Where to go for assistance
Graduate school advising at Bucknell is done primarily through the faculty because they are experienced in graduate education within their disciplines and knowledgeable about programs that may be right for you. The Center for Career Advancement can help you decide whether graduate school is the right choice, how it fits into your career plans and how to navigate the application process. The Center also offers professional school advising and resources for prehealth professions and prelaw, as well as guidance on finding information about other professional programs.
The Office of Undergraduate Fellowships and Research provides information, advising and programming about undergraduate research opportunities, funding and applications for prestigious postgraduate fellowships.
Be Deliberate in Your Choices and Planning
When deciding whether graduate school is right for you, consider how it fits into your career goals. The decision should be based on how the experience will help you achieve those goals, not as a way to delay making career decisions. For some careers, graduate school is an important next step, but in other fields it may be better to gain professional experience before pursuing another degree. There is not always one correct path. The Center for Career Advancement has resources for researching careers and can help you connect with alumni and employers who can share their perspectives.
Getting Started
If you are considering graduate school, begin by talking with a professor in the field that interests you. This may be a professor with whom you have conducted research or your academic adviser. Each academic department has an assigned graduate school adviser who can answer questions specific to that discipline. Faculty members can also recommend other professors within the department or colleagues at other universities. They can help you refine your interests and identify programs that best match your goals.
The search for a graduate program is often more about finding the right mentor or research program than selecting a university. You can identify programs or potential mentors by reviewing scholarly articles that interest you and researching where the authors work or completed their graduate education. Once you have identified programs or faculty members of interest, review their websites and research, then contact professors to express your interest in their work and ask whether they expect to accept new students in the coming year.
Application Steps
Financing Your Degree: Depending on the type of degree you pursue, funding may be provided by the institution through tuition support and a stipend in exchange for serving as a research or teaching assistant. In general, doctoral programs are more likely to provide full funding than master’s programs. Some universities also offer additional assistantships that include tuition support and stipends. Visit each graduate school’s admissions website for information about funding opportunities. Some students also secure external funding that they bring with them to their chosen program. For more information about funding and fellowships, see the Office for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Examinations: Some graduate programs require GRE scores as part of the application, although many have changed or eliminated that requirement. Check the programs that interest you to determine whether the general test and/or subject tests are required. The GRE website provides information about testing options, dates and practice materials. The general test is computer based and offered throughout the year either virtually or at testing centers listed on the website.
Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation should come from faculty members who know your academic work and research well. Ask whether they feel comfortable writing a recommendation on your behalf, and provide information about your interests and the programs to which you are applying well before application deadlines.
Personal Statement: A personal statement is more focused than the essay you wrote for your undergraduate applications. Include only information that is relevant to your intended field of study, and explain why this direction is important to you. Your statement should demonstrate intellectual curiosity and be distinctive rather than resemble the essays submitted by other applicants. Expect to prepare multiple drafts and seek feedback from faculty and the Writing Center. Additional information about writing a personal statement for graduate school or law school is available.
Timeline: A sample timeline is available in the graduate and professional school handout. Participate in undergraduate research during your sophomore and/or junior year to gain experience and better understand graduate study. Most application deadlines fall from November through late January for admission the following year. Plan ahead, and avoid procrastinating on examinations, program research, personal statement preparation and requesting letters of recommendation.
Before and After Graduate School
Many individuals choose to delay applying to graduate or professional school in order to gain work experience first, which may be full-time positions or short term work options. Conversations with advisers, as well as alumni who chose this path, can help you determine whether it is the right option for you. Although many graduate programs in academic disciplines prepare students for careers in higher education, other career paths are also available if academia is not your goal.
Although faculty members are your primary resource for graduate school advising, the Center for Career Advancement can assist throughout the process. Fellow students and alumni can also share valuable insights based on their experiences. Use the networking resources available through the Center for Career Advancement to connect with alumni who have earned degrees from programs or schools you are considering. Use Handshake to schedule an appointment for career counseling, alumni networking assistance, résumé, CV and cover letter reviews, and advising and programming for prelaw and prehealth.
