Choosing a Graduate Program: Aligning your search with your needs

By Alexandra Fisher

Deciding to go to graduate school can be a big step, choosing which program to attend is another beast. My name is Ally and I am going into my second year of graduate school working to get my M.Ed. in College Student Affairs. In my experience, it can be hard to know what to look for in a graduate program, however I found that if you can pinpoint what you want out of it, what seems like an impossible task suddenly seems more attainable. 

After studying Political Science and Music in undergrad I always assumed I would eventually end up in some type of graduate program. I got a job as an event planner right out of undergrad but it wasn’t the best fit for me due to the office culture, and that is what really pushed me to explore my graduate options. I had multiple spreadsheets with lists of schools and programs ranging from Law School, Public Policy, to going abroad for a year. I eventually made the choice to get my M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with a focus in College Student Affairs. I was a very involved student in undergrad serving as student government president my senior year. I enjoyed being able to be a sounding board for students to express their concerns and help them grow. I began wondering how all of these staff and administrators I met ended up working in higher education. Due to my role in student government, I was able to meet with our university president and asked him about his journey in higher education. During our discussion he recommended I look into student affairs programs and it so happens one of the universities in our newly completed merger had that very program. I got to work and began researching degrees in student affairs and higher education. I set up a Google sheet to compare institutions including the following information that was important to me; was there a GRE requirement or could it be waived with high enough grades, is there an internship or practicum requirement and if so how close are they to where I would be doing it, is doing it virtual an option, cost, and graduate assistantship availability and requirements.

My program did not require a GRE, and to be honest a GRE requirement was a big deterrent for me from selecting a school because I so passionately didn’t want to take the test or argue with anyone to get that requirement waived. With the type of program I am in, most do not have a GRE requirement but many other types of graduate programs do (or some sort of entrance exam). So, make sure you check your desired program’s entrance requirements with this, you don’t want to end up in a situation where you suddenly have to go take a big test with little prep. 

In my program our second year is focused on our field experience (internship but sounds cooler), one in the fall and one in the spring. This was really important to me because I have always been someone who found getting out there and watching people do their job and then trying it myself was a better way to learn the practical skills required. I love theorizing in a classroom, but eventually, I need to get out there and do it. We are allowed to do these internships at our institutions but are encouraged to explore opportunities at other universities. If your institution requires an internship do some research on how far you might have to travel to accomplish it. I did end up finding one at a nearby private institution, which I chose because my only experiences with higher education have been at Pennsylvania System of Higher Education (PASSHE) schools and I wanted to expand my experiences. Also remember, when looking into internship requirements, you should also consider how many hours a week it will require, and if your school has ways to pay you for this. At my institution, they cannot pay you but I know some larger schools that have programs dedicated to providing students financial support while they do an unpaid internship. However, my school does have professional experience grants which can help cover the costs of gas to get to an internship and some meals.

My biggest concern during my research was the cost. I primarily looked at state schools that offered this degree (in both Pennsylvania and New York). I knew if I chose to go to where I attend school now I would have a graduate assistantship (GA). For those who are looking into graduate school do research about what assistantships are open and apply apply apply! My graduate assistantship gives me tuition remission for two classes a semester (I take three classes a semester), and then pays me a stipend every two weeks. I work in a 20 hour a week GA but there are assistantships that have fewer hours with different pay and remission levels. If you’re a student who might need to work another job while pursuing your degree there are 5hr or 10hr GA’s that often still offer remission for at least one course but could leave you enough time to hold another job. At some universities the GA process is very competitive which is what scared me about attending another institution. The cost of graduate school seemed daunting to me. In the end, this played a large role in my choice of programs. I do not regret my choice in selecting my program, I have learned a lot and grown as a person. Now reflecting back, I should have chosen a program with more of a policy focus. I have tended to prefer that type of coursework so far but there is much offered. If I had done more research on the courses offered before making my choice I might have made a different choice. My fear of the cost held me back from exploring other options as much as I should have. There are a number of funding opportunities for graduate students other than just GA’s but I didn’t take the time to do that research.

One last thing I wish I had done in my research and would recommend to anyone looking into graduate school was talk to more faculty and current students in the program. They will each give you a different perspective and really help you make sure the program is a good fit. I also think having those pre-existing relationships when starting a new program in a new place can only help you feel more comfortable there. Everyone’s needs in graduate school are going to be different so I suggest doing some hard thinking about what exactly is most important to you before applying to graduate school. Once you decide what your criteria are for a good program for you then start comparing institutions. Don’t just go with what everyone else said is a good program, make sure it is the one for you!

Happy Applying!

Ally