Making the decision to go to graduate school
Deciding when is the ‘right’ me to aend?
Using the meline to prepare and apply
Knowing the Applicaon Process
Paying for graduate school
Applying to Graduate School
Smith College Lazarus Center for Career Development
www.smith.edu/lazaruscenter
413-585-2582
[email protected]
Rev 9/15
2
THE DECISION TO ATTEND GRADUATE SCHOOL
Who? The decision is yours. Make the decision because it is something you wish to pursue. Approx-
imately 75% of Smith graduates will decide to aend a graduate or professional school at some point
aer their Smith graduaon.
Why? Your decision to aend graduate school is a personal consideraon which reects your deep
interest in a parcular area of study, or, a qualicaon to enter a parcular career eld.
When? You may aend a graduate program immediately aer receiving your undergraduate de-
gree, or, it may be 1 or more years aer graduaon.
What? The program you enter may be a connuaon of your undergraduate degree, or, it may
stretch across disciplines building upon your skills, knowledge and experiences.
Where? Use resources to help narrow your list of graduate schools. Speak with faculty, alumnae,
scholars/authors. Read resources such as Peterson’s. Explore associaons aliated with the career
eld you wish to enter.
How? Regardless when or where you decide to aend graduate school, the applicaon process is
one to enter into thoughully, purposefully, and with the support of others
WHEN TO GO
Reasons to go now
1. The sooner you start, the sooner you nish!
2. You may have fewer personal commitments now than you’ll have later.
3. You may be interested in a eld that’s changing quickly, so you need to keep up.
4. You want to maintain your academic momentum.
Reasons to go later
1. You need a rest from academia.
2. You need me to develop the purpose and focus to be a persuasive applicant.
3. Work experience will give you perspecve on what training you need.
4. Experience may make you a stronger candidate for certain degree programs.
5. You want to establish legal/nancial independence so you can apply for nancial aid individually.
6. You’ve been working for a while, want to change careers, and need further training.
Reasons to go part-me
1. You may only need specic courses, rather than an enre degree program.
2. You may nd it more convenient to use distance or on-line learning programs.
3. Your employer may help you pay for courses related to your work.
4. Working while studying will keep your debt level down.
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TIMELINE
The following meline is appropriate for most graduate programs; carefully read applicaon guide-
lines and follow accordingly.
Start Early: Applicaon deadlines may be as early as November. Evaluaon and acceptance into
programs may be decided as applicaons arrive. Plan to submit a complete, thoughul, error-free
applicaon by Thanksgiving.
Spring of the applicaon year
Research graduate programs based your criteria (i.e. area of interest, faculty and mentors, facili-
es and resources, research or experienal opportunies, nancial aid and funding, geo-
graphic locaon, size of program, etc.)
Review graduate schools’ brochure and applicaon materials (from the previous year)
Speak with professors, alums, mentors and other professionals about your interests
Study and plan when you will take the appropriate admission test
Review the leer of recommendaon process and carefully select recommendaon writers
Summer of the applicaon year
Study and take the appropriate admission test
Research, contact, and visit graduate schools
Contact leer writers for updates
Dra personal statements/statements of purpose and have them reviewed and criqued by a
Lazarus Center Advisor
Request current brochures, applicaon and nancial aid materials
Fall of Applicaon Year
Study and take the appropriate admission test
Contact leer writers to insure compleon and submission
Create list of schools to which you will apply
Complete and submit applicaon and nancial aid materials at least 1-month before deadline
Winter
Conrm completed applicaon les
Spring
If wait-listed, send addional supporng materials
Evaluate acceptances and pay
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APPLICATION PROCESS
Cra your applicaon specically for each program to which you apply. Admissions ocers want to un-
derstand who you are, what you bring to the program, what is your academic preparaon and interest,
and how their graduate program meets your needs.
.
Personal Statement
Read the Personal Statement prompt and take the me to write your statement accordingly. Aend the
Wring a Personal Statement Workshop, or schedule an appointment with an advisor. Wring your per-
sonal statement.
Transcripts
Most graduate programs require transcripts from any college where you had taken a college level class
(even while in high school). If a college you aended is no longer in existence, request is made through
the state department of educaon. Requesng your Smith Transcript.
Tests
Graduate schools may require you to take an entrance examinaon as part of the applicaon process.
The exam is meant to evaluate your ability to succeed in their program, or, the likelihood you will pass
cercaon or board examinaons.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
General Test – is a general test of verbal, mathemacal and analycal wring skills
Subject Test – specically designed to evaluate your knowledge of a parcular discipline
Miller Analogies Test (MAT) – most oen used for educaon or counseling programs
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – may be required of students whose nave language
is not English
Take the test when you are most prepared to do well on the test. Review the examinaon by taking
mulple pracce tests. Pracce books are available in most bookstores or online.
While most everyone hopes to take the GRE one me and achieve their target scores, somemes it may
be in the applicant’s best interest to take the GRE a second me. In the an applicant takes the GRE mul-
ple me, the applicant may choose to send to the graduate schools the higher of their test scores.
Test Prep Organizaons – May be useful If you need assistance organizing me to study, preparing for
and feeling condent in achieving a higher test score. Criteria to use in selecng a prep course: cost,
5
Leers of Recommendaon
Select professors who will best support your applicaon to a graduate program. Read the graduate pro-
gram’s applicaon guidelines as to how many leers are required and how they are to be submied.
Read the Guide to recommendaons and if appropriate, use Interfolio.
Interviews
Some programs (PhD level), will ask for an interview (which may include several sessions) with faculty
members in your eld and current students. This is an opportunity for the department to get to know
you and oers you a chance to ask quesons and determine whether the department is a good t for
you. Prepare for the interviews with a mock interview with the Lazarus Center sta.
Paying For Graduate School
As with paying for your undergraduate career at Smith, most graduate schools will advise you to consult
with their nancial aid oce. Graduate schools and programs may have several ways to assist in helping
you pay for the cost of the graduate program.
Scholarships / Grants — Almost consider this to be free money. Most oen awarded for merit or
need, an applicant may need to complete an applicaon process or demonstrate their suitability for
receiving this money.
Assistantships — May be associated with work study. You may be a teaching or research assistant
with a professor or a department. You may work administravely with one of the instuon’s other
oces, such as residenal life, counseling, or student services.
Loans — Just as with a bank or private funding instuon, you are borrowing money from the ins-
tuon, with determined interest percentage, which will be paid back to the instuon aer com-
pleng the degree or leaving the instuon.
In addion to contacng the graduate program’s nancial oce, paying for graduate school will most
likely involve addional invesgaon into:
Obtaining grants / scholarships from sources outside the instuon. Consult websites of associa-
ons within your area of study, use resources such at “Grant Forward” to locate opportunies and
monies available that apply to your study or to you as an individual (based on race, gender, etc.)
Locang a part-me job in the community in which you are studying.
Applying for loans through banks (be wise about interest rates and the amount of debt you may be
incurring both from your Smith and graduate school loans.
Websites which may be useful to you include:
AccessGroup, FastWeb, FinAid, or US Department of Educaon.