TEM #014: Is graduate school even right for you?

October 13, 2023

Happy Friday the 13th!

I’m more of a comedy vs horror person, but can appreciate a superstitious Friday falling in October.

This week’s highlights:

• Your education affirmation

• Is graduate school right for you?

• Action steps for the next week

• 3,000 year old fingers 👇

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Education affirmation.

A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers. - Helen Keller

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On the Blog.

Is Graduate School Right for You? A Comprehensive Guide to Help You Decide 🛣

Going back to graduate school is a big step and exciting commitment when you - and your career - are ready.

After working at a university for several years and identifying leaders I aspired to be like one day, I realized that a doctorate was a necessity to reach my career goals.

These are the steps I took to ensure that going back to graduate school was the best opportunity for both me and my career before making the decision to apply.

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Application Action Steps.

Choose your own adventure 🚁

1. Thinking about school in the future?

   • Are you holding yourself back from applying because of a low GPA in college?

   • Don’t. (Seriously, I failed a summer class in college and still got a doctorate)

   • You have options: 1) talk to the admissions offices of schools you’re interested in and express your concerns. Ask what past applicants with similar GPAs did to enhance their applications. 2) Consider taking a non-degree course before applying to show how you’ve grown and can now handle the academic rigor of graduate school. 3) If there was a situation that affected your grades in college (ex. illness or death in the family), you have the opportunity to write about it in your personal statement when you do apply.
     

2. Actively applying later this year?

   • Are you avoiding your personal statement? (This is a judgment-free zone, I’ve been there!)

   • Writing 1-2 pages of less than 600 words about your past and future is a lot.

   • To jump-start your writing process, think about a specific moment in time that ties to why you want to pursue this career path.

   • The best personal statements and admissions essays I’ve read are always rooted in a specific time and place - plus, they’re easier to describe because we often remember the sights, smells and sounds happening at the time.

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Fun fact.

Researchers have found 3,000 year old mummies that still have fingerprints.

Here’s to unraveling the mysteries of your field in graduate school!

(I couldn’t resist 😀)

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Quick Question

Are you part of a group or organization that provides professional development for young professionals?

If your organization has a “lunch and learn” series or hosts sessions to help employees get to the next level, I’d love to connect!

I present on:

• What graduate school Is

• Why go to graduate school (and when)

• How to pay for it ($$$)

• How to apply: A step-by-step plan

• How to write a scroll-stopping personal statement

Reply to this email to get connected or share my speaking page with your professional development coordinator to see if it’s a great fit.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Dr. Jena

p.s. Have a coworker, friend or mentee thinking about graduate school? Forward this email so they can sign up here for The Education Mindset and get on track to apply.

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