TEM #031: 5 places to find graduate programs.
February 23, 2024
Happy Friday!
I love sending these emails at the end of the week. It feels like a group celebration that we made it through whatever’s been happening plus getting excited to use the weekend to make moves for the future.
In February, we’ve been talking about getting priorities in order and deciding on the best program formats before researching schools.
Today (drumroll please) let’s dive into 5 places to find graduate programs that fit your specific needs.
This week’s highlights:
Your education affirmation
5 places to find graduate programs
Dolphins vs. sloths 🐬
Save the date: When to Go Back to Graduate School [NEW workshop March 21]
Education affirmation.
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity!” – Albert Einstein
5 places to find graduate programs.
Deciding you want to go back to graduate school is a major decision… it also feels like opening Pandora’s box.
Where do you even find graduate programs??
I’ve got you covered. Here’s the short list:
Word of mouth
Graduate school directories
Professional associations
LinkedIn
Local university websites
BONUS (scroll to find out!)
🎓🎓🎓
#1 - Word of mouth
For working professionals, especially if you’re in a field you plan to stay in, the best place to start is talking to peers, mentors and supervisors. Ask about graduate programs they know coworkers have graduated from (and enjoyed the experience).
You’ll likely learn about local programs - which is a bonus if you plan to stay in the area. You may also learn about flexible online programs that people completed while working at that company; possibly using tuition benefits.
Fyi: Thanks to a trusted mentor, this is how I found and chose my master’s program.
#2 - Graduate school directories
This option is for the person who loves a Google rabbit hole and is open to moving for the right graduate program. (The world is your oyster!).
To use these, it’s helpful to already have a general idea of what you’re planning to study.
Example directories:
Unless your career path or dream company requires you to graduate from a top 10 program, don’t put a lot of weight into rankings. A lot of the rank factors are completely subjective and you’ll likely get an incredible education from any program that excites you.
#3 - Professional associations
(If this is a foreign concept, have no fear! I didn’t know these were a thing until I actually was a graduate student).
Professional associations often have resources for individuals interested in pursuing graduate education in their respective fields. These resources could include lists of accredited programs, scholarship opportunities, and career advice like the best time to go back to school.
These associations can be large and broad like the American Medical Association to more niche and specific like the Association for Computing Machinery.
Examples of professional associations with links to their graduate school resources:
To find one that fits your career path, Google “professional association for [field of interest].”
#4 - LinkedIn
I recently wrote about using LinkedIn for graduate school research and explained why it’s not creepy.
If you know people whose careers you admire or want to find people with graduate degrees at a company that you love, LinkedIn is the place to check their profile and see where they got their degree.
Keep track of the university, school and program names on a spreadsheet to research later.
Example: The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business, Master of Human Resource Management
#5 - Local university websites
If you determined that your priorities include staying or moving to a certain geographic area and possibly an in-person program, start by researching a list of local universities.
On Google, if you search city name + universities you’ll generate a chart at the top of the page.
From there, Google each university’s name + degree type (ex. master’s) + general field (ex. architecture).
You may be pleasantly surprised to find exactly what you were looking for, or even an exciting variation that still aligns with your interests.
BONUS - ChatGPT
This option may feel like magic compared to the others. I included it last because some information and program names may be out of date since the free version of ChatGPT was trained on 2021 data.
Example ChatGPT prompt you can copy/paste with your own details:
“Please generate a list of master's programs in elementary education in Seattle. Include the university, college/school, and specific program names.”
The research process can be time intensive. However, it’s 100% worth the effort to find the best-fitting programs to meet your personal and professional priorities.
If you’d like an objective, knowledgeable person to support you in weighing your options, 1:1 Graduate School Strategy Sessions are coming in March!
Fun fact.
Who can hold their breath longer: dolphins or sloths?
Dolphins: Up to 10 min
Sloths: 20+ min (did you know sloths can swim, too?)
Today’s fun fact is dedicated to all of the applicants holding their breath waiting for acceptance emails from their top grad schools. They’re coming soon!
Save the date: NEW workshop in March.
Coming soon: When to Go Back to Graduate School
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 7:30pm EST
What to expect:
An honest look into reasons why working professionals consider grad school to reach their career goals
How to know when it’s time for *you* to apply... or if you should explore other options first
Open Q&A (the best part!)
Make it a great weekend!
Dr. Jena
P.S. I’m going to a 100-year birthday party tomorrow, it’s a solid reminder to live a life that you’ll be thrilled to celebrate at day 36,525 🎂
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Hi! I’m Dr. Jena. I help working professionals confidently apply to graduate school and advanced degree programs so they can achieve their career goals.
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