Whether you are approaching your final year of college and already making your post-grad plans or you are a year out of school and going for the next step like I am, chances are you are thinking these things as you are making the biggest choice of your life since picking an undergraduate school.
1. What do I want to study?
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This is the most obvious question you have to ask yourself. Some of you might already know, depending on what you studied during your undergraduate. Then, there are the people like me who knew I wanted to go to graduate school, but I had no idea what I wanted to study. Well, I did; I wanted to continue to pursue creative writing and get a MFA in either that or English Literature. Unfortunately, we are not all J.K. Rowling, so I wanted something to focus on in addition to creative writing. It was that question that was bugging me for the past year.
2. Where do I want to go to school?
Location also impacts your educational experience in graduate school. Where do you want to work after you graduate? Where do you want to intern? For example, I have decided I want to go into library science, specifically digital archives or some area where I don’t have to deal with the public (you might be surprised to learn there are more to libraries than librarians). New England is one of the best places to study library archives.
Plus, location of your graduate school also depends on your living situation. Do you want to go to a school close to home because you live with your parents? Or are you moving to a new city or state, and need to decide if this new location can impact your learning experience in graduate school. Do you prefer a suburban or city setting? Or do you like the idea of going to school like UMASS Amherst that is its own little world in the middle of nowhere?
3. What school do I want to go to?
Once you have your location narrowed down and what field you want to go into, you can pick your graduate school. Knowing I wanted to study library science, I looked up schools in Boston that offered that subject, as well as writing. From there, I researched each college or university whose programs appealed to me and had what I needed/wanted in a grad school. Google is a good place to start with this; it can lead you to resources that can get you started.
4. Do I want to take the GRES?
With many colleges and universities, you have to take the GREs to get into your dream grad school program. However, there are schools where GREs are optional or you get a waiver because your undergraduate GPA was over a certain point average. In my case, I am specifically looking for schools that do not require I take the GREs to get in. I bought a GRE textbook last fall and discovered chapter after chapter of math.
I firmly believe I could have graduated Summa Cum Laude instead of Magna Cum Laude if math did not exist.
5. Online or face-to-face classes?
Several of us going to graduate school, either full-time or part-time, might also be working as well. Some of you are probably parents or taking care of ill family members. Deciding on whether or not to take online classes is something I have taken into consideration in picking a graduate program. While I prefer face-to-face classes with professors and other students, online classes would certainly be easier for me to manage with a job as well as be home for my mom when she needs me.
6. How will I pay for school?
Will you be paying your way? Will you take out another loan? Not only that, you have to take into consideration any other finances: books, car insurance, rent, etc.?
7. Will I need to take pre-requisite courses?
My best friend is going for speech-language pathology. Before she can apply to Northeastern University, she has to take pre-requisite courses. Be sure you look into that before you apply anywhere and if that is something you can afford in your current situation.
8. Does this program have what I am looking for?
Maybe you want to focus on one specific area of study in your field. Do you want to do an internship? Do you want to complete your program in two years or three?
9. WHAT am I looking for?
For me, I want to focus on archives and creative writing. I want to go to a school where I can do both: learn how to restore old books and keep up my own creativity. If the school offers it, look up courses online to see if they appeal to you and if it teaches you what you want to learn.
10. How many schools should I apply to?
Unfortunately, application fees exist, which means you must think long and hard, and be picky with what programs you apply to. Pick the schools you know you have a chance of getting into, as well as your number-one dream school.
11. Is this school a good school?
What is the general consensus from current students, former students, and professors? What kind of people have come out of that institution and do their graduates have good luck finding jobs?
12. Is this a good school for ME?
That’s the question we all ask ourselves, don’t we?
