I realize that I am not a current grad student now, but I thought I could pass along some information as a comparison to your area: (Sorry it is a bit long)
I can tell you what it is like in the hard sciences, as I finished my doctorate in chemistry that way years ago. The science version of internships involves actively doing research. In chemistry, you would have to work under a professor on his research projects. In physics, it is basically the same (usually with more technical instrumentation than chemicals). We typically start doing research projects before the Bachelors degree, usually when you are a junior or senior level. This is important to do as employers as well as grad schools look for this on your applications. It is expected that you will learn certain laboratory skills at this point in time and be ready to work in a laboratory with little guidance if at all.
Grad school is similar, but more emphasis on the research. You can be a strait A student in the classroom, but if you cannot finish the research project, the best you can usually achieve is a Masters degree. I have known people that had this happen to them. The success rate for obtaining a PhD starting with my class (from start to end) of grad students ended up being 15%, with roughly 50% getting the Masters degree and the rest nothing. The research alone for the PhD can take anywhere from three to up to ten years to do, some programs are capped at a maximum of seven to eight years. If you go over the time limit, you do not get the PhD. It is critical to pick the right research adviser and projects to avoid this from happening. I have know advisers that intentionally keep grad students in their group to harvest more results from them, even though they have more than enough to graduate.
One thing I think I should mention is that you compete on a global stage when you go to grad school in the hard sciences. The majority of the grad students are foreign, some very well qualified, some not so much. There is a preference among some professors that they work harder than Americans, which may or may not be true (it depends upon the person). Those professors will likely have their new crop of grad students picked out before you go to them and likely do not accept additional students.
As for the grad program, there are standardized exams you take for placement in certain classes. Fail one and you have to take both the undergraduate version as well as the graduate version. Pass and you get to take the graduate version. High pass and you do not have to take those classes at all. Once you get through the classes, you go into the dreaded cume exams. Those are exams taken every month (except summer) that test your skills on a particular area of science. You sometimes know the topic in advance, sometimes not. During the exam, you have two hours to write as much as you can for your answers to a professor's questions. You must pass a certain number of them or you go directly to the Masters path. If you pass the cumes, you go to a research project proposal test. Basically, you get six months to come up with a research project (either a new one or one you are working on), write a 20 page report outlining what this research does and then give a hour long presentation on the project. Right after the presentation, your committee members get to ask you questions for as long as they want about your project and you must answer them truthfully. This is the defense portion of the exam. I have know people to basically drop out of the program due to fear at this stage.
If you pass, you then focus on research and start writing your main dissertation document on your results. (My dissertation was shorter than I wanted at only 300 pages with my data, my committee cut out some additional stuff I wanted in it.) The document will go to your committee members two months in advance of your actual PhD defense, so they can read it. At the defense, you give an hour presentation on your research (including results) and then defend it from questions by your committee members in a closed-door session. At any time, they can cut you off and say you failed (game over). This portion can last as short as a half-hour up to many hours strait, usually without breaks. I knew of one that went on for two days (breaking at night to allow for sleep) for a total time of 16 hours. That person did not pass, was too low on some areas. The main thing you have to do is to be prepared for everything at all times.
10 Jan 2015, 3:50 pm
