Career Goals and Personal Interests - Consider whether or not the program will help you advance in your career.
Program Qualifications and Requirements - You’ll also want to know exactly what requirements you’ll need to meet to graduate.
Range of options - Having a range of options when applying can also be beneficial in providing you with greater choices later on in the process.
Resources for Support - Reach out to the individual graduate schools for more information about resources such as internship and research opportunities.
Location and Cost of Living - Be sure to verify whether there is a residency requirement and, if there is, whether you will realistically be able to complete it.
Tuition and Financial Aid Options - Graduate school is a hefty investment, so take your time to understand the full cost of the program and how it fits into your budget.
Social Environment - Look up the demographics of the graduate student population, faculty members, and administration, which can often be found on school websites.
Speaking with Current Graduate Students - Speaking with current graduate students or alumni is also an opportunity to find out what kind of student each particular graduate school or program needs to attract.