How do you know graduate school is the right decision? And when do you have to start thinking about grad school anyway?
“Grad school is a lot of work, but it is great fun. It gives you the opportunity to study an area in depth – so it is important to like what it is that you are studying” said Dean Mary Jo Regan-Kubinski of IU South Bend’s College of Health Sciences.
Only you can make the decision to continue your formal education and it is not a decision to take lightly. You should consider your long-term goals and dreams as well as your interests and abilities. It’s also important to examine your skills, aptitudes, and weaknesses with brutal honesty. In addition, you must scrutinize why you want to go to grad school, what your career goals are, what you intend to specialize in, and if you have the motivation to continue your schooling for another two to seven years.
“Investing in yourself through additional education is a wonderful thing. If you are able to, it can put your personal and professional life on a different and really interesting path.” said Dean Robert Ducoffe of IUSB’s school of Business and economics.
Making the decision to go to graduate school is only a small part of the process. Good preparation will be a key factor in gaining acceptance to a graduate program.
“Begin planning for graduate school as soon as you believe that it is a potential option for you,” said Dean Lynn Williams, IUSB College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
According to Rebecca Torstick, IU South Bend associate dean and professor of anthropology, some students, particularly at top schools, start their undergraduate career knowing they plan to continue on to graduate school.
“Talk to your instructors about what graduate study is like in their discipline and how to prepare for graduate study” said Torstick, “This has the side benefit of helping you establish relationships with faculty members—important for later when you may need reference letters.”
Mike Renfrow, of IUSB Graduate Services, says it is helpful to know you want to go to graduate school along your way through the undergraduate program. Knowing early helps if there are prerequisites for the graduate program. This allows students to complete them as part of their undergraduate degree, saving both time and money.
Once you decide graduate school is right for you, begin working with an advisor to build a “resume” that will make you a competitive applicant. According to Regan-Kubinski it is important to have a good GPA.
“Preparation begins with putting in the effort and the work to succeed at the undergraduate level,” said Regan-Kubinski. “In addition, recommendations are important factors. This translates into being a good employee (whether or not the job directly relates to the graduate school goals)”
Recommendations for building your resume for graduate school are a lot like the recommendations for building a strong resume to join the workforce after college. Torstick recommends that students do volunteer work in their area of interest, hold leadership roles in campus and community organizations, write for the student newspaper, conduct independent research, attain funding for research projects, publish research findings in undergraduate journals or disciplinary journals, present research at conferences, and work at an internship, preferably a competitive one.
“A strong personal statement or if a writing sample is required can make the difference,” said Renfrow.
Of course, once the preparation work is complete the application process begins. Regan-Kubinski urges students to consider studying elsewhere if it is something they can manage.
“You will open yourself to a new world, new ideas, new people, new ways of thinking – all important ingredients to making the most of going to the “next” level.”
Torstick advises students to choose carefully.
“Look for a school where the faculty is doing work that you personally find exciting and compelling,” she said.
Other items Torstick feels are important in the selection process are graduation rates, supportive faculty members, and post-graduation job placements. She also suggests finding a program that allows you to complete the degree without being in debt for most of your life either through funding or affordable tuition rates.
When you are applying to programs, you should tailor you application to the specific program you are applying for. Ideally, candidates should demonstrate that they are a good fit to the program in terms of interests, abilities and goals.
For more information about graduate school, IUSB’s sociology/anthropology department has a page on their website with information about graduate school and preparations, http://www.iusb.edu/~socanth/graduate.shml.
Are you thinking about graduate school
Published: Saturday, December 12, 2009
Updated: Saturday, December 12, 2009
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Prepare for graduate smart by starting while you're still an undergraduate by getting published and doing outside work.
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