Prepping for Graduate School

Prepping for

Graduate School

Story by Jazmine McQuerry | Design & Illustration by Sara Roach

It is your senior year, and you finally hit submit on that final that you forced yourself to stay awake typing. A sweet sigh of relief overcomes your body. You are one step closer to holding that bachelor's degree in your hands. Now is the time that you might wonder what comes next, and realize your path would benefit from advancing your education even further. But where do you begin? Starting the application process and mentally preparing for graduate school can be intimidating, but help is on the way.

Build a Support System

Professors, advisers and other faculty members can offer you their knowledge and support to help you carve a path to academic success. According to Justine Eason, CWU graduate student associate adviser, speaking to a faculty member along with the graduate school office is a good first step.

Graduate school is challenging enough on its own, so do not go through the process alone. According to CWU English professor Maya Zeller, it is common to not understand there are resources available.

“Be sure to ask mentors about ways to find a good program for you. There are databases that exist for this purpose, in each field. Your professors care and can help you,” Zeller says.

Eason says one of your current professors might have connections at the school of interest, and recommends asking to be put in contact.

Not only can your mentors become high-quality recommendation providers, but they can also help further your network. Building a network that reaches someone in your graduate program of choice can potentially create an advantage for you over other applicants. Certain graduate programs are competitive and only admit a limited number of applicants, so it is important to utilize every asset.

Understand Admission Eligibility

It is crucial to research admission requirements well in advance. Certain programs require standardized test scores, such as the GRE test or the GMAT. Grade point average and letters of recommendations are also commonly used in consideration of graduate school admission. Along with the seriousness of application deadlines, it is important to consider these factors and plan ahead long before you begin the application process.

A statement of purpose is also a common requirement in graduate school applications.

“Make sure you include your goals, what you have been currently doing, why you are the best candidate, etc.,” Eason says. “If you have subpar grades and there’s a reason for it, I would touch on this in your statement.”

Research Funding Opportunities

Figuring out how to afford graduate school can be stressful, but with the right preparation you may be able to find alternative methods to fund your education. In fact, most graduate programs offer some form of assistantship. An assistantship, Eason says, is when a student works for a department, doing jobs such as research, teaching or acting as staff, and receives a stipend for it.

From her experience, Zeller says she was not able receive an assistantship during her first year of graduate school.

“I think had I understood how to apply for one, I would have had a better shot at it,” she says.

Researching potential funding opportunities and learning more about the application process from the beginning will improve your graduate school experience by allowing you to lessen the amount of loans you take out.