Headed to Professional School?
NOTE: Persons 25 years and older.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March 2005.
Congratulations on considering continuing your education. If you are headed to graduate school, then you are in a unique class. Statistics show that only a small percentage of people in the United States complete their first degree and an even smaller percentage continue their education after a bachelors.
So, those with advanced degrees are highly qualified and have a better quality of life overall. So, congratulations on your decision to earn an advanced degree.
The best time to begin preparing to earn an advanced degree is now! Applications for fall 2015 are due between December 2014 and March 2015*.
* Note: Timelines for medical school may differ.
I am currently working on my graduate school applications now. I am looking for programs in evolutionary biology. I have a list of potential programs and now I am working on applying. For me, the biggest help has been talking to my advisors, professors, and the graduate students in my field.
Everyone I have talked to had a different experience in graduate school. But they almost always gave me the same advice. They said “make sure you pick a school and a faculty mentor that will work well for you”. At first, I would think to myself, “what does that really even mean? I just want to know where to go and how to get in!“
Then, when I started researching more about the programs, I found that each program is very different and each has faculty that have specific research interests.
The application process and graduate school experience is different for everyone. It starts with picking a school.
Selecting the Best Graduate Program for You
Finding the right graduate program requires careful consideration. Ask yourself questions that can help you identify potential programs. For example, what are the faculty interests? Will I enjoy my experience here? Are the classes offered interesting? Is there funding? Does the school offer the program I am seeking? Look thoroughly for your program, it may be in a different department then you expect.
Applying
Once you have a list of programs that you are interested in. Start applying. Make sure you have all the necessary documents; this can include a personal statement, letters of recommendation, a resume, and the application.
The Career Center is here to help you with graduate school application process. I recommend attending the Grad School 101 Conference. There will be sessions about navigating the application process, writing personal statements that get attention, funding your graduate education, as well as a graduate and professional school student panel.
This program will walk you through the entire application process. I’m sure it will be very helpful. I hope to see you there.
