Thinking About Graduate School? Dr. Barbara Cutter Associate Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs

Why go to graduate school? Intellectual Curiosity Professional Advancement/Development

Should you go to graduate school? Yes, if you… No, if you… Want to learn more within a field Enjoy research/teaching Want to be more competitive in the job market Are interested in a field where a graduate degree is required to practice (i.e law, social work, health care) Are not able or willing to make the commitment Are only interested getting the degree to make more money Are tired of being in school

What if I’m not sure? Wait a year or two – many people do not go to graduate school directly after they graduate. If you decide to wait, ask your professors for letters of recommendation now, and ask them questions about graduate school. Do some research on graduate programs while you wait.

What if I want to change fields? Is It too late? NO! It is never too late to change fields. Do not be afraid to ask professors about this - it is common for people to change fields between their undergraduate and graduate degrees. In some cases it could require additional undergraduate coursework, in others it won’t.

What is graduate school like? It’s not like your undergraduate experience More work, higher expectations More opportunity for research & projects More opportunity to work closely with faculty Fewer classes per semester – more in-depth, focused learning More self-directed: need to be able to set goals and keep working toward them without constant supervision or deadlines.

Different types of programs Masters Programs Research Oriented (MA, MS) Professional (MBA, MSW, PSM, etc.) Research and Professional (MA Public History) Doctoral Programs Research Oriented (PhD) Professional (MD, JD, DVM, etc.) Research and Professional (EdD)

Entrance Exams GRE (Graduate Record Examination) General Test and Subject Tests GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) LSAT (Law School Admission Test) MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) DAT (Dental Admission Test) VCAT (Veterinary College Admission Test) OAT (Optometry Admission Test)

Can’t afford It? Check for fee waivers for entrance exams and application fees! Some professional organizations have fee waiver programs to cover entrance exams and some application fees for law school, medical school, etc. GRE has a fee reduction program FreeApp (multiple schools, including U of Iowa) Many schools have fee waivers: ask about them. See Online Resources handout on Graduate College website for details about fee waiver programs

How many schools should I apply to? To maximize your chances, it is a good idea to apply to at least 6 schools. Make sure you have no more than 2 “aspirational” programs (i.e. very highly competitive programs); and at least 1 “safety” or back-up school on your list.

How to pay for graduate school Need-Based Financial Aid Assistantships/Fellowships/Tuition Waivers - Most common in research-oriented Doctoral programs & some Masters’ programs Employer Tuition Reimbursement Programs Loan Forgiveness Programs (i.e. Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Loan Forgiveness Programs)

Applying to professional programs Professional programs often have very specific requirements. If interested in this type of program, speak with a faculty member in the program. If the program is not offered at UNI, we may still have an advisor you can talk to: i.e. pre-law, pre-med, pre-veterinary advisors

Applying to research-oriented programs: Junior Year Talk to faculty members. Identify 3 faculty members who can write letters of reference for you. Get to know them. Find opportunities for undergraduate research or internships depending on your field. Begin researching schools. Look for scholars who you might work with. Identify a paper to use as a graduate writing sample if needed - work with a professor to improve it.

Applying to Research-Oriented Programs: Senior Year August-September Finalize list of schools to apply to Register to take GRE or other entrance exam Draft personal statement and give to faculty for feedback Ask faculty for letters of recommendation Finalize writing sample (if needed) Prepare for interview (if needed) October-November: submit applications

Asking for letters of recommendation Ask faculty for letters at least one month before they are due. Give letter writers the following: List of programs you are applying to with deadlines Draft of your resume Draft of personal statement Any other required written materials (i.e. writing sample) Follow up in the spring: tell letter writers where you got in to school and where you are planning to go

Applying to UNI (application fee waived for UNI grads!) UNI requires Application for Graduate Study (www.uni.edu/admissions/apply) Transcripts for bachelor’s degree and any post-baccalaureate coursework TOEFL or IELTS if first language is not English Department/Program may require Letters of recommendation Some sort of personal statement Departmental application GRE/GMAT scores Other—contact the department/program of interest! Also ask your department/program about Applying for assistantships & scholarships

2017-2018 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) FAFSA Available for Completion October 1, 2016 Benefit of finding out earlier about aid Parents and students use 2015 tax information to complete FAFSA Learn more about FAFSA at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa

Questions?