Instructor pointing at a board displaying flyers of 131 programs

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Go to Grad School

Deciding to apply

 

When thinking about applying to graduate school, you need to decide whether it is an appropriate next step to achieve your career aspirations. Questions to ask:

Why am I considering graduate school?

  • Unsure of next steps
  • Required for my field

Will it help me achieve my career goals?

  • Opportunities expanded
  • Program related to my area of interest

Other items to consider:

  • Workload of a graduate program
  • Investment of time and money
  • What is my purpose for pursuing grad school?

Evaluating Programs of Interest

  • Who are the faculty you will be learning from?
  • What are the research interests of the professors?
  • Rankings may be importance for you to consider
  • What is the cost of the program compared to other schools you are considering?
  • Geographic location (in-state versus out-of-state tuition)
  • Funding opportunities available for students in program: Such as scholarships, fellowships, assistantships (RA, TA, PA)
  • Alumni and student data
  • Program websites- review a sample plan for completing degrees of interest
  • Format of the program (virtual, in-person, hybrid, part time, full time)

Most programs require the following:

Additional Materials:

  • Transcripts
  • Program prerequisites
  • Graduate school application
  • Standardized test (example: GRE, MCAT, LSAT)