Here are some questions you should ask yourself when considering graduate studies:
- What are my career goals?
- Are you interested in Master’s or doctoral studies?
- Do you need to take prerequisite exams (e.g. GRE - Graduate Record Examinations, GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Test)?
- What academic accommodations will you need, including prerequisite exams, classrooms, labs and/or practicum?
- Are you interested enough in the subject to stay with it?
- Do you have the energy and commitment to work hard for as long as it takes?
- Can you find the money to pay tuition, books and living expenses?
- Can you handle the pressure?
- Can you go without working full-time in order to be a student?
- What do you want your life to be like a few years after completing the degree?
- What is the reputation of the program?
- What are the course/thesis requirements to earn my degree?
- Is there a practicum or internship?
- How long will it take?
- Can I afford it? What are the possibilities for financial aid?
- Do I have the prerequisites for the program?
- What are my chances of being accepted?
- What are my chances of getting the job I want after I graduate?
Check out:
Your Future: A Guide for Potential Graduate Students is an excellent publication from the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies.
Adapted from:
www.gradschools.com/info/handbook