Three Step Game Plan, Grad School Article

The competition to get into graduate school can be extremely intense, depending on the program you choose. If you have imagined sending off a bunch of applications and having them all rejected, relax. To survive the application process, you'll need to develop an application strategy that safely balances risk and ambition. FIRST STEP: Generate a list of schools for each of the following categories: premier, secondary and tertiary. Premier choices are schools that rank at the top of their field and are the schools you dream about getting in to. Secondary choices are commendable schools that are within reach, providing the competition isn't too fierce. Tertiary choices are schools that you can almost bank on getting in to; they act as "fail-safes" in your decision-making process. Following this format, a hierarchy of appealing schools is created, with those hardest to gain admittance to at the top and those easier to gain admittance to at the bottom. Using this approach allows you to have the best of both worlds-it is possible to shoot for the stars without risking too much. SECOND STEP: After you have generated your list of schools for each of the three categories, you need to analyse your choices to determine if you should spend your time and money applying to them. Examine and judge each school by the following criteria: A. Quality of Education What will your experience at this school be like? What are the class sizes? Is the department you're applying to a leader in the field? What kind of labs do they have? Do members of the faculty share your research interests? Do you have a mentor in mind? B. Reputation If you plan on using your degree to increase your marketability for a specific job market, the reputation of the school's research in your field could be a key factor in your ability to stand out as a candidate with great potential. For example, if you attend a school known for its ground breaking technological research and advancement, then you may be seen as an innovative and technically brilliant contributor to your field. C. Networking Potential Consider how well a school lets you make the type of contacts that you want to make. The more schooling you do, the more likely it is that you'll make connections with leaders in your field. Depending upon the field of study, it may be possible to establish rapport with prominent businesses associated to your program. D. Location Some schools will be more attractive than others because of where they are located. Are you willing to move to pursue your education? Would you prefer to live in the city or in a rural area? Distance education may be an option if you do not want to move and there are no schools nearby or none that offer programs that you are interested in. However, be sure to do some research to determine whether a specific distance education program is for you. Like you would for other schools, consider the quality of education, reputation, opportunities to network and cost. E. Cost Ask yourself the following questions. Can I afford to do this for the next several years? What financial aid is available and what are my chances of securing it? What do I really get for my money? Will this program help to create a brighter financial future? THIRD STEP: Now, using your criteria try to rank your top choices. Keep in mind that there is no perfect solution to doing this - it is completely subjective. The idea is that by examining each of the factors above, you have done a bit of research on the schools and have formed a more educated opinion. Send applications to the top schools in each of the three categories-how many from each depends upon how many schools you are applying to and what you think your chances are of acceptance. Equipped with a strategy and a back up plan, you'll sleep much more soundly and be confident in your decisions.