How do I choose a graduate program?

What field should I study?

If you have decided that you might be interested in going to graduate school, how do you decide which field to study? Graduate school is unlike undergraduate school because you specialize in one discipline such as English or Mathematics or Chemistry. To help you decide which field to pursue, ask yourself these questions.

What do I do well?
What interests me?
What subjects have I studied?

It is always advantageous to discuss the question "What field should I study in graduate school?" with a faculty member or someone who is working in the field in which you are interested. These connections will allow you to gather valuable information about the field you are considering, your qualifications to enter it, existing and projected career opportunities, the best programs available to you, and other helpful advice.

How do I decide which graduate program is best for me?

Defining your career and academic goals

Before you can begin selecting a program or an institution, you need to define your career and academic goals and decide what it is you hope to gain from graduate school. If you have decided what career you are striving for and have done some basic research, you probably have a good sense of which degree you will need. The focus of this Web site is helping students earn a Ph.D. Defining your goals related to this target should help you focus the program/institution selection process, and ultimately identify a particular program that meets your needs.

Researching graduate degree programs

The first step is to have a clear sense of what you want to get out of your graduate school career. This is critical, since you will be spending between three to six years in your acquisition of a Ph.D. It is important to identify a set of institutions that are possibilities. Some basic selection criteria include whether these programs fit your academic ability, background, interests, and career objectives. Ask yourself:

Does the specific graduate program offer the Ph.D.?
Do the programs meet your graduate academic career needs in terms of the quality of the institution and faculty?
Do the academic goals of currently enrolled students and graduates mesh with your career plans?
Do the post-academic career plans of recently graduated students interrelate with your career plans?

Contacting current students and professors

Email, call or write current students and professors in the field or program that interests you. Find out first-hand the specifics of the program and what kind of research you'll be involved in. In the same correspondence, you can find out if the students and professors are satisfied where they are and with the research they do. By hearing the advantages and disadvantages of a particular school from the people currently involved with the institution, you can better assess how the school will fit with your personality and specific goals.

Additionally, try to get in touch with some current students who are members of minority and under-represented groups, too. Ask them about the campus culture and about organizations and networks available to minority students.

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