From our archive:

As May rolls around, it is the perfect time to start finalizing your ideas about graduate school applications. Just like undergraduate applications, applying to graduate school is quite a lengthy process. Especially if it is the first time that you are applying to study overseas, there are many factors that you need to consider as you apply for admissions.

Choice of Program: Some of us are quite lucky in having a clear idea and vision about where we want to study. We have spoken to professionals in our projected career path, or perhaps to college professors to get a better idea about the type of university and program that we should be applying to.

For the rest of us, (well actually, most of us!!) here are some ideas for figuring out where to apply for grad school. If you are currently working and would like to gain further education in the field you are in, assess the work that you are currently doing and pinpoint which specific area really interests you.  Talk to your supervisor about your plans. Maybe he or she will have some recommendations in terms of the graduate school that you should be applying to. Don’t be shy in approaching even people whom you don’t know very well but who have the type of qualifications that you are hoping to receive. In general, everyone loves talking about themselves, and are quite willing to give advice on their chosen career path and what degrees were helpful in getting where they are.

Once you have some idea about what program or field you would like to apply in, then comes the next step of choosing which schools to apply to. The USIS center in Uttara, Dhaka has many relevant books on this subject. In many books, the information is organized according to subject area making it easy for you to choose whether you are pursuing a masters in bio-technology or electrical engineering.  Some other useful online resources are: petersons.com;  GradSchools.com; graduateguide.com. 

US News annually publishes lists of the top graduate schools in the US in the different disciplines along with more detailed information about their programs. The weblink is: usnews.com.

The location of the school, the cost, the availability of funding, and the types of programs that the school is offering are some of the things that you should be looking at. What you may not realize is that even though different schools might offer similar programs, many academic departments have very clear and specific goals for their students and graduates which might differ from that of a comparable graduate program. If you are looking at a number of different departments at graduate schools that seem equally attractive to you, take some time to go online to the graduate school website and look at the classes that they are offering. By looking at their class offering, you can decide whether any one program has classes that have particular appeal for you or seem to be useful in helping you meet your future goals.
 

In case of a professional program  you might also want to look at where the recent graduates of the school are getting jobs after graduation.  Are they working at an organization or doing the kind of work that you are interested in as well? Are there opportunities for internships during the summer or during the school year? Are there events such as conferences and workshops at the school that invite professionals in your chosen field to come and speak? Applying to schools in New York or DC would be beneficial for you if you want to work in development for example.

That’s all for now…. My next post will focus on one of the most important components of the application process- the GREs. Till then, enjoy the warm weather and have a lovely week!! Ciao

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