http://bakoheat.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/mortar-board-toss-1.jpg
I am very lucky to teach undergraduates at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Most of my students talk about going to grad school, many as soon as they graduate. I react with horror.
I literally shudder.
If my student and I don’t have time for a long chat, then I tell her that it’s usually best to work first — make sure that you want to invest your time and money in that industry. When we do have time for a long chat, then I try to talk her through a series of steps (see below).
Grad school seekers, please consider this. I only want the best for you.
A Flowchart for Grad School Seekers
Have you ever held a full-time job?
If NO, go no further. No grad school for you! Go get a job, kiddo.
If YES, proceed…
Have you ever worked in the industry to which your graduate degree would apply?
If NO, go no further. No grad school for you! Work in the industry, mon ami.
If YES, proceed…
Ask people who are working in the industry right now:
1. How do you feel about your job? What’s your favorite thing about your job? What’s your least favorite thing about your job? What advice would you give to someone like me who’s thinking about situating her career in this industry?
2. At what point in my career, if ever, will a graduate degree be necessary?
3. Which graduate schools and/or degree programs, if any, do you recommend?
Look up salary information (go to glassdoor.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, etc)
Create a mock-up budget for your future self based on this salary alone (because you never know if/when a partner will enter or exit your life and if/when s/he will lose a job). Don’t forget to factor in grad school student loan repayment!
Can you happily live on this salary?
If NO, go no further. No grad school for you! Find a different specialty, keemosabee.
If YES, proceed…
Create a short list of grad schools/programs based on professionals’ advice and other priorities (e.g., location, reputation, etc).
Look up these grad schools’ requirements (e.g., pre-requisite courses, deadlines, GRE, TOEFL, residency requirements, letters of recommendation, transcripts, essay questions, interviews, Open Houses, Visit Days, etc)
Can you apply to grad school at this time?
If NO, go no further. No grad school for you! Knock out some of those pre-reqs, slugger, and prepare for next year (or down the line).
If YES, proceed…
Look up the following:
a. Various grad schools’ curricula (e.g., science vs. humanities courses, concentrations, applied practicums, average time to degree, average course load per semester, etc)
b. Various grad schools’ faculty members’ profiles (e.g., the nature of their research, their specific publications, the foci of their labs, the courses they teach, etc)
c. Various grad schools’ students’ profiles (e.g., their academic and professional backgrounds, their interests, their in-school activities (e.g., publications, committees, clubs, jobs), etc)
Can you see yourself happily engaging in any of these schools’ communities?
If NO, go no further. Find a different set of schools and repeat this process. If the answer keeps coming up NO, ask yourself why…
If YES, proceed…
Via email, introduce yourself to the professors and students whose profiles distinguished them as potential mentors and friends, respectively.
a. To the professors, indicate your interest in working with them and ask if they have any room on their team.
b. To the students, indicate your interest in learning about their graduate school experience and offer schedule flexibility + gratitude.
Do the scholars’ replies both excite you and confirm your suitability for the program?
If NO, go no further. Find a different set of schools and repeat this process. If the answer keeps coming up NO, ask yourself why…
If YES, apply!
I wish you good luck and encourage you to stay strong and true to yourself. Grad school can be a phenomenal investment. I’m thrilled that you’re taking this seriously and are setting yourself up for success.