Bridge for Pursuing Higher Degrees
Are you a sophomore or junior interested in research and graduate school?
Join us to be a Bridge for Pursuing Higher Degrees (B4PhD) Scholar!
The Purdue University College of Science invites prospective graduate students to join us for a free and online mentoring program designed to help you prepare for graduate school—from the application process, to becoming a grad student, to thriving on your way to your graduate degree.
As a B4PhD Scholar, you would join in three online meetings in early April 2025, participate in associated activities and assignments to help you envision your graduate school journey. The program also includes exclusive mentoring with current Purdue graduate students, who will help demystify what graduate school is all about. B4PhD also will have an optional add-on activity called "Mentor Meet-and-Match" in which meet-and-greets will be organized for you to meet with faculty with research interests that overlap with yours, to learn more about work in your fields of interest.
B4PhD Scholar Application
Eligibility:
- U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Pursuing a bachelor's degree from a college or university in the U.S. or U.S. territories, with a GPA 3.0/4.0 or greater
- Interest in pursuing a graduate degree in science. Our departments are:
Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
B4PhD Scholars will be selected based on their academic and professional achievement including motivation, interest in research, experiences in research or related investigational projects (such as in courses), work experiences, awards, and demonstrated commitment to contributing to a community that seeks to support the success of all students.
Graduate students: Apply to be a B4PhD mentor
College of Science graduate students are encouraged to apply to be a B4PhD mentor. Apply to this valuable mentoring and professional development opportunity as a way to support the next generation of scientists.
All science disciplines and all years of graduate program experience are encouraged to apply. The program will build mentoring teams with a range of experience in graduate school.
B4PhD Graduate Student Mentor Application
College of Science graduate students are encouraged to apply to be a B4PhD mentor. Apply to this valuable mentoring and professional development opportunity as a way to support the next generation of scientists.
B4PhD graduate student mentors will be selected based on their demonstrated skill and capacity for near-peer mentoring, for their demonstrated commitment to supporting opportunities for success of B4PhD Scholars, and for their achievements in leadership, academic, and professional activities. We seek representation across all seven departments of the College of Science, so that we can build mentoring groups for B4PhD Scholars with a range of areas of interest.
Apply to be a B4PhD Graduate Mentor
Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
B4PhD Scholars are selected based on their academic and professional achievement including motivation, research experiences, projects, awards, and other work experiences, and their demonstrated commitment to broadening participation in science.
Timeline
February 28, 2025: Application deadline.
Early March 2025: B4PhD Scholars notified of their acceptance into the program
Mid-March 2025: B4PhD Scholars meet the mentors, participate in an online chat, and receive your first assignment.
April 2025: B4PhD live online meetings begin.
All meetings will be held online using Zoom on the following evenings, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Check your time zone against Purdue here (West Lafayette, IN Time Zone).
These meetings will include short presentations, small-group discussions with your graduate student mentors, and assignments that will help you prepare to apply for graduate school and/or summer research programs.
April 2, 2025 – Demystifying Graduate Studies
- Graduate school is NOT taking lots and lots of classes!
- Picturing yourself in academic research
- B4PhD Graduate Student Mentors share how we got inspired to get into research
April 7, 2025 – Explaining the Graduate School Application Process
- Applications, Statement of Purpose, and Understanding Graduate School Funding
April 9, 2025 – Understanding networking with faculty, thinking about advisors, making your game plan, and next steps
Questions?
Contact:
Janice EvansAssociate Dean for Initiatives and Graduate Education
Professor of Biological Sciences
janiceevans@purdue.edu