Graduate School Decisions

Presented by Career Services

Main Points

Continuing Education Assessment Researching Graduate Programs Preparing Materials Graduate Admission Tests Graduate School Interview Graduate School Life Financing

Assessment of Career Goals

Sure thing: Medicine, Law, Research

Strong Desire for Advanced Studies

Enhance and broaden educational Background

Educational Requirements for Career

**Not a default, will only extend the inevitable**

Work Experience vs. Graduate School

Work Experience Assist you in identifying new Career Paths Opportunity for paid schooling/training Develop experience before choosing advanced

degree

Graduate School Expand your knowledge base (Pure Science) Terminal Degrees- highest academic degree in

a field of study (MBA, MLS, PH.D) Possible higher salaries or progressive position

Program ResearchProgram Areas

Time Frame to receive degree

Practicum Required Dissertation/Thesis Location and cost of living Tuition/Financing

Fellowships, Scholarships, Remission

Do you meet the requirements?

GPA, Undergrad degree, major credits

What prep classes will be required?

Professional Resources Faculty Professionals:

Informational Interviewing Admission Counselors:

Current and of prospective programs

Academic Departments Current Graduate

Students Professional Associations

Program Ratings & Research

Peterson’s Guide: www.petersons.com

U.S. News & World Report: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com

Princeton Review:www.princetonreview.com/grad/

**Choose by program, not solely by Institution

Accredited Programs

What is Accreditation?A process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is

presented. (Peer review)

Sample Professional Accreditations: Engineering: ABET Business: IACBE –International Association of

Business Communication Law: ABA – American Bar Association

Grad Program ResearchAre the programs accredited by a professional peer association?

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT/COAMFTE) Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy

Education American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (CoA-NA) American Bar Association (ABA) Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) Board of Trustees American Dental Association (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation American Dietetic Association Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE-ADA) American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Accreditation (CoA) American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) American Optometric Association (AOA) Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) American Physical Therapy Association Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education American Psychological Association (APA) Committee on Accreditation (CoA) American Society for Microbiology American College of Microbiology American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Division of Education and Research Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Council on Aviation Accreditation (CAA) Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) Commission on Accreditation Council on Education for Public Health Council on Occupational Education Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) Commission on Standards and Accreditation Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Office of Social Work Accreditation and Educational Excellence Joint Review Committee on Education Programs in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT) Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT) National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA) National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC)

Provided in Wikipedia

Grad School Preparation Research done by Fall

Create a timeline for yourself and track deadline dates and submission of documents by spreadsheet

Standardized Test

Transcript Requests Small fee Electronic Request

Online Applications

Resume

Letters of Reference

Personal Statement

** Might need to prepare stamped and addressed envelops with Resume, Personal Statement, for your Letter of Reference

Graduate Admission Tests

What admissions test to take? GRE: www.gre.org

General Tests are offered all year round, Subject Tests only given three times a year (November, December, April)

GMAT: www.mba.comTypically for Business related Graduate School

LSAT: www.lsat.orgLaw School Entrance exam given 4 times a year: June, September, *December, February

MCAT: www.aamc.orgMust be taken for entry to any Medical School

DAT: www.ada.org PCAT: www.pcatweb.info

Personal Statement

Include the following answers in your Personal Statement

Reason and desire to enter field

Description of why you chose this specific Program

Future Career Goals

Qualifications for Admissions

Graduate School Resume

Concise and targeted Limited to 1-2 pages Targeted and can exclude

information Typically will not include

personal activities

All inclusive document May run to many pages Progression of academic and

professional achievements Include all pertinent

information on extracurricular activities

Clarify if you will need to submit a Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Resume CV

Both should include Sections related to academic pursuits Research Publications Presentations Awards Affiliations

Graduate Admissions InterviewFollow standard practices for interviewing:

Dress professionally

Research the program and institution

Prepare in depth & insightful questions about the program

Be prepared to detail your career goals and why you are looking to further your education

Research the industry and academic field

Grad School Florida Tech Office of Graduate Admissions

www.fit.edu/admission/graduateMaster’s Degree in over 70 disciplines and Doctoral in over 20.

Rolling Admission:

Semester Deadline

Fall

Spring

Summer

January 15th

July 1st

February 1stAvailable Scholarships:

www.fit.edu/financialaid/scholarships/

Graduate School Life

Relocation

Teaching Assistant

Research Assistant

Passionate on subject matter

Social Events: Department Life and involvement with Faculty

Financing Graduate School

Assistantships

Grants/Fellowships/Scholarshipshttp://www.finaid.org/scholarships/

Employers

LoansFinAid: The Financial Aid Information Pagewww.finaid.org/finaid.htmlwww.finaid.org/otheraid/grad.phtml

Aid Comparison Calculators: www.princetonreview.com/grad/finance/acc/calc.asp

Career Services & Student Employment

Part-time and full-time job postings – College Central Network

Resume & cover letter critiques – Optimal Resume

Internships & Co-op Federal Work-study Florida Work Experience Program Workshops Career Fair & Employer Day Mock interviews

321.674.8102 www.fit.edu/career Keuper Bldg Room 210