With all the talk about college, your teen probably hasn’t even thought about grad school. And you may ask why should they? Because grad school is the next step in the education chain for many career paths and it makes sense for your student to plan ahead if they want to pursue those paths in the future.
How do you plan for grad school while planning for college?
Research majors and careers
If your student is interested in the medical or law field it stands to reason they will be attending graduate school and possibly beyond. Some other career paths also require graduate degrees as you move up the ladder. For example, many students who want to teach at a college level will need a masters degree or even a Ph.D. for this career path. Students who are entering the business field might consider and MBA in their future. Research the majors and careers while researching the colleges.
Discuss finances
Graduate degrees are an added expense for students and many families do not prepare for this additional expense. If your student knows he will be going to grad school, make a financial plan and add those expenses to the overall costs. Evaluate graduate degree programs just as you would undergraduate degrees based on the return on investment.
Be prepared for concentrated study
If your student plans to pursue a graduate degree, there is no time to slack off and skate through college. Graduate programs are often difficult to get into and your student should consider the undergraduate program as a stepping stone. Just as high school academics prepare them for college, college prepares them for graduate school. Focused study and academic excellence are a key factor when applying for a graduate degree program.
Whether your student knows he will go on to graduate school, or is simply considering it, the best plan is to make a plan. It’s easy to do the graduate research along with the undergraduate research. Why not combine two tasks in preparation for the future?
Read Wendy’s post: 6 Reasons to Think Grad School in College Search
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