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Your sophomore year of school is the time to start thinking about graduate or professional schools. This year may seem overwhelming and crazy; a lot of you may be worrying about declaring the right major or finishing your core requirements. The Sophomore Year, however, is when you should begin to explore your options about graduate and professional school. Graduation is still 2 years away but making the right decision about your post-graduation education begins now. There are several things you should consider before committing to graduate or professional school.
Use the 5 W’s – Why, What, When, Where & Who – to help make the right decision about graduate school.
Why:
- Some professions require advance degrees.
- Consider
- Financing school
- Different degree programs like M.A., Ph.D., or J.D.
- Areas of study
- Fields of research
- What you want to accomplish through more school
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USC Career Center's Graduate School Resources
The Career Center at the University of South Carolina has many different resources to help you decide what graduate school would be best for you. Check out their website for more information. |
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What:
- Same field as your undergraduate work?
- Something completely different?
- A program that spans a broader range may be the best option if you have not decided on a career path.
- Check into statistics about:
- How many people with that degree are in the same field
- The average or median salary/earnings for people with that same degree
- Job outlook for that particular program
- How saturated the field is
- If it geographically isolated or popular in particular areas
- Student Engagement Plan
- Evaluate how your curricular and co-curricular activities connect
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When:
- Graduation is still a few years away but there are many steps to being accepted to a graduate program.
- The first step to getting into a graduate program is taking the appropriate standardized test such as GMAT, GRE and MAT.
- Check for application and document deadlines.
- Some schools may require additional information aside from your application like a personal statement, portfolio, and letters of recommendation.
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Office of Pre-Professional Advising
If you are looking into Pre-Law, Pre-Med, and Pre-Health professions, the Office of Pre-Professional advising will help your prepare for the complex application process to professional school. Visit their website for more information. |
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Where:
- Gather information from several universities.
- Make a list of pros and cons for each program.
- Include spaces for financial aid packages, assistantships, number of students enrolled, location, weather, tuition and fees, housing, campus resources.
- Plan a visit to each place to get a better idea of the campus culture and facilities.
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Who:
- While visiting a prospective campus
- Take time to schedule meetings with the faculty and staff in the department.
- Make sure that you feel comfortable with the faculty.
- Keep in mind their goals for the program and what you hope to gain from your graduate education.
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The links below include some great resources about common graduate and professional schools entrance exams, checklists about financing grad school and sample personal statements. |
Graduate and Professional Schools Entrance Exam Information:
Personal Statement Examples:
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