Guide on Getting Into Grad School
A must-read guide packed with tips, resources, and activities for prospective graduate students
If you’re considering grad school for your future, you are probably asking yourself many questions:
- Is grad school the best option for me right now?
- What are the benefits and challenges?
- What’s the difference between undergrad and grad school?
- Should I seek a master’s degree or doctoral degree?
- How will I fund my time in grad school? How does financial aid work in grad school, and what other kinds of financial support are available?
- Which grad programs should I apply to?
- What’s involved in applying to grad school?
- Who can help me? What resources are available?
- What are some alternatives to grad school?
These are all important questions to consider, and this can feel overwhelming. However, many people and resources, such as this guide, can help you through this process and answer many of your questions.
Because these decisions and your application for graduate school are complex and time-consuming, this guide was prepared to provide critical information and advice. Additionally, this guide contains questions to ask yourself and exercises to help you prepare your application for graduate programs. It can be tempting to skip these exercises, but they are essential and form the foundation of your application and your interactions with faculty. You are strongly encouraged to complete them.
Using this guide and working on these exercises can help you get started in the right direction. However, remember to also seek help from other people: faculty, advisers, grad students, postdocs, peers, and career counselors. Although this guide is meant to be comprehensive, your specific situation can only be addressed by close friends and mentors who know you personally.
As you address multiple decisions, this can be a stressful time period. But it may help to realize that you are not alone and that many others have approached these decisions and have successfully embarked on new adventures. So, remember to find friends to encourage you along your journey. We wish you the best.
Flip through the complete guide.
Note: There is a wide range of possible graduate programs, including those that are research based (where you’ll spend a significant amount of time doing research to produce new knowledge and scholarship, e.g., PhD and some thesis-based master’s programs) and professional programs (e.g., MD, JD, or MBA programs, which are often required to enter into particular professions). This guide focuses on graduate programs that involve a significant amount of research to complete the graduate degree.
Undergraduate vs Graduate (PhD) Programs
The experiences of an undergraduate and graduate student can appear deceptively similar. They are both at an institution of higher education doing coursework and research. However, there are significant differences. Not understanding the depth of these differences can hinder your chances of being admitted and succeeding in grad school.
Undergraduate Programs
You are a student “at institution X”
• The primary focus is on courses and grades.
• Evaluations (i.e., grades) and feedback are relatively frequent.
• Evaluations of academic performance from exams and homework are relatively more objective.
When you apply to a university or college
• Your interests can be very broad.
• You apply to a discipline or major.
• Extracurricular activities are valued.
Graduate (PhD) Programs
You are a student of “Dr. Z” (research adviser) in a department/program at institution X
• The primary focus is on research.
• Evaluations and feedback are much less frequent.
• Faculty evaluations of academic performance are relatively more subjective.
You apply into a specific graduate program
• Your interests need to be much more specific.
• You apply into a specific field within a discipline.
• Extracurricular activities are valued less, unless they demonstrate critical skills related to your field.
Master’s vs Doctoral Programs
While a typical 4-year undergraduate program refers to pursuing a bachelor’s degree (often a BS or BA degree), a graduate program can refer to pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree.
Master’s Programs (MS or MA)
• Master’s programs usually last about 2 years, but there are shorter and longer programs, with the range usually between 1 and 3 years.
• Master’s programs usually provide much less financial support.
• All master’s programs require coursework, and only some require research that leads to a thesis (a write-up of your research).
• Requirements for master’s programs are usually less than those for doctoral programs.
Doctoral Programs (PhD)
• Doctoral programs have a wide range of typical lengths, from 4 to 8 years. The length of the program is very specific to the field.
• Doctoral programs usually provide some financial support.
• In some doctoral programs (e.g., some engineering programs), you earn a master’s degree before earning a PhD. But in many other programs, the master’s degree is not required before pursuing a PhD.
• All doctoral programs require research that leads to a dissertation (a write-up of multiple years of research, longer than a master’s thesis).
• For some doctoral programs, if you are not able to complete all of the requirements, you might be allowed to exit with a master’s degree.
Master of Arts (MA) vs Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Degree Programs
An MA program focuses on deep study and analysis of a subject, perhaps culminating in a thesis (some MA programs involve only coursework). On the other hand, an MFA program focuses on the creation of a substantive work of art (such as a painting or sculpture, a piece of literature, or a musical piece). Many MFA degrees are considered terminal degrees, meaning they’re the highest degree that you can earn in that particular field of art.