Are you considering continuing your education? The tools below can help you evaluate what path might be a good fit for your goals.
Many students are ready to jump straight into the workforce after graduation, but you might be asking yourself if your academic journey is truly finished. Is a master’s, PhD, or professional certification the key to unlocking your dream career, or is it an expensive detour?
Deciding on graduate school is about more than just “more school”—it’s a strategic investment of your time, energy, and finances. Whether you’re driven by a passion for research, a specific career requirement, or the desire for a higher earning potential, this page is designed to help you weigh your options.
Types of graduate programs
Master’s Degree:
- Usually takes one to two years to complete.
- Often, internships or fieldwork are included in degree requirements.
Research Master’s Degree:
- May involve writing a thesis or taking a comprehensive examination in addition to coursework.
- Usually takes two years to complete.
Professional and Doctoral Degrees:
- The research doctoral degree (PhD) involves coursework and research training, while the final component usually involves original research and reporting on the research through a dissertation
- At the doctoral level, there are professional degrees and research degrees. The most common professional degrees are MD for medicine or the JD for law.
Research Graduate Programs
Use the following sites to begin researching schools that offer the program you are interested in. From there, continue your research on the university program’s website.
www.princetonreview.com/grad-school
www.petersons.com/graduate-schools.aspx
Find information about the program length, curriculum, required research, internship, or practicum experiences, and program admissions requirements. You will also want to learn about the faculty and outcomes for students who have graduated from the program.
Application Materials
Every program will have its own unique requirements. It is important to ensure that you have a clear understanding of what your program of interests requires. Some of the required materials could include:
- Scores for standardized tests:
- GRE – many science, humanities, education, and health programs
- GMAT – business-related programs
- LSAT – law programs
- MCAT – medical school
- DAT – dental school
- Undergraduate Academic Transcripts including specific pre-requisite courses
- Recommendation letters from professors, advisors, or supervisors
- You should have 3-5 professional references prepared
- Make sure that you select professors and professional references who know you well and can speak to your skills, abilities, and personality
- Personal Statement or Statement of Purpose
- Resume or CV
- Writing Sample
Graduate School Application Timelines
Six Months Before (or earlier):
- Research graduate schools and determine a list of schools to send applications to and understand application requirements for each school
- Research financial aid resources for each program
- Register and begin studying for any required standardized test (GRE, etc.) or enroll in a prep course
Four Months Before:
- Write a draft of your personal statement and take it to a writing tutor or professor for feedback
- Update your resume/CV and bring it to the Career Services and Advising Center for feedback
Three Months Before:
- Request a letter of recommendation from recommenders
- Continue editing your personal statement and resume/CV
- Take the required graduate school test
One Month Before:
- Request official transcript from the university registrar’s office of each college you attended
- Make final edits to personal statement, resume and writing sample. Proofread them again
AT LEAST One Week Before the Deadline:
- Submit all application materials!
Financing Your Education
Paying for graduate school is different than undergraduate. Make sure to ask questions about financial aid options and deadline of the programs you are interested in. You can ask if your program offers:
Assistantships: Assistantships provide full or partial tuition and sometimes a stipend and health insurance in exchange for part-time employment. Most graduate assistants work between 15 and 30 hours per week in teaching, research or an assistantship in a campus department.
Loans: Need-based financial aid is also available at the graduate level. You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your eligibility for federal aid. Federal loans (including the Perkins, Stafford and Supplemental loans) offer low interest rate loans to students who qualify. Private loans are also available from various providers.
Fellowships: A fellowship is a monetary award based on academic, athletic or personal achievements to support graduate studies, academic research or specialized training of particular interest to the granting organization. In addition to the financial award, the recipient will sometimes receive a tuition waiver for up to five years of study. Fellowships are awarded by graduate schools, and government or private agencies.
Preparing for a medical school interview is one of the final and most important steps along your journey to beginning med school. By the time you reach this stage, the admissions committee has already reviewed your personal statement, academic record, …
If you’re planning to apply to graduate school, you’re likely thinking about your GRE scores. Whether you’re aiming for a master’s, PhD, or professional degree, your scores can make a difference in how your application is viewed. But what exactly …
