Featured Advice on Applying to Graduate School
|
Graduate school application deadlines are fast approaching. Depending on your own situation, you may still have a lot to do before that time comes. The holiday period and the beginning of January are good times to tie up a lot of loose ends in your application, without the pressure that comes from preparing for exams. It is for that reason, that I put together the following step-by-step timetable to help you plan your own course of action for the holiday period into January and right up until your application deadlines. READ MORE... |
|
Most of those who have been through the process of applying to graduate school will agree -- writing the personal statement was the most difficult and stressful part. Part of the problem for many is that they set out to write their personal statement without a clear set of guidelines for what to include, and with some uncertainty about exactly how it will be used in evaluating their application. READ MORE... |
|
As you make your way through the graduate-school application process, you will come across many suggestions and tips and tricks from various "experts" who claim to be able to help you succeed. This is especially true if you are using the Internet as your main source of information. Yes, the Internet is a valuable resource and there are many skilled professionals offering great advice on applying to graduate or professional school, or career information in general, but they should not be your only source of information. READ MORE... |
|
Some students may be uncertain about the advantages of having a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA). Can you comment on how a MFA can broaden someone’s career options, beyond the opportunities that are available to those with just an undergraduate degree or diploma? Is a MFA just for someone who wants to remain in academia and teach? READ MORE... |
|
All graduate-school applicants have to do it. Successful applicants may have to do it again and again while in graduate school, whenever they apply for a scholarship, a fellowship, or an internship. It is normal to feel a bit uneasy -- uncertain how to do it properly -- unsure of what to say. For many students, asking a professor for a letter of recommendation can be a bit intimidating, to say the least. READ MORE... |
|
The answer is.... No, they do not. And it’s as simple as that.
A related question is whether your future employers will care where you earned your masters or doctorate. Again, the answer is, no. (Admittedly, there might be rare exceptions to this one, especially if the employer is among those who have misconceptions about education and training at different universities). READ MORE... |
|
Applying to graduate school is, in many respects, like applying for a job. Anyone who has ever applied for a job, whether it being selling contents insurance quotes or designing furniture, knows the importance of having relevant experience in the same or at least a similar kind of work. It is not impossible to get a job without previous experience — it’s just much harder to do so. All other things being equal, most jobs will go to applicants with experience. It can be like that when a graduate-admissions committee considers which applicants to accept into their programs, too… though not for all the same reasons. READ MORE... |
|
|
For most students thinking about graduate school, there are many unanswered questions about what it takes to get in, what it takes to succeed once there, and whether they will actually enjoy being a graduate student. There is no standard set of circumstances or demands that all Ph.D. students face, and many factors go in to determining the outcomes for any individual. It is impossible to predict how things will turn out if you are accepted into a graduate program. Still, there are certain general requirements that are essential for success in graduate school, regardless of the particular discipline, and you should consider them before whether graduate school is the right choice for you. READ MORE... |
|
|
The majority of graduate-school applicants have a major impediment that they do not even know they have: They don’t understand how the successful applicants are chosen. In fact, they have no idea what is really going on with their application after they submit it. Without knowing how the selection process works, it is easy to make mistakes without realizing that you are doing so. READ MORE... |
|
|
Most of those who have been through the process of applying to graduate school will agree -- writing the personal statement, also known as the statement of purpose or letter of intent, was the most difficult and stressful part. Part of the problem for many is that they set out to write their personal statement without a clear set of guidelines for what to include, and with some uncertainty about exactly how it will be used in evaluating their application. READ MORE... |
|
|
Let’s face it, graduate studies in most fields can be expensive and set you back many thousands of dollars right from the beginning. The good news is that, in many respects, it is easier to finance graduate school than undergraduate school, and your situation probably is not as bleak as you might first assumed. It is also important to recognize that in most programs that you would be applying for, graduate students will receive some source of income. Unlike undergraduate studies, there are many more potential sources from which this income may be obtained. READ MORE... |
|
|
You found a great program for your Ph.D.! The school has a good reputation and your prospective graduate advisor is very well-known in the field. Everyone knows about her and about her work, which has a solid reputation. Best of all, she has agreed to supervise your graduate studies! What could possibly go wrong? READ MORE... |
|
|
You don't think you can afford to go to graduate school? Think again! It is normal to feel twinges of excitement while preparing for your graduate school applications. But the topic of financing is bound to come up eventually, and when it does, the excitement may be diminished somewhat. There can be considerable expenses associated with years of graduate school. The good news is that, in many respects, it is easier to finance graduate school than undergraduate school, and that your situation probably is not as bleak as you first assumed. READ MORE... |
|
|
Almost anyone who puts in the necessary time and effort to explore the options for graduate studies in his or her discipline or field of interest will come to at least two conclusions: There are many programs and schools to choose from, and there is considerable variability among them in terms of their specific appeals. READ MORE... |
|
Let's consider the greatest of the common misconceptions about graduate school — the idea that you must have outstanding undergraduate grades to get into graduate school and to succeed once you are there. Do you believe this? Most people do, but it’s simply not true! Although outstanding grades certainly help your chances of getting into graduate school, there are ways to get in even if you do not have excellent grades. READ MORE...
|
|
Most students who apply to graduate school are so focused on getting into a program that interest them, that they tend to overlook some of the other critical factors that will determine how much they enjoy the experience, and whether they get what they are after. It is essential, for example, that the student and his or her graduate supervisor are well-matched. A good match is made, based not only on research interests, but also in terms of expectations concerning various aspects of the student-supervisor relationship. Very few students appreciate this last point before they begin graduate school, but all are well aware of it by the time they finish! READ MORE...
|
|
