Search for Graduate Schools

You need to research carefully to choose the school that will best suit your needs and talents.  The search and application process should begin one year before undergraduate graduation.  Please remember that searching for graduate schools is very different than searching for undergraduate schools.  You want to find a faculty member in your field of interest that is doing research you are interested in.  Since you will be working closely with this faculty member and the department, you want to be sure it is a good match.  The following is a basic step by step guide to assist you in your search. Please note that you do not have to do all of these steps in order and it is advisable to use a matrix or grid to organize your school information.  The McNair Office has these organizational tools for scholar to use.  Note: You will need Adobe Reader installed to view some linked documents.

Begin the Search   |  Narrow Your Choices   |   Order and Organize   |   Search Resources

BEGIN THE SEARCH

• Search for potential universities that have the graduate field you are interested in. Be sure to allow for variations in your field (ex: The graduate degree in American Studies at WSU includes and allows for many areas of research including Women's Studies, CAC, etc. - not all universities and colleges have the same titles for all fields). Use web sites like Gradschools.com to help you narrow choices by field, location, and degrees granted. You can also use the Peterson's Guides (a set of books) in Career Services to search for potential schools.  Use these books to also find out specific information about each university - student to faculty ration, acceptance rates, placement of graduates, etc. 
• Look at the specific department you would be applying to. What faculty are in the department and are they doing research in your area of interest?  You can also look at current research in books and academic journals to find faculty who are publishing work you are interested in.  Most of them are still teaching at universities across the nation.  Look them up and see where they are teaching.
• Talk with WSU faculty in your field and talk to your faculty mentor.  They often have connections at other universities and insight into other programs. Remember, they all graduated from another university too.  Many of them received their Masters and Ph.D. at different universities.
• If you have the opportunity, attend Graduate School Fairs that have a high number of schools attending.  Recruiters will be available to answer questions and many times the recruiter is linked closely with the Graduate School or department you are interested in.
• Think about your personal preferences regarding size and location of the school but be sure to not let fear stop you from going far away or from working with amazing people in your field.   Look at the city's web site if you are unfamiliar with it.  Make connections early to get a feel for the community.
• Do not be afraid of out of state tuition or high tuition universities. You do have the opportunity to receive great financial aid packages and tuition waivers if you do you homework and apply. For information, go to Financial Aid.

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NARROW YOUR CHOICES

• Once you have narrowed it down to 15-20 potential schools, get more specific. Research faculty publications to see the type of work being produced in the department. Contact the faculty via E-mail to introduce yourself and inquire about specific information you are interested in.  Look at our Introduction Examples for ideas.  Check to see about any grants or awards that faculty have in the department - this may be an indicator of prestige and money available for funding graduate students.  Contact a few graduate students in the department and, more specifically, graduate students working with the faculty member you want to work with.  You may be able to find contact information from their department web site but you may have to call. 
• Call the graduate school and the individual department to get answers to specific questions. To make efficient use of your time and money, make a list of questions before calling.  When you are done talking with one area ask them to transfer you to the other area. McNair Scholars can use the McNair Office phone for long distance calls to universities and faculty.  Also, if you are a McNair Scholar, look to see if the university has a McNair Program.  Many programs have assistantships available through their office or graduate school.  Look at the McNair Fellowship List to see which schools offer McNair specific funding.

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ORDER APPLICATIONS AND ORGANIZE

• Once you have chosen the schools you want to apply for, order applications and begin organizing due dates on your matrix.  I recommend having at least 10 potential schools in mind that you will be applying to (2 schools you know you can get accepted into - this includes WSU, 6 schools that have a medium acceptance rates, and 2 highly competitive schools).  Remember, these rates can be found by looking in the Peterson's Guide books at Career Services in Lighty 180.
• I suggest you organize the applications and information for each school in a file box with a hanging folder for each school. Remember, there is a lot involved in an application.  Most of the time you will need to order official transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended, get letters of recommendation from 2-3 faculty/staff/supervisors, write a personal statement or answer questions, have exam scores sent, etc. Planning and organizing is the key here.  The easier you can make it for yourself the better.  Make a checklist for each school that includes due dates and information you need to get before sending in your application.  Look here for an example of an Individual School Checklist.
• Continue to make connections with faculty and graduate students.  Make contact with the chair of the graduate selection committee and the chair of the department. 
• Be sure to look at information in the Applications section of the web site for suggestions.

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SOME SEARCH RESOURCES

• Web site: www.gradschools.com - basic searches by subject, school, and region. 
• WSU Career Services - Career Services is located in Lighty 180. Ask to see the graduate resource section and use the guidebooks there to do a preliminary search by field of interest. The Peterson's Guides are very comprehensive. 
• WSU Holland Library - Ask a reference librarian about College Source On-line. It is a web site that allows you to access graduate school catalogs and information.

On the Main page, find the search option at the top of the screen and click on it.

On the Search page, go to Criteria Search.

From here you can search by affiliation, enrollment, degree level, major, state, tuition, etc.

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