What is Grad School?
Strictly speaking, going to graduate school means pursuing deeper or more specialized education beyond earning an undergraduate or bachelor's degree. However, there are several paths that a student can take in terms of graduate education, each with its benefits and expectations.
This might include a specialized study in the same field as an undergraduate degree to earn a master's or doctorate (PhD) degree. Grad school is also appropriate for those seeking an advanced professional degree in fields like law (JD), medicine (MD), or business (MBA). Both soon-to-be graduates and working professionals can benefit from graduate school, but it's important to understand what it is and what it means before spending the time and money to apply.
What Is the Purpose of Graduate School?
The purpose of a graduate degree is to elevate knowledge within a field or otherwise qualify people to perform at higher levels. Therefore, after completing their undergraduate degrees, students may choose to go to graduate school because they crave more in-depth knowledge of their field of study and wish to engage in research surrounding it. Likewise, students may not have the opportunity to enter into more specialized fields, such as medicine, until they are at the graduate level. Similarly, working professionals may choose to go to graduate school either full or part-time as a means to advance in their current jobs or move into new ones.
Types of Graduate Schools
Each of the main types of graduate degrees — master's, doctoral, and professional — is housed in different types of graduate programs and schools. As with undergraduate education, colleges and universities maintain separate departments, sometimes even separate campuses, to house these specialized programs, each of which has its own structure.
Some graduate programs may proceed in cohorts, for example, where a group of students come into school at the same time and pursue a path of study together, along a designated timeline. This is most common in medical education. Other grad schools offer rolling admissions, allowing students to start and finish their degree at various times throughout the year while taking both full-time and part-time classes.
Both colleges and universities offer graduate education options; however, the types of graduate schools housed within a larger institution and the types of graduate degrees available to students differ. For example, many colleges offer master's level graduate degrees in their most popular majors, including business, education, and psychology (counseling). However, only universities (or university systems) can offer doctoral-level degrees such as medical degrees (MD/DO), law degrees (JD), and PhDs (which stands for Doctor of Philosophy).
Benefits of Graduate School
The benefits of attending graduate school are closely related to the purpose of graduate school — advancement. Students generally go to graduate school to advance their careers, become experts in their field, discover new things, and increase their earnings potential.
What Is Full-Time for Graduate School?
Unlike undergraduate programs that require students to take a minimum of 12 credits per semester to achieve full-time status, graduate students are generally considered full-time if they take at least 9 credits per semester. However, especially in more structured and progressive programs such as law and medicine, graduate students may take more than the minimum number of hours.
Regardless of the total number of credits that you take, the big difference between being a part-time and full-time graduate student is how long it takes to complete the degree plan. Many full-time graduate students complete their master's degree studies in as little as one to two years. Deciding whether part-time or full-time study makes more sense for your goals is an important part of the graduate admissions process.
Graduate School vs. Undergraduate Education: What’s the Difference?
As undergraduate studies come to an end, many college juniors and seniors consider the benefits of attending graduate school. Before making such a decision, it is important to take some time to understand what makes graduate school different from undergraduate education or what it really means to go to graduate school vs. college.
First and foremost, remember that the purpose of graduate school is to achieve a specialized education or become an expert in a particular field of study. In general, graduate students have already shown an interest and competence in their fields, leading them to want to learn more. Undergraduate studies, on the other hand, are far broader, preparing students by offering an array of courses (called the general education curriculum) in a variety of subjects before allowing them to specialize in a major.
Another major difference between undergraduate and graduate school is the level of self-determination and focus it takes to succeed. Most of the learning achieved by students in grad school takes place outside of classes, where they must study and read extensively as well as connect with their professors and others in the field. As a result, coursework is usually much faster paced, in-depth, and difficult, requiring students to learn before lectures and come prepared to ask questions and discuss concepts in class rather than be told about them.
How to Apply for Graduate School at Iona
The graduate school application process is similar to college applications. However, students must prepare a variety of materials for the admissions committee to review to earn a seat in a program. The graduate programs at Iona follow this model: complete a general graduate school application and submit undergraduate transcripts as well as supplemental materials particular to each graduate program. This includes items such as letters of recommendation, personal statements, and a resume or CV.
To learn more about these graduate admissions requirements and the application process, explore all majors and programs at Iona University.
FAQs
Q: What skills do you need to succeed in graduate school?
A: Each type of graduate degree requires a different set of skills specific to the program and its details. However, all graduate students should have a passion for their field of study. They also need to be self-motivated and willing to take initiative. Unlike undergraduate study, graduate school is largely self-led, and success is often tied to taking initiative and working with other students as well as professors and current experts in the field. Likewise, graduate students need to be organized and have excellent time management skills to ensure they have enough time and resources to get assignments done and be prepared for exams.
Q: How do you balance graduate school with work or personal life?
A: There are many part-time graduate programs designed for working adults with competing priorities and even some full-time graduate programs that include night classes, hybrid or online options, and other features that make balancing graduate school with other aspects of your life not only possible but also built into the experience. The important thing to do is to talk to your admissions or academic advisor before setting your schedule each semester to be sure that you have accounted for your work or personal needs. After that, it's essential to choose the type of graduate school program built for flexibility.
Q: What funding options are available for graduate students?
A: Just like undergraduate students, grad students can fund their education through a combination of sources, including loans, grants, work-study programs, and scholarships. The combination of these options that works best will depend on the graduate program that you choose.
Loans, including federally subsidized loans and PLUS loans, along with private loans, are the most widely available funding option, and they are offered for all types of graduate education, including professional school. For students working toward research-based degrees, grants are another option that allows students to conduct research while earning their degrees. Grants can sometimes cover both school fees as well as help students earn a living.
Graduate students may also apply for advanced work-study opportunities, such as teaching or research assistantships. These roles often come with partial or full tuition waivers and provide valuable academic and professional experience.
Q: How can you improve your chances of getting into graduate school?
A: There is no surefire way to get into your graduate program of choice. Like many elements of graduate school admissions, the most important elements vary based on the program and the school. In general, graduate school admissions can be much more competitive than undergraduate programs, especially when it comes to highly sought degrees and structured programs that only start one or two times per year. Therefore, strong grades as an undergraduate are important.
For professional programs, such as an MBA, work experience in the field also matters, as these programs often place a lot of emphasis on letters of recommendation.
Q: What resources does Iona University offer to support graduate students?
A: Iona University provides its graduate students with support and resources, both as they apply and after they start their graduate studies. Iona's graduate school application guide reviews these supports to help students understand both the graduate application process as well as what they can expect from the university through their graduate studies. This guide reviews resources for graduate school funding as well as information about key components of the graduate school application, such as a resume or personal statement.
Iona has also developed our own graduate tuition estimator. This helpful tool is designed to evaluate what a student's tuition might be after certain scholarships are applied.