market 219 The Really Hard Stuff: Competition, Self- Doubt, and the Realities of the Academic Job Market 222 Alt- Ac Route, or Let’s Return to the Start of This Chapter 222 Reflection Questions contents ix
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