You’re thinking about graduate school, congratulations! You are about to embark on a journey that’ll most likely change your life. – I mean this in no small way. But how exactly do you go about deciding what schools make it on your coveted graduate school list?
Note: This article is written with Master’s and Ph.D. student applicants in the STEM field in mind. Criteria for selecting schools might be different for other programs , however, general principles will still apply.
Understand your needs; it’ll come in handy for that graduate school list
Your needs as a graduate student are much different from your needs as an undergraduate, keep this in mind as you search for schools. Here’s what I mean; As an undergraduate, your main goal was to learn as much as possible so that you could contribute to the world in the future.
As a graduate student, and most especially a Ph.D. student, your main goal is to become an individual contributor by the end of your degree program.
– The SASS Team
To become an individual contributor, you need to come up with a novel solution to a problem. So you should be thinking, “what schools will enable me to become the best version of myself that I need to be so I can make a strong impact in my field?”
Below, we will offer you 5 tips to consider when making your graduate school list:
A) Think “What do I intend to do with my degree?”
How will the schools on your list help you get to the next stage of your life? If you intend to go into industry afterwards, do the schools have career fairs or industry sessions where you can meet with potential recruiters? If you’re thinking of going into academia, how successful have the student alumni from your school been in this pursuit?
The other caveat I will offer here is the fact that in graduate school, you should really be focused on the strength of the program/department not the school. For example, if you’re interested in applying to get an Electrical Engineering Masters from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), find out about the health of the Electrical Engineering Department and not necessarily NJIT. You will spend a lot of time in this department so it is your number one priority.
B) Ask “How well funded are the students in your program/department of interest?”
Who is going to pay for your education? Most Master’s programs require that you pay out of pocket for fees, so how you will fund your education? Do you have enough saved up for tuition? Will you be working a part-time job? Are there jobs on campus that you can apply to that might help offset the cost of your tuition? Are there fellowships and scholarships you can apply to?
If it’s a STEM PhD program do other students have funding – either in the form of research assistantship or graduate assistantship that last them the duration of their program? It is important for your funding to last the entire length of your program, more on this later.
Having a “sustainable” source of income in graduate school is really integral to your wellbeing. Do your research.
C) Find out if “There are professors who match your research interests”
This question is especially important if you’re thinking about doing research (which is necessary for a PhD). It is important that you identify what areas of research you are interested in. Afterwards, identify at least 3 professors match your research interests in all the schools you’re planning to apply to.
If a school only has one person you would potentially be applying to, take it off the list! There is nothing worse than being stuck in a school where you had only one professor on the list, and they don’t have funding. Really, really, awkward.
D) Ensure “You will have a community in the program?”
While it is possible that you don’t think this is important, it’ll be one of the single most important things that’ll get you through graduate school. We will have a separate article on the importance of community. Be sure to leave comments below on what you would like to see in that post.
When you look at the department’s website, what do their graduate students look like? Can you find people who look like you? If possible, reach out to current students or even alumni you might find through LinkedIn to see if they can attest to whether you will have the community you need to thrive. Graduate school is too hard and too long to be “the only xxxx”. You need other people who can walk with you and who understand your struggles.
E) Evaluate “How your credentials stack up against the schools you plan to apply to?”
Graduate programs are very selective so it is important to be a good candidate. In a past article we wrote for undergraduate applications we talked about match, reach, and sure schools. Read the article and take a similar approach when choosing particular graduate schools to apply to. Make sure you apply to schools that you have a high chance of getting into based on their average class. College GPA, GRE scores, etc. And only apply to schools you know you would want to attend.
These are the most important tips we can give. Be sure to continue the conversations in the comment section! We love to hear from you! And check out our services to see if we can help you through the process!