{"id":21082,"date":"2019-08-13T12:40:57","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T17:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=21082"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:41:25","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:41:25","slug":"journey-to-grad-school-the-decision-to-apply","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/gre\/journey-to-grad-school-the-decision-to-apply\/","title":{"rendered":"Journey to Grad School: The Decision to Apply"},"content":{"rendered":"By Laura Sliker<\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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So, you think you want to go to grad school? Well, when starting my college career, I didn\u2019t. When I was a freshman, my instructors and peers said I would never need a master\u2019s or doctorate degree for what I wanted to do. At first I listened, because every major and experience in college is unique. I told myself a B.A. was all I wanted\u2026until the word \u2018professor\u2019\u00a0started to come out of everyone\u2019s mouths. The first time someone told me I would make a good professor was the first time I seriously considered pursuing my education after undergrad. The second, third, by now even the twentieth time just serve as fuel for the fire. In college, everyone’s experiences are different, but when it came down to it, I had to think about what I <\/span>really <\/span><\/i>wanted. Here, I\u2019ve come up with the best pieces of advice from my own experience I can give to someone who\u2019s considering applying to graduate school.<\/span>
\nAnalyze Your Situation and Feelings<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Ask yourself, \u201cDoes my passion require another degree? Do I need this to be successful?”\u00a0 If you do, it\u2019s an easy decision. However, what if it isn\u2019t necessary, but you still want it? Maybe you just love learning in a student environment. In this case, try doing what I did. Sit down and look at what you might want to study. Look at the kind of courses you\u2019d have to take. Do they excite you or scare you, or maybe even both?<\/strong> If you don\u2019t need a master’s and you’re not passionate about it, getting the degree may cause more problems than it solves. Listen to your own passions, and trust your mind and feelings.<\/span>
\nFind Support<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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A lot changed once I decided I wanted to go to grad school– one of those changes being my undergraduate major. During that semester, I was in two classes for my major, and the first course in my minor. I remember my major professors being confused, asking why I was bothering with graduate studies and what I thought I would gain. Then, the professors in my minor asked where I wanted to apply and how they could help. This was when my minor and my major switched places. My case might have been a bit extreme, but the basic point holds true: people in your major might not necessarily support your ambitions, so seek out those who will.<\/strong> Find a support group, and don\u2019t be afraid to ask for guidance. Often times, the supportive people in your life will be the ones to inform your ultimate decision.<\/span>
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