Graduate Program: How to Choose?
I have been asked this question so many times and some of us have had open debates on what is most important when it comes to choosing a graduate program. What is important to me is not going to necessarily be the same things that are important to you. But I would like to attempt to share some thoughts on what I now think I should have considered and why.
Funding
Advisor
Program Rank (Accreditation)
Location/Cost of Living
Diversity
1) Funding: This should be one of the top items considered when costing a program. A graduate program is rigorous without having to worry about where your tuition and stipend sources are going to come from. In any program you choose, ensure that you have at least the first year FULLY funded (without having to become a teaching assistant). This will allow you time to acclimate to your new environment. Finding funding is challenging but there are many untapped resources. As a woman and a minority, it is a proud moment and platform to display diverse excellence.
2) Advisor: Finding an advisor was the next important thing for me. Although in the program I chose you don’t choose a professor till the end of your first semester, it was important for me to have the options and opportunity. Having options on which advisors are accepting students also means having possible funding options. The last thing you want to do is show up to a school with no advisor in mind.
3) Program Rank: This one I think is self-explanatory but I will say that if you are able to choose a professor you can relate to and who understands your vision (which is not always the case), you can have a groundbreaking Ph.D. At the end of the day, you can go to the number one school in your program but if you do not get the support that you need (Funding/Professor), your work will suffer. Any institution you attend, ensure that it is accredited. Also, become familiar with their transfer policies in case anything should happen.
4) Location and Cost of Living: For me, these two were equally important because I wanted to be in a place where I could get to my family if there was an emergency. Especially since I would be flying out of the country. It was important that the location was also affordable because student stipends are just that: A stipend. Just enough for you to get by per month but not too much to get comfortable where you feel the need to become a “professional” student.
5) School Diversity: Looking back now, ESPECIALLY as a black woman, I feel as if I should have spent more time looking into this factor. This would have determined how small or large my support system would have been. If you have a strong support system in your undergraduate institution or home support system, you can use these relationships to give you strength. Honestly, wherever you go fora tertiary education, as a minority you are going to be one of few. If not in your school then in your field. But do not let this define your experience.
Tell us, what were your most important considerations? Feel free to share items, not on the list. Let’s help each other out!
xoxo