Graduate and professional school

• Why do you want to go to grad school?
• What kind of advanced degree do you want to pursue?
• Who can you consult about selecting programs to apply for?
• When do you want to go? Do you plan to take a gap year?
• What funding opportunities are available for the programs you have in mind? How will you pay for it if funding is not available?
• How should you prepare to make a successful application?

An advanced degree is crucial for some roles (for example, you can’t become licensed clinical social worker without obtaining an MSW), but not every career path requires graduate study.

Talking to people is a good way to find out more about how a particular graduate degree can help you fulfill your goals for yourself. Start by reaching out to your academic advisors, faculty members (people whom you would ask for recommendations are a good place to start), and LAS career services.

“Grad school” can mean a lot of very different things, and an LAS major can open the door to a wide array of programs. Graduate programs generally fall into one of the following “buckets”:

Doctoral programs (or master’s degree programs leading to doctoral programs), often in one’s major or a closely related field (PhD, PsyD, EdD…).

• Focused on research, leading to an academic career in non-STEM fields, or an academic or industry role in STEM fields.
• A commitment of at least four years, often more.
• Costs are often offset by fellowships, tuition waivers, and work as a teaching assistant, research assistant, or graduate assistant.
• Admission generally requires strong recommendations from faculty who know you well and a record of research.

Professional master’s degree programs (MBA, MSW, MSLIS, MHRIR, M.Ed….)

• Some degrees are required credential for licensure, others are required for certain professional paths.
• Commitment of 1 – 3 years.
• Some programs offer tuition waivers and assistantships; many don’t.
• Admission requires faculty recommendations and statement of purpose

Terminal (not part of a doctoral pathway) master’s programs

• Can make one more employable in specific fields, but job opportunities and demand for these advanced degrees varies wildly from industry to industry.
• May involve research opportunities that are relevant to career in government
• Commitment of 1 -3  years.
• Some programs offer tuition waivers and assistantships, many don’t.
• Admission requires faculty recommendations and statement of purpose.

Letters of recommendation are an important part of your application package.  Most programs will expect to see letters from faculty members, and PhD programs (or master’s degree programs leading up to a Ph.D.) will require it.

Ideally, your first conversation with a faculty member is not the one where you request a letter of recommendation. Faculty are great resources for advice about whether you should go, what kind of program you should pursue, and where specifically you should plan to apply. Talking to faculty well in advance of an actual application is a good way to figure out if grad school should be your next step. Instructors who have guided you in research, encountered you in multiple classes, or share your interests are in a good position to advise you.

Once you know where you want to apply, follow up with the faculty members who have advised you to ask if they’d be willing to write a recommendation. Some information that recommenders will want to know:

• Deadlines – give them at least two weeks advance notice and instructions for submitting recommendations. There may be multiple dates and platforms in play, so make sure the information you give your recommenders is clear and easy to follow with links that work.
• Why you are applying to these programs and pursuing this particular degree. Enclosing a draft of your personal statement can be helpful.
• Why you have selected them for a recommendation. Remind them of the courses you took with them, the grades you earned, and any significant projects you did. If you have papers with comments from the instructor, attaching these can be helpful.

Write thank you notes to your recommenders as soon as your applications are completed, and then follow up when you receive acceptances/rejections to let them know how things went.

Most graduate programs give you an opportunity to explain why you are an ideal candidate for their degree programs.

Generally speaking, graduate programs are looking for your reasons for applying specifically to their program, evidence that you are equipped to succeed in their program, and insight into how you plan to use the credential you’re seeking once you have it. The specific prompts will vary from one institution to another, so you may need to write multiple versions of your essays to directly address what specific admissions committees want to know. The more specific you can be about your motivations, interests, and goals, the better.

Give yourself time to get feedback on your application essays. Faculty members who know the field are good resources for this, but it’s also helpful to have your essays read by non-experts who can focus on the flow and readability of your statement. 

Your attention to detail, grammar, writing to the prompt/question, and knowledge of that specific program is important to making a strong application. Be careful to avoid over-sharing and use of cliches. Use your voice--not the voice you think they want to hear.

• Some graduate programs require standardized tests. The LSAT is required for law school and the MCAT for medical school. Other kinds of programs often require the GRE. Make sure you know when the test you need is offered and how you register to take it.
• A campus visit can be helpful, as can connecting with current graduate students, recent alums, and/or graduate-focused faculty members. Ask the Director of Admissions or Graduate Studies to connect you to 1-2 current students for informational interviews.
• Inquire into graduate outcomes, particularly if you are applying to professional (as opposed to research-focused) programs. Where do graduates find jobs after they finish? What starting salaries do they earn? What percentage of graduates can expect to be employed in their field after getting their degree?
• Calculate the cost of the program and inquire about funding opportunities like assistantships and fellowships. Make sure you understand likely living expenses in the location of the program, the various fees that you will need to cover, the potential for tuition waivers, and the expectations around employment during breaks.