Graduate School Planning

What does Graduate School involve?

First of all, it depends on what type of degree you are looking to pursue and what your long-term career goals are. It involves specialized knowledge and in-depth study in one area. Remember that all programs will be different, but in general, they all involve extensive reading, writing, presentations, and research. Graduate study at the Ph.D. level is also different from that at the Master’s level. For example, a Master’s degree is limited in scope and requires a much shorter time.

Is Graduate School right for you?

The only person who can answer this question is YOU! You need to consider all of your options and take a serious look at what it means to go to graduate school in order to answer this question. A good place to start is with your MOTIVATION for going to graduate school. Ask yourself lots of questions like:

Are you considering graduate school because you really don’t know what you want to do and you just want to postpone a job search?
What are your career goals?
Do you need a graduate-level degree to get where you want to be?
What are your employment opportunities?
Will you attend on a full-time or part-time basis?
Might your employer assist with finances?

How do I find the right school?

Remember that graduate and professional programs are very specific in focus. It is essential that you know what field of study you are interested in. What do you expect from your program?

Although your main goal is to be in the right academic program, it is important to consider the location of the program. For example, do you want to live in a big or small city?

Know how much financial assistance you are going to need and where you can look for assistance.

Check out what resources are available at the school with respect to your major, i.e. library and lab facilities.

Don’t forget to ask trusted and knowledgeable faculty who know you and your objectives to make recommendations! Click here to view some of the recent graduate schools attended by UMaine Machias graduates.

At Princeton Review online you can:

research graduate schools
take a free practice GRE/GMAT
apply to graduate schools
learn about the financial aid process

Visit Peterson’s online for information on searching for graduate programs, including distance-learning programs. Here you will find additional information on:

getting started
preparing for tests
paying for school

Or….if you are thinking about graduate school in a biological field, you can visit:

Masters in Education Guide offers a comprehensive guide to graduate programs in education.

Business Degree Online for both online and campus-based business degree programs.

MyGraduateSchool.com offers the latest advice on how to apply to graduate school successfully, both in the arts and sciences, and includes regularly updated articles on the application process, interviews with graduate program directors, and more tips straight from the experts.

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