Graduate & Professional School

Graduate school is a great way to conduct meaningful research, develop specialized skills, qualify for licensure, and more! Graduate school is also not something to take lightly. It’s a major investment—personally, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and financially. This means that deciding to apply to and attend graduate school requires extensive research and preparation. Be sure to give yourself enough time to do your due diligence and get all the information you want and need. The more time you allow yourself to research programs, prepare for any standardized tests, write personal statements, and submit applications, the better!

Check out the resources and information below for help in embarking on the graduate school search and application process.

Make an Appointment

Career Advisors are available by appointment to assist you with the graduate school process. Schedule an appointment to meet with your career advisor, to talk about anything from exploring programs to writing your personal statement to preparing for interviews.

Research Programs

The process of applying to graduate and professional school requires extensive research. You will want to learn about different program specifics, application requirements, costs, deadlines, and more. Click here for a list of resources to help you research and find programs that would be a good fit to help you meet your academic and career goals.

Prepare your Application

Graduate school application requirements can vary, but typically include multiple parts that will require careful planning and preparation. Click here for information about each part of a typical graduate application process.

Network

Networking is a valuable way to gain insight from others in your desired professional field. During the graduate school admissions process, it is always a good idea to talk to others in your desired field and to connect with students who are currently in or have recently completed similar programs to what you hope to pursue. To learn more about how to network, check out our Networking Guide. You can also use The Roger Connection and LinkedIn to connect with RWU alum and/or alum from your programs of interest who have perspectives that will help guide your own academic and career journey.

Prepare to Interview

A common element of the graduate school admissions process is an interview with an admissions representative or members of the academic department to which you are applying. Interviewing takes practice, and it is important to take time to prepare beforehand. Check out our Interview Guide for tips to prepare. Use the Big Interview tool to practice answering questions virtually and get feedback. You can also make an appointment with your career advisor to complete a mock interview.

Explore Careers

As you consider graduate programs, you will also want to learn more about how a graduate degree can guide your career journey. To explore careers that match your interests, use the O*Net Interest Profiler. To learn more about a particular occupation, including education requirements, work environments, salary, etc., check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook and My Next Move.