7 Questions to ask Yourself Before Applying to Graduate School

Choosing which graduate school and program you want to join can be a daunting task. Personally, I did not want to be too far away from my family and friends, and I needed to be with a professor who works on the same topic as me. That lead me to my current school which I love, along with the city and my lab group! For you to decide if, where, when, why, and how to choose graduate schools here are some questions you should ask yourself.

1. Do I need/want to go to graduate school? Why?

For many students, graduate school is not necessarily needed to be successful in their field. If that is your case, ask yourself do you need/want to go to graduate school. As a current PhD student, grad school is not for the faint of heart. It is a lot of work and can cause bouts of burnout if you cannot balance school and life. If you know and want to commit to more schooling go for it, but if you are still on the fence then continue to ask yourself these questions.

2. If I go, do I need to go now or should I wait?

Going straight from undergraduate into graduate school can be an easier transition but can cause MAJOR burnout. I finished my undergrad in May of 2020 at home in my childhood bedroom. It was not the way I wanted it to end but the one silver lining was that I had about 5 months to relax before going into grad school. This allowed me to be motivated and energized by the time I started.

If you prefer to start working or take a gap year do it! You only live once and don't forget that graduate school will always be there when you are ready! P.S. If you want some travel ideas check out the other posts on this blog ;)

3. What will I study in grad school and who with?

Before deciding on where in the world to go, decide first what you want to study. Start with the major and then from there find a general topic you would want to research more. You do not need to know what your thesis will be yet but learn more about the topic and see what you could research!

For sciences like physics, biology, atmospheric science, chemistry, etc., and other majors like history or English where you want to work with a specific professor on a specific topic contacting the person beforehand will be essential to get into your school. This is typically done by email which will be a later blog post!

4. Where would I want to be?

It's all about location, location, location! Now that you have decided on your topic, look into schools and professors that you may apply to, and research each city. While a college town may be ideal for undergrad, you may want to be in a larger city for graduate school or vice versa.

5. What is the timeline for graduate school?

Would you like to pursue your Master's, PhD, MD, JD, etc? All these degrees have different timelines, and each has its own difficulties. Deciding on which degree will let you begin to mentally plan for the future. For example, since I am pursuing my PhD I have the luxury of taking my time when it comes to figuring out what job I want. If you go for your Master's you will have a much shorter length of time to decide what you to do.

6. How much will this cost?

Here is a not-so-fun question. Cost can turn many away from graduate school but it does not have to! For science majors, ask your prospective professors if they have funding for a graduate student. You may be able to receive a teaching or research assistantship that could pay for tuition and a stipend. 

Also look into scholarships, fellowships, and grants that may be available. You may be surprised at how many options there are.

7. What are my plans for after graduate school?

This can be the scariest question of them all, one that I am still figuring out as well! Now that you are going to graduate school, learn more about careers you could have with your degree. Ask your advisor about careers and they may be able to point you toward internships or opportunities that excite you! You do not need to always know your plan but keep it in the back of your head as you progress and by the end, you will know!

Trust your gut and good luck!!