What you need to know about graduate school

Black Collegian, Oct 2000 by Rovaris, Dereck J Sr

Perhaps you have made the arduous decision to attend graduate school. Or maybe you are trying to gain some understanding of what it might entail. Choosing to pursue graduate study is a major decision. Therefore, the more information you can gather about the process, the more likely you are to make wise choices and realize success. Graduate training 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 are well informed and you plan an effective strategy.

This article will guide you through the graduate application's process as well as provide insights about graduate training. Recent doctoral recipients and/or candidates will share their insights on attending graduate school.

The Application Process

I. Create a list of potential schools. To maximize your opportunities, you will need to apply to five or more schools. The more schools you apply to, the more chances you have for admission. By consulting The Peterson's Guides (found in your library's reference section or at http://www.petersons.com), you will uncover a comprehensive listing of graduate opportunities in your respective area. The listings include descriptions of each discipline and its sub-fields. It will also include a wealth of data about the various institutions in those disciplines (location, entrance requirements, acceptance rates, tuition costs, funding options, and 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 make-up of students, community in which the school is located, campus facilities and activities. After weighing these factors, compile a list of 10 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, practice, and then take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). The GRE is the entrance exam most graduate schools require. It has assumed a more important role in the admissions process than was ever intended. Register early, practice using a review course or study manual, and 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 recommendation. 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 graduate level work. Faculty members from whom you have earned at least two Bs or higher (preferably two or more As) should be able to write strong letters of recommendation for you.

When requesting these letters, always remember that they are just that, requests. They should therefore be requested courteously and thoughtfully. This means that you should approach your faculty members early and that you provide them with enough information so that they effectively transmit their opinions of your potential. Follow up to make sure that they have mailed your recommendations and thank them in writing once they have done so. By all means, let them know when you get accepted and keep them informed of your plans.

IV. Write a statement of purpose and have it critiqued. The statement of purpose often distinguishes the difference between winners and losers. Those who get accepted almost always have better statements of purpose than those who do not. What makes for a good statement is its overall quality and its clear indication of potential for graduate study. A good statement will be concise: It says what you have to say as efficiently as possible (most are 1 to 1 1/2 pages). It is organized: Your essay is well thought out and structured. Working from an outline will help. It is clear: It says exactly what you want it to say without ambiguous references. It is honest: In it you do not pretend to be who you are not, but neither do you sell yourself short. It is personal: It is uniquely yours; it is a statement about you. You do not talk about the general, but about your specific interests. It is positive: It sells you by using positive attributes. It does not dwell on negatives like low grades or test scores.