What is graduate school?
After completing an undergraduate degree, a student may choose to attend graduate school to obtain
an advanced degree in his/her discipline. Degrees range from master's degrees (M.A., M.S./M.Sc.,
M.Ed., etc.), doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D., D.A., D.Sc., D.M.A., Th.D., etc.) or other
postgraduate qualification (MBA), such as a graduate certificate, as well as
some professional degrees.
Is graduate school right for me?
That depends on your long-term career plans. If you use graduate school to delay the inevitable job search, then attending
graduate school would be a poor choice. If you want to begin a career in a specific
field that requires an advanced degree (e.g. college and university teaching
and research, law, medicine, dentistry) then graduate school may be the right
choice.
Do I go to graduate school now or later?
That depends on your answers to the following questions. How sure am I of my
career goals? Is there a possibility that I may change my mind after obtaining
some real life experience? Is an advanced degree required for the career path
I've chosen? Would I have difficulty adjusting to life as a student after having
taken a break? What are all the costs involved with graduate school (e.g. program,
books, living expenses, loss of income while in school)? Is it possible a future
employer might pay my graduate tuition? Would I be able to handle
working and going to graduate school at the same time? Honest answers to these
questions should assist you in your decisions regarding graduate school.
What do you need to know and do to prepare for graduate school?
Graduate programs will vary in their speciifc requirements. Most programs require at least one
statistics course from an undergraduate program. Volunteer work and outside experience can
carry great weight on your application. Depending on the area of study, internships may be required.
Most graduate study programs also require certain GPA levels.
When completing applications, be certain to meet both your program's deadlines along with any deadlines set
by the graduate school. Make sure you send all application materials to the correct addressess.
Some institutions require paperwork to go directly to the program while others hire outside businessess
to process and prioritize their paperwork. Failure to follow directions will create a poor impression. This process is about putting your best foot forward
every step of the way!
If your application is selected for further review, your chosen program might
call you in for an interview. This interview process is
much the same as a job interview. The interviewers wish to see if you
are a good fit for their program. When asked for references, have a predetermined
list of contacts for the interview. Include undergraduate professors who can vouch for your
undergraduate academic work.
When do I start looking for graduate schools to attend?
As a general rule of thumb, begin looking for graduate
schools one year before you plan on actually attending. Application deadlines
vary from August 1 (before your senior year) to July 1 (after your senior
year for schools with rolling admissions). Admissions and financial aid decisions
are often made in advance of stated deadlines. Programs with high
demands for entrance may close their application process as early as October.
Nearly one-half of all graduate school applicants apply during the final month
of the application process. It is advantageous to apply early, as this can
set you apart from the competition. Programs that handle admissions
on a "rolling" basis accept qualified applicants as they apply.
How many programs do I apply to?
That depends on what field you hope to enter. If you want to enter a highly competitive area,
you should consider applying to a number of different schools to increase your chances of
being accepted. If your area of study is not as broad, you may not have as many choices.
As a general rule of thumb, apply to two or three departments that match your interests.
Select one highly prestigious, highly competitive research university, one major university with
a fairly large graduate program that might accept you, and one institution that you feel confident will accept you.
What are the costs involved with the application process?
The costs involved vary from institution to institution. Most application processing costs
range from $20 - $100. Check with your individual programs for exact expenses involved.
Other potential areas of financial concern vary by the requirements of the
program. Most departments require at least a GRE score, which is not only additional
time but additional expense as well.
What other assessments are used?
- GRE
 – Graduate Record Exam
- GMAT – Graduate Management Admissions Test
- MCAT – Medical College Admissions Test
- LSAC – Law School Admissions Service
- Praxis – Teaching licensing & certification process
- CLEP – College-level Examination Program
How do I afford graduate School?
There are a number of options available for funding graduate school.
The broadest of these options is taking out a student or personal loan. In order
to be eligible to receive a student loan through your school's institutional
financial aid program you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Other options for funding graduate school are Teaching Assistantships, which
have minimum hours requirements, often offer a stipend, and many times subsidize graduate
school tuition; and Graduate Assistantships, which also have a minimum number
of hours requirement, frequently offer a stipend, and many times also offer
some form of graduate school tuition reimbursement. If you are interested in
pursuing either a Teaching Assistantship or a Graduate Assistantship be sure
to meet the assistantship application deadlines at your selected program's institutions.
See also finaid.org , a financial aid non-profit, the
Higher Education Guaranty Corporation and the IRS for information on possible tax benefits.
Other resources
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