Handouts and Powerpoints from other schools' career centers
University of Washington-PowerPoint Handouts
Northern Arizona
When Does Graduate School Make Sense?
Reasons to attend immediately after completing a bachelor’s degree:
• Uninterrupted studies
• Still in the “student” mode
• Struggling job markets
• Choice of profession requires further education
Reasons to work before pursuing a master’s degree:
• Obtain good position after completing bachelor’s degree
• Career change
• Master’s/doctorate degree is necessary to advance professionally
• Practical, hands-on experience makes for more serious, interested students
• Establish solid work experience first
• Employer may provide tuition assistance
Technology in the field is changing and skills/knowledge needs to be update
Graduate School Timeline
Timeline may be longer for certain majors/degrees – start early and gather accurate information!
Six months before applying:
• Research areas of interest, institutions, and programs.
• Register and prepare for appropriate graduate admission tests.
• Investigate financial aid options.
Three months prior to applying:
• Take required admissions exams.
• Contact schools of interest for application materials.
• Verify application deadlines and rolling admissions policies.
• For medical, dental, osteopathy, podiatry, or law school, you may
be required to register for the national application or data assembly
service most programs use.
Fall (one year before starting):
• Obtain letters of recommendation.
• Retake graduate admission tests as needed.
• Send completed applications.
Winter (before starting in the fall)
• Complete financial aid paperwork.
Spring (before starting classes in the fall):
• Verify that your application file is complete.
• Visit institutions that accept you.
• Decline acceptance at other institutions that accepted you so
they can admit students on their waiting list.
• Send thank-you notes to anyone who assisted you with this process.
Presented with permission from Peterson’s by Virtual Ink Press
Graduate School in your Future?
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