Your step-by-step system to feel confident, organized, and in control—before the semester takes control of you.

You’ve accepted your offer. You’re excited—and maybe a little nervous. But instead of support and guidance, you’re met with… nothing. 

No orientation info. No clear checklist. No “here’s how to prepare.”

You’re stuck wondering:  

“Should I be reading something? Emailing someone? Planning ahead?” 

“Is there something I’m supposed to know already?” 

 This kind of uncertainty is incredibly common, but it sets you up to start your program already feeling behind.

Grad school isn’t just about doing more school. It’s a whole new world—one with its own language, expectations, and hidden rules no one teaches you. 

 You might feel unsure about: 

•  When and how to email professors 
•  What counts as “professional” in academic spaces 
•  Why some people get opportunities and others don’t 
•  How to read between the lines of vague communication 

 And without guidance, it’s easy to internalize that confusion as self-doubt.

You’re smart. You’re capable. But grad school success isn’t about test scores or GPA anymore—it’s about managing your time, energy, priorities, and relationships in an entirely new context. 

 The problem is, no one tells you how to: 

•  Build a weekly routine that actually works 
•  Handle imposter syndrome when it shows up mid-seminar 
•  Set boundaries with over-involved advisors or burnt-out peers 
•  Take initiative without burning out

You spend way too much energy guessing, flailing, or worse—convincing yourself that you’re the problem. 

 But you’re not the problem. You just haven’t been taught the system yet. That’s what Grad School Prep is here to change.

I’ve been exactly where you are—confused, overwhelmed, and wondering if I really belonged in grad school. I got an incomplete my very first semester and had to completely rebuild my approach to school, time, and confidence from the ground up. But that experience is what helped me create the systems I now use to support thousands of grad students through The Academic Society. I’m a PhD holder, a professor, and your biggest cheerleader, and I created this course to give you the guidance I wish I had when I started. You don’t have to guess your way through this. I’ve got you.

“I now feel empowered to make decisions about my life and grad school that are right for me…I couldn't imagine getting to this point where I'm excited about my future without this group & all the energy, time, & kindness you put into it.”

“Before this program, I worked at the last minute and was overwhelmed. Now I prioritize based on my goals and work in productivity chunks. I’m consistently productive with way less stress.”

“This time last year, I thought about dropping out. Now? My GPA is strong, I’ve presented at a conference, and I finally got my experiment to work. Don’t let a bad semester stop you. You can do this.”

I earned my PhD in Mathematics and now teach full-time at a research university, but my grad school journey didn’t start off smoothly. I struggled in my first semester, even got an incomplete, and felt completely unprepared for what grad school expected of me. But once I learned how to manage my time, build confidence, and navigate the hidden rules of academia, everything changed.  I went from barely surviving to thriving...