So You’re Considering Graduate School…

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Benefits of Graduate School

• Improved job opportunities
• Especially in psychology and law and justice fields
• Greater earning potential
• Personal growth
• For lifelong learners/future doctoral candidates, consider a thesis-track degree
• Networking opportunities
• Consider senior privilege @ Rowan

Your Timeline

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Program

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Location

Cost

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Selectivity

Mode of Delivery

Practicality

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Compile a List of Potential Schools*

*When making your list of schools, treat it the same way you did your undergraduate search and consider many factors

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Deadlines 101

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DEC

NOV

OCT

SEP

AUG

JUL

JUN

MAY

APR

MAR

FEB

JAN

Application deadline: Temple University MA Criminal Justice (Fall start)

Application deadline: Rutgers University MA Criminal Justice (Fall start)

Application deadline: Rowan University MA Criminal Justice (Fall start)

Application deadline: Boston University MS Criminal Justice (Fall start)

Every school you apply to will have different deadlines

Consider starting your search early, around October or November, and make a spreadsheet to keep track of your submissions

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Admissions Requirements

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• Transcripts
• GRE scores
• Letters of rec.
• Personal statements
• Writing samples

Every university will have different requirements, but you may see some of these things…

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*Requirements taken from Rutgers’ PhD in Pyschology

Key Things to Keep

in Mind

Request Your Transcript*

Take Your GRE*

Prepare a Writing Sample*

*Available from National Student Clearinghouse

*Only if your school asks for it

*Some programs may request a recent paper

You’ll need at least two of these

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Letters of Recommendation

Begin building relationships at Rowan early, especially in labs and core courses

Contact your Community college professors: you only need one class to make an impression

Did you take part in an internship? Consider asking a trusted supervisor

Writing your Personal Statement

DO

• Personalize it with program-specific details
• Mention goals
• Highlight specific faculty
• Give it a clear focus
• Include a story (if applicable)
• Brag a little!

DON’T

• Be overly generic
• Use too many quotes (if any)
• Go over the word count
• If no count is given, assume no more than 1 page
• Make it your resume

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Polishing your Resume

If you do not have relevant work experience/internships, emphasize skills based on the program description

Some schools may want a copy of your resume, especially if you are applying to Education programs or MBAs

You should tailor your resume to include relevant career experience as well as scholastic achievements

Some terms you may encounter

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The Language of Grad School

Terminal degrees: The last degree you earn, whether that’s a Master’s or a Doctorate

Thesis-Track: A degree designed for you to produce a lengthy (75 or more pages) piece of research in order to graduate.

Fellowship: A merit-based scholarship that typically covers either part or all of your program expenses

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Consider Your Options

• Grad school can be expensive and it’s also at minimum a 2 year commitment
• Consider things such as:
• Does the career I want require a master’s degree for most entry level jobs?
• Is this a field I am interested in?
• Can I afford this at this point in my life?
• If you are on the fence, remember:
• You can get a graduate degree at any time

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Considering Local Options?

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Who Can Help?

To schedule with a career counselor visit

Questions?

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