Why Graduate Education is Good for YOU

1. Why Graduate Education is Good for YOU Reasons for Advancing beyond the BA/B 11/4/2013

2. CONTENT-ORIENTED REASONS • Sharper/deeper knowledge base in selected field. • Greater skill development in researching/solving problems. • Increased sophistication in articulating ideas (oral and written formats)

3. PERSONAL REASONS • More mature on leaving graduate program. • Greater self-knowledge: “who am I and what can I do?” • Desire to conduct research to satisfy curiosity (a major criterion for engaging in research—answering “why?”).

4. INCOME REASONS • Hiring Level Increases = $$ increases • Masters degree - People with a master's degree earn $2.5 million: • High School to Masters - Going from High school to a masters degree is worth $1.3 million dollars. • Bachelors to Masters degree - A Masters is worth $400,000 in additional lifetime income.

5. Professional degreewww.dbaoracle.comt_increased_earnings_income_bachelors_masters_doctorate.htm • Those with MD or JD professional degrees (medicine, law) do best with an average of $4.4 million dollars in lifetime earnings: • High school to Professional - Professionals can expect to earn  $3.2 million dollars more than a High School graduate. • Bachelors to Professional - Professional doctoral degree holders (MD, JD) earn $2.3 million dollars more than those with a Bachelors degree. • Masters to Professional - Professional degree holders earn $1.9 million dollars more than an average Masters degree holder.

6. Doctoral degree - • Persons with doctoral degrees earn an average of $3.4 million during their working life: • High school to Doctoral - Doctorate earn a whopping  $2.2 million dollars more than a High School graduate. • Bachelors to Doctorate - Doctoral degrees earn $1.3 million dollars more than a Bachelors degree. • Masters to Doctorate - Doctors earn $900 thousand more than a Masters degree holder.

7. Mean Annual Earnings by Level of Education [same source]

8. What about program “Level?” • MA only institutions • Focus is on YOU at graduate level • MA/PhD institutions • Attention is split between MA and PhD students • PhD only institutions • As with MA-only, focus is on YOU

9. Which program is best? • For ‘academic/research oriented programs (producing new professors)—what have their student’s achieved? • For “professional” programs – accredited? Student achievement? • Financial Support?

10. What Questions Should I Consider? • Profiling Current Students-Who are they? • Program’s Track Record—do students finish? • Do Faculty/Program goals/interests mesh with mine?

11. Who Pays? • Professional Programs: there are fewer opportunities for funding support, but some do exist. • Academic/Research Programs: • Teaching Assistantships • Research Assistantships • Adminstrative Assistantships • This one cuts across Prof./Academic areas

12. Writing the personal statement • Initial questions • Who reads the personal statement? • What are the readers looking for? • Glimpse of personality – who you are • What you’ve already done to prepare for grad school • Curricular focus/interests – ideas, theories, scholars of interest

13. Fitting in – Your goals • FIT – how do you see yourself contributing to a program? • Do your goals mesh well with program strengths? • Is there faculty research that fits your interests? • Show you know which faculty are doing ‘x’ that interests you • What do you want to become? A professor? Or ??

14. THEMATIC ISSUES I • Program Reputation – ‘you have a nice faculty’ isn’t quite right for a statement – be specific/precise in noting program’s value • Funding –Teaching assistantship – stipend + tuition; Research assistantship – stipend + tuition • Administrative assistantship – stipend + tuition

15. Thematic issues II • What are you willing/interested in doing re. funding? – • Teaching: What experiences have you had re. teaching? What do most entering students teach? • Research: What topics/areas are you most interested in working with/in? • Admin – what special skills do you have that may help in an administrative role?

16. Thematic issues III Anomalies: dealing with constraints • Poor academic record? • Lower than expected GRE scores? • Deal with issues in straightforward/open manner – explain general situation

17. Cautionary advice • Over-selling yourself – do not overstate the case – forthright but not “effusive” excitement at the possibility of studying with ‘x’ scholar. • Cuteness – do not be so creative as to seem “cute” • Where – Small Rural Area, Big City –are you comfortable in either?

18. Caution 2 • Proof read – then do it again • Spell-check and grammar check are not reliable • Use another reader to proof for you • Pay attention to requirements re. packet – are there specific instructions as to length/format of personal statement?

19. Final advice • Write in First Person – “I…..” • Write in a clear precise style: “here is who I am” is what is to be communicated • Avoid technical jargon or elegant/embellished prose • Let research sample illustrate your knowledge of how to do research • Bottom line: why are you interested in their program – communicate that interest in a style that is clear, precise, and well structured.