Saying “Bye” to Summer Classes

I only have two more sessions left of my second summer course, and I can’t believe how quickly the two sessions have gone by. I’m glad that I opted to participate in both sessions, as the courses I took varied not only in content but in setup and project assignments. I’m eager to kick off the semester with some preparation under my belt and to explore some new courses (though my schedule isn’t completely finalized at the moment!).

My summer work at the GSE Office of Admissions and Financial Aid wraps up this week, but I am hoping to keep this blog alive as I start my new graduate assistantship and begin my classes in a few weeks. I had a great time getting to know the staff over here and learning more about each of GSE's programs--there really are a ton, and there's something for everyone. I loved having the opportunity to speak with prospective GSE students at the information sessions that we hosted this summer--maybe I will return to admissions work in the future?

In the meantime, I’m looking forward to spending a few weeks with friends and family before gearing up for what will certainly be an intense academic year. Thank you for following along this summer, and check back for new content soon!

Starting Grad School? Do These Things First

A couple of recent articles have focused on the steps involved in 1) deciding to go to graduate school and 2) preparing for graduate school. 

These articles both contain useful information for those about to become students once again, although not every incoming student has the luxury to spend time traveling, for example, before school starts. In fact, many graduate students are working as long as they can in order to save up money prior to one-plus years of limited earnings! However, there are many ways to prepare for graduate studies that will make you feel that much more confident going into the academic year. Here are a few of my tips: 

Sign up for summer classes: Enrolling in summer classes here at GSE has helped me get ahead on coursework, which will allow me to have a more manageable schedule come fall. This option has also helped me get back “into the swing of things” in terms of being in school. While it hasn’t been too long since I was a college student, my summer courses have slowly reintroduced me to the world of paper-writing and researching. Despite all of the writing projects I completed in the professional world, academic writing is quite different, and it has been useful to tackle some assignments prior to the first “official” day of school. 

Embrace your new home: This past spring, before I started my classes at GSE, I pictured myself returning to New York City a handful of times over the summer. Now it’s nearly August and I haven’t been back once! Partly this is due to my preference to complete assignments over the weekends rather than having to cram a ton of work into the days leading up to a trip, but I’ve also been eager to 1) have friends visit me here and 2) spend time with people I’ve met in my new city. Though I’m planning to visit NYC for a few days after my classes end and know that the city is just a short train ride away, I’ve generally been caught up with life here—in a good way! Even if you won’t be moving to your new city until right before classes start, it doesn’t hurt to at least read about your new locale. Many people I’ve spoken with at Penn love the Uwishunu blog—check it out to see what’s been going on in Philly! 

Address health concerns: Being able to visit the student health center is definitely a perk, since it means you likely won’t need to track down doctors in your new city. However, the summer prior to starting classes is an ideal time to schedule any necessary appointments with specialists, who may not have openings for several weeks, or finally figure out why you can’t sleep at night. You’ll thank yourself for tackling these issues now before you’re overwhelmed with schoolwork! You’ll want to be in your best physical and mental shape as you juggle the demanding year ahead.

Make the Most out of a Grad School Info Session

 

(I couldn't wait to check out Elfreth's Alley when I had some free time before visiting Penn!)

I’ve talked a little bit about my experience attending graduate school preview sessions after having been accepted to a particular program. However, the info sessions prospective students may wish to attend in the fall are an equally important step of the process. After all, this will likely be your first interaction with a particular institution and/or program, and first impressions (both yours and the school’s!) do matter. Here are a few tips on navigating the process.

Record and write: Writing down information during info sessions is useful, but it can get tiring. While attending info sessions, I often opted to use the recording function on my iPhone in order to capture every piece of advice without running out of steam. You can also use the camera on your phone to take pictures of PowerPoint slides and other relevant information. These resources will come in handy down the road as you work on your application and personal statement. Just make sure to oblige if an admissions official requests that all phones be put away for a particular segment. 

Prioritize: I remember noticing that a few of the schools in which I was interested were holding their fall open houses on the same weekend. Even if you can’t attend a program’s designated visiting weekend, it’s likely you’ll be able to arrange to make a visit another time. If you have a whole weekend to devote to a visit, it may make more sense to visit the school that’s farther away from home and devote a day trip to the school that’s more nearby, assuming you’re equally interested in both schools. 

Be on your best behavior: It sounds like simple advice, but you really never know who you’re going to meet while you’re visiting a grad school (or, for that matter, who you’ll run into at another event!). One girl who I had spoken with at an open house in November was also at an accepted students’ weekend for a different program halfway across the country in February!  

Get to know the area: If you have time, explore the surrounding city—it may just become your new home in a matter of months! If you have friends in the area, odds are they’d love to meet up for a meal or even host you for a night—this will help you cut back on travel expenses and get to know the area from an insider’s perspective. Keep in mind, however, that you’ll ultimately want to select the program that’s the best fit for you rather than enroll in a school that’s near your friends but may not be a great match otherwise. 

If you have some time to explore the area on your own, grab a snack in a student center on campus or check out another part of town. Even taking public transportation in a new city or figuring out the route from campus to where I was staying on my own helped me feel more like a local. 

Network: Maybe one of your former college classmates or colleagues is currently enrolled in a program at the school you’re visiting (or maybe they’re even a student in the exact program to which you plan to apply!). It doesn’t hurt to reach out to this individual to see if they’re free during your visit day. It’s likely they would be more than happy to meet up for coffee or introduce you to some of their classmates. Hearing about a program from current students who are free to be as candid with you as they wish is never a bad idea. 

These are just a few tips, and while attending info sessions isn’t mandatory, I’m definitely glad that I was able to go to a few last fall to make the whole graduate school experience seem a little more “real.”