The Grad School Handbook (Paperback)

~ (Author) "AN EXCITING FUTURE and a job you love can be yours..." (more)
Key Phrases: thesis director, current graduate students, offered financial aid, Graduate Adviser, Financial Aid Office, Law Services (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Much of the information about getting into and surviving a suitable graduate program is found only piecemeal; this is an information-rich, well-organized general instruction manual for getting through the bureaucracy at most institutions offering graduate credentials. The authors (Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) have years of experience working with graduate students and graduate admissions there. Their book raises questions about whether to go to graduate school, where to attend, what to study, how to apply, financing, and how to succeed in the graduate "meat market." The subtle caveats in each chapter and the lists of questions to ponder at the end of most will be especially helpful to prospective graduate students. Current, accurate lists of print and electronic sources about all aspects of graduate work are given at the end of this treasure. Written in a no-nonsense, breezy style, this true insider's guides is essential for junior and senior college libraries and most larger public libraries.?Scott R. Johnson, Meridian Community Coll. Lib., MS
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Is graduate school for me? What should I study? Where should I go? How am I going to pay for it? From academic requirements to financial realities, this all-in-one guide answers the questions, and helps prospective students make the decisions that will guide them toward their advanced degree. It covers the GRE and other relevant tests, discusses good and bad reasons for going to grad school, explains what schools look for in an applicant, offers information on fellowships, teaching assistantships, and other sources of financial assistance, and much more. With advice and commentary from admissions officers and experienced students, plus lists of useful references and addresses, The Grad School Handbook helps potential candidates master the maze--and get what they want and need out of their education.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; 1st edition (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399524169
• ISBN-13: 978-0399524165
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #667,169 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I was hoping for more., July 29, 1999

By A Customer

I was disappointed to find this book geared more towards students who were returning to school rather than to the undergraduate seeking a higher degree. There were certain areas that were extremely helpful, while other sections were almost discouraging to the prospective student. There were sections that provided some insight into writing the statement of purpose and financial aid sources, but still seemed to be geared towards either students seeking Ph.D's or students returning to school after a period of time. I have to say I was a disappointed.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ABC of getting into the grad school, April 2, 2003

By	Suckwoo Lee "cura_lee" (Seoul, Seoul South Korea) - See all my reviews

It goes without saying that deciding to take graduate course is one of the most serious decisions in your life. It means you decide the path the rest o life will follow. For such a critical matter, any amount of information shouldn¡¯t be enough. You should do your best in collecting information to decide whether to enter the graduate program, which school you would enroll, how you could get into that school. It¡¯s not easy task at all and demands your time and money. This book is written to help you in that process. This book opens with recommending reconsidering whether the graduate program is the right one you should choose Once you are determined, you should think what will lie in your way such as how to fund your course, how to choose the right school. And then you should prepare to documents such as application form, the statement of purpose (SOP) or essay, transcript, recommendation and GRE or GMAT score. These papers are decisive in whether you could get into wanted school and there are some rules you should keep.
This book offers you how to start the process. Yep other similar material would help you get through it. But the beauty of this book is this: this book show you how those papers would be considered in the department. In other word, this book illustrates the process from the insider¡¯s view: who read the papers and how they evaluate them. Knowing the criteria of your reader is definitely helpful to win the admission notice. And that, authors took interviews of professors and students to depict the real process.
This is a small book and you need other books to win the process. For example, you¡¯d better read some other book on writing SOP. But this is ultimately the right place to begin with.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book! Indispensible advice on admissions, funding, April 16, 1999

By A Customer

The Grad School Handbook covers it all, from the application process to getting funded. I was very impressed with the author's practical knowledge; their behind-the-scenes explanation of how the applications are truly processed and evaluated is indispensible. They also do a very good job covering ways to get funded through school. If you only buy one graduate school quidebook I'd recommend this one. Their advice definitely helped get me into graduate school.