Are you interested in applying to graduate school? Graduate school is a big commitment to say the least. You need to invest your time, energy, and money. Here are some questions and thoughts to keep in mind when applying to graduate school.
Can you afford the tuition because it’s going to be another added expense? Does the program you’re applying to offer housing? If not, you may end up needing to rent an apartment or find another place to live. Also, if the school you’re going to is in a metropolitan area, chances are the cost of living is going to be dramatically higher than if it’s a suburban rural area so there are other factors to keep in mind when applying to a program.
Another question to keep in mind is “What am I going to do with this degree?” It is best to pursue a program not only because you are interested in it but because you know the end outcome of your time spent and invested there would be. If you want to be an English Teacher, then getting your master’s in English is perfect. If you want to be interested in social media analysis, studying technology and communications is key.
Currently, I’m earning my master’s degree in the Communication, Culture, and Technology at Georgetown University. Before coming to Georgetown, I attended Bentley University in Massachusetts earning my Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Communications. Applying to a master’s graduate school program is not an easy undertaking. I know from personal experience that the process requires a lot of energy and time. You need to do research on which schools you want to attend, write numerous personal statements, short answers, and take the GREs.
1) Research the Schools
Rather than have a list of twelve master’s programs, where it costs $100 each to apply to, research the schools and see which programs you are most interested in. Try to determine which classes you may want to be taking next year because it is a lot of work and you want to make sure that your time is well spent.
The best option for research is talking to current students, they will have more insight than the typical online platform that the university offers. Students will be able to tell you which professors they had the best experiences with, where the best options to live are, and things of that nature giving you new insight.
Also, get to know faculty and professors in your areas of interest. This is extremely important because professors can make you aware of the possibilities in your area and within the school itself.
2) Personal Statement
Unlike the common application for high schools, each personal statement for a master’s program is going to be different and you will have to write a separate personal statement for each school. This becomes a huge undertaking because you need to include specifics about the programs themselves tailoring your application to their program.
3) GREs
If you remember the SATs, then you might not like this next step. The GREs test your ability to think critically and analytically about math problems and literature passages just like an SAT type of situation. But, unlike reliving the glory days of number-2 pencils and standardized testing, you have to go online and book yourself an appointment with a computerized test. You also need to do two essays instead of just the one. There will be an Issues Essay and an Argumentative Essay. It is not like anything most people see up until this point in their lives and those who do the best tend to be the ones to study the hardest because the test is very formulaic in nature and can be mastered. So, study, study, study!
4) Resume or CV
Going from undergrad to master’s, you’re going to need a resume or CV (Curriculum Vitae). Now, due to the nature of the CV, it’s best to have a resume because CVs are meant to be for academic purposes. As an undergrad, you will not have had all the experiences or opportunities that graduate students have, so it’s better to craft a resume.
When writing your resume, utilize career services, professors, and anyone else who can proofread and be a ‘second pair of eyes’ to insure that your content is accurate, laid out well, and easily understood.
If you decide to write a CV, plan to show all of your academic achievements. Now, if you are an undergrad, your CV might not be as long or detailed as someone who is in a master’s or PhD program. This is completely fine. People understand you’re moving up in the world of academia.
5) Make Information Available Online
Have a website that is dedicated to your areas of interest and your research capabilities. The website can be rather basic but at least you have a template in place for future use.
6) The Applications Themselves
Each school is going to require you to create an online user name and password so that you will only have access to that particular school. You will need to put aside quite a bit of time in order to insure that you have enough hours to input all your data, scan your transcripts, and upload all of your personal statements.
7) Recommendation Letters
Most graduate programs require at least two or three recommendation letters. Make sure you have at least a couple of professors whom you can rely upon.
8) While Waiting for Your Acceptances
Study, study, study! While you’re waiting for a decision, make sure you keep your grades up, If you are wait-listed, the school may want to see that you have still been trying your hardest and request your current semester grades. This will demonstrate if you would still be a good addition to their program.
If you are not wait-listed, then at least when you graduate, you have a great transcript to show for your time and you have accomplished something as an undergraduate.
9) Attend Academic Conferences
As an undergraduate, you won’t have the opportunity to speak at academic conferences but you can go listen to people in your area of interest discuss their own research and the conclusions they’ve reached. It might be helpful to see what still needs to be analyzed and critiqued while developing connections and networking.
To find out about conferences in your area, simply go online and type in your area of interest and your location. You should be able to find numerous conferences taking place within the next few months. Academic conferences tend to be most prominent during the months of September to May.
10) Read Literature in Your Field
Read books! Go on Amazon.com to buy a few pieces or visit the local library to see what books are available in your area of interest and see if you can check out a few. Become familiar with the popular literature. This will give you a strong foundation for future research and once you master the basic concepts and terms, you can then further dive-in to the content and answer your own questions in an analytical nature.
If you choose to pursue your graduate degree, be prepared to work hard and learn a lot. Good luck!