The Perfect Grad Student Wardrobe Staples for Women
- 2 pairs of slacks. Buy classic, timeless cuts to ensure that these will not look dated within a year.
- 1 pair of jeans.
- 2 skirts.
- 2 dresses.
- 2 blouses or button down shirts.
- 2 simple long sleeve tops.
- 2 simple short sleeve tops.
- 1 tailored blazer.
Skills You'll Develop in Graduate School
- Public speaking.
- Working effectively in a team.
- Writing skills.
- Making decisions & solving problems.
- Planning, conceptualizing, organizing & prioritizing.
- Accessing & processing information.
- Analyzing quantitative/qualitative data.
- Having technical knowledge related to the job.
If you are already in graduate school, or have decided to start, here are six things I recommend you do not do.
- Compare yourself with others.
- Blindly trust your data.
- Suffer alone.
- Believe that more work is always better.
- Grow your records organically.
- Get stuck after one failure.
Top 10 Tips for Succeeding and Surviving Graduate School
- Stay focused on learning. One of the best things you can do is to keep your mind constantly focused on learning.
- Learn how to take good notes and be an active listener.
- Read smart.
- Connect with classmates.
- Get involved.
- Keep in contact with your professors.
- Research.
- Manage your time.
Earning a graduate degree takes hard work and dedication. If you're working full-time and going to grad school, however, earning a higher degree can feel impossible. Working full-time in grad school isn't easy, but it can be done.
If you're in your 30s or beyond, you may feel that the time for school, particularly grad school, has passed. You're never too old for school, especially graduate school. In fact, on average, graduate students are 33 years old. 1 in 5 is older than 40.
If you're competing for a job with a candidate of a similar work background, having a graduate degree probably won't hurt you. It won't guarantee landing a job, but it might make your resume that much more compelling.
How to Read for Grad School
- Read Strategically, Not Linearly.
- If you are reading a book this means you should look over the table of contents, then read the entire introduction carefully.
- If you are reading a journal article, start by checking the name of the journal that published the article.
- Take Notes!
- Be purposeful.
- A Critical Perspective.
Recognizing and Preventing Burnout in Grad School
- Find a Hobby. Do an activity that forces you to take a break from working and have some fun.
- Set Work Hours. Academia isn't a traditional nine to five job.
- Change Your Surroundings.
- Find a Community.
- Improve Your Time Management.
- Change the Conversation.
- Take Care of Yourself.
After years of frustration, tens of thousands of doctoral students consider dropping out of grad school every year. They don't drop out of grad school because they aren't smart enough to finish. Rather, many students are not able to manage their projects, or integrate into the academic lifestyle.
Grad school is hard because the amount and level of knowledge you are expected to learn is much great than in undergrad. Grad school is also challenging because doctoral education is qualitatively different from the levels of education that precede it.
- If you get depressed or anxious during your postdoc or in graduate school, don't be ashamed or embarrassed by your feelings.
- Foster supportive relationships by going to in-person networking events.
- Challenge negative thinking and your own limiting beliefs.
- Take care of yourself.
Besides the pressure that students face in academia, the most common source of grad school burnout is the lack of structure. In college most students have classes back to back and one exam after another. While college is a busy time, short-term deadlines keep you on your toes.
6 Ways To Financially Prepare For Grad School
- Shop for your school with extreme care.
- Don't leave any money on the table.
- Deal with your existing debt.
- Start living like you're broke before you actually are.
- Apply for credit cards while you still have a full-time income.
- Keep your dirty hands off your retirement account.
- Next steps.
Grad school is hard because the amount and level of knowledge you are expected to learn is much great than in undergrad. Grad school is also challenging because doctoral education is qualitatively different from the levels of education that precede it.
The drug test isn't for the grad program, the drug test is because you'll be working in a clinical setting.
A master's program in counseling is challenging, time consuming and most easily conquered with single-mindedness of purpose. However, if you must work while attending school, then by all means work.
