Picking the School that is Right for You…
When starting the search for graduate programs that fit your needs, it is important to consult these references:
- Faculty in Your Field of Interest
- Online Resources
- Graduate School Admission Offices
- Professional Associations
Once you have narrowed down your list of schools (5-10 options) that suit your individual interests, it is important to research each one as it relates to your criteria. Areas to consider are:
- Personal background
- Cost and financial assistance
- Satisfaction of current students
- Location and size
- Type of program
- Quality of program
It is a good idea to visit the schools you are seriously considering. Annie Robertson ’00 gave the following advice about visiting graduate schools:
“Visit all the graduate schools you have been accepted to. The old saying that ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover’ is very true when it comes down to deciding on a graduate program. You will receive a lot of literature from the programs you’ve been accepted to and they will all look pretty attractive on paper. But visiting the schools is a separate thing altogether. If your graduate program does not offer visit days/weekends, set up visits with professors and current graduate students on your own (admissions should know about how to do this). These are the professors you’ll be working with and who have connections in your field that will be important for your career development as you secure internships and after you graduate from the program. During and after the visit, ask yourself if the ‘fit’ is there, because if it’s not, then you may wish to keep looking.”
Resources
Below you will find a list of databases that could help you in your search for graduate programs.
Graduate School Resources
Peterson’s Graduate School Guide
The Princeton Review Grad Schools & Careers
Accredited Schools Online: Accredited College Search Tool
Law School Resources
Kalamazoo College Pre-Law Program
Peterson’s Graduate School Guide
Business School Resources
Princeton Review—Business Schools & Careers
Health Professions Resources
American Academy of Physician Assistants
American Dental Student Association
American Medical Student Association
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry
Kalamazoo College Director of Health Science—Wraegan Williams