Graduate School

Does the career path you’ve chosen typically benefit from further education?

Use the resources below to research this question:

Check job listings to determine positions that interest you. Identifying the type of career you would like to pursue can help you decide if grad school will help you get there.

Once you have identified positions that interest you, research the career on PathwayU.

Things to consider:

• Degree Type & Goals: Determine if you want a research-focused Ph.D. or a professional/industry-focused Master’s.
• Faculty & Research Fit: For Master’s, prioritize curriculum and career outcomes. For Ph.D. programs, check to make sure professors within the program are conducting research that directly aligns with yours, and confirm whether they are taking new students.
• Location & Cost: Evaluate the cost of living and location lifestyle, and research tuition, fellowships, and funding packages. Utilizing the total cost of attendance along with federal loan borrowing limits will give a more holistic view. Some programs are longer than others which can impact your total cost.
• Admissions Competitiveness: Compare your academic profile (GPA, experience, test scores) to the program’s median admitted students.

• Second Year
  • Begin evaluating your career aspirations
  • Explore various graduate school programs
  • Talk to alumni, faculty and current graduate school students
  • Look into school requirements
• Third Year – Fall
  • Continue to explore your career options and possibilities
  • Continue targeted research and information gathering
  • Research information on entrance exam testing  
• Third Year – Spring
  • Prepare for your entrance exam
  • Obtain applications from specific schools you are interested in attending
• Third Year – Summer
  • Take entrance exam now or in fall
  • Begin drafting application essays and your personal statement
• Fourth Year – Fall
  • Meet with school representatives
  • Visit schools
  • Have application essays critiqued
  • Ask for letters of recommendation
  • Conduct a mock interview with the Career Center
  • Submit materials for early decision if applicable
  • Research scholarship, fellowship and assistantship opportunities
  • Complete financial aid documents
  • Submit all application materials to schools
• Fourth Year – Spring
  • Continue visiting schools if possible
  • Ensure your application is submitted by the appropriate school deadline
  • Keep track of acceptances and rejections
  • If you have multiple acceptances, make a final decision on which school you plan to attend
  • Notify the schools that you plan not to attend

Almost all graduate school applications require a statement of purpose. Take advantage of the chance to express your passion for what you’ll be studying, your commitment to your work, your plans for using and applying the knowledge and skills you’ll gain, and your sincere desire to contribute to the program to set yourself apart from other applicants. 

DO: 

• Aim for depth, not breadth. 
• Focus on one or two specific themes and discuss experiences related to them. 
• Concentrate on capturing the reader’s interest in the opening paragraph. 
• Strive to make the essay unique by using concrete examples from your life experience. 
• Select people you trust to read and critique your personal statement. 
• Connect life experiences to your professional goals and career motivation. 
• Articulate career goals clearly. 

DON’T: 

• Write a clichéd introduction or conclusion. 
• Preach to the reader. 
• Be repetitive. 
• Discuss money as a motivating factor. 
• Cram too much information into the essay. 
• Exceed word and/or page limits. 
• Exaggerate your qualifications or experience. 
• Discuss potentially controversial topics (e.g., politics or religion) unless your program of study is directly related to the topic. 
• Include spelling, punctuation, formatting or grammatical errors. 
• Apologize for any preconceived shortcomings: instead, discuss areas in which the program will help you grow. 

• Most graduate schools require an entrance exam as part of the application process. Common exams are the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). For Pre-Health and Pre-Law there are different exams. 

TIPS FOR SUCCESS  

• Research your programs of interest and know what entrance exam is required. 
• Start your exam preparation early. 
• Find a study preparation method that works for you. 
• Register for your exam early. 
• Know how long your exam scores are valid. 
• Ensure that you have all the appropriate materials on test day.  

Most graduate programs will require letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic ability, interest in the field of study, or personal character. 

POTENTIAL RECOMMENDERS 

• Professors/Instructors/Teachers 
• Teaching Assistants  
• Academic Advisors 
• Association Deans 
• Supervisors 

ASKING FOR LETTERS 

Plan ahead! Make an appointment with the letter writer and take with you a brief description of your plans and the degree programs to which you’re applying, as well as copies of your resume and academic transcripts. If you are requesting a recommendation from a professor, also take any papers written for that professor. Usually, you’ll need to ask for recommendation letters in late summer and/or early fall semester of the year in which you are applying to graduate school. Keep track of deadlines and request letters two to three months in advance. 

Provide the recommender with the proper forms and information to submit your letter. Most applications accept recommendations electronically and ask if you agree to waive your rights to view the letter. You should always agree; not doing so may raise suspicion. Once your recommenders have submitted your letter always follow-up with thank-you notes. 

If you intend to go to graduate school but do not plan to apply right away, you should ask for letters from your professors before you leave school so that your letter writers will still remember you and your accomplishments. Use a service like Interfolio to store confidential letters for later use. 

There are many costs associated with graduate school in addition to tuition and fees. You will also need to pay for your health insurance, rent, transportation, utilities, books, food, etc. Some additional costs, such as child care, medical, and dental costs, are not covered by financial aid. Make sure to set aside savings or other resources available for emergencies.

DEBT
If you have debt, either from credit cards or loans (educational, automobile, etc.), aim to pay off as much of this debt as possible before you begin graduate school. You will likely pay more in interest if you defer payments while you are in school. Many options exist for loan repayment to fit each individual’s situation. Try starting with the Personal Finance advising and resources offered by UVA’s Student Financial Services. 

CREDIT SCORE
Most federal aid for graduate school will depend on your current credit status and having bad credit can affect your ability to access funding for school. 

Federal – Federal Student Loan Program: Students can borrow a maximum annual and total amount through the U.S. Department of Education. These monies are unsubsidized, thus interest begins accruing as soon as the loan is taken out.

Institutional – Some schools have established endowed loan programs and offer loans to their students, often with terms more favorable than federal or private loans. 

Private – These loans are usually offered by private financial institutions. They can have higher interest rates and fees and less favorable repayment terms. You can take out private loans to cover costs associated with residency and relocation.  

Be sure to submit your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) the year prior to when you hope to attend graduate school!

Institutional – Many schools award scholarships to students based on criteria such as merit or financial need. A large percentage of schools require you to submit parental financial information on your application in order to be considered for need-based scholarships. 

In some cases, you may need to submit financial aid (scholarship/grant) applications to each individual school to which you’ve applied either during the application process or upon acceptance. Be sure to check each school for the appropriate process!

External Scholarships – Utilize free scholarship search engines that are available online to find other opportunities offered by private groups. Be wary of services that cost money or guarantee scholarship awards. Some credible and free search engines are: 

FastWeb Scholarship Search: Create a personal profile and search for scholarships that match your background. 
College Board Scholarship Database: A free tool that requires creating a College Board account.