To go to graduate school or to not go to graduate school, that is the question. Whether you have already created a spreadsheet of programs or you are still undecided if graduate school is right for you, there is a lot to keep in mind when thinking about continuing education. As I am in my last year of my master’s program and thinking about continuing my education in a PhD program, I have thought about the many things that were helpful to me during my graduate school career and things I wish I would have known before coming into my program. There are a lot of things I think people who are interested in graduate school should know and ask when making their choice. In general, though, it’s important to understand that graduate programs vary and a lot of this can be based on personal experience.
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The first thing that I always mention to people when they applaud me for continuing my education, but tell me that they could not handle more schooling, I validate their feelings. Graduate school is not for the weak. No one should go to graduate school for trivial reasons like not knowing what they would do outside of school. It is important that your choice to go to graduate school is because you feel it will be an improvement to your academic and professional life.
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That leads me to my next piece of advice, do your research on prospective jobs for the program. Meaning, understand where graduates of the program end up. Again, if the program and its outcomes do not align with your personal goals and lifestyle, then graduate school isn’t for you. It’s important to understand the purpose of the program and how the content will aid you in future endeavors. My other advice connected to this is be creative with the program you choose. Find programs that will truly align with your academic and career goals, which means that look at programs that might not be identical to your undergraduate experience.
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Additionally, it’s important that you understand the program environment and expectations. In my experience, graduate school feels more like professional and academic mentorship rather than being a student. There are higher expectations to be committed to the program and your field and being an active professional in the field. It’s important to understand the workload and expectations for work/life balance; specifically, any research, teaching, and academic workloads and requirements. Researching faculty specialties and research is also a great way to understand the program environment. When you have knowledge about the program faculty and their interests/background, then you can get a picture of the program as well. There are some logistical things that should be understood about graduate school too. It’s important to research and understand how funding, waivers, payment, and fees that you are responsible for on the program and university level. This will help you know what schools are the best for your financial situation and the compensation you will get as well. Finally, it’s important to understand how long it will take you to finish the degree. Again, in graduate school, you have to have a strong level of commitment to the field, your research, and your program; therefore, you should understand if you are up for the challenge for however many years the program is.
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For my final set of tips, it is important to reflect on your personality. First, understand who goes through the program and if you would work well with them. For example, do you share the same values and goals? Second, look at social life on campus and in the program. It’s important to be able to connect with other people in and out of your program, including staff and faculty. Find social groups that not only align with your academics, but also some that align with your hobbies or things you like to do for fun. Additionally, look into representation and diversity in the program. This can mean a lot of things, but I think it’s important for students and staff to come from various backgrounds and experiences. Third, think about your temperament and how that will influence your experiences during graduate school. For me, the transition from undergraduate to graduate was smooth because I participated in an accelerated program. Although, if you have trouble adjusting to new environments, then maybe take that into account when picking a program or school. Finally, I think one of my biggest pieces of advice is to know what is going to keep you going. Get a hobby. Figure out how you’re going to make it through your degree. It may seem silly, but things get really hard, and you need things that will keep you grounded and that keep you from sinking into your schoolwork.
Overall, I love graduate school. I love it more than being an undergraduate student, and it has been such a great experience for me. However, it is important to know what you’re signing up for. Graduate school is a commitment, so you have to be prepared for the experience. By being prepared, and doing all the research that you can, you’ll have a great graduate school experience.