GRADUATE SCHOOL: Still a Good Idea

Black Collegian, Oct 2003 by Rovaris, Dereck J Sr

To create your list of schools, you should first consider factors such as quality of the program, 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 student body, community in which the school is located, and campus facilities and activities. After weighing these factors, you should compile a list of ten or more institutions.

Start by asking faculty members to recommend institutions. (Be careful; they almost always will think their alma mater is the best choice for you. It may or may not be your best choice). Check to see who are the leading experts in your chosen field. Find out what schools they attended and where they are currently working. Either school would be good to have on your list. Check to see where recent graduates from your academic department have gone to graduate school. If they have had positive experiences, that institution might be good for you.

After creating your list of choices, you should contact each school. Wherever possible, you should visit the campus. Campus visits can sometimes make all the difference. In any case, you should request application materials and any other information that will help you with the process of admission. Ultimately, you want to be able to select the university that will give you your best opportunity for success.

2. Register for, practice for, and then take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). The GRE is the entrance exam most often required for graduate admission. It has assumed a greater role in the process of admission than was ever intended because most applicants have good GPAs, decent statements of purpose, and glowing letters of recommendation. What usually distinguishes one applicant from another is the score received on this nationally standardized test, thereby making performing well on this test of major importance. Make sure that you practice, using a review course or study manual. Make sure that you register early (Because the test is computerized, you may register at your convenience at a test site near you). Make sure that you schedule your exam at least nine months, but preferably a year and a half, before you start graduate school. Finally, make sure that you do well on the GRE.

Few schools will post cutoff scores (something that ETS strongly discourages) , but there seems to be some "magic" in obtaining a combined GRE score of 1,000-1,100 or better. This combined score is obtained by adding the quantitative score to the verbal reasoning score. Many schools that will expect a minimum total score will have minimum scores established for these individual sections of the test. Finally, some departments will require a minimum score on a Subject Test. The Subject Tests (covering material unique to your graduate discipline) are administered separately and require preparation and practice much the same as the general test.