Deciding to Attend Graduate School

Advice to students considering a graduate education

 

Examine why you are interested in graduate school:
Graduate school admission is really admission into a community of scholars. These scholars are working together to create new knowledge, and to expand the boundaries of existing scientific and technical knowledge. If you are considering graduate school, you should know that it will be significantly different than your undergraduate experience.

 

When making your decision, consider the following carefully:

 

Do you have clear goals and objectives?
Decide which area of study most interests you and whether or not you would like to further your education in that field. Do you enjoy that field of study so much that you can imagine yourself studying it for years to come? If you go to graduate school, you will probably be associated with a field for a significant portion of your life. It should be something you are really interested in and like.

 

Do you have the traits needed to attend graduate school?
In graduate school you will be asked to do a great deal of writing, reading, and synthesizing of both what you learn and the knowledge you create. [Expect the amount of reading and writing assignments to at least double, compared to undergraduate experience.] Depending on your field, you may be working in a lab, outdoors, or with computers for extended periods of time. Can you do this type of work? Will you enjoy it?

 

Have you talked with your professors and college advisors?
These experts have been where you want to go. They can offer guidance on your graduate school decision, and provide advice about the graduate school options that interest you. They can also offer insight into application procedures, graduate schools that might meet your needs, academic programs, possible career options, and job supply and demand in your field.

 

Have you investigated your career potential both with and without a graduate school degree?

Ask questions such as:

  • Do I need an advanced degree to get the job I want in my field?
  • How will a graduate degree affect my starting salary?
  • Will a graduate degree allow greater and faster advancement in my field of specialization?

 

You can answer some of these questions using some of the research tools on this website, and also looking at materials in the Career Development Center, Room 6, Student Services Bldg.

 

Have you considered if you want to work before obtaining a graduate degree?
You may want a break from school. If you wait, you can get a clearer picture of what sort of work you are interested. You’ll also be older and more mature when you return. On the other hand, in the sciences, new developments happen daily. If you are in a field that is rapidly evolving, you may not want to let your undergraduate knowledge get old through disuse. Continuing on directly will keep you up to date, and reduce the amount of re-learning you have to do.

 

Both options have benefits. Weigh the pros and cons of each to determine which will best meet your needs.

 

How will you pay for school?

Before making your final decision about attending graduate school or choosing which graduate school to attend, evaluate your financial situation and determine how you will fund your education. Most programs offer fellowships or assistantships that pay tuition and monthly stipends. Others may not have the resources to do so. In this case, you may be required to borrow money to attend. Find out how much your loan payments will be after you graduate and assess your possibility of making these payments.