| duate School Search Process | | | | your initial objectives. Select the top three or four |
| Once you are close to achieving your | | | | programs that best match your graduate school |
| undergraduate degree, it's time to begin a | | | | preferences. |
| graduate school search to lead you to the next | | | | Contact existing students — Now that you |
| level of your education. Of course, with degree | | | | have a smaller pool of options, consider contacting |
| completion activities taking most of your time,you | | | | current students participating in the program you |
| may find it difficult to launch a comprehensive | | | | wish to join. Most schools will be happy to put you |
| graduate school search that will net you the best | | | | in contact with a student who can answer your |
| options for pursuing your career. Knowing how to | | | | questions about the program’s courses, |
| establish your parameters and search efficiently | | | | instructors and overall value. |
| can make the process easier and will lead to | | | | Visit the campus — Along with making |
| better results in a shorter period of time. | | | | telephone or internet contact with the schools |
| Graduate School Search Made Easy | | | | you are considering, your graduate school search |
| Know your objectives — The first step to | | | | should include a trip to the campus itself. Unless |
| finding the right program through a graduate | | | | you are considering the prospect of online or |
| school search is to write down exactly what you | | | | distance learning, getting a feel for the physical |
| want from a graduate program. Location, | | | | environment can play an important role in your |
| internship eligibilities, highly regarded instructors | | | | final decision. |
| — decide which factors are most | | | | Re-evaluate your choices — Once your |
| important and create a list of priorities. | | | | have a more personal view of each graduate |
| Consult an online graduate school search guide | | | | program, take a minute to compare your field of |
| — Before you can narrow down your | | | | choices once more. Now that you have additional |
| selection, you’ll want to get as much | | | | information, it may be possible to eliminate some |
| information as possible on many diverse graduate | | | | of the programs from your graduate school |
| programs. Using an online search program can help | | | | search. If you have a clear front-runner, it may |
| you to get a lot of information in a short amount | | | | be that you have already found the school of |
| of time. Request information packages from at | | | | your choice. |
| least 10 different programs to provide a variety | | | | Sleep on it awhile — Whether or not you |
| of options. Further research may provide some | | | | believe you have found the right graduate school |
| opportunities that you wouldn’t have been | | | | program, take a little time before making your |
| aware of prior to your graduate school search. | | | | final decision. Choosing a school will affect your life |
| Narrow your options — Once you have | | | | significantly and you don’t want to be |
| obtained the information from the various schools | | | | impulsive about it. If, after a week or so, you still |
| you contacted via the graduate school search | | | | feel confident in your choice, your graduate school |
| guide, you can perform a comparison based on | | | | search has ended! |