The graduate school guide: Research, apply stress-free

Preparing for graduate school is not a simple task. Before you know it, you’re up to your neck with questions and concerns. But wait — before you go to Barnes & Noble and buy that $50 graduate school guide and anthology, there are several resources readily available to you that don’t cost a cent, and the best way to begin your search is right at your fingertips.

The Academic Advising and Career Development Resource Center appears to be a good place to begin the search. At its Web site, www.jmu.edu/aacd/resource_center, you’ll find that the center houses the six volume Peterson’s Directory for Graduate Schools, which has a comprehensive list of graduate schools sorted program by program, including information on specific fields of study. The resource center also provides books, seminars and workshops that address topics ranging from getting into competitive graduate schools, the graduate record examination, financial aid and scholarships and application requirements.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for at the AACD Resource Center, the College of Graduate and Professional Programs is another great place to begin your graduate school search. Kathy Thompson, assistant dean, will share information about graduate study at JMU, including the official graduate catalogue, the Centennial Strategic Plan with 2004-’05 initiatives and an introductory folder that includes all pertinent information about JMU graduate programs from application deadlines to tuition and fees.

"We encourage JMU undergrads to consider JMU for graduate school," Thompson said. With over 30 graduate programs that offer masters, specialist and doctoral degrees and five-year masters degree programs at three schools, (The College of Integrated Science and Technology, Business and Education) graduate school at JMU might be the perfect solution. Thompson does, however, offer advice for any student looking into graduate school, whether at JMU or elsewhere.

"Students will want to clarify what their goals are and what their focus is," she said. "That self-evaluation piece is very important."

William Walker, dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Programs, echoes these same sentiments. "I think knowing what you want to do is important. It’s important to get a better sense of where you want to go." Walker also stresses the importance of graduate school in today’s society. "The bar keeps rising in every field," he said, "to a point where a bachelor’s degree is no longer competitive enough in the job market."

If you’re one of the lucky students who know what you want to study, the academic department of your major might be a great resource, too. That’s exactly what senior psychollogy major Jennifer Burnett did when looking into graduate schools. "I bought a book published by the American Psychological Association on clinical psychology programs in the U.S.," she said. "The psychology peer advising office helped me find the book and gave me lots of advice on how to narrow down my search." Burnett offers her own advice to upcoming students looking into graduate study. "Start early, ideally spring semester of your junior year, and go to campus resources for help."

So whether you’re looking for graduate programs in clinical psychology or you’re still stuck on what you want to study, JMU has a variety of resources available to assist you on your way. So save that fifty bucks reserved for that Barnes & Noble book for a rainy day because the staff and faculty at JMU are willing to give you priceless help and information for free.