Most college seniors spend their Saturday mornings sleeping in as a result of an eventful Friday evening.  Honestly, I usually find myself doing the same thing.  However, on Saturday, October 3rd of 2015, I eagerly spent that morning NIU Office of Student Engagement and Experiential Learning (OSEEL) Graduate School Prep Fair.  I hadn’t done much research about grad school, but what I learned at this event made me want to get the ball rolling.

 

Dr. Brad Bond, Dean of the NIU Graduate School, and the graduate student panel (pictured above) explained to attendees that most grad school programs are extremely competitive and, on average, only about 10% of applicants get admitted into any single program.  For example, if “XYZ” grad school program gets 380 applications total, only 38 people will be admitted.  I know.  Makes you nervous, doesn’t it?  Dr. Bond also wanted to point out that is it crucial to have at least 9 choices on your potential schools list and to apply at least a year in advance. 

 

My favorite part of this seminar was what I took away from it.  I’d like to share with you the information I found most helpful as it relates to potentially becoming a grad student.

 

• Find a grad program where you can get done in a timely manner.

• Find out if the grad program you are considering is accredited.

• Consider whether or not you will be happy living in the area where your graduate program is located.

 

• Look for a student handbook that will tell you what the curriculum of the grad program looks like!You don’t want to expect classroom lecture only to find out that the program is mostly self-taught.

 

• You will need an advocate during the admissions process.Try to email or set up an appointment with your grad program’s director.It will put a face to your name and will make you memorable when the times comes for them to review application.

 

• Figure out what exams you will need to take for your grad program (GRE, LSAT, MCAT, etc.)

 

• Be organized with due dates, what you’ve already submitted, what letters of recommendation you will need, etc.

 

• Always keep in touch with professors, even if you decide to take a year off before going to grad school.Trust me, you will need at least one of them to write you a letter of recommendation.

 

Finally, I asked about what most people do to pay for grad school.  I learned that most grad students take out loans to finance the pursuit of their advanced degree as grad students are no longer eligible for Pell or MAP Grants.  Graduate assistantships (GA) positions are also highly sought after because they help offset the cost of earning an advanced degree.

Ultimately, the OSEEL Graduate School Prep Fair taught me that grad school is an investment.  Whether you are going straight out of undergrad or going back after getting a year of relevant work experience, you have to look at graduate school like a bank.  You will only get out of it what you put into it.