Students\u2019 success in a graduate program is measured in terms of how they perform in courses, their degree of involvement in departmental and outreach activities, and very importantly their ability to complete a research project in a timely manner, including proposal preparation, raising funds to support their projects, submission and\/or publication of papers, and participation in meetings. Dedication and commitment are two important factors that will help the student succeed; good mentorship, on the other hand can put the student one step ahead. To help graduate students and their advisors to keep a tab on important deadlines, requirements and rules governing academic life, the graduate program maintains and updates a graduate student handbook; we recommend all students and professors to read this document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n