Pursuing Graduate School
The Graduate School Decision
From making the decision to program research to developing application materials, the Business
Career Center can help as you consider and pursue a graduate degree.
Decide When to Attend Common Application Elements Explore Business-Related Graduate Programs
Consider Graduate School
Before beginning the research and application process, consider the following:
- Your long-term career goals
- Whether you need a degree to contribute to those goals
- Preparation for the academic challenges
- Financial resources necessary to complete the degree
- Commitment to your intended field of study and career plans
Application Deadlines
In general, you will need to start preparing your application at least six months in advance of the deadline. Most application deadlines are about seven to nine months before the program start date. The two most common types of application deadlines are:
- Specific Deadline. Some programs have set deadlines, often in the fall semester, for programs starting fall of the next year.
- Rolling Deadline. Rolling admissions accepts or declines students as they apply. Schools continue to evaluate applications until they fill all the slots for their incoming class.
Develop a Parallel Plan
Getting into a graduate program is challenging for even highly qualified candidates. Assess your level of competitiveness by researching past admissions data for each program of interest. Meet with a career coach to develop an alternative plan in case you do not gain admission.
Decide When to Attend
Advantages of Going Straight to Graduate School
- Your professors can write letters of recommendation with recent experiences in mind.
- You are able to live on a student budget and can continue that in graduate school.
- Your mind is still on school and you can more easily write papers and read long articles.
- You will have to make just one transition from school to work.
- Employees with a graduate degree have higher average earnings over their lifetime. Attending graduate school right away allows you to capitalize on higher wages sooner, increasing the ROI.
Advantages of Working First
- You will have more time to decide on a program, explore career options, and gain professional experience.
- You can establish financial stability and save for graduate school.
- You can have a break from school, which may leave you excited and freshly motivated to learn again when you start a program.
- You may be able to get into a more competitive graduate program with work experience.
- Many employers offer tuition assistance benefits when you are a full-time employee. A common reimbursement amount is $5,260/year, based on federal tax guidelines. This means you may be able to earn your degree debt-free while working full-time.
Common Application Elements
| Academic Résumé / Curriculum Vitae (CV) | The most effective résumé to use for an application to graduate or professional school differs from one used to apply to a job or internship. It should highlight your academic achievements, campus involvement, leadership, and relevant experience. An academic résumé is also useful when applying for scholarships, fellowships, research programs, honor societies, and academic awards. |
| Application Essay / Personal Statement | Most programs require an essay, personal statement, or answers to specific questions as part of the application process. The purpose of these prompts is to evaluate your written communication skills, motivation, and commitment for entering a particular field as well as your ability to succeed academically and professionally. Topics that are of interest to graduate programs often include:
Basic Guidelines for the Personal Statement:
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| Admissions Tests | To determine which, if any, admissions tests you must take, consult each program and institution to which you are applying. Check test websites for the most up-to-date information about the format, dates, cost, and registration processes. |
| Recommendation Letters | Graduate schools usually require two or three letters of recommendation from university faculty and staff or past employers. Develop strong relationships with your professors and advisors by actively participating in classes, utilizing office hours, and attending department events. Choose people to write letters who can accurately assess your abilities in relation to the graduate program you plan to pursue. Make your request in a professional manner with plenty of time and provide your most recent résumé and detailed instructions on how, where, and when to submit the letter. Be sure to send a thank you note. |
| Admission Interview | Some graduate and professional programs, especially very selective or competitive programs, require an admissions interview |
| Online Application | Apply online to the graduate and professional programs. Follow the directions for each institution closely, as they may differ |
| Application Fee | Most graduate and professional programs require you to pay an Application Fee upon submitting your application. |
| Official Transcripts | Most graduate and professional programs require you to send a copy of your Official Transcripts. |
Exploring Business-Related Graduate Programs
After completing an undergraduate degree, some students choose to pursue professional programs such as law or medicine. Others may choose to take a different path for graduate school, studying in fields such as urban planning, public administration, or student affairs. However, many students consider programs more directly related to business and select between an MBA or a specialized Masters degree. Whether to pursue an MBA or a specialized Masters degree should be influenced by your career goals and when you hope to pursue a graduate degree.
Comparison of MBA and Specialty Masters Programs
MBA | Specialty Masters |
|---|---|
| Big Picture Program General business knowledge across many disciplines | Specialized Program Advance studies in a specific area of business |
| Coursework Can typically customize elective options to gain breadth and depth in functional business areas | Coursework Become a subject matter expert in a specific area of study, often with little flexibility to explore other topics |
| Framework Project and team focused | Framework Theory-based |
| Duration Typically 2 years | Duration Typically 12-18 months |
| Prior Work Experience Most students have prior professional work experience, which provides perspective and context for classroom engagement | Prior Work Experience Students may include those coming straight from an undergraduate program as well as individuals with prior work experience |
| Career Goals Program allows someone to pursue a variety of career paths | Career Goals Program focuses on preparing students for careers within a specific career path |
| *adapted from MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance | |
Program Formats
Whether you are a full-time or part-time student, the delivery method of graduate programs may differ and influence the option you select.
Traits to Consider | In-Person | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Program Structure | In a traditional classroom, the instructor actively engages face-to-face with their students. The professor will deliver lessons on a specific topic using tools such as whiteboards, discussions, demonstrations, and group studies. | Online programs can deliver learning in a real-time format where both instructors and students are present as a live lecture. Asynchronous formats deliver learning materials, resources, and lessons as pre-recorded modules. Feedback systems like discussion forums, emails, and breakout rooms connect the students and instructor. |
| Available Programs | Limited to programs that you can commute to from your geographic area. | Options may include schools across the world. |
| Cost | Program costs are typically the same regardless of format. | Program costs are typically the same regardless of format. |
| Collaboration | May be easier to build networks, collaborate with other students, and connect with faculty. | Technical tools make it easy to connect with classmates and faculty, but group projects and class discussions can be more challenging. |
| Academic Challenge | Each option is equally challenging. Consider your style of learning and time management approach. Assignments will include writing, reading, and research, but will include class discussion of the material. | Each option is equally challenging. Consider your style of learning and time management approach. Writing assignments are more common in online programs. |
| Personal Considerations | Some programs are in a cohort model where you develop strong relationships with classmates, thus building your network. Having a set schedule of classes may be appealing. | With online learning, you may be able to choose when you study and adjust your schedule around work and family obligations. This will also require more self-discipline and motivation. |