Graduate & Professional Schools Visitations & Materials

The Career Development Office has a variety of brochures and catalogs from different graduate and professional schools that students can view to learn more about the school. The office also invites different graduate or professional schools to come to Claflin University and conduct interviews with students. Every year the Career Development Office hosts the Graduate & Professional Schools Fair Day. During this event representatives from different graduate and professional schools will be present to provide students with information on their school.

Did You Know That...

• Only 4.5% of the US population have degrees beyond the Bachelor's level
• All graduate and professional schools require some form of entrance examination
• There are FREE test preparation services available on the internet
• You will need letters of recommendation from professors and work supervisors
• Many graduate and professional programs accept applications year-round, whereas others have very specific deadline dates
• You may have to have a personal interview with faculty from a school before you are excepted into a program
• Most financial aid application deadlines are in January
• Thousands of dollars of financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, fellowships, etc...) go unclaimed every year because not enough people apply

 

While researching schools, note that application procedures and deadlines vary from institution to institution. In fact, you may want to start this entire process a year and a half in advance of when you wish to enroll; this will give you plenty of time to do everything in preparation for graduate study. The entire process of considering and applying to graduate school can be done in the following steps:

• Research institutions and programs of interest
• Obtain application forms and information. Be aware of the deadlines for these items.
• Obtain information about financial aid resources available
• Register with national application services, if appropriate to your area of interest (e.g., LSDAS)
• Visit institutions of interest and compare them to evaluate your options
• Meet all application requirements Graduate Admissions Tests
• Complete application materials and financial aid packages and mail them
  

  Transcripts
  Letters of Recommendation
  Application Essays or Personal Statements
  Interviews, Portfolios, or Auditions
  Any Additional Requirements

• Interview, if necessary
• Wait for admission decisions--check on the status of your application
• Choose the best school for you. Be ready for multiple offers--how will decide on what is the best offer for you? Prepare yourself for the possibility that you might not receive any offers--what is your plan of action if no offers are forthcoming?

 

Financial aid does exist for graduate study, but seeking it out demands persistent research and follow-up on your part. The best sources of information are often universities to which you are applying.