Questions to Ask When Researching Graduate Programs
Researching graduate programs can be, at times, overwhelming. Below are some questions you may want to ask before applying for graduate school. At Carleton, a lot of this information is available on our program pages and on our various departmental websites.
Questions about the program:
- What are the program requirements?
- Are there any prerequisite courses I need to complete?
- How long do full-time students typically take to complete this program?
- What areas of specialization do you offer?
- What kind of research opportunities do you offer?
- What practical experiences are available to your grad students?
- What professional development opportunities are there?
- What kind of faculty supports exist?
- How much leisure time will I have to pursue outside interests?
- What kind of job-search support is provided when I graduate?
- How available are teaching assistantships, research assistantships, awards and scholarships?
- What resources are available for students, such as graduate student housing, medical insurance, child care, fitness, etc.?
Questions for a potential thesis supervisor:
- What qualities do you look for in your students?
- Can you describe how you go about supervising your grad students?
- What opportunities exist for me to work with you on your research? On my own?
- When will you decide which students you hope to work with?
Admission questions:
- When is your application deadline?
- What GPA do I need to have?
- What required documents do I need?
- What kind of previous experience do I need?
- Are there any additional things I can provide that might increase my chances of a successful application?
Questions for students enrolled in the program:
- How would you describe your department?
- What are the positives and negatives?
- How available is your advisor?
- Do grad students in your department socialize with each other?
- How much research support have you received?
- Do you get a chance to present your work at conferences and other external functions?
- What do you like best about your overall grad experience at Carleton?
Application Insider provides prospective students with a series of tips on how to apply to graduate school. The series is based on Carleton’s application policies, but the information can be useful in all graduate school applications. You can view the complete series here.
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