Preparing for Grad School Exams

Just keep going!

Whenever you hear someone say, “four years fly by” believe it!  Preparing for graduation comes as a shock to some, but then there is the decision of continuing on to Grad school.  Most people today feel that Grad school is necessary. It seems that in a lot of professions, a Master’s Degree is the standard.

If you are going for it, then you need to start researching all of the degrees and programs out there, as they can be different from undergraduate programs.  Contact the Office of Graduate Studies to see if any informational events are scheduled.  Meeting with the office can help you see the paths offered and clarify your prerequisites and other required things needed.  It can feel overwhelming, but this office can help to prepare you for the required tests and application items needed.

To apply to graduate school, you must fill out the online application, and submit the application fee.  Once accepted, there will be an orientation on August 9 in the Marshall Center.  For many programs, this is required and you will hear from faculty, staff, and former students about graduate life. There will be specific orientations for different colleges as well. To register.

As for the tests required for admittance to graduate school, the Graduate Studies office can also provide information on test prep, tutoring, and any programs offered to help obtain required scores.  Some of the popular test prep programs are Kaplan, Magoosh, Varsity Tutors BenchPrep, The Princeton Review, Khan Academy, and Manhattan Test Prep.  Many are offered as online classes which allow students to study at their convenience.  Some also offer private tutoring in person or online, as well as regular local classes.

Many accounting major students take the CPA exam while in school. Some of the more popular CPA review courses include Surgent, Becker, and Wiley.

For the MCAT, USF offers testing services.
For the GRE, LSAT, GMAT, and others, services.

Remember:

GRE- Get the ‘GRE Word of the Day’ app to help with vocabulary.  Sign up for the Question of the Day from Kaplan. It’s free!
MCAT- Next Step Test Prep offers live webinars to answer questions that may come up as you study.
LSAT- Testmasters LSAT prep class is offered right on campus. See dates and times.

There is a lot to think about and to prepare, so organizing a timeline or checklist for each school that you apply to would be helpful.  Get together test scores, letters of recommendation, personal essays, interviews, and resumes. Look into scholarships and all finance needs.

Applications also require an essay or personal statement. To be sure you are sending in your best work, we recommend working with Essential Essays, who assists students with brainstorming, planning, and writing college, law, and grad school essays that will reveal their personality and give their applications a positive edge.

Some students who are majoring in finance or business will also take the Level 1 CFA exam. The Princeton Review now offers a test-prep course for only $299. Students who enroll will qualify for their money-back guarantee.

Finally, it’s not uncommon to take a year off of school before starting grad school.  Use that year wisely to gain experience, test prep, and organize your learning so that you will be ready for the challenges that grad school holds.

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