Transcript What Can I Do With My Major??????? Exploring Career Pathways

Preparing for Graduate School
Presented by: Patty Dang, M.S.
Career Development Services Counselor
Learning Outcomes
• Identify two reasons to attend graduate
school
• Summarize how to select and prepare for
graduate school tests
• Estimate how far in advance a letter of
recommendation should be requested
• List the important things to consider when
writing a statement of purpose
Agenda
Why Graduate
School?
Graduate School
Resources
When Should You
Attend Graduate
School?
• Immediately
• Graduate
• Things to
after
consider for School
graduation
Bound
graduate
Program
school
• After some
work
• Reasons for • Graduate
experience
School
attending
preparatio • During your
graduate
n resources entry-level
school
online and
at Career
Developme
nt Services
career
Testing
Application
Process
• Timeline for
• Which test
graduate
to take?
school
application
• How
• What
important
materials are
are the
needed to
scores?
submit your
application?
• When should
• How far in
you take the
advance
tests?
should you
request a
• How do you
letter of
prepare?
recommendati
on?
Why Graduate School?
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Things to consider…
Going to graduate school is a major commitment of
time and money and you really have to be sure before
beginning.
What are your specific reasons for attending graduate
school?
Graduate school should NOT be a default option
because you don’t know what to do or you can’t find
full-time work after graduation.
3 Good reasons to attend Graduate School:
Career Goal, Compensation & Staying Marketable
Reason #1
Career Goal
• Earning a graduate degree that leads to a
specific career goal (Doctor, Lawyer,
Psychologist and Teacher)
• Not all careers need advanced degree to be
successful (Computer Science, IT/Networking,
Business, Marketing, Communications etc.)
Reason #2
Compensation
• On average, MOST people with advanced
degrees earn more than people with a
bachelor's degree
• Making more money shouldn’t be the only
reason.
• There are plenty of Bachelor’s degrees you
could select that make more money than
some careers that require an advanced degree
Reason #3
Staying Marketable
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Career Advancement and promotions
Professional Development
Moving towards supervisory or executive roles
Improving skills and obtaining needed
competencies (Series 7 License)
Graduate School Resources
Graduate School Bound Program
• 6 session that will go over testing, application
process, financial aid, writing a personal
statement or statement of purpose, and
graduate school research in a hands on
approach
Career Development Services
Graduate School Counseling
•Individual one-on-one counseling to cover a
single graduate school topic
•Requires the student to complete a large
portion of research and homework before
meeting with a counselor
•To make an appointment, please call or email
the Career Center
Career Development Services
Graduate & Professional School Handbook
• Guide to help you get started
• Basic information on the application process
• Provides a list of resources
Career Development Services
Eureka & Career Cruising
•Online resource that can help you locate and
research graduate school programs
•Contact information to programs universities
and admission advisors.
Career Development Services
Weekly Resume Clinic and Drop-In Counseling
• Polishing or critiquing your resume for
graduate school application
•Answer quick questions
•Help you get started on the graduate school
application process
Annual Programs & Events
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Graduate School Bound Program
Mock Interviews
Graduate School Panel
Graduate & Professional School Fair
Graduate & Professional School Week
Testing
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Which test should I take?
Depends on the graduate program &
university/college
Most students will need the GRE
LSAT – Law School
MCAT- Medical School
GMAT – Business Schools
Check with program requirements found on
application website
Testing
Preparation
• Self- Study (ETS website,
test books)
• Graduate School
preparation classes
(community college
courses)
• Private test-prep schools
(Kaplan)
Costs
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ETS Website – free
Test books ($10-$30)
Test-Prep classes ($150-$500)
Private test-prep ($500several thousands)
Application Process Timeline
Research
• Select programs and schools of interests (takes 3-4weeks to
2-6 months depending on the person)
– Find out about prerequisites
– What is the application requirements
– Should start around February-July of the previous year you plan on
starting your program (Research Feb 2012 to be admitted in Fall 2013
or 8-10 months prior to the application deadline)
• Visit the school’s website
– Do you like the courses or curriculum?
– Who are the professors? What kind of specialty or research?
– Does the program and school’s mission align with yours?
Application Process Timeline
Testing
• Study for exam (May-August 2012 for Fall 2013)
– Plan for a possible retest. If you test early and don’t meet the
requirments for your desired program you can re-take the exam.
• Pay & Schedule ETS exam 3weeks-2months prior to exam day
– Exams fill-up quickly, you don’t want to wait until there is only a few
days or a week before you take the test to register.
– Tests are not offered every week, check exam dates at ets.org early
• Take the Exam (July-September 2012 for Fall 2013)
– If you need to re-take the exam it should not be later than November.
– You need to consider when applications are due since results take 4-8
weeks to report
Application Process Timeline
Letters of Recommendation
• Contact Professors and Supervisors 3-6 months prior to the
application deadline
• Producing a well written letter representing you in a positive way is
cultivated from communicating your educational goals to your
letter writer
• Provide Summary & Transcripts
– Don’t assume your letter writers know and remember everything about
your career and educational goals.
– Remind them why you are interested in your chosen program and school.
• Request letters 6-8 weeks in advance
– Good letter writing takes time. Faculty and supervisors are busy people, if
you give them a really short deadline it shows you didn’t prepare in
advance.
Application Process Timeline
Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement
• Research program and school
– If you understand the program and school’s goals and missions you can reflect in your
essay writing both your interest and fit
– Start taking notes and identifying what are the program goals, missions, student learning
outcomes 6-8 months prior to the application deadline
• Write Rough Draft
– It is a common mistake to wait for the last few weeks before your application deadline
before writing your essay(s)
– Essay writing for graduate application is complex and needs several reviews
– After extensive research on the program and school begin your draft 4-6 months prior to
the application deadline
• Review & Edit by friends, professionals and faculty
– Feedback from multiple people is best
– CDS reviews and edits both content and grammar (takes 3-7 reviews)
Application Process Timeline
Attend Graduate & Professional School Fairs
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Meet with Enrollment Advisors
– Get tips, additional help and your questions answered
– Find out if your test results makes you a competitive candidate for the program, or
if you need to retake the exam.
• 9th Annual Graduate & Professional School Fair
– Thursday November 8, 2012 from 10am – 2pm (Fall Only)
• Graduate & Professional School Panel
– Learn from Admission Advisors and current graduate students what it takes to get
accepted and be successful in your graduate program.
Application Process Timeline
Submit Your Application
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Applications are usually submitted between December 15-Jan 15
– Each program at each school is different, check application deadlines directly from
the program department
• Send your application 1-2 weeks early
– Mistakes happen: missing document(s), application sent to the wrong department
on campus, transcripts lost in the mail
– If you send your application early you can easily remedy most issue(s) within 1-2
weeks so you don’t lose the opportunity to apply.
• Interview requests occur 1-3 months after the application deadline
• Acceptance letters are sent 3-6 months after the application deadline
If you are unsure about anything, check with the Admissions Counselors or
program department.
Resources to help you …
Career Development Services: Website
Career Steps on CDS Website: Career Steps
4-year Career Compass Guide: Career Compass
Detailed Listing of Workshops & Events: Schedule
Exploring Majors: College Majors 101, Myplan,
What Can I Do With My Major
Preparing For Graduate School Survey
http://go.csuci.edu/cdsgraduate
Thank You!
Questions?
Please feel free to come by the Career Center for
Drop-in Counseling held every Thursday
at 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
from September 13, 2012 – November 29, 2012
Amanda Carpenter, M.S.
Coordinator of Career Development Services &
Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo Institute Internship Program
California State University Channel Islands
Bell Tower 1527
(805) 437-3565 (office)
[email protected]
Patty Dang
Career Development Services Counselor
California State University Channel Islands
Bell Tower 1548
(805) 437-3270 (office)
(805) 437-8899 (fax)
[email protected]
Career Development Center
California State University Channel Islands
Bell Tower 1548
(805) 437-3270 (office)
(805) 437-8899 (fax)
[email protected]
www.csuci.edu/careerdevelopment