7 Steps to Choosing a Graduate School That's Right for You

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Choosing a graduate school that's a good fit for you means finding a program and place where you will be happy during the next two to seven years of your life while you complete your advanced degree.

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Take your time when researching graduate schools - Allow yourself enough time to research this big life decision. Plan on six to ten months of research and exploration to find the schools to which you will apply for admission.

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Get in touch with the admissions team - Think of one question you haven’t been able to find on the schools’ websites and call the admissions office to ask that question. Use the same question for all of your finalist schools.

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Prioritize what matters most to you about grad school - Thoughtfully rank the importance of each of the criteria you're using to make your decision. Come up with five to seven rank criteria and use them to rate the 15 schools that you have listed for consideration.

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Check to see if your school of interest offers graduate assistantships - If pursuing a graduate school that offers positions for graduate assistants, be sure to inquire as to whether graduate students typically find a graduate assistantship related to their field of study.

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Ask about financial aid opportunities - There are plenty of financial aid options for graduate students, so be sure to check with your school of interest to see what your options will be for financing graduate school.

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Making visiting graduate schools a strategy - Make sure you ask to speak with faculty whose research interests you. Ask for time to meet with current graduate students in the program and have candid questions prepared to ask them about their level of satisfaction there.

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Don't limit yourself to one or two graduate schools - Don’t just focus on schools highly ranked in the program you have chosen. You can have those schools on your list, but don’t limit yourself to them.

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