Guide to Graduate School & Professional School
On this page:
Is grad school right for you?
Undergraduate experience is about discovering
yourself and your professional interests. Graduate
school is a place for those who are firmly committed
to a career path that requires additional training.
XX % of Tufts student go on to graduate school.
XX% go straight from their undergraduate programs
and XX% report enrolling later in their careers. For
those aiming for higher education, law, and
medicine, advanced degrees are required and a major
decision is now or later. In some careers, you may
flourish with only a bachelor’s degree.
Assess your readiness:
Q. Is grad school a way to avoid a job search or
to escape from a tight job market?
A. Both job search and economic fluctuation are
inevitable. You will face both throughout your life.
Q. Are you uncertain about how your undergraduate
major will ‘get you a job’?
A. The link between an undergraduate major and a
job is not at all clear in many professions.
Philosophy majors work on Wall Street, and Economics
majors join nonprofits. See for yourself by visiting
(link - What to do with a Major in …?) or searching
the Tufts Career Network (Link) by major.
Q. Heard about a ‘hot’ career or industry and you
want to break in?
A. Graduate school is a path for students who are
committed to a specific field of study. It is not
designed to explore or “try things out” in the same
way as an undergraduate liberal arts degree.
Advice from Alumni
School Specific Resources
Medical School and Health Related Programs
View the
Health Professions Handbook, review FAQs, and
arrange an advising appointment with Carol Baffi-Dugan,
Program Director for Health Professions Advising or
Shirley Smith, Associate Director of
Pre-professional Advising
Recommended Resources
Law School
Visit the
Pre-Law Advising Site, which provides data on
where Tufts students apply, where they are accepted,
and where they enroll. Data also includes mean GPAs
and LSAT scores. Arrange an individual consultation
with Pre-law Advisors Dean Karen Gould and Shirley
Smith, Associate Director of Pre-professional
Advising.
Recommended Resources
Business School
Recommended Resources
Graduate Study in Arts, Sciences, and Engineering
Identifying the right program, including
specifics about faculty and department, is critical
in making your decision. Speak with Tufts faculty in
your targeted discipline and get their advice.
Though most faculty will endorse higher education;
after all, it’s their business! Be clear about why
you need this degree at this point in your
development. Articulating this is one way of getting
started mentally on your personal statement.
Resources for researching graduate school
PhD Programs
A comprehensive article focused on doctoral
programs and worth reading, even by non-PhD types.
The author, Phil Agre, is an Associate Professor of
Information Studies at UCLA and a prolific writer.
Don’t be misled by publication date; the piece was
written in 1996 and updated in 2001. It is ten pages
crammed with practical advice for all prospective
grad students, especially sections on asking for
recommendations and building relationships with
faculty at your target schools.
http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/grad-school.html
Evaluating Programs
School reputation is undeniably a factor; however,
beware of relying solely on this often over-rated
factor. In general, the most important criteria involve
how well the program matches your specific interests,
abilities, academic background, career interests, and
finances. Moreover, employers and industries often have
recruiting relationships with specific schools, based on
a particular program. Research is critical. Do your
homework!
Consult with Faculty and Students in Your
Field of Study
Talk to professors and current students to learn
about their graduate schools and experiences. Read
professional journals to learn about professors who
are researching and publishing you your area of
interest. Take the initiative to contact them. You
could gain valuable information to differentiate you
in the application process. Seek out those already
in your chosen line of work and ask how their
selection of school/program has influenced their
career development. If you’re targeting employers,
contact their Human Resources Departments and ask
where they recruit graduate students.
Evaluate the Specific Program
The quality and reputation of an academic program
and the professors with whom you’ll work will wield
more clout that the overall status of the
institution. Seek out faculty and coursework that
correspond to your specialized interests. Explore
the theoretical underpinnings of the program. Stay
focused on how the program will help you get to the
next step of your career.
Use the Tufts
Career Network
Some 8,000 alumni have offered to share their
professional and academic experiences with you.
Identify those in your chosen career and ask about
the requisite training. Find alumni who have earned
graduate degrees ~ especially one(s) you’re
researching ~ and learn from their advice.
Consider the best financial aid Package
Which school offers you the best deal? Your package
will depend on how much a school wants you. This
might include financial support, assistantships,
fellowships, work-study, and loans. Inquire about
the duration of funding and the possibility of
increased funding depending on your academic
performance.
For a comprehensive list of criteria that you should
consider, here is a helpful article.
Other resources for researching graduate
school
Application Information &
Timeline
Access Testing Information, Letters of
Recommendation, Personal Statements, Transcripts
etc.
Access Application Timeline
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