Prepare for Graduate School

Freshman Year

Self-discovery

  • Explore your interests and abilities.
  • Visit with your academic support system, including advisors, counselors, professors, and other graduate students.
  • Develop effective study habits and time-management skills.
  • Attend workshops, tutorials, guest speaker events and campus presentations.
  • Establish a GPA of at least 3.0.

Sophomore Year

Assess your options

  • Define and establish your personal, life, and career goals.
  • Meet and talk with contacts in your chosen area.
  • Identify potential mentoring relationships with professors and other graduate students.
  • Conduct independent research with a professor.
  • Attend graduate and professional school fairs and research presentations.

Junior Year

Commit and prepare

  • Continue to define and reestablish personal, life, and career goals.
  • Strengthen mentoring relationships.
  • Discuss your interests with professors, peers, and other individuals in your interest area.
  • Explore different types of graduate programs.
  • Visit campuses and departments when possible.
  • Research standardized tests, test dates and required fees.
  • Participate in a summer research internship or other experience opportunities.

Senior Year

Select and apply

  • Take standardized tests (GRE, MCAT, LSAT, etc.) if necessary.
  • Apply early. Electronic applications are standard for most programs and universities.
  • Ask about deadlines and other important dates.
  • Stay organized.
  • To stay ahead of the time- and labor-intensive process of applying: build an organizational system to keep each of your applications together.
  • Initiate and maintain funding opportunities, like RAs, TAs, GAs, scholarships, grants, etc.
  • Apply for financial aid (FAFSA) and other external funding opportunities.