How to Choose a Grad School for You
CLIMBING BACK INTO THE IVORY TOWER:Criteria To Choose The Right Grad School For You
By Alex Yates, Webster University
Deciding to go back to school as an adult is a big decision. However, choosing the right school for you is an even bigger decision. Often though, many people put more thought into picking out the right car than they do the right educational program. But unlike a car that depreciates over time, education appreciates year after year which benefits your career, your family, and your overall self-worth. Successful people are proactive, and you need to take initiative to find the best fit for you when selecting ways to achieve your educational goals.
Get Informed - Make use of your resources. Communicate with your human resources or training department to find the colleges offering programs you’re seeking. Talk to colleagues and superiors you respect to see which programs they chose. Go online to find campuses to visit: www.SanDiegoColleges.org, www.SignOnSanDiego.com, or www.SDBJ.com cover San Diego.
Get An Appointment – Contact at least three different colleges and simply ask to have an information packet sent to you. AFTER you have a chance to review it to determine if they have courses you need, THEN make an appointment to meet with a counselor. Discuss your short-term and long-range educational goals. Your goal is to find the program of study suited for you.
Choose A School – When reviewing the information packets and meeting with the college reps, answer these three simple questions to find the right school for you: Quality, Format, and Cost.
1) Quality – What is the quality of the institution (Reputation, Respected, Recognized)? What is the quality of the faculty teaching you (informed, trained, relevant)? What is the quality of the staff servicing you (knowledgeable, accessible, courteous)?
2) Format – How much time in and out of the classroom is expected of you? Are study groups required? Are weekend sessions mandatory? Is online an option? How much homework is given? How much study time is required? How much time away from your life will be required for each class? Time well spent is an investment. Time wasted is a moment lost forever.
3) Cost – How much is the total cost to complete a degree or certificate at this college? How much per class? Is the tuition cost written in a catalog showing these costs to be true? How much to apply? How much to graduate? Are there any other hidden fees? How much more does it cost for online classes? How much are books? How often do fees increase? Many schools raise tuition just once every fall. Some raise fees two or sometimes even three times per year. Do they explain how to use T.A. (tuition assistance) or VA (Veteran’s Assistance aka G.I. Bill)? Does this school give you the most bang for your buck? This should be your least influential factor when choosing a school but it is important to ask now or it will cost you down the road.
Do your homework in choosing a school. You may save yourself a lot more actual homework down the road. But there are neither easy answers nor easy paths on the road to success.
Remember, education is not received, it is achieved. Welcome back to school!
Alex Yates