SPRING (before applying)
- Conduct research on graduate schools
- Talk to professors and other mentors about your interests
- Study for and take the required admission test
- Open a Credential File with Career Services (LEO)
SUMMER (before applying)
- Study for and take the required admission test if necessary
- Request application forms and brochures from graduate schools
- Research, visit, and select graduate schools (note application
deadlines)
- Prepare several versions of a statement of purpose and/or personal
statement
- Talk to those you have chosen to write letters of evaluation
FALL (of application year)
- Study for and take the required admission test if necessary
- Participate in the Career Services Graduate School Visits
Program
- Informational Meetings with admissions officers representing various
graduate schools
- Attend Career Services workshops
- Make a short list of graduate schools
- Check online that your Credential
File is complete - request that letters be mailed to schools you've applied to
(please allow 3-5 days for processing)
- Complete and submit your applications and all supporting materials 6-8
weeks prior to stated deadlines
WINTER (after application)
- Confirm that your application file is complete, including letters of
recommendation, 3-4 weeks prior to state deadline
- File your financial aid applications 6-8 weeks prior to state
deadlines
Graduate school is a significant commitment financially, physically, and
emotionally. There are long hours of studying, with many
sacrifices. Careful reflection on your reasons for wanting to continue
your education is necessary to ensure a sound decision. Before you apply
to graduate schools, ask yourself the following questions:
- What kind of professional training do I need?
- Is the timing right?
- Do I want to immerse myself fully in this field purely for the love of
it?
Evaluate your abilities and commitment honestly. If you believe
graduate school is the right choice for you, your next step is to decide where
and when to apply. Should you attend immediately after
college or should you get some work experience? Most graduate schools
expect you to have clearly defined interests and experiences leading to an are
of specialization. You should have a focus and relevant experience before
you apply to graduate school.
Why Should You Go to Graduate School?
- You have a compelling interest that can only be satisfied with graduate
study
- For increased satisfaction in your life
- To be able to advance in your field
Why Shouldn't You Go to Graduate School?
- To please someone else
- You don't know what else to do
- To avoid a tight job market
Still Undecided? A Few More Things to Think About
- Where do you want to be in regards to your career in 3-5 years?
- How long does it take to complete the program?
- What would the faculty, content, and research opportunities/specialization
of a program that you would be interested in offer?
- What is the make-up of the student body and student life?
- How successful the program is in terms of job placement for graduates?
- Is the experience going to be worth the cost in tuition or loans or loss of
income?
- What kind of assistantships, fellowships, and financial aid programs are
available?
Step One: Identify Possible Schools
To identify programs in your field of interest, consult with faculty,
mentors, alumni, Career Services, and use a variety of print and on-line
resources. The following are some useful tools to help you make
choices:
- Send for catalogs and application forms in the summer or early fall, a full
year before you plan to matriculate. At the same time, request
information about the specific department, including the major research
interests among the faculty and financial aid information. Many programs
also have catalogs on their websites.
- Peterson's Annual Guide to Graduate
Study, a six-volume index of graduate programs, lists U.S. programs in
various disciplines and specialties within disciplines, and has two-page
summaries of some individual programs. Note that the summaries are not
selected for the quality of the programs; they are published in this guide at
the choice of the graduate institution described. This set is available
in the Career Services Resource Center.
- Graduate School Guide
- Grad Schools.com
- Alumni Advisory Network (available in Career Services), searchable by
graduate degree and school
Consult faculty members or others who have specialized in the discipline of
your choice. Faculty are excellent sources of information about graduate
programs in their specialties and the strengths and weaknesses of programs at
various universities. Consult also with a Career Advisor and the graduate
school advisor in Career Services to clarify your interests and to discuss
career options.
Step Two: Prioritize your choices and gather information on
specific schools
Once you have a list of programs to consider, narrow your possibilities to a
manageable number. To evaluate programs, consider the following:
- Is the institution research-oriented or coursework-oriented?
- Does the department have faculty in a variety of research groups or does
the strength rest on one or two members?
- Do the research interests of the faculty represent specialties within the
discipline? Does the department's strength lie in a particular area or
are many of the subspecialties equally strong? Look for the faculty
publication list. If this is not in the catalog, request it from the
department chair.
- What is the mentor relationship between students and faculty? Are
faculty members accessible to students? Ask graduate students about their
experiences in the program and about potential faculty advisors.
- How closely do graduate students work together and discuss their work with
each other?
- How much financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, teaching
assistantships or research assistantships? Learn how many students
receive funding and what criteria are used to grant funding.
- If you enroll in a Master's program, will you be able to change to a Ph.D.
program easily if your performance is satisfactory? Must you obtain an MA
or MS before you enroll in the Ph.D. program?
- How many Ph.D.'s are granted annually? What is the average length of
time required to complete the doctoral work? How many students drop out
of the program.
- What employment opportunities will be available after you complete this
graduate program? Ask some graduate students about their plans; check
with the department chair or the career services office for information on
recent graduates.
- Evaluate the number of accepted applicants to the last entering class
versus the total number of applicants in a year.
- Ask for the 25th and 75th percentile scores for the last entering class on
required admission tests.
- If possible, visit several schools to meet with faculty and students.
Ask the admissions office and/or program chair if you can communicate with
current students via email or the telephone.
- Geographical location can affect the quality of your total life.
Inquire about locations, housing and type of recreation and social options
available.
- From time to time, graduate schools send representatives to Dartmouth to
describe their programs. These visits will be announced on the Career
Services Blitz Bulletin.
Step Three: Make a Timeline
- Ask a friend, faculty member, the Composition Center or Career Services to
review your application essays.
- Study for and take the required admission test.
- File your application 6-8 weeks prior to stated deadlines.
- Investigate funding and/or financial aid options and submit appropriate
applications 6-8 weeks prior to stated deadlines.
- Call program 3-4 weeks before the application deadline to confirm that your
file is complete.
School Information
- The Alumni
Advisory Network, searchable by graduate school and degree
- Graduate School Advising Network - Dartmouth faculty and staff who have an
interest in sharing information and advice with students exploring graduate
school (available in Career Services)
- Graduate School Guide
- Grad Schools.com
- Peterson's Annual Guide to Graduate Study - Full listings of all
degree programs by field and faculty research specialties - also available at
www.petersons.com
- Book 1 - Graduate & Professional Programs: An Overview
- Book 2 - Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences
- Book 3 - Biological Sciences
- Book 4 - Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Agricultural Sciences, the
Environment & Natural Resources
- Book 5 - Engineering & Applied Sciences
- Book 6 - Business, Education, Health, Information Studies, Law and Social
Work
- U.S.
News & World Reports Best Graduate Schools
Admission Test Information
- GRE (Graduate Record Exam): Information
on general and subject tests in eight disciplines (Biochemistry, Cell and
Molecular Biology; Biology; Chemistry; Computer Science; Literature in English;
Mathematics; Physics; Psychology)
- Kaplan
- The Princeton
Review
Application & Essay Information
- Graduate School Admissions Adviser by a nationwide team of
graduate school admissions advisers
- Graduate School Admissions Essays by Donald Asher
- How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional
School by Richard J. Stelzer
Financial Aid and Scholarship Resources
|
