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Graduate school refers to schooling to attain a Master's, Doctoral or Professional degree after you complete a Bachelor's degree. A Master's degree is typically 1-2 years. A Ph.D. is usually 4-6 years.
A person can apply directly from a Bachelor's degree to a Ph.D. program (typically funded better than Master's programs).*
Professional degrees aim at preparing you to pass exams to practice in a specific profession.
Some common Professional degrees are: J.D.(Juris Doctor-law), M.F.C.C. (marriage and family counseling- psychology), and D.P.T. (doctor of physical therapy). Law school is typically 3 years.
Attending graduate school can increase your earning potential, provide you with skills you can use in the workplace, and increase the types of contributions and influence you can have in the workplace, whether that's at a university campus or working for a company or organization in your field.
Graduate school involves a significant amount of reading, writing, critical thinking and presentation skills in addition to strong content knowledge in your field.
*General Note: We encourage undergraduate students to investigate, prepare for, and consider applying directly to Ph.D. programs because they are generally better funded and going directly to a Ph.D. program will shave off 1-2 years of your education. Many undergraduate students are unaware of this option. A Ph.D. is a "terminal" degree, meaning that it is generally the highest level of education one can attain. In other words, you would be finished with school and have the highest educational qualification as you move into the workforce. This will allow you to maximize your earnings in the workforce.
Premedical Professions
http://www.nau.edu/premed
Pre-Law
http://www.nau.edu/prelaw
General Graduate School
The process of researching and applying to graduate schools can be overwhelming. We want you to know that we’re here to support and guide you through the process.
Getting Started
- Go to www.petersons.com to explore your graduate school options.
- Start working on a graduate school resume or curriculum vita.
- Start your GRE (or other) graduate school entrance exam preparation.
- Maintain the highest GPA with a focus on excellent work in your major classes.
- Select and enroll in more than one class (in your major) with the same professor so that s/he will have more experience with you when writing a letter of recommendation.
- Join a club and/or professional association related to your field, and utilize the resources they provide. For example, if you are a pre-law student, join Phi Alpha Delta.
How Many Schools To Apply To
We recommend applying to: 2 Dream Schools, 2 Reach Schools, 2 Safe Schools
Funding
Many schools have different funding deadlines than application deadlines. Call the department office to ask when funding decisions are made and turn in your application 2 weeks before the funding decision date.
Departmental Fellowships
- Mention that you are seeking funding in your personal statement
- Mention identity markers that may make you eligible for specialized funding (ethnicity/race, gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, disability status, international status, rural and/or low income background)**
- Check any relevant boxes on your application form
- Check department websites for specific application instructions (if any)
University-wide Fellowships
- Mention that you are seeking funding in your personal statement
- Mention identity markers that may make you eligible for specialized funding (first generation in college, ethnicity/race, gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, disability status, international status, rural and/or low income background)**
- Check any relevant boxes on your application form
- Check department websites for specific application instructions (if any)
Scholarships
- Go to www.petersons.com. Find the “Paying for School” tab. Follow instructions
- Mention that you are seeking funding in your personal statement
- Mention identity markers that may make you eligible for specialized funding (first generation in college, ethnicity/race, gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, disability status, international status, rural and/or low income background) **
- Check any relevant boxes on your application form
- Check department websites for specific application instructions (if any)
** Mentioning these identity markers depends on your personal comfort level and your chances of getting funding. For example if you believe that there is no funding for transgendered individuals at BYU, and you feel that the department you’re applying to may not be able to identify funding to encourage transgendered individuals to attend, you may decide not to mention that identity marker.
Additional Helpful Information:
Graduate School Prep Powerpoint |
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Undergraduate Preparation for Graduate School: What you can do NOW |
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Graduate School Preparation: Building Bridges with Undergraduate Professors/Instructors |
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Graduate School Visitations |
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Undergraduate Research Project Mentor Selection Guidelines |
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Graduate School Personal Statements- Tips |
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Graduate School Personal Statement – Sample |
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Law School Personal Statements - Tips |
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Law School Personal Statement – Sample Coming Soon! |
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Medical School Personal Statements – Tips |
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Medical School Personal Statement – Sample |
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Graduating Seniors Checklist |
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Faculty Letters of Recommendation – Tips - Coming Soon! |
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Faculty Letter of Recommendation - Template |
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“What if I don’t get accepted?!” |
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Don’t take a chance!
Make an appointment to work with a trained Career & Academic Advisor on researching and applying to graduate school: e-mail or call (928) 523-4772.
This is a free service available to all currently enrolled NAU students.
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