By The Princeton Review
One of the first mistakes people make when applying to graduate school that is easily avoidable is getting caught up in what we call the “Brand Name Hype.” Sure, if you get into Harvard, Stanford, or UC Berkeley, the name will be recognized when you get out of school, and you probably would look crazy if you didn’t go, but a “graduate school experience” is much more than a name.
We do live in a society that values designer labels but in terms of schooling, it becomes very important to find the RIGHT school!
I challenge you to look behind the school brand you see on TV through a school’s powerful marketing machine of advertisements, sporting events/teams or just referrals from friends (of course if a friend went to USC, they will be pushing USC as the best)?
Now your reasons to want to go may include advancing to the next level in your career, maximizing your earning potential or just wanting to change your life but in order to size up the school, there are a host of major factors that you should seriously consider.
Choosing a Grad School
Like deciding whether or not to go to graduate school, selecting target schools is more complex than it first seems. Filling out applications is a huge demand on your time and energy, and whether you're taking courses or holding down a job, you probably can't afford to spend weeks dealing with a large pile of applications.
Applications are a financial drain as well: Grad-school application fees range from $20 to $100, and average about $50. These high fees are no accident. Many universities, with admissions committees swamped by record numbers of applications, have raised their fees in order to prevent less-motivated applicants from applying and reduce the number of incoming applications. Given today's fees, you can expect ten applications to cost you a total of about $500, and possibly more -- and that's before you figure in transcript handling fees, and so on. It can really add up.
Economically speaking, you can see that the saturation-bombing technique that a lot of people use to apply to college isn't very practical for grad school. It pays -- in time and money -- to narrow your field down to four or five good target schools.
To size up a graduate school, you'll look at three major factors: the academic quality of the program; your chances of getting into that program; and the practical considerations that affect your choice.
- The Academic Fit. The most important aspect of any school is its academic fit -- that is, how well-suited the school is to what you want to do. If you're a prospective grad student in, say, philosophy, then it's certainly a good idea to find out where the leading philosophy departments are; but to have a really good graduate experience, you need more than just a respected department. You need individuals on the faculty who share your research interests, and who will become involved in your work and involve you in their own. The importance of finding professors to work with varies according to your degree ambitions. If you're looking for a master's degree to round out your education or give you that professional edge, then the overall quality of the faculty may be more important to you than finding the ideal mentor. If you are decided on doctoral work and an academic career, however, then the specific research interests of professors become much more important. In either case, graduate work will always be more profitable and enjoyable if there are professors in your program who will take a personal interest in what you're doing.So find out what does the school specialize in?
What Else to Consider
- Beware of Rankings. Too many applicants rely on the magazine rankings to decide where to apply. Statistics rarely show the whole picture. When deciding on the validity of a study, it's wise to consider how the study was conducted and what exactly it was trying to measure. In many cases, the answer is magazine sales. Simply seek out the program that is the best for you.
- Judge for Yourself. Create your own rankings to decide what you're looking for. If selectivity is what you seek, check out a school's acceptance rate. If the highest job-placement rate is most important to you, identify that school. And if it's the school with the graduates who have the highest starting salary, by all means, locate it. If you're looking for the best program in all those areas, don't be surprised if you can't find it. The No. 1 school in any ranking is not No. 1 in every area. No school is. The best way to pick a program is to do your homework and find your match. So look at rankings with a grain of salt—ALL schools benefit from higher rankings and NO schools are averse to “fudging” the numbers a little bit (e.g. giving job offers to all its graduates to boost that piece of data)
- Comfort. You also need to consider your personal style and comfort zone. Suppose you get into a "top-ranked" school, but the workload is destroying your life, or the mentality is predatory. It won't matter how prestigious the program is if you don't make it through. Do you want an intimate and supportive environment or are you happy to blend in with the masses? Different schools will meet these needs.
- Social Atmosphere. Get a feel for the spirit of the student body at prospective schools. Even more so than undergraduates, business students stick together and rely on one another inside and outside the classroom. You won't be spending every night in a bar or club, but rather spending evenings at the library, computer lab or someone's apartment putting together team projects and presentations. If you aren't comfortable with your classmates, you'll be lonely. Employ the same strategies you used when you applied to undergraduate colleges: talk to students, alumni and teachers; visit campuses; sit in on classes and meet professors. It's actually more important that you make these initial contacts in business school. The benefits you draw from b-school are part educational, part networking. If you're able to establish a relationship with a professor, it may help you in your job search down the road.
- Career/Job Offers. The placement office's track record is vital information to you. Inquire about summer and full-time jobs and the number of companies recruiting on and off campus. Also, be sure to ask about the placement rate, the average starting salaries of graduates, their salaries after they've been in the work force for five years and what kind of career support the placement office offers. Lastly, find out if the school coordinates career- and resume-planning workshops or taping sessions for you to practice your interviewing skills. If so, the school may also ask executives to visit the campus or act as hosts at cocktail parties for networking, which are extremely valuable to b-school students.
- Family Factor. Do you have a spouse, significant other and/or children? You’ll need to choose a school that will make your family feel comfortable. Will your spouse be able to find a job? How are the schools for your children?
- Cost. The more prestigious the school, the more expensive it will probably be. Are you prepared to fork over around $30-50,000 for tuition, fees, room, board, books, computer, travel…?
- Alumni Influence/Network. What industries do the alumni work in? Geographically, where do they migrate? How active is the school in bringing alumni together? How active are the alumni? What do alumni say about their experiences with the program?
- Environment/Location. The physical location and environment of the school are key to the evaluation process. If you plan on spending the next five years studying marine life, you probably do not want to attend a school in Arizona. Also, you want to make sure that you have the amenities that you will require outside of your academic life. Are there opportunities to socialize? What kind of community will you be in? As a Realtor would say: Location, location, location. And they’re right, location can be everything. If you end up hating the town, the location of the school, or the weather, you’re not going to have a great time.
- Visit if at all possible. Also, try to go when classes will be in session. Don’t just see the administrative buildings. Check out classrooms and locations around the school (restaurants, how far away are the shops?)
- Size. This is very important and some people don’t give it enough attention. Certain people can’t study well with bigger classes while some thrive without personal attention.
- Dr. Who? You are going to school to learn.Therefore, your number one concern should be the other end of that process -- who's going to teach you?
- Talk to the Students. An important and easy way to gauge is by talking to the other students who are a part of it. Do they enjoy working with their professors? Do they feel they have been given enough guidance and opportunity to develop? What are the good points and the bad points of the school??
So ask yourself…What do you want to do and what is important to you?