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Section Four: Quotes from students: 在读博士对各自专业的申请者所提建议，专业包括 Art History, Chemistry, Ecology, English, Geology, History, Mathematics, Molecular Biology, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology。  


一.Art History
1.Know yourself and know what doctoral study entails

It is a long, discouraging but sometimes rewarding path with no guaranteed job prospects at the end of it.  Consider it carefully.

Before committing to a field of study, make sure it is the right field; by pursuing "career" test; extra-curricular courses at a local university; even working a year or two in corporate America.  What this does is give you time to make sure you have chosen a field that suits you well -- so that once you are in it, focus and sacrifice, discipline come very easily.  The more you know about yourself (your interests, aptitude and capabilities), the better your studies and work with your advisor will go; and the better you will be able to withstand the negative psychological effects the Ph.D. process can have (i.e., stress, anxiety, doubt).  The process is as much a psychological process as an academic one.

Be prepared.  When people tell you it’s a big jump from undergrad to grad, believe them.  Make sure you are willing to make the sacrifices and put in the time.  Be sure you like the department, and not just the prestige of the university.  Interact as much as possible with other students--the communal misery makes it easier to bear.

Know yourself.  Be able to work independently and sometimes in isolation.  Be clear about funding and prepared to take up slack.

Think carefully about the reasons why he or she wants to enter the field.  One needs to have a better reason than not wanting to enter the real world because it is a costly and time-consuming venture.  Along these lines, I would suggest working in the field either in an internship or paid work to see the good, the bad and the ugly of a field before investing the time and money.
Graduate school can be wearing on one's ego, which has both good and bad effects.  You may not always be treated with the respect that you think you deserve by faculty.  The hard work and long hours are not always appreciated.   

Think long and hard about 1) what you want out of your degree, and the program, 2) how you will be spending your work days, with whom, under what conditions, etc. 3) how long the degree takes, and why people choose to speed up or slow down, 4) life-style sacrifices must be considered, which takes me back to point 1).

Evaluate their motivational levels.  I have found graduate school to be a very solitary experience regarding large research projects.  It is definitely not for somebody who has a hard time motivating themselves or who requires praise and appreciation.  The new student should also realize that there is not a lot of sustenance.  By this I mean that there are very few rewards for the hard work.  Graduate students definitely do not earn a lot of money and rarely receive encouragement.

Unless you are very dedicated to the field and can think of nothing else you would like to do, don't go to graduate school in the humanities.   It is a long road with little to encourage you and you can get frustrated and disillusioned  during the process.  Of course, good things come from it, but there are other ways to learn the analytical, research and writing skills that this degree teaches.
There seems to be a disconnect between the process of getting the degree and getting a job afterward.  It takes on a life of its own...like climbing Mt. Everest or running a marathon.

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2.Investigate the program thoroughly

Very carefully examine the program you are considering entering.  Talk to students in the program, meet faculty, examine faculties, etc.
Be sure that you will be entering a community of scholars -- with plenty of other student and faculty contacts -- so that you can still make it work if it doesn't work out with your advisor or if he/she leaves.
A good working relationship with an advisor is key -- research well the person with whom you want to work.
Don't go to a program where students compete with each other for funding on a year-to-year basis.
Expectations are very arbitrary.  You must interview past students of your program/advisor before getting into a program.  You should also get a clear idea of what preliminary exams entail.
In my field financial aid is very scarce.  My department’s statements about this were very misleading.  This has caused a major problem during my program.  I may not finish my dissertation, even though my research is virtually complete, because I have to work a full time job to contribute my share of support for my family.
Learn who will advise you before entering the program.  In my discipline, art history, only one person will specialize in the student's field of interest, and that person will be the advisor.

3.Understand the job market

Think twice about the decision and be aware 1) of the abysmal job situation in certain disciplines and 2) of the realities of an academic life, e.g., low pay for long hours., egocentric colleagues, and struggles for tenure.

If they plan to enter the humanities, I would advise them not to go for a doctorate unless they are accepted by a prestigious program--one of the top in their chosen field.  Otherwise, they will finish their education severely in debt and underemployed.  Do not believe anyone who tells you that the job market will improve in five years.  It won't.

All art history graduate students planning to work in academia or the museum field: be mindful of the job market before taking on student loans.  The market is at the point of negative return.  In all sectors of the art world beginning pay for those with a MA or Ph.D. will not be adequate to make payments on a loan in excess of $20,000.  With this in mind, I would suggest that prospective grad students apply for appropriate assistantships and scholarships and also work while enrolled.  I would also stress the importance of internships.

Find out more about current and departed graduate students--those who finished and those who did not.
Find out what careers are available other than teaching--and if they are supported and encouraged.

Realize how lousy the job market is, and only go to one of the top programs if possible.
Prepare for several career options.
Get as much experience as possible.

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4. Understand and get funding

Investigate the funding situation: what is the limit (number of semesters) that you can be eligible for funding?  Is there funding available to carry you through crucial years, i.e. start of program through first couple of semesters as a dissertator?  Is the possible funding offered by the university lessened by tuition costs?  In other words, would you still have to take out loans in order to pay your rent?
Consider exactly what career options are available when you finish the Ph.D. -- is the job market/potential salary poor?  Will your investment pay off?

Check to see if the department you are entering provides regular funding.  If not, select another school or program.   

Be prepared to go into debt!  Funding in our area is limited, and assistantships do not pay nearly as much as they do in other fields--so look for some outside income.

Make sure that you are clear on funding support--get everything in writing; watch out for hidden clauses that force you to teach--or, worse, that will not allow you to teach when you’re ready to do so.
Make a calendar projecting your course of study over several years; investigate outside funding opportunities early; try to do work outside academia but which relates to your professional interests during the summers (i.e., museum or industry internships); move as quickly as you can through the program.

5.Select your advisor carefully

Have as much contact with your future advisor as possible.  Talk to his/her current students.  Ask them how easy he/she is to get along with.  Is he/she fair?  Supportive?  Keep in mind that your rapport with your advisor will be as important a factor in your academic career as your course of study/ research interests.

Select a person with whom you want to work and be sure that person has time for you, interest in your ideas and respect for you.  Also be sure that person is in a position of power -- a full professor -- who can argue on your behalf for positions within the department and carries weight as a fellowship referee.
Be good to yourself and understand that some academics have fragile egos that may cause them to be a bit more brutal with students than they ought to be.

I don't think I understood just how much depends upon a successful matching of student with advisor.  I strongly advise students applying to grad schools (and making decisions about where to go) to absolutely familiarize themselves with the work of the various potential advisors, and then, if possible, to meet these people before a final decision.
Go to a university which absolutely wants you and work with an advisor who is devoted to you, your work, and your career.  Do not attend a program unless you have an advisor or another faculty member who will support you in faculty meetings and post-grad career.

Meet with your potential advisor before you commit to a program.  Pick an advisor who is a senior or up-and-coming scholar, a big name in the field who has connections and high expectations.
Visit the campus you will attend and talk to students.
  
Choose your advisor carefully.  Consider personality as well as area of specialization.  Talk to senior grad students to assess an advisor's past performance.

6. Take time off between undergraduate and PhD studies

Take some time off before going to school, and to work in an area related to their studies.  That way they would be much more sure of what they want to do once they get into grad school and go through the program with a clear sense of direction.
I took time off before returning to school, so that I was more motivated to obtain my Ph.D.  While this is not an option for everyone, it certainly helped me.

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二. Chemistry

1.        Know yourself and know what doctoral study entails

I think a lot of people come to graduate school because they either don't know what to do next, are not ready to get a job, or think that they want to be a professor (and that is all they know if they have been in school for their whole lives).  I would think clearly about why to go to graduate school and then get the most out of it by planning and meeting goals.
I have started to think that graduate school should be treated more as career development: What skills do you have?  What skills do you want to develop further?  What sort of career do you want to have?

Be very thoughtful and do your homework before going to graduate school.  I had very little idea what academic research was about before I entered the program.  Fortunately, I learned quickly and managed to adjust before I dropped out, but I think the experience could have been much better and I could have learned more if I had done my homework before entering.   
Know the professors in the program you will apply to and select your advisors rationally.  I chose much more haphazardly.  Fortunately again, I chose a wonderful advisor who helped me grow as a scholar and a person, but it could have been much worse.

I think I would work very hard to describe what the day-to-day experience of a graduate student in my field.  I think students entering the program are always woefully under prepared for what is to come.  In particular, I think not enough is done to point out that apart from questions about intellectual ability, graduate school is an extreme experience that places large emotional demands on the student.
When I see students choosing research projects I don't see them addressing these things like:  How quickly do you need feedback or measures of your progress?  Do you rely on external interest in your work to motivate yourself or is it enough that the project be worthwhile in some abstract sense?  What will pursuing this project look like on a day-to-day basis?  Do you enjoy that as much as you like the idea of the project?  Do you like to work collaboratively or alone?  Would you rather work on several smaller projects or one large one?

Know exactly why you are going to graduate school.  Do not use graduate school as a method to keep from entering the real world.  You will waste your time and the department/faculty's time.   
Constantly reiterate to yourself your motivation for being in grad school.

Make sure that you really want to go to grad school and that you know what you are getting into before you start.
Make sure that you know the environment of the research group you are joining--in addition to liking the research, you must like the people in the group as well as the advisor.

Be very certain you want to be in graduate school.  People who are most successful in grad school have a reason to be there, i.e., they know what type of job they want and realize the degree is necessary.
Graduate school is not difficult, but you must be willing to put in the effort to get through.  It requires an immense amount of self-motivation.

I've seen people enter graduate school for wrong reasons.  Basically the wrong reason to embark on a course of research is in the hopes of getting a better job.  If future jobs are an important issue, students should be shown that a master’s is the best route.  A Ph.D. is really demanding and can be a very frustrating course of study.  It should only be undertaken if you really enjoy research.  A Ph.D. does not guarantee a job.

Don’t do it.  The hours are too long.  The training period is way too long and you just get really tired of being this poor.  In chemistry, the job market is okay, but not great.  I love chemistry, but I just am not sure that it is worth this.

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2.        Investigate the program thoroughly

Visit the departments you are considering to get a good feel of the environment there.  Talk with current students 'off the record' about their experiences in the department.  After doing these things, if you do not have a really good feeling about the department, you should consider a different university.  In my experience, tense environments within a department are slow to change and more importantly, make graduate studies in that department difficult.

Be very careful when selecting a research group.  Talk to students in the group about their experiences and also to students in other groups about the reputation among students of your potential advisor.
Pay attention to how long it takes people to graduate.  You may not think it matters now, but it will.
Get a clear idea of what will be expected of you and ask other students and faculty whether it is reasonable.

Get all information about the department and the faculty of interest, NOT only the chemistry, but the entire working/learning environment.

Ask faculty how much teaching you will do, and have them describe all the hoop-jumping you will do to get your degree, or have them point you to students in those phases of their careers.  Learn the practical side of achieving a degree at each institution you're interested in.
If you aren't sure that you want to enter academia after grad school, take time off between undergrad and graduate school to work in industry, and pay attention to the life of the Ph.D. chemists that may be around you.  Then you'll have something to compare with academia.
Ask grad students you encounter if they think the faculty have a unified expectation of the requirements placed on the graduate students.

I would strongly encourage prospective students to hold off accepting an offer from a  program until such time as they could gain admission to one of the top 10 or 20 programs in their field of interest, even if that meant putting off graduate school for years, because the prime value of a graduate degree to one who earns it is the name of the program that awarded the degree.   
I would encourage prospective students to only consider research with an advisor who a) was extremely well-established in the field, b) had substantial funding, and c) was willing to commit immediately to funding all work the student might take on from that funding.   
I would strongly encourage prospective students to only consider programs with multiple advisor systems, such as was recently established at Harvard.

3.Understand the job market

Before you start have a pretty good idea of what you want to do after graduate school, or at least which options are reasonable for you.  That way you'll be better able to take advantage of everything (courses, advising, other students, workshops, resources,  student groups, governance) that will help you prepare.  Remember, graduate school is training.  You are here to equip yourself for what is coming next.
Don’t be afraid to ask other students and faculty for help.

Make sure that you have explored all the options of what you can do in your field.  For instance in the sciences, people think of teaching, research or working in industry.  For instance with chemistry, one can work with food chemistry, cosmetics, and forensic science, art forgery and art conservation.
Realize that you can change your mind about goals, careers, and advisors.  Most importantly, make sure that the advisor you choose is someone that you respect and can work with.

Think really hard about what you hope to gain from going to graduate school, if the years of stress/abuse and near poverty are worth it in the end.  If you don’t hope to teach, it’s easier to get a job in industry if you don't have a Ph.D., especially in chemistry.

Identify early in their graduate careers what their ultimate career goals are and to work aggressively through their time in grad school to make themselves the best prepared for their future goals as possible.

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4. Understand and get funding

Money is a big issue.  It's very important that the job has funding for you as a grad student and for your research.  You don't fully appreciate money until you don't have enough to buy supplies or you have to teach.  There is nothing wrong with teaching; however, when you have to teach for funding, you don't spend that much time in lab and then your advisor wonders why you're not in lab doing your experiments.

Make sure you are adequately funded.  Make commitment for research assistantship.

Find out about funding as well as TAships, RAships, and how they are appointed.
Most importantly, get to know the department secretary.  He/she will know almost everything, and can help you out a great deal.

Pick an advisor that has money to support you.  Teaching is valuable, but it takes time away from completing your work.  Students who have to teach to support themselves become very frustrated with their slow progress.  If the advisor doesn't have money to support you, chances are he doesn't have sufficient funds for equipment/supplies, which will slow things down further.

Try to obtain external/internal fellowships.

Investigate how well-funded your potential advisor is currently, and how diligently he/she pursues grant funding.

5.Select your advisor carefully

The choice of the advisor is extremely crucial in my field.  A great deal of time should be dedicated to learn as much as possible about the advisors and how they fit the needs, personality.

Try to match your work style with that of your advisor.  For example, are you someone who needs structure to progress productively?  Then try to find an advisor who will provide such an environment; don't select someone who just lets you randomly roam.

Choose an advisor who will:  Be a great teacher and a knowledgeable researcher.  Be available most of the time.  Help you develop as an independent scientist.  

Pick an advisor you are compatible with, in their research and attitude.  Also make sure you get along with the students in the group since you spend the most time with them.  Make sure your advisor is available to talk with you if necessary, within a reasonable time.

If your program has a rotation, take advantage of it.  If you have picked an advisor, then all I can  say is no matter what happens, keep your eyes on the prize.  If things go really bad, switch if you can.

Cultivate a close professional relationship with your advisor and make sure he/she is always involved and aware of your progress.  This is why an advisor with a good, accessible personality is essential.

Find out about advisor’s personality.  Find out customary time to Ph.D. in a given research group (not just departmental average).  Evaluate group morale.  Find out advisor’s expectations explicitly.

Make sure you get a good advisor; one who is there to teach you, not make you their indentured servant.

Make sure that the advisor you are interested in has funding and a good track record of getting funding.  Though this is not a problem I have encountered, I have seen it with other students.
Make sure that your career plans are made clear to your advisor early on, especially if your advisor has followed a different path than you intend to choose.

Pick an advisor who is an expert in the field that you’re going to study.  Make sure he has the time and inclination to be a mentor.  Make sure you pick someone who won’t exploit you excessively and who is willing to go to bat for you (even at his own expense, if necessary), but don’t worry too much if you don’t have a warm, fuzzy relationship with him.

6.Take time off between undergraduate and PhD studies

If you aren’t sure that you want to enter academia after grad school, take time off between undergrad and graduate school to work in industry, and pay attention to the life of the Ph.D. chemists that may be around you.  Then you’ll have something to compare with academia.

Make sure you take time for yourself before starting your doctoral program.  It really helps provide a sense of perspective, which you will need.

If you’ve never had a job/internship take the time before or during graduate school to do this -- get some perspective about what you want to learn in graduate school.

Know exactly what you want to do while in grad school.  This may mean taking time before entering (i.e., working in industry or as a technician) in order to fully gauge the commitment and time it requires to get a Ph.D.  If one just jumps in, there is danger of spending far too much time getting paid far too little money and ending up overqualified and disillusioned with the entire system.

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三. Ecology

1.        Know yourself and know what doctoral study entails

Know yourself as well as possible.  When choosing a school and an advisor, make sure that you know what you're getting into, and that you know what kind of an advisor you'll work best with.  Be prepared to take responsibility for your own choices, and if something isn't working out (the program, the advisor), deal with the problem immediately.  I've seen more students than I'd like who have personality conflicts with advisors, and who blame it wholly on the advisor or the system, which I think is inappropriate.

Know EXACTLY what you're getting yourself into.  Make sure you are serious about grad school!  It is not a vacation or a way to avoid the real world.  IT IS the real world, especially if you want to be a research scientist.  Know what you want to do before you apply.

People need to have a clear idea of what they want, and they need to thoroughly research the faculty they'll be working with.  Of course, this is all hard to do if you haven't been to grad school yet.  I have been consistently amazed at the lack at guidance graduate students get.  I'm not really sure why they call us students when nobody is really teaching us.

Don't go to grad school unless you've tried enough other things to think your talents, disposition, and motivations are suited for it (I didn't make this mistake, but it's still my main advice).
For me the most difficult part is the solitary nature of the work.  If it becomes a stifling or destructive experience, it can't possibly be worth it.
There are so many great things intellectually talented people can do, so view your own life broadly and don't feel trapped.

Before entering: be sure it's what you want to do right now, because once you start down the path lots of opportunities are closed.  It's better to explore things that you might like to do someday *before* starting  graduate school.  That's the best time, and doing something different will only help you in graduate studies.

The thing that has helped me most in graduate school is having a clear idea of my goals and motives for being here.  Knowing my goals has helped me make decisions about what courses to take, how to spend my time, what research to do, etc.   

2.        Investigate the program thoroughly

Make sure you take time off before and decide whether you really want to go to grad school.  Have a good idea about why you want to go and what you will accomplish by going to grad school.  Find someone like me who has been here a long time and who can help you with both general questions and your professional development; the faculty in this department do not provide much.

Do intensive interviewing before deciding where to go and with whom to work.  Make sure you know what you're getting into and that the fit is right.  I've done both the wrong way and the right way and there's a big difference.

Don't choose a program or advisor based on prestige.  Most of my friends at other schools have dropped out of Ph.D. programs finding themselves too limited in research choice, or the advisor's slave.

Make sure this is what you want to do, and research all aspects of a program before you enroll.  I hate it when students whine that their grad program sucks when a little preliminary research would have shown that.

Being in an interdisciplinary program is often difficult.  I would encourage future students to make sure that this program will meet their needs.   

Make sure you are in the right program, at the right school, and that you have an open line of communication with your advisor.  If you question any one of these three things, you are in the wrong place.   
Also, a Ph.D. student needs to be focused, have a good idea about what research she/he would like to pursue, and have some idea of how to make it happen.  If the student doesn't have an idea of how to make her/his research work, it often doesn't.  Even the best advisors can't make all of the decisions for us.

Take the time to talk to students in the programs at the different schools that you are interested in attending.  I think that the students have the most realistic perceptions of how the programs operate.
Also, talk to students (past and present) of the potential advisor that you might work with in the program, to get an idea of how that person interacts with his/her students, how quickly and efficiently their students graduate, etc.

Take the time to visit your prospective schools and departments.  It's worth it in the long run.

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3.        Understand the job market

Make sure you know what you're getting into--do you know if you want to stay in academics or do something else?  If you don't know, or do not want to be in academics, does your program encourage or discourage this course?  If you want to be in academics, do you have an idea of what the job market is like?  Do your advisors?  Will they help you get a job?   
And once you're in, keep perspective.  The world does not end at the bounds  of the lab, no matter what others may want you to think.  You're in graduate school to make a career for yourself, so make sure you get what you want out of your program and not the other way around.

Career opportunities, compensation, and quality of life issues are all substandard at this time in academic science.  At least one or two high pressure post-doc appointments appear to be necessary in order to compete for faculty jobs.  The salary is not in line with the amount of education and time spent on the job.  Researchers and teachers alike are spread too thin and often have to sacrifice family life and outside interests.

I would seriously consider all career options and pursue opportunities to learn more about career options early on (or before starting) in order to be better prepared for the job market when finished.
I would also consider working for a few years in the field, rather than going straight to grad school after college (which might have focused my career interests).

Given the limited employment possibilities, the large number of currently enrolled students, and the great length of time needed to complete the program, I'd encourage them to seek other alternatives.

Be clear and realistic in your expectations about what you want from a graduate degree and what it is likely to get you.  Be aware of the market value of a degree in your field.  Take courses and pursue research that broaden your career options.  Do not assume a faculty job is going to be waiting for you when you get out.  If you are going to be serious about the academic track, then do it well!  I know too many grad students who, upon finishing their Ph.D., still don't really know what they want or what they can do with it.

4.        Understand and get funding

Be sure that your advisor is well-prepared to either provide you with research funding or is willing and committed to teaching you how to write grants and find funding.

Seek advice concerning grants, writing, and research from students, postdocs and other faculty as well as from your advisors.

Choose your advisor carefully.  Talk with his/her current students and make sure you don't have unrealistic expectations about his/her involvement in your research.  Be sure you are choosing a thesis topic that you are excited about, not just one that your advisor is anxious to have someone do.  If you and your advisor choose a topic that requires travel or expensive lab work, make sure he/she is willing to help you secure funds or you are likely to spend much more time than you expect trying to keep your research costs funded.

Select the school based on your advisor.  Make sure your interests and theirs are compatible and that you can work with her/him.  Talk with that advisor's students and see if they are enjoying their graduate experience.
Second, chose the school based on the funding it can provide to you.   

Get yourself a fellowship, get your ideas funded, and then do some great research.  There is no reason why you cannot.  Choose an advisor who will respect your ideas and allow you to do this.  If your advisor won't let you pursue the research that you are really excited about, drop them and find someone else.  Enthusiasm is contagious and there are a lot of professors out there looking for self-motivated people.

Know that you will be poor for awhile.

5.Select your advisor carefully

Choose your advisor carefully.  In addition to the standard criteria (e.g. research interests, funding), take the interpersonal relationship into account. How well do you and he/she interact?  How effectively do the two of you communicate?  How well are you able to exchange ideas? It is important to be on the same wavelength, or to at least understand  each other.

Talk to the grad students already in the lab about how they get along with their advisor.  Is he/she a good advisor?  Fair?  Involved?  Constructively critical?  Does he/she supply any funding?  This is a big one.  I supported myself entirely thru TA ships which substantially lengthened my stay at the university by a couple of years.  Make sure you are interested in the research you will do, and find out if your advisor will be amenable to you “exploring” other career options outside academia.

Select your advisor very carefully.  It is important to consider the amount of time and energy this person is willing to give you.  It appears to me that the big names don't give much advice, it is the younger professors looking for tenure who really care and spend time with their students.
Be sure to get concrete commitments for funding: don't believe the line, “All my students get funded.”
Ask around and talk to your potential advisor's other grad students.

Immediately evaluate their advisor to determine if this advisor will meet their needs academically.  For example, will this advisor be a mentor; teaching the student how to develop and formulate research questions and experiments, help the student conduct experiments and present and publish these findings, and teach the student how to become a successful researcher at the postdoc and faculty level throughout their grad career?  If the current advisor does not meet these criteria, then the  student should change advisors and possibly programs immediately--being supported academically by your advisor is extremely important to your success as a graduate student.

Decide whether you like hands-on or hands-off advisory style.  Pick an advisor you like, then pick the research topic; unfortunately, I had no choice given the limited selection.

Choose a Ph.D. advisor very carefully.  They can make or break your program and enhance or confound your time in graduate school.  Personal sensitivity may be as important as intellectual guidance.

Demand a lab rotation.  Get an advisor with an active research lab.

Get an advisor you can live with and don't be afraid to switch advisors.

5.        Take time off between undergraduate and PhD studies

Take time off before entering grad school.  I did and benefited, but I have seen others who did not and have suffered.     

I would definitely have gotten more research experience in college as an undergraduate and perhaps worked for a couple of years before entering graduate school.  It's the only way to know ahead of time if you've the talent and inclination.

Make sure you take time off before and decide whether you really want to go to grad school.  Have a good idea about why you want to go and what you will accomplish by going to grad school.  Find someone like me who has been here a long time and who can help you with both general questions and your professional development; the faculty in this department do not provide much.

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四. English


1.        Know yourself and know what doctoral study entails

Only go to graduate school if you have a clear sense of purpose, a clear sense of what your work is about.  Don’t go simply because you don’t have a sense of what else you might do.  If you don't know why you’re going to grad school and what sort of work (at least roughly) you're going to do once you get there, don't go.  Wait until you know.  Being a doctoral student isn’t like being an undergrad, only more so.  It’s a massive commitment of time and a guaranteed sentence of poverty.  It is, arguably, no way for a self-respective grown-up to live.  Moreover, the rewards are extremely uncertain.

Be sure you can cope with it financially, and don't expect anything to be smooth, easy, or without great sacrifice.  I have almost no sense of peer support and--definitely--the faculty simply use us to stave off the work they should be doing.  Because grad school draws in a workforce of eager and highly-qualified people, the faculty need not take any steps to ease the problems that the grad student encounters.  Grad students allow faculty members to pursue their pet projects and are not at all rewarded for their efforts.
I, however, must make a distinction.  While I regret the terrible state of academic life for graduate students, I do not regret going to grad school.  In part because of faculty indifference and in part because of the better aspects of grad school, I have myself lived a decade knee-deep in rich and complex intellectual pursuits.  These experiences may not lead to a job, but I have had them.  I can read and think and write all day and for that I will always be thankful.  Grad school will allow you to grow intellectually even if you must do it in isolation.

All entering students should assiduously research the schools they are considering, and should be absolutely sure that they are interested in their field and in earning a Ph.D., whether or not doing so leads to any further career advancement.  For most people, I would say that a Ph.D. in the humanities probably should not be undertaken, especially without an extremely clear understanding of the financial and professional difficulties thereof.

Just be sure that you're there because you want to be and not to get a job.

Don't go to grad school in English with the sole goal of getting a teaching job.  Only go if you want to fulfill a personal goal, if the means is the end.  You will be disappointed otherwise!
If you want to be a professor, being a great teacher is not enough (actually it doesn't matter at all), only research/scholarly skills and achievements can secure you a teaching job in this field (paradoxically and wrongfully so!).

Know what you are getting into!  I did not expect many of the personal challenges of graduate school, in terms of time commitment (6 years for Master's and Ph.D. work) and how different my life would be from others I know who did not go to graduate school.  The delayed gratification of graduate school (not getting a permanent job or starting a family until later in life) was a surprise to me.  However, I have greatly enjoyed my time in grad school, and I know that grad school has made me a vastly different person than I was when I first began my program of study.

Make sure you're focused and committed; it can be lonely and isolating particularly after you've completed exams and coursework.  Many students seem to lose their momentum at this point and have difficulty finishing.
Make sure you are clear on funding, whether you will be supported throughout; and find out if funding has been cut over the years.

I think I would just be very frank about the pressures and sacrifices of graduate school.  My intention would not be to be cruel, but I would want to disillusion them, basically, of any romantic notions they might have.  On the other hand, I would also give them advice to try and keep hold of the (often idealistic and excited) reasons they elected to attend graduate school.  There are plenty of difficult days (years!), and it can help to remind yourself of what this all used to mean to you and still does at times.

Know that an English Ph.D. commonly takes seven or more years to complete, not the five I was expecting.

If you go to grad school because you love studying (your field), beware, graduate school is not designed to foster that passion, but rather to train you for a career in academia.  During my first two years of coursework, when I was being “forced” to study things I wasn't as interested in, I lost the passion for literature that I had had upon matriculation.  Many people I know left grad school for this reason.  What I found helpful was the realization that those early years are a kind of intensive “training camp,” where you learn to revise your vision of the field and see it as a professional, a scholar rather than a student.
Grad school is a place for self-starters.  It is often very isolating and for many (actually everyone, I think) it affects their self-esteem, self-respect and general overall view of life.  Academia is not, as if often assumed, free of petty locker-room talk or competitiveness or even slander.  It has its problems just like any other profession.  In short, you need a strong sense of yourself and your goals (as well as your options) before you get to grad school.  It is not for the faint-hearted.

Recognize that, whatever one's career goals are, graduate school is about the dissemination, creation, and sharing of knowledge.  It is not 13th grade.

Don’t do a Ph.D. in the humanities--not because the learning experience is not worthwhile, but because the profession is so troubled--even those who succeed have to make unhealthy sacrifices to do so, and academia inculcates students with the idea that the real world is too coarse for them, thus preventing them from making the discovery that their insane sacrifices are not worth it.  Of course this is easy for me to say, having spent my 20’s reading and hanging around, not at an office.

I would advise students in the humanities to make sure that they want to enter a doctoral program since about 55% of people in my field don't get tenure-track jobs.   
Don’t enter a doctoral program unless they were fully funded for the majority of the estimated time to degree.

shefff

2.Investigate the program thoroughly

Choose a program that is both rigorous and humane.

Make sure you receive a broad education covering all of the sub-fields of your discipline during your undergraduate education.  It's often too late to fill in gaps later, and a broader knowledge of my entire field would have helped in my first year.
Talk to faculty about what graduate school entails.
Find out about course requirements and funding commitments ahead of time
Find out which sub-fields particular schools have focused on.

Research grad schools seriously before committing to a particular school.  In particular, try to find a school that can best serve your plans and goals as a scholar/teacher.  For instance, I knew from the start that I wanted to teach at a small, preferably church affiliated, liberal arts college, but when I was looking at potential programs, I didn't consider what kind of institution would best train me for that kind of school.  I focused too much on the overall reputation of the university and the "names" of faculty in the department and not enough on the department's commitment to pedagogical training.  Perhaps this advice is more important for those who know they want to teach at small liberal arts colleges or community colleges.
Ask yourself how much you truly want a doctorate in English and why do you want it.  Would you be willing to endure the time and life sacrifices to obtain the degree, knowing that a tenure track job may not be the result?  I would still want the opportunity of further education for it's own sake, but I know that this is not true of everyone.

Be very aware of the number of years and the level of commitment that your program will take, as well as the very distinct reality that graduate students in the humanities will not be able to find satisfying jobs in the academy after completion of their degrees.
Be aware of the hermeticism of the academic world and the extent to which the institution reproduces itself by denigrating not only other professions (i.e., we are better, smarter, purer than other jobs) but also the people in those professions.  Graduate school is an extraordinarily isolating experience.  One should also really ask oneself about what types of social and professional roles they are suited for/admire before entering one as hermetic as that of the university.

Research available programs carefully.  Then research the faculty.  Then call the program to ask for students you can call to ask about the program.

Choose a school where TA-ships are available to all grad students.
Choose a school where mentoring is a established process.
Be prepared to be aggressive about financial support and especially funding available to dissertation writing.
Know why you've chosen your field of interest, because it will be your determination to get you through graduate school.  Very few people finish without determination, and encouragement from others would be helpful.

Get as much recent information as possible on placement of recent doctoral graduates from your program, how long it takes for average completion of degree, how much money (are student loans necessary), cost of living in area.  Be as knowledgeable as possible about your professional and financial   prospects in their particular program.  This, of course, is also dependent on the will or ability of the program itself to track and furnish that information.

Spend a lot of time researching the program you are considering.  Figure out what fields tend to be privileged and which faculty are tenured, as much as you can about levels of advising, and make sure to talk to many different students (both in and out of the field you are considering).

Talk with other grad students just finishing to ascertain their perspectives on the whole ordeal.
Look up statistics on faculty turnover, percentage of students who finish the Ph.D., recent dissertations, support in publishing and in writing, for a Ph.D. is essentially a license to write, not a certificate of finished knowledge--but writing is never taught as an intellectual enterprise.
Find out if faculty in one sect or program despise the other.
Find the average and mean length of years to finishing and the percentage of students who actually get hired within one year of finishing.
Find out if there is a grad student esprit de corps, a sense that we are in this together--that will tell you, indirectly but accurately, if there is a sense of collegiality among faculty.  If there is not, don't go if you are expecting to learn what to do; go only if you have a research plan already in place, titles of articles you can write and/or have written, and a rough sense of your dissertation topic and a bibliography already shaping in your mind.  In other words, don't go into a political mess if you expect to develop as a learner and scholar and writer.

Know in advance why you have chosen to enter grad school; also, what your expectations are; also, know what you want to study, even if, say, in course selection, you pick a lot of electives.
Do everything you can, *before* you decide on which program/university to enter, to ensure that you will be funded for as much of your degree as is possible.
The culture of a department, between/among students and faculty, is very crucial to your well-being, and directly impacts on the quality of the work that you do, and even on the interest that you will ultimately have in your field/discipline.  A significant factor affecting this departmental culture is the economic pressure it feels it is under, in relation to the rest of the university, and of the university to its funders.     

For me it was a surprise to find that grad school and my own intellectual development and life are two separate things.  Grad school involves students in coursework and projects which, when successful, earn them an advanced degree.  That is all.  I wish I had been more mercenary and practical, less dreamy, naïve and idealistic; as an entering grad student my hopes and expectations were off base.