Getting into graduate school: I had been out of undergrad for eight years when I started thinking about applying to grad school and I was extremely disappointed that I couldn't run out to Barnes and Noble and purchase the latest copy of "How to get into grad school for dummies."  The whole process of finding a school, a program, and a research advisor seemed to be shrouded in mystique. Where does one start?  The truth is it can take a lot of energy and time to do the necessary research to find a good fit.  

Choosing a research focus:  An essential step in this process is defining (at least broadly) your research interests. Are you interested in ecology? Behavior? Physiology? Or perhaps all three and you're hoping to find an advisor that will help you with the integration.  It's key to know what your interests are!  Otherwise you will waste time chasing programs and people that are not a good fit for you. Once you have a research area defined, it's time to immerse yourself in the field.  Find the best journals in your research area and see who's currently publishing research that is particularly interesting to you. These are the people you should be contacting about graduate school.

There is an alternative approach if you are having a hard time narrowing your research interests, you could consider applying to a graduate program with a mandatory first year rotation system.  First year rotations can be a good choice if you are uncertain which area or lab you would like to work in.  In general, you will spend time working in three labs during your first year (a semester/quarter per lab) and then make a choice at the end of your first year concerning which lab you would like to remain in for your program.

Choosing a graduate school advisor: In my opinion, this is the single most important decision you will make about your graduate program and can either make or break your grad experience. Once you have initiated a dialogue with potential advisors (either by phone or email), pay attention during your interactions and watch for red flags!  While it is impossible to predict the future, you can attempt to choose wisely.  Talk to other graduate students in the lab and department. Does this person have a good reputation as an advisor? How well are their students supported financially and emotionally?  Are they dependable anime for their students?  Aside from getting a positive feeling on a personal level, what kind of reputation does this person have professionally?  Are they well regarded as scientists in their field?

Choosing a graduate program:  The traditional approach in applying to graduate school involves identifying a potential graduate advisor first, initiating a dialogue with this person (either by email or phone) and then subsequently applying to the graduate program at that university.  In my experience, it's rare for a student to be accepted into a graduate program without having a least some contact with a faculty advisor, even in programs that require the first year rotation.  If you are being considered as a potential grad student, many schools will host a "prospective weekend" where you will be invited to interview and interact with potential faculty and graduate students.  This is a wonderful opportunity for you to find out all you can about the program. Don't be timid, ask questions! How are the graduate students treated in the department, are they regarded as "faculty-in-training"?  How well are they supported financially? What are the requirements for teaching? What are the class requirements? Overall, are people happy with their faculty advisor, with the department? You may be surprised that spending a small amount of time at a university can give you a wealth of information concerning how well you will fit in a particular department.