Why grad school?
Career Earnings
Advanced degrees usually mean higher salaries. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Salary Report 2019 indicates those holding a masters degree earn higher annual salaries ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 more than bachelors degree holders, depending on the industry, discipline, and geographic location.
Personal Enrichment
Learning is a lifelong endeavor. Achieving advanced education is a powerful element to your sense of self esteem and respect. Meet the personal challenge, satisfy your academic curiosities.
More available options
Holding a masters or doctoral degree means more employment and career options. Advanced degrees give you more knowledge/training, and they sharpen your skills in research, writing, and critical thinking.
In some careers, a masters degree is the minimum educational credential needed.
Graduate School Information
- The Questions to Ask Yourself
- Application Process
- Entrance Examinations
- Personal Statement Essays
- Finding Graduate Programs
- Glossary of Graduate School Terms
Do I really want to continue academic life for another 2-7 years?
Graduate school is intense, and it will demand most of your time while you earn your advanced degree. You can have fun in graduate school (misery loves company!), but there's not much time for anything else.
Do I have the intellectual will power for the rigors of graduate school?
In graduate school, you must apply critical thinking skills, often work in a team environment with fellow students, and think, write, and reason at a much higher level.
What will I specialize in? What is the focus of my graduate pursuit?
Unlike being an undergraduate, there is no 'exploring' and finding the right major. You need to commit to your discipline from the start.
Will a graduate degree really get me where I want to be in my career? Or is grad school my 'fallback' position because I can't find work?
If so, you may need to rethink grad school.
Am I willing to relocate to go the graduate program I really want?
Finding the right grad school that supports your goals can be a challenge and involve moving.
Can I afford it?
Graduate school is more expensive than getting an undergraduate degree.
- Identify the target program(s) that interest you, and to which you have good probability of acceptance.
We recommend talking with your faculty advisor and Career Center staff to identify schools that suit your interests and career goals. - Contact these universities' Graduate Admissions office (usually found off their main Admissions webpage, or you can search the term on their sites).
Ask for a program brochure, along with studying the information provided on their website. - Study their materials and identify what they require for admissions.
Many universities require a resume, a personal statement/essay, testing scores (GRE, MAT or other), and transcripts; some also require letters of recommendation. - Get your timeline figured out.
When do you need to take your entrance tests? What's your deadline to register to take these? - Get your paperwork pulled together.
Write a resume (have the Career Center check it over); write your personal statement (help can be found in the links to the left); fill out the school's application form; ask your faculty to write letters of recommendation for you, get copies of your transcripts. - Start the process for financing the graduate degree.
Contact the program's financial aid office and ask about grants, assistantships and other forms of financial help. - Be prepared to interview.
Some programs have enrollment limits and they are selective about who they admit. The Career Center can help you prepare for this through our mock interview service. Schedule an appointment through Handshake.
Most graduate schools require you to take an entrance examination as part of the application process.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
The most common exam is the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). This general test measures your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that are not related to a particular discipline.
Some schools may require you to complete one of eight subject area tests. Mansfield University administers only the subject tests.
For more information: www.ets.org. For information on the GRE Subject Tests at Mansfield, contact Beth McClure (bmcclure@mansfield.edu or 570-662-4024).
Millers Analogy Test (MAT)
The MAT, or Millers Analogy Test is designed to assess your analytical thinking using high-level analogies. Some graduate programs prefer this assessment because it tests your reasoning and sense-making skills, and not simple memorization. For many people pursuing a degree in the fine and liberal arts, the MAT is the entrance exam.
Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
The GMAT is for students who are business-school bound. This entrance test assesses mathematical and quantitative interpretation ability. Problem solving is heavily emphasized. The GMAT will also assess basic verbal, math and analytical writing skills.
Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
For students who want to go to law school, you'll have to take the LSAT which is designed to measure some of the skills considered essential for success in law school:
- Reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight
- Organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it
- Ability to think critically
- Analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
The MCAT is for medical-school students. The MCAT assesses your ability in problem solving, critical and analytical thinking, writing skills, and knowledge of science. Almost all US medical schools require this exam as part of the application process.
Additional Tests
Other occupation areas may have separate entrance exams they prefer you take. Pay very close attention to the instructions on all graduate school applications.
The essay you write for graduate school should concentrate on your academic achievements, your sense of ambition and responsibility, and your ability to write well (you have the potential to write more in graduate school than in any other time of your life). Remember: The admissions team is trying to assess the likelihood you will succeed in their program.
Simple tips:
- Address why their program best fits your own career and academic goals. They want to know you've really thought about it.
- Don't just reiterate your resume. They can read that for themselves.
- Offer specific examples or stories to illustrate your key points.
- If your program is research-based, you should mention your particular research area and, if possible, refer to the faculty at that university whose professional research interests you most and who might be good mentors for you.
- Explain deficiencies (low grades, poor GRE score) but don't whine. Your successes and failures are your own responsibilities.
- Proofread, and have at least two other humans proofread it, too. (Yes - We are happy to help!)
Recommended Resources:
- All About the Graduate Admissions Essay
- Writing Your Statement of Purpose for Grad School
- Graduate School Entrance Essay
Of course, our recommendations do not guarantee that you will be accepted into a graduate program. It's up to you, your academic qualifications, and the program's requirements.
Find your "best fit" graduate school
Finding a graduate school program can be very confusing. Luckily, there are several websites that provide great search capabilities so you can find the program that best suits your interests, goals, and dreams.
Start with your PA State System of Higher Education… Did you know that almost every campus in our system offers graduate degrees? You can visit each campus by starting here.
The websites listed below offer interactive search engines, so you can narrow your options based on degree type, discipline, and geographic location:
The language of graduate school can be confusing. Here's a primer on the lingo:
Accreditation:
Recognition of an educational institution by an independent private organization. Over one hundred accrediting agencies exist. Find a graduate program with a credible accrediting association. Without this, your degree likely won't be recognized by many employers. Particularly important in the sciences, business, social sciences, and education, or any field requiring certification or licensure.
Assistantship:
Some graduate programs offer assistantships as a form of financial support for graduate students. Assistantships usually will pay tuition (full or a steep discount) and also provide you with small stipend in exchange for you to work (18-25 hours per week is standard) as a research assistant for a faculty member. Other assistantships may be for teaching, administrative, or counseling, depending on the academic program.
Assistantships are competitive.
Personal Essay/Statement:
The personal essay includes information about you that includes your:
- Academic and career goals
- Your experiences and activities that shaped your interests
The personal statement is very important and can determine your acceptance to a graduate program. Your writing ability is also assessed by this essay.
The personal essay/statement is also known as: Admissions Essay, Application Essay, Graduate School Essay, Statement of Intent, Statement of Purpose, Statement of Interests, Statement of Goals.
Thesis:
A written work containing the results of research on a specific topic prepared by a candidate for a bachelor's or master's degree; a work of research culminating the master's degree. The thesis is based on individual research conducted by you and supervised by your advisor.
Dissertation:
A significant body of original empirical research designed to make a substantial contribution to a discipline or field of study. This work is associated with doctoral study and often takes years to complete.
GRE:
Graduate Record Exam. This exam is required for admission to many graduate programs around the country. There are two elements: general and subject matter. Similar in purpose to the SAT's for undergraduate study, the GRE is an assessment of your knowledge, cognitive abilities and reasoning skills.
LSAT:
Law School Admissions Test. This entrance exam is required for admission to graduate program to earn a degree in law.
GMAT:
Graduate Management Admissions Test. This is an exam required for most MBA and business school graduate programs.
MAT:
Millers Analogy Test. This exam is used by many liberal arts, fine arts and social science graduate-level programs. It emphasizes qualitative and verbal reasoning skills more than the GRE does.
MCAT:
Medical College Admissions Test. To gain acceptance into medical school, this is the exam.
Contact Us!
Location: Gr Floor, Alumni Hall
Call: 570-662-4133
Email: careers@mansfield.edu
Follow us:
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook