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Staff Blog

Disclaimer: The entries contained within the Staff Blog should not be construed as advice; it is merely for information purposes and reflects the opinions, approaches, research, and experiences of individual staff members. Students are encouraged to attend Drop-in Advising to discuss their situation with a career advisor.

Preparing for graduate school: some tips

October 02 2009; revised on October 02 2009
Posted by Ilsa May, Graduate Assistant

So you're thinking of applying to graduate school or a professional program? Navigating through the numerous post-grad programs out there can be a very time consuming process. The goal of a graduate or professional program is to prepare you in a specialized and advanced field of study. When I graduated from college several years ago, I knew that I would return to school in some form within a few years. What I didn't know is what specialty I wanted to seek out; I considered MBA (Master of Business Administration) and MPH (Master of Public Health) programs, law school and higher education administration. I could see myself being successful in all of these areas, but what it really came down to is which program I felt the most interested in and passionate about.

Reflecting upon your reasons for going back to school and how you hope to grow personally and professionally are two very important factors when choosing a program. One resource that may be useful in searching out your personal and professional values and interests is MyPlan, which contains a series of free assessments to help you clarify these aspects. Many of the specialty areas I explored came up quite high on the list within these assessments. No assessment is a "crystal ball," revealing your true passion and future, but what it can do is facilitate a process of reflection of who you are and give you potential continuing education prospects to research.

There are several resources and tips I have found from my first few weeks working at the Career Development Center and being at IU that I wish I would have known about prior to undertaking the whole graduate school exploration and application process on my own. These include:

1. "Are Graduate Studies Right for You?"
2. Considering Graduate School
3. Preparing for Graduate School
4. On-campus at the Career Development Center:
   1. Drop in Advising for Undergraduates - assistance with researching programs, writing personal statements and financial aid opportunities:
   2. Career Resource Library -- tons of books and resources on graduate program research and preparation

There's no use in "recreating the wheel" when it comes to researching and applying to graduate school. Take advantage of the resources available to you online and on campus to ensure you are comfortable in your decision, passionate about your program and knowledgeable about the application requirements. Good luck!

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