Sylvia
What is the best way to plan for your Graduates School?
I plan on going onto graduate school, and the amount of schools to further my history degree is overwhelming. I know I would enjoy archiving and ancient history, but after that I am stumped. #masters #graduate-school
3 answers
Daniel Brennan
Daniel’s Answer
Make sure you maintain a good GPA during your undergraduate classes. A lot of elite graduate schools will throw out your application if you do not meet certain GPA standards. Another good way to prepare is to build a relationship with one or two of your professors. As dumb as that may sound, your going to need recommendations in order to get yourself into graduate school, and if you're able to get one from a professor who has a relationship with you, they are more likely to write a more detailed and helpful recommendation.
I would also begin to prepare financially. Obviously graduate school isn't cheap so try to plan ahead. Some helpful ideas are working internships during the summer, getting a job at night during the graduate school classes themselves, or even taking two years off in order to get a nice savings amount to then put towards the classes. A very underrated option is to get a job in that field and then have the company pay for your graduate degree.
Mary-Jane Radford Arrow
Mary-Jane’s Answer
If I understand your question, in addition to what others have offered here in the way of advice, I would say it is important that you choose a master's program that is in line with your own interests as a historian. You may also decide that you want to pursue a PhD eventually, which many people studying history do. So, it's important that you reflect up on and can articulate what topics, for example what period of history or historical phenomena or persons, you are interested in and why. One way of narrowing the choice of universities/programs you might want to apply to is by seeing where scholars whose work interests you or who are experts in the topic(s) that interest you are located. Then you can create a list of the history departments that you can target for your applications. They will probably want to know what your scholarly interests are and why you are interested in applying to that particular graduate program, so doing this research up-front will also bolster your chances of being accepted. Good luck!
Raina Shah
Raina’s Answer
- decide what you to pursue
- Look up at colleges offering that course
- Look at the syllabus and also online lectures to see if you are actually interested.
- if you are then, look at job opportunities
- Once you have made a decision do write your plan of action and stick it on the wall
- following which find out the relevant exam you need to take as well SOP and LOR requirements.
- Look at scholarships and make sure you apply early