(this is a natural follow up to this article)
So you’ve decided to go to graduate school. First, let me say, welcome to the cult of students who have decided to continue their secondary education through Masters or PhD programs. You are either a sophomore or a junior (in some cases a senior who might be panicking a little bit), and you’re thinking, “Well, I want to get a professional degree: what do I do now?”
From one anxiety-ridden student to another, I am here to give you some tips from what I’ve learned as a student currently working on applying to graduate school.
1. Know what degree you need (or want) to get.
This can be as simple or as hard as you want it to be. Do you want to pursue a degree you believe will give you an edge, or one that will make you an even better candidate for a job you’ve been working toward? It’s easier (in my opinion) if you know what you want before you start thinking about what you need to do.
2. Research what each degree needs.
There’s a lot of general info about degrees out there that aren’t specific to programs. Would you go thesis or non-thesis on your Master’s? MA or MFA? If you were to get a PhD, how many years would it take on average? Where does funding come from? These are general questions some research can help you with.
3. Start looking at programs.
Looking at a variety of programs is a good first start before you start planning where you want to apply. See what programs generally offer, see where the programs that you might want to invest in more are located, and see what people and newspapers have reported about these programs.
4. Figure out where you can get the best results.
Finding what will benefit you the most (after seeing a variety of programs and the opinions of them) could save you a lot of time before you start committing. Asking yourself what you need, what you don’t, etc. are good ways to start your commitment to your application portfolios.
5. Talk to your teachers.
I promise, your teachers are happy to talk to you about programs for grad school. They know what you’re going through since they have been through it. Talking to teachers now can also help you figure out who to ask for letters of recommendation and where you think you would like to apply.
6. Talk to the Career Center.
I’m slightly biased about this since I have a couple of friends there, but the Career Center is a great place to get advice about your application portfolio. They’re very nice—they can read your statements of purpose, resumes, etc. and help you clean it up. Handshake is also a great way to get organized.
7. Talk to your advisers.
Your advisers generally know stuff that can help your application process. They can help you get things set up, help you figure out where you can go to from a BA. They are trained to do this.
8. Talk to yourself.
Ask yourself what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, etc. Ask yourself, “What do I really want to do?” This will help synthesize all you’ve been learning. Also, it can help you decide when to say, “Okay, so why am I doing this?” This is a question we all need to think about. There can be good and bad reasons for pursuing more degrees. You don’t have to know everything, but knowing your motivations is very important.
9. See what is required for you to submit, and give yourself time to work on them.
Look at what applications generally need. This could be any variety of resume, statement of purpose/interest, writing sample, transcripts, GRE/GMAT scores, etc.
It took me about a month to craft and edit my statement of purpose. And resume? You gotta do that to see where you really stand, where you can highlight yourself. Give yourself time: you don’t want to be scrambling on these as they are very important. Also, if where you’re applying requires a writing sample, give yourself time to think about which one(s) you want to submit. These are important in reflecting your abilities for your field.
10. Finally, don’t get overwhelmed.
I promise, you’re not alone in this. There are organizations that can help you get through this. Choosing to go to grad school is a process, and wherever you are at in this process, make sure you let yourself take a break.