#since i'd need to get a library qualification first

[jakeperalta]

I'm curious. what job would you do if money was no object (you just automatically had an income you could live comfortably on)? including work like volunteering, studying etc. please share in the tags :)

[itsclydebitches]

OK Clyde I know you posted about advice for incoming grad students. Any advice for starting to look at grad school and narrowing down for what I wanna do for programs?

I’m a rising junior in undergrad, and I definitely feel the stress of grad school coming.

You can do this!! Yeah, it's daunting, but if you enjoy being in school (like me) it's a lot of fun too :)

Okay, basic advice that immediately popped into my head:

Evaluate the program, not the school itself. At this point you're heading into a far more narrow form of education, so you want to prioritize what a specific program is offering -- faculty, research focuses, advancements to the field, financial aid (that's a BIG piece), etc. -- more than whether this is simply a Good School™. I applied to a couple of places that made my friends do a double-take because the school was known for subjects that weren't anywhere in my wheelhouse and it only made sense when I explained that they also had this other, lesser-known, but still excellent track.

That being said, a school's reputation is nothing to sneeze at... Though it's elitist and it sucks, employers do pay attention to where you've gone -- certain names will always jump out on a CV. I still remember discussing my options with a friend in my college library, listing off my options, and once I hit the Good School™ I'd gotten into his response was, "Why the fuck are you considering anything else??" and... yeah. Provided the school also offers what you're personally looking for, snag it if you can.

Think ahead to career options. You may already know precisely what you want to do with your degree, but if not take a look at a school's placement data, both to get a sense of the options and how well these graduates have done. Hell, look even if you are set on a certain track because so many careers are difficult -- if not downright impossible -- to break into nowadays. Paying attention to the supposedly unconventional careers attached to a degree + how well the school has done in navigating its graduates towards specific fields can alleviate some of the stress of entering the workforce.

Similarly, check out what current/former students have to say about the program. This is where social media really comes in handy. For this, dodge the official publications put out by the school and take some time to dive into the individual stories. Like buying an apartment, it's useful to talk to your neighbors, so to speak, who already have some insight into how things are run. For example, back in the day when my father was going after his master's he was essentially stonewalled because the school didn't want to give up his cheap teaching labor. Oh, you're ready to graduate? Turns out we suddenly want you to do all this additional coursework! Obviously take stories with a grain of salt, especially since any school is going to have its problems, but if you hear a lot of stuff along the lines of, "Well, they look great on the outside, but when you're actually here..." that's something to consider in your choice.

Pay attention to geographical location. As mentioned in that other ask, your graduate career will be a lot less, well, college-y. You'll be a professional, likely working part time (at least), and you'll be settling in to your adult life if you haven't already. So your thought process should be a lot less, "Omg the campus is beautiful and the dorms are so cute and look at the dining hall menu--" and far more "Hmm what are the rents like in this area? Do I know anyone in this city? Will I need to buy a car if I go here? Where's the nearest vet for my cat?" Hopefully such pragmatic concerns aren't fully driving your decision -- I'd hate for you to choose a program you're not as excited about solely because you can't afford to live elsewhere -- but finances and accessibility are inevitably a factor.

What are the admission qualifications and graduate requirements? The first part should be an obvious question while looking at schools, but I can't tell you how many people I've encountered over the years who get excited about a place only to stumble when they realize they lack something to apply, or need to do additional work they just don't have the time/energy/money for: another course or two, an entrance exam, etc. That second bit is about looking ahead again. Pay attention to what this program will ask of you -- you can contact the graduate admissions office for more info if you want -- and weigh that against your needs and goals. For example, I was already wedded to a graduate school for other reasons, but a side-bonus was that they allowed students to continue taking a language as coursework rather than testing in one. As someone who absolutely sucks at foreign languages but is a diligent student, that would have been a big draw all on its own.

Side-note: PUT TIME AND EFFORT INTO YOUR APPLICATION. That should also go without saying, but a good showing is a massive undertaking, so your application is not something to put off until the last minute. Plus, some of what you create -- a CV, research statements, etc. -- will form the foundation of your academic portfolio. The topics I spoke about in applying to work with specific faculty members would eventually inform my dissertation and when it came time to publish, the relief of already having a well-composed CV was pretty great. So work at your application, but remember that it's by no means a reflection of your worth. People are rejected for a thousand different reasons and part of continuing your schooling is finding ways to move past that inevitable disappointment. In the words of the wise Picard: