Finding the right graduate program for you
The first step in looking for a graduate program is to undertake a thorough self-assessment to better understand what you are looking for and what your priorities will be during the search process. If you are unsure about what should be on your priority list, start by reviewing a few program websites and you'll start to notice differences in environment, offerings, and culture. You also can start by thinking about other personal aspects. For example, it may be important for you to stay in the same geographical region, or you may prefer to experience a new region of the country. Maybe you have a very specific research interest and are willing to relocate anywhere to work with the top faculty in your field. Or possibly you have very general interests and you want a program that will allow you to explore the specializations of the discipline before settling on a focus area.
- What are my career goals?
- How important is it to create and design my own research projects?
- What facilities and resources are necessary for me to be successful in research and professional development?
- Can I obtain the money or secure funding to attend graduate school?
- Will I be a full-time or part-time student?
- Can I make agreeable arrangements with my family? Are they willing to relocate?
- How do I want my life to change after completing my degree?
Questions like these may be difficult or impossible to answer right now, but once you know what you are looking for, you can begin to narrow your search. One of the best ways to begin is to talk with your adviser, faculty instructor or another trusted mentor and discuss your plans. Hopefully, your adviser is familiar with your work, interests and situation, and should certainly be knowledgeable about the field of study. A Google search for "chemistry graduate programs" that produces millions of results can only take into account frequency and volume of website hits, but your adviser's recommendations can factor in quality, reputation, and personal fit.
Personal fit is somewhat abstract and can be difficult to put into words, but students who have found a good fit can definitely tell you about their experiences.
One way to interact with potential colleagues and to look for graduate programs is through professional associations and conferences. Look at who is attending, who is presenting, and the research they are talking about. Initiate conversations with graduate students from schools you are considering to find out more about what their programs are really like. Poster sessions, presentations, and meet-and-greets are great opportunities to learn more about potential programs. You also can network directly with the faculty at conferences and discuss your research interests.
If it isn't possible to attend a conference in your field, read journals or other publications in your discipline to find faculty who are doing interesting research. It could also be helpful to check websites of the graduate programs you are interested in for links to current students. Browse current student web pages and don't hesitate to email someone directly.
Other sources to consult while looking for a graduate program may be graduate school directories or guides. These can be helpful in understanding the types of programs that are available, but likely will not be as helpful in answering the question of fit. Whether the publication is online or in print, it is important to note that most include information for all institutions, usually for free. Institutions that advertise receive space to present more details with better placement and have a larger presence. The fact that some schools have a larger advertising budget may not necessarily translate into a program that is a better fit for you. Likewise, graduate school ranking publications, like U.S. News and World Report, may give you some ideas of programs to consider, but just because a school has the #1 program in your general discipline doesn't mean it has faculty members who fit your particular research interests. For this reason, contacting current graduate students and faculty personally may give you the best option for choosing a program that fits you.
From these resources, create a short list of 10 to 20 programs or schools to consider, and begin doing in-depth research. Visit the university's website, as well as the department or program website. Make notes of the size of program, specializations or areas of study, most attractive features of the program, and application requirements and deadlines. Don't forget to look for information about funding. Some programs may have earlier deadlines or additional requirements to qualify for funding opportunities. If you are unfamiliar with the city or state in which the university is located, spend time visiting the chamber of commerce or state websites to learn quick facts about population, diversity, cost of living and other factors that may help you narrow the list of schools you are considering.
Applying to 10 schools is still a lot of work and can get expensive with application fees ranging from $45 to $100 dollars. Start early and talk to your mentors, as well as students and faculty at the institutions you are considering, to continue to eliminate programs. If possible, you could schedule a campus visit, but know that it may be difficult to get much attention from faculty until you have actually applied. Still, these visits can be very useful in assessing the environment of the program, getting a feel for the city and campus, and gathering information in a no-pressure situation.
Finally, when applying to several programs, be sure to tailor your application materials, from personal statements to your letters of recommendation. How you fit into one program will inevitably differ from the next. Reflecting your unique fit in your application materials will give you greater odds of landing on the short list in any discipline, from humanities and fine arts to sciences and engineering.
Tips for taking the GRE
Although not all programs require the GRE, for those that do, it is an important part of the admissions process. According to the GRE website, the GRE revised General Test and Subject Tests are designed to assess academic knowledge and skills relevant to graduate study; specifically, the GRE measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and are not related to any specific field of study. The scores provide common measures for comparing the qualifications of applicants and aid in evaluating grades and recommendations.
Whether you have already taken the test or are preparing to take it for the first time, these tips should assist you in performing to the best of your ability. In addition, the GMAT is very similar to the GRE and the strategies to achieve a good score are the same.
• Register for the exam early, as test centers will often fill up. It takes approximately 10-15 days** for your official scores to be delivered to institutions, so be sure to allow plenty of time for your scores to be received before any application deadlines. We recommend taking the exam at least three months ahead of our application deadline — earlier if you want to allow time to re-take the test.
• Begin your preparation now. Ideally, you should allow at least six months prior to your testing date for preparation. Don't fret if you have less time to prepare than you would like. Make the most of the time you do have by starting your review TODAY.
• Become familiar with the test format and directions as soon as possible. You can save a significant amount of precious test time if you can concentrate on the content of the question and not the directions.
• Practice, practice, practice. One of the best things you can do to boost your self-confidence about taking the GRE is to take it and then take it again (and again!) Whether you take a pen-and-paper practice test, or an online interactive test, it will make a difference in how you approach the real thing. Be sure to time yourself during the practice test so you learn how to pace yourself on each section.
• Take advantage of the FREE resources available to you online and at the library. Test prep doesn't have to cost you thousands of dollars. The GRE website has excellent free sample tests, review materials and testing strategies.
• Brush up on your math skills, vocabulary and writing. The more comfortable you are with the content of the exam, the more confident you'll feel taking it. Again, you can utilize the free resources, or if you need some extra assistance, consider hiring a tutor or taking a test-prep course. You know yourself best, so choose the review method that best matches your learning style.
• Get a good night's sleep. Fatigue can be a big factor in impeding your performance, so plan ahead and be well rested the day of your exam. The three power drinks you might chug before the exam won't last the four hours the exam takes.
• Know the exact location of the testing center. It's one less thing to stress about on the day of the exam and you'll be sure that you're on time for your test appointment.
• Spend extra time on the first few questions. The GRE is a computer-adaptive exam, which means how you answer the questions in each section impacts the next section you are given. If you get the first few questions correct, you are off to great start!
• Finish the exam. You are encouraged to answer every question, so make sure you pace yourself accordingly. If you don't know or are running out of time, it's better to guess than leave the question blank.
• Relax. The GRE exam isn't some kind of voodoo mind probe. It can only reflect to the admissions committee what you show it. So try your best to relax and let your best work shine through.