You need to go to graduate school

Black Collegian, Oct 1998 by Rovaris, Dereck J Sr

Perhaps you have already heard "You need to go to graduate school." Responding to your performance and your potential for academic success, an observant professor, a concerned advisor, or an eager parent, most likely said it. The advice is sound: You need to attend graduate school. As we approach this new millennium, formally educated people who know and use technology will lead those who do not know it and use it. Your challenge will be to amass as much education and technology as you can so that you may assume the leadership roles of tomorrow. Graduate school is a great place to maximize your potential. Further, you are a part of the remedy for the critical shortage of African Americans with advanced degrees, especially Ph.D.'s.

If you have not already decided to attend graduate school, you should contact your favorite faculty member and begin discussions about attending and about the graduate school process. It is not a process that you can take lightly, and as with anything else that is worth having, it requires you to work hard. Nevertheless, completing the process is not impossible, especially if you plan. Starting early is crucial and consulting good resources helpful.

Perhaps the most comprehensive source of graduate school opportunities exists in the multi-volume set of books commonly referred to as "The Peterson's Guides." Peterson's Guide to Graduate and Professional Programs can be found in most college library reference rooms. It can also be found on the internet at, http://www.petersons.com along with a host of other graduate school Web sites. Of course THE BLACK COLLEGIAN's GSOP, Graduate School Opportunity Programs, is especially useful, for it lists opportunities from graduate schools and professional organizations especially interested in African Americans. It too can be found on the Internet at www.black-collegiate.com. Using these materials will prove invaluable. You should begin thinking about your graduate career as early as possible. It is not too early for freshmen or sophomores to start inquiring about graduate school and planning. Successful graduate school applicants will often have participated in summer research internships and graduate recruitment fairs throughout their undergraduate careers. The wise student will begin the actual application process no later than one year before their expected date of graduate admission,

Selecting and Applying to Graduate School

Once you have decided to pursue a graduate degree and selected your field of study, follow these five steps in the application process:

I. Create a list of potential schools. To maximize your opportunities you will need to apply to several, or more, schools. The more schools you apply to, the more chances you have for admission. By consulting The Peterson s Guides, you will uncover a comprehensive listing of graduate opportunities in your respective area. The listings include descriptions of each discipline and its sub-fields. They will also include a wealth of data about the various institutions in those disciplines (location, entrance requirements, acceptance rates, tuition costs, funding options, enrollment demographics, etc.).

To create your list of schools first consider factors like quality of the program, areas of research, strength of the university, reputation of faculty in your area, availability of funding, institutional support, and commitment to minority students. Other factors that may play a part include geographic region, size of enrollment, racial makeup of students, community in which the school is located, and campus facilities and activities. After weighing these factors, compile a list of ten or more institutions. Then contact each school. Wherever possible visit the campus. Campus visits can sometimes influence your choice significantly. In any case, request application materials and any other information that will help you with the admissions process. Ultimately, you want to select the university that will give you your best opportunity for success.

II. Register for, practice for, and then take the GRE. The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is the entrance exam most graduate schools require. It has assumed a more important role in the admissions process than was ever intended. More on this exam will be explained later. For now, register early (see GRE Timetable); practice using a review course or study manual; schedule your exam at least a year, but preferably a year and a half, before you intend to start graduate school, and take the test and do well. Take it early so that you can submit scores, along with the rest of your application. Early applicants are more likely to be admitted and funded than those who apply late.

III. Ask faculty members for letters of recommendations. Often applicants will try to impress admission committees with letters from local politicians, high ranking university officials, or even their pastors. These people may appear to be good sources for recommendations because of their positions or their prestige, especially if they know the applicant and are able to say nice things about the applicant. Nevertheless, admissions committees are primarily interested in the academic abilities of the applicants. This nearly always requires evaluators who have taught the applicant and who can speak favorably about the ability of applicants to succeed with graduatelevel work. Faculty members from whom you have earned at least two "B's" or higher (preferably two or more `As") should be able to write strong letters of recommendation for you.