As important as it is to have some tips on what to do as a Fletcher student, it can be equally helpful to know what not to do.  Today, the Graduate Assistants provide their tips along those lines.

Q: Whether you did it or not, what would you suggest incoming students NOT do before starting their Fletcher studies?

David: Do not feel that you need to have all the details about graduate school and the future figured out before you arrive for Orientation.  You will find that Fletcher is not only a great place to further develop your current interests, but also to discover new ones.

Dristy: It is exciting to think about classes and all the interesting things you are going to learn at Fletcher, but I would suggest incoming students not worry about having to figure out classes for the fall semester or how you would fulfill the breadth and depth requirements.  Shopping Day, when many professors give brief introductions to the courses they will offer that semester, is incredibly helpful for learning more about the course and the professor, and also helps a lot in making decisions about what classes to take.

Moni: It is tempting to get a head start on readings for classes you plan to take.  However, use this time wisely and refine other skills that will serve you well during your time at Fletcher.  Spend time with family and friends — don’t go crazy trying to beat the curve.

Ashley: Don’t forget to take a little time off, if you can.  Though that month-long backpacking trip around Asia won’t be a possibility for everyone, taking even a week (or at least a long weekend) before settling in at Fletcher is a pretty vital opportunity to recharge the batteries and clear your mind for the rewarding and exciting – but often exhausting and stressful – adventure that is grad school.

Auyon: Don’t narrow down your options in terms of courses and fields of studies before starting at Fletcher and before talking to professors, your advisors, and other students (especially second years).

Q: What is something that you worried about that you found you didn’t need to worry about?

Moni: Completing all the readings, for all my classes, all the time.  It is very hard to do so and you exclude other options of analyzing the readings more in depth and grasping ideas by other means.  Life at Fletcher is great, but very busy.  So if you cannot cover all the readings, organize study groups with students in class and split up the readings.  This is a way to provide summary reports of all the readings and then discuss in the group setting, before class, some of the main points and theories covered.  You may also find it incredibly helpful as it helps shape the discussion once you are in class.  Adapt and overcome!

Ashley: Don’t worry too much about making ALL of your BEST friends in the first week, or even in the first few months.  Just like any new relationship, it will happen, but it will happen organically.  You’ll have plenty of people to hang out with until it really clicks — this is the Fletcher Community after all — and some of those folks will end up being your best buds here at Fletcher and beyond.  But don’t be intimidated or overwhelmed with expectations.

Auyon: I worried about the challenge of grad school studies more than I needed to.  If you are on top of things — you do the readings and assignments, prepare for and contribute to group meetings/projects, talk to the professors and TAs, actively seek help when you need if from classmates and others, and are organized about your schedule and time (highly recommend using google calendar) — you will be fine!

David: I thought that I needed to have my life figured out by the time I arrived at Fletcher.  I realized that I was one of many who had an idea of what I wanted to do, but definitely did not have every step of the way planned out.  During my time here at Fletcher, I found that my interests also grew and transformed, and so did my plan for post-Fletcher.

Dristy: I was worried about going back to student life after working as a professional for almost four years, but I realized that it is a fairly common concern that most of us have.  Although the first few weeks required some discipline, soon enough, I easily adapted to the student mode and started enjoying doing the long list of required readings and writing papers for class.  It may take time to adjust at the beginning, but the pace of coursework picks up very fast, and we adapt pretty quickly.  So, definitely no need to worry about that!

Continuing with the advice for incoming students provided by the Admissions Graduate Assistants, today we focus on preparing for the academic program.

Q: Whether you did it or not, what would you suggest incoming students do to prepare for their Fletcher studies?

Auyon: For students entering the MIB program, I suggest that you brush up on economics (a selection of suggested topics are usually sent to incoming students by the Registrar’s Office), complete the MBA math course to brush up on finance, accounting and stats, and try to be up-to-date on current affairs.

David: The summer before Fletcher is a great opportunity to “recharge the batteries” and get ready for graduate school.  Once Orientation starts, your schedule will start getting jam-packed so it’s important to use the summer to take time to both reflect on your goals for graduate school, familiarize yourself with some of the courses that might interest you, and brush up on some of those quant and language skills.  If you have taken any economics courses, I would be sure to review the most important economic concepts that you would cover in an introductory economics course.  Same is to be said with statistics.  I personally went through some of my notes from college and watched a few economic tutorials online from Khan Academy.  Above all, relax and get excited about Fletcher!

Dristy: Rest, relax, and spend time with friends and family!

I would also encourage incoming students to brush up on their foreign language skills so that they don’t have to carve out time during the semester to prepare for the foreign language exam.  Also, for those who intend on taking the economics and quantitative equivalency tests, I would encourage them to review that material as well.  Since the equivalency exams take place during Orientation week, they may not have time to brush up on these before the exam.

And, I would encourage international students, especially those who have not lived in the U.S. before, to reach out to current international students to get useful insights and tips on how to navigate through some of the basics in the U.S., for example, where to buy bedding, personal care supplies, their costs, phone plans, etc.

Moni: The most valuable element you have before starting at The Fletcher School is time.  Make the best of it by practicing your language, quantitative, and networking skills.  Being part of the admitted students Facebook page makes it easier to reach out to incoming students who may reside close by and/or share similar interests!  Most importantly, it is also a good resource to find housing.  This period is also an opportunity to read what you like.  While at Fletcher, you have a heavy reading load on fascinating topics that relate to your classes, but that leaves little time for unrelated readings.  In this case, I recommend picking up a book by your favorite author, going out to a café or park, and getting swept away by a story of your choosing.  You never know!  Perhaps an incoming Fletcher student can recommend some good reads!

Ashley: I found it very helpful to familiarize myself with the various courses available and the requirements of my degree.  There is a certain amount of self-advisement here when it comes to planning your academic path, and it helps to know the basics so that you can ask the more detailed questions when you need to.  It was also a great way to think even further about where I wanted to go with my degree, so that when new opportunities and ideas presented themselves – as they will! – I had a good sense of not only whether it was worth considering, but also what other changes to my roadmap I might need or want to consider as well.

Before they left for their post-Fletcher lives (Moni and David) or their summer internships (Asley, Auyon, Dristy), I asked our Graduate Assistants (GAs), the student members of the Admissions Office staff, to share their wisdom with incoming students.  I’ll be sharing their answers all through this week, in Q & A format.

Q:  What should new students be sure to do while they’re here?

Ashley: Take one or ten of your new friends and go explore the area!  Try to get into Boston from time to time and take advantage of both the city and the greater New England area for some quality bonding time off-campus and outside of Medford/Somerville.  For instance, I went with a few friends on a bike ride down the Minute Man trail in the fall, and it was so nice to get away for the day and get to know a few folks better outside of the classes, group projects, and speaker series.

Auyon: Attend social events and talks, talk to professors, get involved in extracurricular activities (student clubs, competitions, sports, etc.), use the Office of Career Services, and network.

David:  Hit the ground running!  There are so many ways to get involved once you arrive at Fletcher. Take advantage of those opportunities to get involved in the Fletcher community and to take on a leadership role.  Become a club president or take charge of organizing a panel for a conference.  The two years at Fletcher will go by super fast, so make the most of your time here!  Also, academics are important, but the relationships you develop with your peers are equally important, as you’ll find that it is your classmates who you will turn to for guidance and support during the next two years and after Fletcher.

Dristy: Try to meet as many incoming students as possible.  Once classes start, you will notice that we will each have our own “dance routines” and there are always so many interesting talks, discussions and events to attend at Fletcher.  So I encourage new students to use the orientation week to meet each other and the second years who are around.  Definitely take advantage of Shopping Day to choose your courses.

Moni: Get involved as much as possible.  There are so many great opportunities on campus to organize events, conferences and gatherings on topics of interest to you or causes you believe in.  Join a student club, or lead the club, and partake in gatherings inside and outside of the Fletcher community, such as social mixers, cross-school conferences and treks (educational trips).   As a Fletcher student, you are also able to cross-register at other schools in the area — take advantage of this unique option and experience all the schools’ varied cultures!  You are only as limited as you allow yourself to be, so get out there!