Before You Get Started

The strongest advice you can receive about your quest to attend graduate school is to initiate discussions. The faculty in your own program are an excellent resource, as are past professors, mentors, and students who have recently graduated and are now pursuing their masters or Ph.D.

Even though you may not be interested in earning a Ph.D, keep in mind that this advice is directed toward those pursuing degrees in areas that terminate in a Ph.D. That is, if your plan is law school, medical school, or an MBA, your application process is different than the one being discussed below. You should consider speaking to:

• Alan Kimbrough, Alan.Kimbrough@notes.udayton.edu, 937-229-4229 or Janet Hein, Janet.Hein@notes.udayton.edu, 937-229-3555 to discuss law school

• Robert Kearns, Robert.Kearns@notes.udayton.edu, 937-229-3545, to discuss med school

• Janice Glynn, Glynn@udayton.edu,  (937) 229-3733, to discuss MBA programs

Choosing Programs―the First Step

To which graduate schools you will submit your application? Of course, there is no specific number to which you should apply. Select several schools of interest to you, many will recommend six to ten. Keep in mind that many graduate programs have an application fee which, in general, will be more than the cost of applying for the undergraduate programs (note that UD has no application fee for graduate school). In fact, between applying to a variety of programs and taking standardized tests, you may be looking at a cost of over $1000 for this entire process.

The Important Criteria

Selecting schools for your graduate program should involve a different process than the one you used to select an undergraduate program.  Advice for selecting undergraduate programs is readily available due to the fact that everyone uses a similar approach. When you decide to attend graduate school, the formula for choosing a school is far less defined.

How is the process different? Selecting schools needs to be strongly driven by your research interests and career goals. Viewing the materials at the Peterson Guide or GraduateSchools.com may help you get started. Another great way to get started is by visiting the online sites of prospective schools and familiarizing yourself with the school’s curricula, concentrations (within the degree program), and the research agendas of their faculty. The goal is to find programs that meet your research needs and faculty with interests similar to yours.

Seek advice from several members of UD’s own faculty. Faculty members in your department will know a great deal about the programs that would interest you. Be sure to include faculty members with a strong research or publishing agenda. The newest tenure-track hire in your area is also an excellent resource. Here are some key considerations when you talk to faculty:

• Depending on your career aspirations, the prestige of the university, program, and advisor you select for your graduate studies can play a critical role.

• What are the benefits of obtaining your master’s degree versus a Ph.D? How will this affect your job opportunities? How will this affect your salary?

• Should you apply to the master’s program or to the Ph.D. program directly? Should you pursue your graduate degrees at different universities?

• The expected job market should factor into your decision making. For example, individuals choosing careers in science or engineering will have a variety of options including industry, government labs, and academia. On the other hand, individuals pursuing advanced degrees in the humanities are far more likely to have academia as the primary option. How competitive will it be to find the types of jobs you are interested in? Where do you need to go (or with whom do you need to work) to make that happen?

Consider your ability to integrate into the types of programs to which you are applying. For example, some universities accept a large number of applicants and then allow the competitive nature of the program determine success rates. Alternately, programs may select fewer and more promising applicants and then provide a nurturing environment.

Similar to choosing an undergraduate program, select schools ranging from “stretch” schools to “safety” schools.

Finally, there are resources available at Roesch Library. If you cross paths with Jack O’Gorman, one of our Reference Librarians, he has plenty of advice to offer. He can also point you to the first floor reference section, which includes the following titles:

• America's Best Graduate Schools by U.S. News and World Report

• Directory of Catholic Colleges and Universities by M. Cadigan

• The Complete Book of Catholic Colleges by E.T. Custard & D. Saraceno 

• Guide to the Most Competitive Colleges by Barron's Educational Series, available online

• Patterson's American Education by H.L. Patterson

• Peterson's Graduate Programs in Engineering & Applied Sciences

• Peterson's Graduate Programs in the Biological Sciences

• Peterson's Graduate Programs in the Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences

• Peterson's Graduate Programs in the Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Agricultural Sciences, the Environment & Natural Resources

• Peterson's Graduate and Professional Programs, an Overview

• Peterson's Graduate Programs in Business, Education, Health, Information Studies, Law & Social Work

• Peterson's Graduate Studies in Education