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Choosing and Starting Graduate School: A Guide to Making Informed Decisions

This guide provides information on the decision-making process for graduate school, including talking to people, understanding options, and choosing the right program. It also covers the application process, funding, and timelines.

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Choosing and Starting Graduate School: A Guide to Making Informed Decisions

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  1. LS-OKAMP Graduate School: Making the Decision

  2. Getting Started Talk to as many people as possible to assist you in making an informed decision.

  3. People to Talk To • Other undergraduate students • Graduate students • Your faculty • Parents & family • Prospective employers

  4. What is Graduate School? • Training in research • 11/2 to 2-year program (M.S.) • 4 to 5-year program (Ph.D) • Fewer classes per semester • Courses focused in major area • One-on-one faculty interaction

  5. Why attend graduate school? • Your career goals make graduate school necessary • To specialize in a particular field • To do research • To broaden expertise in an area • Better job, salary, & promotions • To teach at a university

  6. Options • Go straight from undergraduate to graduate school • Work full/part-time & school part-time • Work now, school later • Work for company that sends you back to school

  7. Going Straight Through • Easiest choice and workload • Still in “learning mode” • Can defer student loans • Need to find ways to stay motivated

  8. Work and School • Longest option • Larger workload • Money is always nice

  9. Work Now, School Later • Hard to be a poor student again • May have family obligation • Heavy workload • Maturity and work experience can be added value

  10. Company Pays • May limit choice of universities and areas of study • Obligation to work for company upon completion • Job security good • Able to maintain steady income

  11. Choosing a Graduate School Explore several graduate schools that you would consider attending: • Look for university’s home page on WWW • Write or call for information and catalog • Don’t over look your current university

  12. What to Consider • Campus climate • Resources Available • Reputation/Prestige • Housing • Financial Aid

  13. Departmental Information • Areas of study to match your interests • Faculty and their expertise/research • Fellowships, assistantships available • Teaching requirement • Reputation

  14. Entrance Requirements • Competitive GPA • Entrance Examinations

  15. Application Process • Application form • Statement of Purpose • Transcripts • Entrance exam scores • Letters of Recommendation

  16. Funding Graduate School • Graduate College Level • Departmental Level • Other Sources

  17. Types of Aid • Federally guaranteed loans • Teaching assistantships • Research assistantships • Fellowships/scholarships • Work-study • Governmental, state, private

  18. Timeline Questions?

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