During your course of study as an undergraduate you probably aren't going to be advised on the steps that you need to take now to gain admission to the graduate school of your choice. There are many steps involved in going to graduate school like choosing a graduate program and applying to the program you choose, but is there a way that you can get into the program that you actually want to get into? While there are no guarantees, there are steps that you can take now to tip the odds in your favor.
Do not wait until the last minute to start preparing for graduate school. It is best if you start your freshman year and then carry out your plan through to graduation. The earlier you start, the more time you have to maximize your graduate school program opportunities.
Course of Study & Your GPA
Since graduate programs challenge their students, graduate programs seek out students that are up for the challenge. This means that you should take some challenging courses during your undergraduate education. This also means that you need to do well in these classes in order to keep up your GPA. A high GPA is important because most graduate schools use it as one of the main factors for admission to their program.
Learn the Ins & Outs of Research
Graduate school is generally all about research. If you are planning to go to graduate school, learn now how collect data, enter data, and understand data. This will become valuable knowledge to have for your undergraduate experience and will prepare you for your graduate experience. One way that you can gain documented experience in research is with a part-time job on-campus or working for your university. The experience that you gain from a paid or unpaid position will show the graduate school of your choice that you have a thorough knowledge base and understanding of research methods.
Network
It's not all about what you know. It is also about who you know. Networking involves getting to know the right people at the right time. Starting with you first year of college introduce yourself to professors involved in research in your area of interest. Ask them about their research. Inquire if they hire students to help them with their research. This may be one way that you can obtain research experience and it may even lead to a recommendation for graduate school by your professor.
You can also network by attending special events and actively participating in activities that are offered on campus, particularly those in your area of interest. The people you meet and interact with may prove to be important contacts later on when you are applying for graduate school. The more activities that you are involved the more your chance of finding the way to the graduate school of your choice increases.
Leadership Role(s)
It is important that you show graduate schools your ability to lead. By showing leadership in one of your organizations you are showing graduate schools that you are self-motivated, dedicated, and versatile. In addition, attending the meetings of these organizations can be a critical part of your education. You can serve as an officer, chairman of a committee, or plan and organize a particular event or activity to gain leadership experience. It will prove to be an important aspect to your personal, academic, and professional growth.
Test Scores
By the time you reach your junior year of undergrad, you should begin to use practice books and software to start preparing to take your GMAT, GRE, MCAT, DAT or LSAT exam. These are standardized tests that graduate school candidates must take prior to the applying to the schools of their choice. Depending on what type of graduate degree you are pursuing will dictate which exam you must take. Don't sweat. You should only have to take one of the exams listed here. These standardized test scores are equally weighted with your GPA by graduate programs. That is why it is important to start preparing as early as possible to get the highest score that you can possibly obtain on the test.
You can amplify your chances of gaining admission into the graduate school of your choice by taking classes that will broaden your background and challenge you, actively work on a research project, maintaining a high GPA, fostering your relationships with individuals that can help you on your path, and by achieving a high score on one of the graduate school admissions exams. Remember most graduate schools give the same weight to your GPA as they do to your graduate admission exam test score. While the other things you do add to your overall admission application, you must at least score high enough on your exam and maintain a high enough GPA to get into the graduate school of your choice.
Review more industry related articles by Kristie Lorette at CareersandEducation.com Kristie Lorette is a CareersandEducation.com feature writer that often covers topics relating to Campus and Online Degree Programs and Career Planning.
Post a Comment