Going Back to School to Earn a Graduate Degree
Process of Enrolling in an Advanced Continuing Education Program
May 15, 2009
Thinking about enrolling in graduate school? Think it maybe time to change careers, earn another credential, make more money, or all of the above. Whatever the reason, there are schools and programs to meet everyone’s needs. Graduate programs can assist in meeting short and long term goals, regardless their complexity.
Once a person decides to enter graduate school, the next step is to determine which schools offer the program. It is time to formulate a plan! Researching schools and developing a continuing education plan are the first steps in the process of determining which school to attend.
All people who enroll in graduate school and successfully complete the program have specific successful habits, which define them. They have the ability to ask hard the questions which must be answered regarding how to pursue a graduate degree and how the degree will benefit their career.
Researching Graduate Schools
Begin by visiting the website of professional organizations associated with the career field. Professional organizations provide recommendations for schools which teach programs aligned with the organization’s standards. These organizations also provide recommendations for schools which are properly accredited. Most professional organizations also define which schools are recommended for specific graduate degrees.
Communicate with colleagues to find out which schools they earned their graduate degrees from or in which they are currently enrolled. This is where networking pays off by finding a school that not only looks good on paper, but it also meets or does not meet expectations. Learning the good, the bad, and the ugly about a school is critical to saving time and money.
Getting and Staying Organized
Create a continuing education action plan to help guide the process from beginning research about programs, to graduation and beyond. The action plan assists in narrowing down choices of programs and schools to attend. The recommended approach is to select at least three schools to attend. Rank the three schools in priority order and apply to all three. There is never a guarantee of acceptance to a school and alternate schools are sometimes necessary.
Ensure the application meets specific requirements stipulated in the submission package. Many people are applying to graduate schools today and incomplete applications are placed in the hold bin for review when complete. The other important point is to meet the application deadline date; one day late eliminates an application from consideration.
Graduate School Entry Testing
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is the standard examination used by most graduate schools. However, some accept the Miller’s Analogy Test (MAT) as a suitable substitute. If the score on the GRE is not high enough, take the MAT. Many people, who do not do well on the GRE, score high on the MAT and vise-a-versa. In case both test scores are low, study and retake the tests until scores meet acceptable range.
If your score is just below the acceptable range on the GRE or MAT, submit the application anyway. At the graduate level, committees are formed to review applications and these committees review an applicant as whole body of work. Many people have been accepted into graduate programs with GRE and MAT scores below the acceptable level.
Letters of Recommendation for Graduate School
Most graduate schools require three letters of recommendation which must be submitted prior to the application deadline. It is highly recommended to only request letters from people who are capable of meeting the submission deadline. Submission of these letters is the responsibility of the applicant and if they are late, the application goes into the hold until complete bin.
Making Connections with a Graduate Degree
Letting continuing education open the door to the next level of a career or a new career field through earning a graduate degree is important for many people. For some career fields the door only opens with a graduate degree – for example doctors, lawyers, teachers with a bachelor degree outside education, librarians, and person financial analysts. A graduate degree requires planning and dedication, along with the desire to succeed.
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