nau.edu/gradcol

Graduate College

Applying/Getting into Graduate School: Process, Resources, and Tips for Success

David SpiveyDirector

Graduate College

Why Graduate School?

Why Graduate School?

• Helps you keep up with advances in the field• Broadens/expands your intellectual horizons• Often required for changes in career interests• Enhances career or salary advancement• Required to teach in a community

college/university• Some professional jobs require a graduate

degree • Financial benefits• Less likely to be unemployed

Is Grad School Different?

Is Grad School Different – YES!

• Graduate school is demanding academically and personally

• You are often at a different life stage than undergrad

• High level of professionalism and maturity is expected

• More responsibility on projects that have broader impact on others/environment

• Polished writing and presenting skills often required

• Focused on area of interest• Requires a lot more study time

Pre-Survey

What support can I get from programs/graduate colleges when researching?

How many programs ‘should’ you apply to?

What do programs typically require in an application?

What are programs looking for in candidates?

What funding sources are available to you?

How do I know if a program is a good fit for me and my interests?

The Graduate College – What do we do?

• Formal admissions to the university

• Tuition waivers and assistantships

• Academic success, monitor degree progress, process petitions

• Thesis and dissertation policy and process

• Graduate policies and procedures

• Graduation applications, Graduate commencement

nau.edu/gradcol

Finding the Right Program - Admissions

You should consider the following when investigating your programs of interest:

• Admission criteria for each program– GRE, GMAT, or other standardized tests

• Are these tests required for your program?• What is the score range of previous successful applicants to your program?

– GPA• What was the GPA range of previous successful applicants to your program?• Do you look at major GPA, or cumulative GPA, or both?

– Clinicals, Work experience, Internships• Are previous work experience, clinicals, internships, research, etc included as part

of the admission criteria?• Do previous successful applicants to the program have any of this experience?

– Recommendations• How many letters of recommendation are needed, and from whom?• Start making connections with your previous faculty and let them know you may

need a recommendation.

Finding the Right Program - Funding

GradSense.orgKnow your financial future!

• Enter your degree type, field of study, and preferred career

Results Show• Median debt of students• Starting, median, and expert salary levels in desired

career

Finding the Right Program - Funding• Available financial support

– Scholarships (departmental, national, program-related, etc)• Does your program offer any scholarship to graduate students? How

do you apply?• Are there national scholarships that are available that your department

knows about?• What sources of funding have previous graduate students secured?

– Tuition Waivers• Are tuition waivers offered in your department? • How do you apply for them?• How are tuition waivers allotted to students each year?

nau.edu/graduatefinancing

Finding the Right Program - Funding– Graduate Assistantships (Teaching, Research, and Service

Assistantships)• Does your program offer graduate assistantships? If so, how many,

and how do you apply?• At NAU, we offer 10 hour and 20 hour assistantships

Graduate Assistantships • Teaching, Research, Service*• 10 hour – 50% tuition remission, stipend• 20 hour – 100% tuition remission, stipend, major medical

insurance

Teaching and Research Assistantships are given through your department. Service, or Non-Academic Graduate Service Assistant* positions and other types of funding here:

nau.edu/graduatefinancing

Finding the Right Program – Department Questions

• Degree Requirements (what does it take to finish the degree)– How many credits/hours is your program?– Is there a core set of courses? Can I create an emphasis?– Is the program thesis track or non-thesis track?– Do you have an opportunity to research, publish, do clinicals, etc.– When do you take my comprehensive exams and what preparation do you

need?

• Potential for employment– What are graduates doing with the degree?– Are graduates employed in the field or outside of the field?– Are graduates going on to doctoral programs, and where?

• Speak with your professors regarding good program matches– Utilize your previous faculty to discuss different programs and whether they

would be good matches for your academic and career goals

nau.edu/graduateprograms

Finding the Right Program - Fit

• Geographical Restrictions – where you can and cannot live– Size of city, university– Environment and local amenities

FlagstaffArizona.org

Helpful LinksGraduate Programs – nau.edu/graduateprograms

Graduate Events – nau.edu/graduateevents

Graduate Financing – nau.edu/graduatefinancing

Graduate International Student Info – nau.edu/graduateinternational

Student Resources– nau.edu/graduateresources

Request Info – nau.edu/graduateinfo

Campus Visit – nau.edu/graduatevisit

Apply Now – nau.edu/graduateapply

NAU Extended Campuses – extended.nau.edu

Graduate College Homepage – nau.edu/gradcol

Graduate Student Government – nau.edu/gsg

Helpful Linkshttp://talk.collegeconfidential.com/alphabetic-list-colleges/

www.petersons.com

www.gradschools.com

http://www.mba.com

www.ets.org/gre

https://www.aamc.org/ http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad

Questions

David SpiveyDirector

Graduate CollegeDavid.Spivey@nau.edu

928-523-6263Box 4125

624 S. KnolesFlagstaff, AZ 86011