EDUCATION

A Field Guide to Grad School: Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum

by Jessica McCrory Calarco
Princeton Univ. Aug. 2020. 408p. ISBN 9780691201092. pap. $17.95. ED
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Calarco (sociology, Indiana Univ.; Negotiating Opportunities) takes readers through the time line of graduate school, from deciding whether to attend to ensuring life-work balance upon employment as an academic. One of the strengths of her book is how she makes visible the “hidden curriculum,” or the elements of graduate school that are taken for granted but not explicitly taught. Calarco provides practical and actionable advice about everything from finding mentors and advisers to pursuing publishing. Sample documents such as email templates (for instance, how to request a letter of recommendation from a professor) will be extremely valuable to students new to the process.
VERDICT Undergraduate students considering graduate school as well as current graduate students will find the information contained here helpful, making this a useful guide for college and university libraries. Highly recommended for anyone curious about what to expect in graduate school.
Reviewed by Amber Gray, Fogler Lib., Univ. of Maine, Orono , Jul 01, 2020
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