For help determining the best program for you, consider the following:
- Talk to professors about the programs they recommend. Discuss your specific research interests with professors because different schools are known to focus on specific research areas.
- Identify professors whose research interests align with your own and research the programs they work for or the programs they attended. Read their most recent work as research interests do evolve over time.
- Contact students in the program to learn about their satisfaction with the program.
- Visit the university, attend a class in the prospective department, and meet the professors with whom you are interested in working. When you visit, inquire about future schedule of courses to make sure the courses you want to take will be offered during your time as a student.
- View the employment of the program’s alumni to determine the types of positions graduates of the program are filling.
- Planning for graduate school is a time-consuming process, so start researching at least a year before the time you plan on starting a program.
- Consider joining professional organizations focused on the areas you most want to research. Be sure to note if any graduate schools are affiliated with those professional organizations.
- Consider the funding and assistantship opportunities at the schools you might attend. Graduate positions can subsidize your education and make a big impact on your financial future. Be sure to consider this information in tandem with other factors, such as the strength of the school’s program and alumnae network which can also impact your financial future.
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