Top Resources and Tips for Graduate School

Graduate school is _____. <- It is so hard for me to fill this blank. Why?

Well, graduate school is such a crazy, emotional, difficult, fun, rewarding, exciting, draining, and everything in between… ride.

As a graduate student, I’ve learned so many lessons along the way.

How to be successful in graduate school, amazing resources I wish I had at the beginning, how to stay motivated, tips all students need, and so much more.

Today, I figured I would share all of these tips for graduate school with you in the hopes I can help out a fellow grad student (or even perspective grad student!). Let’s dive in…

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What is graduate school?

Alright, let’s start with the basics. When I say graduate school (AKA grad school), I am talking about a degree or education to pursue AFTER the first four (sometimes three… or five… etc.) years of college. Basically, graduate school is an advanced college degree. Usually, people consider graduate school as the education after your Bachelor’s Degree (BS or BA).

There are countless types of graduate degrees out there. The first type is a Master degree, which is often around two additional years of education. Options for this include Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Another type of graduate degree is a Doctoral Degree, which can be three to ten+ years of additional education. These degrees include Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Education (EdD), and more.

If you’re interested in learning more, here is a useful article that talks about the different types of graduate degrees and related careers.

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Why obtain a graduate degree?

Honestly? There are a ton of great reasons to earn a graduate degree. Some of the more common reasons include:

Better job opportunities
Higher salary options
Boost your resume in a significant way
Easier career advancement in the future
Great networking opportunities

If you’re considering graduate school, you should also be aware of the disadvantages too. Graduate school is hard work, time consuming, stressful, and incredibly expensive.

What makes graduate school different?

In many ways, graduate school is incredibly similar to undergrad. However, there are, of course, some key differences to note.

In general, most graduate classes are more difficult. Because of this, it is common to take less credits in graduate school than during your undergraduate education. In fact, at my college 12 credits is “full time” for undergrad students and 9 credits is “full time” for graduate students.

Graduate classes require more time and effort for each class, including more assignments, exams with higher difficulty, and MUCH more reading.

Some graduate schools also require additional projects to be completed outside of class, such as thesis projects. A thesis project is a major research project that takes years to complete and includes additional components, such as a final “defense” presentation, final paper, etc.

Other graduate programs require internships (in addition to classes). For example, my husband just completed his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, which required four different clinical rotations in medical facilities. This is also common in medical school, pharmacy school, etc.

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How to prepare for graduate school:

The best way to prepare for graduate school is to research what you’re getting yourself into. Talk with current graduate students in your program and research your department’s requirements. Spend some time on your student portal and department website.

I also recommend getting familiar with the specific graduate-related projects you’ll be working on. This might include reading research articles your advisor has published, current journal articles in your field of study, etc. Also be sure to check out the graduate-related free resources your university offers. You can even take a trip to campus before the first day of classes to get a feel for the area! I recommend checking out the library and other study areas as well. You’ll need them.

In addition, I recommend completing a pre-semester check list. Here is the one I complete every semester. I’ve used it throughout my entire college education. It really covers everything!

Related: How to Prepare for a Successful College Semester

Top Tips for Graduate School

Next, here are some of my top tips that have helped me succeed in graduate school. After you skim through them, be sure to jot down your favorites to try out!

Start the reading assignments early – they always take longer than planned!
Complete the entire project planning process for major school projects – this will ensure you don’t miss anything along the way.
Don’t get behind in any of your school work. It is always an uphill battle to get back on track.
Use a student planner… I cannot tell you how much this will help you. I was personally never able to find one that worked for me, so I finally broke down and created my own. You can find it here!
Speaking of school work, challenge yourself to complete assignments as soon as they are released. This will help you complete them as the material is being taught, saving you time and effort.
Apply for scholarships and grants to fund your education. This is an absolute no brainer. Here are my top tips to winning scholarships, use them!
Never cram for exams – study as you go! This is another time-saver and helps you retain the information longer. My favorite way to do this is to use the Leitner Flashcard System… it truly works!
Create a study group – you’re all in this together!
Don’t forget about your mental health. Practice self care and stress management when you can. Here are my favorite stress management techniques to try.
If you’re completing an internship, clinical rotation, or the like, be sure to research the facility you will be working at before hand. This will decrease anxiety and ensure you’re ready for your first day.
Finally – don’t be hard on yourself! Grad school is tough and we are all human. Making mistakes is natural.

Top resources for a successful graduate school education:

In addition, here are my favorite resources I continue to use in grad school. They will help you in many different areas of your life. Be sure to bookmark or pin the ones you might need in the future:

Top Study Resources:

Speaking of study tips, here is a free study planner to help you schedule your exam prep:

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College Prep Resources:

Productivity Resources:

Other Graduate School Resources:

Well, there you have it! My ultimate guide to graduate school. I hope you have found some great tips, resources, and more along the way. Good luck in graduate school, I wish you the best! I know you can succeed, you’ve got this!

Graduate school is all about boosting your career opportunities. Still looking to find that dream career path? Check out my 10-step career finding guide to help you out!