About Graduate School

End of the Semester Wrap Up

2009-12-21T14:35:08Z

As we prepare for the holidays most of us happily close our books (or perhaps throw them out!) when the Fall semester ends. Don't chuck that material so quickly. Take a moment or two from holiday preparations to consider your course work this past semester - and what to with your class materials before the class fades from your memory.

End of the Semester Wrap Up originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 14:35:08.

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Is Business School for You?

2009-12-18T06:38:08Z

The MBA is a popular degree that offers opportunities to advance your knowledge but also to advance your career. That said, an MBA is not for everyone. Is it right for you?

Is Business School for You? originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 06:38:08.

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All About Recommendation Letters

2009-12-17T05:28:09Z

What I first considered applying to graduate school, I was confused and nervous about the part of the application referred to as "letters of recommendation." What are such letters? Who writes them? I'm not the only one to wonder and worry. Here's what you need to know about the letter of recommendation.

All About Recommendation Letters originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 05:28:09.

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How Do You Choose Faculty to Sit on Your Dissertation Committee?

2009-12-12T09:27:15Z

The thesis or dissertation is the culmination of your career as a graduate student. As with all other aspects of the graduate school process, your success is influenced by your relationships with faculty. Your thesis or dissertation committee supervises and evaluates your work -- and determines if your work qualifies you to receive your master's or doctoral degree. Take care in choosing your committee. Follow these guidelines.

How Do You Choose Faculty to Sit on Your Dissertation Committee? originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 09:27:15.

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How Do You Compile and Present Your Application?

2009-12-10T09:21:53Z

You're application is complete. Its huge! Forms, essays, financial aid, etc. How do you organize and present this material? Do you just stuff it into an envelope and hope for the best?

How Do You Compile and Present Your Application? originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 09:21:53.

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Is the GRE Really Necessary?

2009-12-07T15:55:07Z

Recently I received an email from a prospective applicant: "I'm doing very well in school - all A's and I would like to go to graduate school to obtain a doctorate in psychology. The problem is that I recently took the GRE and scored poorly. What are my options? Is there another way into grad school other than doing well on this test?"

Simply put: If you want to pursue graduate study at the doctoral level, you will have to take the GRE. Nearly all graduate programs - especially doctoral programs - in all fields require it of all applicants. If you search long and hard you might find a program that doesn't require the GRE but such a finding is highly unusual - so unusual that I would take a very close look at the program.

So - the GRE is a necessary evil. What can you do to improve? Follow some basic steps to prepare for the GRE, including learning about the test, taking practice tests, and considering a course. Get a GRE prep book. It may be boring and hard work, but plowing through a test prep book - and doing all of the exercises - will improve your score. When it comes time to take the test remember to guess strategically. Finally, as a last resort, know that you can cancel your score before submitting your test.

Is the GRE Really Necessary? originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 15:55:07.

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Where to Apply?

2009-12-04T06:54:51Z

Applying to graduate school entails a series of tough decisions -- decisions about who to ask for letters of recommendation, what to include in your admissions essay, when to take the GRE, and how to prepare for a graduate school interview. The very first decision, however, is where to apply. Your choices of where to submit applications will determine your graduate school career -- and your entire professional career. Take time to ensure that you choose programs that are appropriate to your needs and goals.

Where to Apply? originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 06:54:51.

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Simple Steps to Master Your Use of Time

2009-12-01T06:37:36Z

We never have enough time, but for most of us, this time of year is particularly time crunched. The end of the semester is hurtling towards us - with holidays on its tail. Time management is more important than ever now.

Simple Steps to Master Your Use of Time originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 06:37:36.

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Which Paper Should I Write Next?

2009-11-30T06:11:43Z

At this time in the semester many students find that they have too much to do and not enough time to do it. It's a question of time management: You have a limited amount of time and must determine how to allocate it to get the most bang for your buck. Here's one approach to help you figure out what to do next and what to put off

List all of your papers and assignments, with due dates.
Determine the relative weight of each paper on your final grade.
Determine the amount of time and effort required to complete each paper.
Determine the relative importance of each of your classes. For example, is the class required or a prerequisite?
How much time do you have?
List the paper assignments in order of importance. Weigh papers for your important classes more heavily than those for your less important classes. Weigh papers that are worth a greater proportion of your grade more heavily than those that are worth less.

Now come the tough decisions. Is it better to spend a lot of time one paper that is worth 40% of your grade as compared with two papers for two different classes that are worth 25% of your grade? Look at your performance throughout the semester in order to answer this question.

Generally speaking, allocate more time on papers that are worth a large proportion of your grade, in classes that are important, and in classes in which you are not performing well.

Which Paper Should I Write Next? originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 06:11:43.

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Your Transcript: Your Grad School Application Goes Nowhere Without It!

2009-11-27T06:12:12Z

Applicants to graduate school sometimes become so concerned about the more challenging aspects of the application, like recommendation letters and admissions essays, that they forget the easy stuff, like transcripts. Transcripts usually must be sent directly from the registrar's office at your school to the admissions office at the program to which you're applying. Request transcripts early because your school may take a week or more to process them. You don't want your application to be rejected because your transcripts didn't arrive on time.

Your Transcript: Your Grad School Application Goes Nowhere Without It! originally appeared on About.com Graduate School on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 06:12:12.

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