Graduate School Basics: The Freshman Edition

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Many students wonder, when is the right time to start thinking about graduate school? Well, it’s never too early!

Freshman year is the beginning of your higher education journey. It’s also an important time for self-discovery. For many of you, it’s your first time living away from home, taking care of yourself, and making important decisions on your own. It’s also a time to discover subject areas that you’d be interested in studying further, beyond your undergraduate degree. Making these discoveries can help you learn what you might want to do later in life, and any career fields you might be interested in pursuing.

When I started college my freshman year, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I didn’t really even have an understanding of what graduate school was, let alone how to prepare for it. But as I’ve progressed through college, I’ve learned a great deal. Some of it was timely knowlege, but some of it was too late! Here are the questions and answers I wish I would’ve known as a college freshman.

What is graduate school?

Graduate school prepares you for a degree that you obtain after you’ve finished your undergraduate study. Traditionally, students will spend four years getting their bachelor’s degree before entering a graduate school program.

When most people think about going to graduate school, they think about getting a Master’s or PhD. These are two common types of programs. However, there are other programs include nursing graduate degrees, medical school, law school, veterinary school, and PA school. Deciding which one is right for you will depend on your interests, career path, and dedication to pursuing higher education.

When do I have to apply to graduate school?

Students typically begin applying for these programs during their junior or senior year of undergraduate studies, depending on the specific program they are interested in. Some students, like pre-medical students, will take a “gap year” before applying. A gap year is a year between the end of your undergraduate studies and the beginning of your graduate school. Students often use a gap year to take entrance exams, such as the LSAT, GRE, or MCAT. (What are those? You read more about those exams in my post here!) Sometimes, people will also use this opportunity to work, or do research in order to strengthen their application.

If you’re planning on taking a gap year, you should begin making plans for that during your sophomore or junior year.

Why should I go to graduate school?

In most fields, a graduate degree will get you a higher salary. How much higher depends on the degree field or the job.

You may also be ineligible for some jobs without a graduate degree. Examples include being a physician assistant, some therapist jobs, or opportunities in the public health sector. Having an advanced degree will help you meet the qualifications for these positions.

Additionally, a graduate degree is the opportunity to learn more about, and potentially specialize, in your chosen field. For example, getting an advanced degree in engineering may allow you to learn more about a specific industry.

What should I be doing to prepare my freshman year?

These are some things to consider as you go through your freshman year. It may be helpful to keep your ideas in a notebook, or something digitally so that you can reference them later.

  • Learn about graduate school. What types of programs are available? Does your school offer a combined bachelor’s/graduate degree program?
  • Take classes in your chosen field. Do you like learning about this field? Would you be interested in specializing?
  • Start to think about what kind of job you might want to have once you graduate. Would it require an advanced degree?

Hopefully this helps! Read on below for more tips and tricks for maximizing your college experience!

After Undergrad