Why Graduate School?

Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, numerous residents and students of the Gulf Coast dramatically witnessed the uncertainty of tomorrow. Lives were changed in an instant. As a result, many began to focus on the important matter of rebuilding the region. This process will require a variety of professionals trained at the highest levels, including engineers, biologists, psychologists, educators, economists, historians, architects and additional leaders from various other fields. Most of these professionals will have earned graduate degrees in their respective disciplines. Their graduate work provided them with the expertise to handle such an unprecedented disaster as well as other situations that may be more common.

Graduate school is fast becoming an entry-level requirement for many of the more desirable academic and other professional positions. Further, there is a critical shortage of African Americans and other underrepresented groups with advanced degrees, especially the Ph.D. The need for African-American lawyers and MBAs is critical. Additionally, the necessity for AfricanAmerican Ph.D.s to provide research and instruction in all academic areas is also at a critical stage. Without their presence, education will take on a much different look. Their absence will be felt in all segments of society. What would the Gulf Coast look like in the absence of these types of problem solvers? You can be a part of these and other solutions by pursuing doctoral study.

The opportunity to conduct research, develop programs and teach can facilitate better understanding and problem solving. Obtaining a graduate degree allows for tremendous flexibility and expanded experiences in anyone's professional career path. The Ph.D. will offer instant credibility in a world that often marginalizes underrepresented groups and women. Beyond the familiar, it can open doors to the unfamiliar such as the aftermath of a storm.

The Graduate School Process

It is not a process that can be taken lightly, and like anything else that is worth having, it will require a great deal of work. Graduate study typically refers to programs that award a master's degree and/or a doctorate. Master's degrees usually involve one to two years of coursework, a comprehensive examination over that coursework, and in some cases a thesis. Unlike undergraduate programs, your graduate coursework will take place nearly exclusively in your major area of study. Doctoral programs can require anywhere from two to four years of coursework, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation. The comprehensive exams are much like senior comps and require a great deal of preparation. Typically a three-hour written exam based upon your major coursework, comprehensives also may have an oral component covering your proposed research. The thesis or dissertation is your original research written with the guidance of a group of faculty known as your committee. Many people worry about the ability to produce a thesis, but you will find that writing one, although challenging, can be accomplished with your committees support and your academic training.

The Application Process

Once you have decided to pursue a graduate degree and have figured out which specific field you will study, the steps in the application process are as follows:

1. Create a list of potential schools.

2. Register, practice, and then take the Graduate Record Examinations (GREs)

3. Ask faculty members for letters of recommendation.

4. Write a statement of purpose and have it critiqued.

5. Complete and submit your applications for admission and financial/fellowship support.

1. Create a list of potential schools. In order to maximize your opportunities, you will need to apply to several schools. The more schools to which you apply, the more chances you have for admission. By consulting sourcebooks such as Peterson's Guides (they can be found online or at your college library), you will uncover a comprehensive listing of graduate opportunities in your respective area. The listings include descriptions of each discipline and their subfields. The listings will also include a wealth of data about the various institutions in those disciplines (location, entrance requirements, acceptance rates, tuition costs, funding options, enrollment demographics, etc.). Of course, online searches are always available and should complement your sourcebook inquiries. Web pages tend to have the most up-to-date information and can be quite informative, yet their navigation will take longer without the preliminary sourcebook searches.

To create your list of schools, you should first consider factors like quality of the program, strength of the university, reputation of faculty in your discipline, availability of funding, institutional support, and commitment to minority students. Other factors that may play a part include geographic region, size of enrollment, diversity of the student body, the community in which the school is located, and campus facilities and activities. After weighing these factors, you should compile a list of ten or more institutions.