There are many options available when choosing your college for your masters degree. With all of the information out there, how does one decided which school is right for them? Below are the main four considerations when choosing a graduate school. I can attest to this, from my own experience looking for a graduate school in the late 80’s. I also discovered that the higher your GRE or Graduate Record Exam scores were, the higher your chances of getting accepted to your school of choice and getting the financial aid you desire.
1) Probably the first thing to consider is what are your GRE’s or Graduate Record Exam scores. This is a major consideration when deciding where to attend graduate school. Some schools require a GRE score of 1200 or more. The school will also take into consideration what your GPA was. A GPA on your undergraduate degree under 3.0 makes it very difficult to get into graduate school. Research shows that most people with a grade point average below a 3.0 wouldn’t even consider graduate school in the first place. They would probably find this type of degree too difficult for them. I found that a school that requires a 3.0 GPA and a GRE of 1000 were usually your best choices. Many of these schools offered wonderful graduate programs. However, if you are bent on going to a top ten schools, your GPA should be above 3.4 and your GRE should be around 1200. Only then will Harvard or Yale consider you.
2) The competition at a school is another thing to consider. Harvard is considered a top school for business and law, and John Hopkins for the medical field. Your GRE scores need to be above 1400 to get accepted to these school. But with a little research, you can find backup schools that are excellent and might serve as a choice, should your Ivy League school turn you down. Some people have their mind set on one school and will take nothing else but the best. Go for it, but keep a back up plan ready. And as there are deadlines, don’t wait too late to apply to your alternate schools. Just remember, that the more prestigious the school, the higher your Graduate Record Exam scores need to be.
3) Housing was a big priority when I was considering what graduate school to attend. The only way GRE scores play into the game here, is if you want to try to get a grant or scholarship to pay for the board. But I was not that lucky and had to pay for it myself. By the time most people go to graduate school, they are commuting or going part time. More and more, young people are going directly from undergraduate to graduate school. I doubt many 24 year olds are still interested in partying. Many graduate schools have graduate only housing. Better yet, for us married people with children, a lot of graduate schools are starting what they call married student housing. The one I stayed in was a very small two bedroom apartment, but it served the purpose while I was attending graduate school. In most of these married student housing apartments, utilities are included. We even had cable in ours. High Graduate Record Exam scores increase your chance of getting funding for you married student housing.
4) Last but not least, tuition is a consideration. Graduates schools can have outrageous prices. Some run upwards of $20,000 a year. However, there are many funding opportunities out there. Graduate schools also offer graduate assistantships. These can pay for all of tuition, however, occasionally, they pay for room and board also. I would advise not to go too far into debt with loans. You could literally be a life time paying these off. Again, your GRE scores are important. The higher your Graduate Record Exam scores, the greater chance that you can get good financial aid for college.
There are many options available when considering the right master’s degree program. One must consider where their degree is offered, what Graduate Record Exam and GPA’s are required, how difficult it is to be admitted, what housing the school offers, and the cost of tuition. If your first choice school does not offer you the chance to attend, their are other wonderful schools out there to chose from. Remember to keep your options open. But also remember to study very hard and diligently for your Graduate Record Exam test. The higher your score, the better your chances of getting into the school of your choice, and the better your chance of getting more financial aid and graduate assistantships. Good luck!
