Applying to Graduate or Professional School

Should you pursue further education? Some career fields, such as medicine, dentistry, law, higher education, research, and ministry require further study. For other career fields, the answer is less clear. To evaluate your reasons for wanting to go to graduate school, ask yourself the following questions: Do my career goals require an advanced degree? Am I looking for a specialized degree only obtainable through graduate school? Do I have the motivation and desire to commit myself to the time and effort demanded by graduate school programs? Is it better for me to go part-time or get some work experience first? 

Continue to clarify your decision-making, by speaking with professionals in the field you are considering. How did they decide to go to graduate school? How did they select a program? What was it like? Consider searching for an alum who has taken a similar path through LinkedIn. Also, make an appointment with a career coach in the Student Success Center and your academic advisor to formulate an action plan. 

Resources for Investigating and Pursuing Further Education

Admission Tests

Visit the following websites as a part of your exam preparation:

Writing Personal Statements

Preparing for Admissions Interviews