Research Graduate Schools

Deciding to Attend

Choosing to go to graduate school is a major life decision, so it's important to make sure that you're pursuing graduate school for the right reasons.

If you're considering graduate school, ask yourself some of these questions:

• What do I want to accomplish in my lifetime?
• What are my long and short-range professional goals?
• Is graduate study necessary for me to achieve these goals, or will it make me more competitive on the job market?
  • Consult the Occupational Outlook Handbook to get a better idea of the educational requirements and expected earnings in your career.
  • Interview a variety of people who are doing the kind of work you want to do, and see what their different paths were.
  • Look for recent articles on that career or type of work to see if there have been changes
  • Look at Job Ads for the kind of work you want to do - what do they list as requirements?  Check with a librarian to find out where such ads would be.
• Am I willing to invest the time and money to take on another academic program?
• Do I have the interest and ability to be successful in a graduate program?
• By going to graduate school, am I simply delaying my career decision-making?

If you see graduate school as a way to delay student loans or getting a "real" job, it will be difficult for you to succeed in graduate school.

You should choose graduate school because you are working toward a goal.

Attending Now or Later

Graduate school applications are normally due the fall or winter before enrolling, which means you'll be applying during the fall and winter terms of your senior year. This can be a particularly hectic time, and you may feel that you need more time to clarify your professional goals. This is normal. 

There are advantages and disadvantages to going straight from undergrad to grad school, just as there are advantages and disadvantages to "taking time off." Ultimately, you need to evaluate your goals to determine which course is right for you.

Things to Keep in Mind when considering Ph.D. programs

• A Ph.D. program can take anywhere from 5 to 12 years
   
• There are more qualified applicants than permanent teaching positions (and contingent faculty often live near the poverty line)
   
• Don't believe that "Mass Retirements in Academia are Coming Soon" - as tenured senior faculty retire, they are often replaced with visiting faculty, lecturers, or adjunct faculty