Day 6 of the Career Champions Challenge
Welcome to Day 6 of the Career Champions Challenge! Today’s topic is on Graduate School.
Faculty and staff are invaluable resources in helping students learn if graduate school is the right fit. From aiding in the graduate school search, to helping with required application materials, we are here to help UAlbany students navigate the process.
Graduate School Search and Exploration
There’s no question for those students who want to practice law or medicine; graduate school is necessary. However, we also encounter many students who are unsure if graduate school is the right next step in their education and career journey. Some students have assumptions about going to graduate school that we try to demystify. Asking the following questions can identify some of these incorrect assumptions:
- Does the career they want require a higher-level degree?
- Do they understand the timeline to apply?
- How do they benefit by earning a graduate degree?
- What are their motivations for pursuing a graduate degree?
Students have false beliefs about the necessity of a graduate degree. Some students believe that a graduate degree will guarantee more money or an easier job search. They also have misguided reasons for choosing graduate school, such as the state of the economy or avoiding the job search process. Our goal is to educate and empower students to make informed decisions. Based on students’ answers to the above questions, we encourage the following next steps to gather helpful information:
- Conduct informational interviews with faculty, staff, and current grad students in their interested field or program.
- Research salary and location information for desired career path.
- Speak with people currently in desired field.
- Review sites like the Department of Labor’s O*NET to understand employment trends.
When you assist students in the exploratory phase, it is important to focus on the importance of a strong GPA. It is also important that you encourage them to form relationships with professors in order to have the required reference letters. And they should consider research, extracurricular, volunteer work, and internship experience to bolster their resume.
Research/Application & Timeline
Once a student has confirmed graduate school is in their future, it’s helpful to narrow down programs. Our office utilizes a site called Peterson’s as it does not focus on ranking. Students should consider these factors when finding the right school or program:
- Location
- Cost and availability of financial aid
- Accreditation
- Mode of teaching – on-campus/hybrid/online
To help narrow down the right fit, students are often unaware that graduate schools host open houses and other enrollment events. Visiting campus can help them learn more about a program and decide which school is the best option.
When working with a student on a timeline, the easiest way to get started is to begin at the end. A timeline can be earlier for certain students, particularly those who want to pursue a joint or combined bachelor’s-master’s program. Many students don’t know that these combined programs exist at UAlbany. If a student expresses interest in a combined program, it’s important to encourage them to apply early as the timeline jumps ahead of a typical graduate program. A list of UAlbany combined undergraduate & graduate programs can be found here.
Further timeline considerations and application components that you can discuss with them include the following:
- Preparing for and taking entrance exams
- Requesting letters of recommendation
- Constructing a resume or CV
- Writing a personal statement or statement of goals
- Financial aid/scholarships/fellowships/assistantships
Application materials should showcase a students’ academic ability to do high-level work and the unique skills and abilities they’d bring to the program. It’s also an opportunity to explain any possible application deficiencies – students can discuss a dip in GPA within their personal statement.
Many students want to jump directly into a graduate program post-undergrad due to family expectations or the idea that if they don’t go right away, they’ll never return. However, you can share with your students the potential benefits of taking some gap time. We meet with many students who have not thought through why they really want to go to grad school. Taking time away from school can be helpful to solidify a career path, gain some “real world” experience, and save money. Additionally, more and more employers are offering tuition assistance programs where they help pay for additional schooling.
The Office of Career & Professional Development can help support your students with any of these areas so don’t feel you need to address everything. Please refer them to our office for a “Graduate School” appointment anytime!
Today’s Resources
Graduate School Test Preparation
Graduate School Funding
Other resources
- Peterson’s
- O*Net
- Differential in Starting Salaries Between Bachelor’s and Master’s Grads is Diminishing
To answer today’s quiz successfully, please be sure to do the following:
You need to take all 8 quizzes to receive your certificate of completion. Thank you again for participating in the challenge. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at career@albany.edu.
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