What matters more when it comes to applying to graduate school, the number of class you have taken or experience?

Hi, Rachel: so, you're thinking about grad school . . . that's great. Getting another degree often accelerates you along your career path. Now, I have a question for you: what sort of grad school are you considering? I ask because I see a difference between what I call a grad school and a professional school. To me a grad school is one where you pursue your interest in a particular subject, for example, math, english lit, history, art, physics, etc. In other words, you might be thinking of teaching the subject or becoming an expert in that subject matter. A professional school, to me, is one where you are pursuing a particular career, for example, medicine, law, business, engineering, architecture, accounting, etc.

Now, to your question . . . if you're interested in a grad school as defined above, it's very important that you demonstrate a passion about the subject matter. So, take math as an example . . . taking as many math classes as possible will certainly demonstrate a keen interest in math and grad school admissions officers will see that in a very positive way. Pursuing research opportunities during the summer working with professors is a very good idea and is what grad schools would see as relevant experience. So, if that's what you're after, you should definitely consult with your professors about what they did and what they now recommend students do who are interested in getting into a good grad school.

As for professional schools, each type has its own requirements and expectations. Probably the best examples of this are med schools. They have very specific requirements of their applicants. They also look for specific kinds of experience as being valuable. Business schools definitely look favorably upon business related work experience. Summer internships and other term-time work are important as are extracurriculars that demonstrate leadership and entrepreneurship. However, most schools offer very good information about what they expect from their applicants. Of course, for all schools, doing well in your classwork AND getting good experience is what they like to see in their applicants. I know that's a tall order, so just do as well as you can. If you can, talk to as many Queens alumni as you can. Also, visit the career center because they should have a lot of info to help you . . . and some personal counseling. I know you've probably done that already, but keep going back because the better they get to know you, the more they'll be able to help (http://www.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/services/career/students/careerplanning/Pages/Graduate_School.aspx). Go see Karen Johnson or Mark Klein; give them a call and set up an appointment: 718-997-4465.

I hope this helps. I encourage you to pursue grad school, whatever type you choose!!

As recommended by John Noble, the balance of academic preparation and professional experience you seek prior to graduate school really depends upon the kind of program or field you are entering. My experience is that highly technical programs that require significant understanding of mathematics, physics, chemistry, molecular biology and other "hard core" sciences are more likely to tilt toward valuing academic mastery of the skills you need. Less technical programs, including MBA programs and those in the liberal arts or social sciences will value a balance of life and professional experience with proven academic performance. There are also vocational programs that give you all the training you need for an entry level job in that field. Those programs will value experience less, but employers will want to see that you've had some measure of professional success so that you can be counted on to be a productive member of their team.

By all means, follow Mr. Noble's advice and see the ongoing assistance of career counselors and experts in your field whom you have access to as a student at CUNY. They can "drill down" to your more precise goals and customize a plan just for you. Being in college is a great time to take advantage of these resources for free...once you graduate you may have more limited access to these kinds of resources. Thank goodness our universities make them available to students. Best of luck and thanks for asking! The fact that you're taking your upcoming plan so seriously bodes well for your continued success.

I would say it's a combination of both. I would recommend getting some experience under your belt before graduate school because you can better apply your skills to education that way. It really depends on the program too. It never hurts to have work experience before graduate work.

I couldn't have said it better than the previous comments!

Graduate school is a great think to be thinking about as your next steps! When applying they are looking for a combination of everything. The internship/ volunteer experience. The courses you've taken. The club or organizations you joined. They all are factored in when applying in addition to why you are passionate about pursuing that specialized degree. Below are a few questions to think about when applying and choosing grad school that I thought would be helpful!

What do you want to study at graduate school?
Why you want to study only this degree?
Why do you want to study at this particular college?
How much and what kind of experience you have in your field?
Is your experience related to you choice of degree?
If you are already experienced, what additional skills are you planning to gain from the degree?
What you plan to do with your degree after graduation?
What are your expectations from both the graduate program, and the university?
How can you contribute to our university and our program?
What specific skills do you bring to the table?
What are you like, as a person?

Out of thousands of applicants, make sure you are confident and passionate about the degree and find what separates your from the other applicants on and off paper. I hope this helps!