Considering Continued Education

Lilyana Espinoza/ Contributor / The USD Vista

As the realization hits that another year is quickly coming to a close, students at all stages are faced with an important decision. Continuing education — whether it be in medical school, law school, a credential program, a Masters degree, or any other form of higher education — comes with a long list of questions and uncertainties.

For Senior Olivia Greenwood, fears arose regarding her decision to apply to pharmacy school.

“I had a lot of questions that made the process very stressful,” Greenwood said. “I kept thinking to myself, would I get the minimum score on the PCAT to get accepted? Was my GPA high enough? Did I do enough extra curricular activities? Will I get accepted?”

However, even with all of these uncertainties, Greenwood was accepted into her dream school early decision.

“My advice to anyone else that is going through this process is to take a deep breath and give the exam, application, and school your all,” Greenwood said. “That’s all you can do. Be confident in your abilities.”

There are many aspects to consider when applying to graduate school. There are entrance exams, personal statements, resumes, applications, time, and money involved.

Pre-law Advisor Del Dickson spoke on several of these issues. He began with what he believes is the most prominent concern for students considering law school — money.

“The number one fear, I think, is, ‘How am I going to pay for this?’” Dickson said. “The good news is that for most graduate programs, especially Ph.D. programs, there will be institutional support in the form of scholarships, and TA/RA positions. You won’t get rich, but you might get by. The trick is to figure out where the money is, and how to get your share to fall your way.”

After money, which is an immediate concern, students tend to worry whether the education will actually help them get employed.

“The second fear, of course, is, ‘Am I going to get a job after I get my degree?’” Dickson said. “But that is everyone’s worry, isn’t it?  And despite the anxiety that it causes, the world usually makes room for you somewhere.  You just have to have confidence in your abilities, and you need to network like crazy. As it turns out, very few graduate students, and even fewer law graduates, end up living under bridges. It will work out.”

Lastly, a third fear Dickson mentioned is the anxiety surrounding the entire graduate school application process.

“The third fear is just general anxiety,” Dickson said. “There is a lot of mystery to the process, and more than a little bad information — even outright misinformation — out there.  Students have to separate fact from rumor, and it can be a stressful process.  But it doesn’t have to be.”

Senior Melanie Grosso is currently engulfed in this long process and discussed the challenges of applying to law school while finishing her undergraduate degree.

“Between taking 18 credits, two jobs, and extra-curriculars, I often find it impossible to find time to study and prepare for exams,” Grosso said.

Despite the challenges of time management, Grosso has been able to study for her entrance exam and manage everything else in her life.

“Make sure you balance your schedule,” Grosso said. “Give yourself enough time to eat, sleep, and have time for yourself. All those things are going to help you study better and have a better chance of doing well. Make sure it is something you are truly passionate about as well because you are going to be putting a lot of time and money into applications and tests.”

Dickson contributed advice regarding when students should begin this long and difficult process.

“It is never too early to start thinking about graduate school, including law school,” Dickson said. “The more time you have, the more information you can gather, allowing you to make an informed decision. There are literally hundreds of places students can go at USD for good advice — every professor on campus has been through the mill, and many of the staff have graduate degrees, as well. Find someone you trust, especially someone who has a graduate degree you are interested in and go talk to them. Career Services is a great source of information, as are the Pre-Health and Pre-Law advisors.”

One last consideration many students have is whether to take a gap year before graduate school.  Dickson gave his opinion as a law school advisor on students taking a gap year.

“I am a big fan of taking a gap year between your undergraduate and graduate education,” Dickson said. “Spend that year productively, but do something different.  Academics is like a long swim, and sometimes you just have to get out of the water for awhile.”

Dickson gave multiple suggestions of what students could be doing during their gap year.

“Go abroad, live in another culture, and learn another language,” Dickson said. “Do service work, like the Peace Corps. Go to Washington DC and work for a year or two. Or just get a job somewhere interesting, and save a little bit of money, if you can, to support your lavish graduate school lifestyle. I am kidding about the lavish bit— you will probably live a fairly spartan life on a graduate stipend, but your graduate school years are likely to be as happy as any in your life.”

Although not an easy decision, it is not impossible.  Some students know before they begin their undergraduate career. Others make the decision to apply to graduate school in their third and fourth year of their undergraduate education. No matter what stage, to have a passion for a career path is never a mistake. Graduate school then becomes a tool for pursuing one’s passions.