Choosing the Grad School that is “Right” for you

Delsie Burke offers some helpful tips on students aspiring to attend Grad School

The decision to go to graduate school will be one of the most important decisions a student will make in their educational life. Not only will grad school increase your knowledge base in your field of study but it increases your chance of promotion, will lead to higher paying jobs  and give you more diversity of jobs to choose from.

The first thing to consider when making your choice of graduate program is what profession you want to pursue. Some graduate programs don’t require you to have a specific undergraduate degree (like law or medicine), other, more specific programs require you to have a specific undergrad degree (like Masters of Social Work or Clinical Psychology). Choose the program depending on your interests within your field. Choose your program wisely, because you will most likely be working directly in the field that your graduate degree dictates.

Another factor to consider is where you want to live. Although a number of graduate programs are offered in multiple cities, some schools specialize in certain programs. It is highly likely that you will, not only, spend a great portion of your university life in that city but you may also spend a great portion of your professional life there. Many graduate students are offered permanent positions in the city that they did their last degree in. You will be spending a lot of time in this city; you had better make sure that you are comfortable and happy there.

The next thing to consider, once you have chosen the program(s) you want to apply for is standardized tests. Many graduate programs, like law, dentistry and medicine require you to write specific standardized test and do well in order to be competitive for admission. The rest of the graduate programs, like master’s programs or doctoral programs, require you to write the GRE’s (Graduate Record Exams) which assess your aptitude to learn well in a graduate environment. How do I prepare for these tests? If you want a cheap way to practice, many websites have practice tests, which are very reliable and cost you nothing. Other options include handbooks that can be purchased at most bookstores, including the UNBSJ Bookstore on campus.  Most students began their preparation at least three months before their scheduled date to write. These tests require a lot of preparation but once you put the effort in, you have your first piece of your graduate school application.

Apart from your standardized test, the most important part of your application is your personal statement. Your personal statement essentially introduces you to the selection committee. Remember, this piece of writing is the only way that the selection committee can get a feel for who you are and why you think you are qualified for their program. Graduate programs are very competitive and your personal statement could make the difference between acceptance or not. You should always begin your personal statement as if you are writing a letter, address it to the selection committee.

Next, do a small introduction introducing yourself (what credentials you have) and stating your objective (similar to a university essay, what you will talk about and what you hope to achieve). Then, start in on your statement. Most schools will give you an outline of what they want you to talk about . Keep your statement as formal as possible, highlighting your knowledge of the intended field of study and your good qualities. Close the statement with a thank you for consideration and a brief summation of your statement and why you would be a good candidate for the program. The statement will be typed so be sure to sign (in pen) your name under the typed version before it is sent.

Most schools will ask you for one or more references. Who makes a good referee? A good referee is someone who knows you well, who knows your academic capabilities, your personal qualities and your capability for being a professional.  If you need an academic reference, choose a professor who you have had many classes with, who actually knows your name and who has (preferably) gives you good marks in their courses. Don’t have a professor like this? GET ONE! If you can’t think of a professor who knows you (or at least your name) start making connections now, introduce yourself to your chosen professor, strike up a conversation with them, show honest interest in their course and make sure to ask them to be your referee once you have gotten to know them better.  It is important to make these connections now because you may have to go back to this professor often as a referee.

After your application has been submitted (early or at the very least on time), you now get to play the waiting game. Many schools do rolling acceptance, meaning that they review applications every couple of weeks and will tell you before the application due date. Other schools do a mass acceptance so you will find out much later. Once you are accepted you can accept the acceptance right away, deny the acceptance or have the school hold a seat for you. When getting the school to hold a seat for you they usually require a deposit of one hundred plus dollars, which you do not get back if you decide to go elsewhere.

The graduate school application process is long and exhausting, but it is a serious thing and should be a display of your best effort. In spite of all this it is a rewarding experience and will be something that you will never regret.

Delsie Burke is a volunteer writer with the Baron.