A guide for entering graduate students written by Wanda Pratt, University of Washington
Getting the most out of the relationship with your research advisor or boss
Meet regularly. You should insist on meeting once a week or at least every other week because it gives you motivation to make regular progress and it keeps your advisor aware of your work.
Prepare for your meetings. Come to each meeting with:
List of topics to discuss
Plan for what you hope to get out of the meeting
Summary of what you have done since your last meeting
List of any upcoming deadlines
Notes from your previous meeting
E-mail him/her a brief summary of EVERY meeting. This helps avoid misunderstandings and provides a great record of your research progress. Include (where applicable):
Time and plan for next meeting
New summary of what you think you are doing
To-do list for yourself
To-do list for your advisor
List of related work to read
List of major topics discussed
List of what you agreed on
List of advice that you may not follow
Show your advisor the results of your work as soon as possible. This will help your advisor understand your research and identify potential points of conflict early in the process.
Summaries of related work
Anything you write about your research
Experimental results
Communicate clearly. If you disagree with your advisor, state your objections or concerns clearly and calmly. If you feel something about your relationship is not working well, discuss it with him or her. Whenever possible, suggest steps they could take to address your concerns.
Take the initiative. You do not need to clear every activity with your advisor. He/she has a lot of work to do too. You must be responsible for your own research ideas and progress.
Getting the most out of what you read
Be organized.
Keep an electronic bibliography with notes and pointers to the paper files.
Keep and file all the papers you have read or skimmed.
Be efficient. Only read what you need to
Start by reading only the conclusion, scanning figures and tables, and looking at their references.
Read the other sections only if the paper seems relevant or you think it may help you get a different perspective.
Skip the sections that you already understand (often the background and motivation sections).
Take notes on every paper you find worth reading.
What problem are they trying to solve?
What is their approach?
How is it different from other approaches?
Summarize what you have read on each topic. After you have read several papers covering some topic, note the:
Key problems
Various formulations of the problem they are addressing
Relationship among the various approaches
Alternative approaches
Read PhD theses. Even though they are long they can be very helpful in quickly learning about what has been done in some fields. Especially focus on:
Background sections
Method sections
Your advisor’s thesis
This will give you an idea for what he/she expects from you.
Making continual progress on your research
Keep a journal of your ideas. Write down everything you are thinking about even if you think it is stupid. It will help you keep track of your progress and keep you from going in circles. Do not plan to share it with anyone, so you can write freely.
Set some reasonable goals with deadlines
Identify key tasks that need to be completed.
Set a reasonable date for completing them (on the order of weeks or months).
Share this with your advisor or enlist your advisor’s help in creating the goals and deadlines.
Set some deadlines that you must keep (e.g., volunteer to give a student seminar on your research, work toward a conference paper submission deadline, etc.).
Keep a to-do list. Checking off things on a to-do list can feel very rewarding when you are working on a long-term project.
List the small tasks that can be done in about an hour.
Pick at least one that has to be completed each day.
Continually update your:
Problem statement
Goals
Approach (or a list of possible approaches)
One-minute version of your research (aka the elevator ride summary)
Five-minute version of your research
Discuss your research with anyone who will listen. Use your fellow students, friends, family, etc., to practice discussing your research on various levels. They may have useful insights, or you may find that verbalizing your ideas clarifies them for yourself.
Write about your work.
Early stage: Write short idea papers and share them with your advisor and colleagues.
Intermediate stage: Find workshops and conferences for submitting preliminary results. This can also help you set deadlines.
Advanced stage: Target relevant journals.
Avoid distractions. It is easy to ignore your research in favor of more structured tasks such as taking classes, teaching classes, organizing student activities, etc. Minimize these kinds of activities or commitments.
Confront your fears and weaknesses.
If you are afraid of public speaking, volunteer to give lots of talks.
If you are afraid your ideas are stupid, discuss them with someone.
If you are afraid of writing, write something about your research every day.
Balance reading, writing, and hacking. Often research needs to be an iterative process across all of those tasks.
Finding a thesis topic or formulating a research plan
Pick something you find interesting. If you work on something solely because your advisor wants you to, it will be difficult to stay motivated.
Pick something your advisor finds interesting. If your advisor doesn’t find it interesting he/she is unlikely to devote much time to your research. He/she will be even more motivated to help you if your project is on their critical path.
Pick something the research community will find interesting if you want to make yourself marketable.
Make sure it addresses a real problem.
Remember that your topic will evolve as you work on it.
Pick something that is narrow enough that it can be done in a reasonable time frame.
Have realistic expectations.
Don’t worry that you will be stuck in this area for the rest of your career. It is very likely that you will be doing very different research after you graduate.
Characteristics to look for in a good advisor, mentor, boss, or committee member
It is unreasonable to expect one person to have all of the qualities you desire. You should choose thesis committee UCLA Graduate Student Orientation Handbook 21 members who are strong in the areas where your advisor is weak.
Willing to meet with you regularly
You can trust him/her to:
Give you credit for the work you do
Defend your work when you are not around
Speak well of you and your capabilities
Tell you when your work is or is not good enough
Help you graduate in a reasonable time frame
Look out for you professionally and personally
Is interested in your topic
Has good personal and communication skills
Lets you talk freely and easily about research ideas
Tells you when you are doing something stupid
Is patient
Never feels threatened by your capabilities
Helps motivate you and keep you unstuck
Has good technical skills
Can provide constructive criticism of papers you write or talks you give
Knows if what you are doing is good enough for a good thesis
Can help you figure out what you are not doing well
Can help you improve your skills
Can suggest related articles to read or people to talk to
Can tell you or help you discover if what you are doing has already been done
Can help you set and obtain reasonable goals
Will be around until you finish
Is well respected in his/her field
Has good connections for the type of job you would want when you graduate
Willing and able to provide financial and computing support
Avoiding the research blues
When you meet your goals, reward yourself.
Don’t compare yourself to senior researchers who have many more years of work and publications.
Don’t be afraid to leave part of your research problem for future work.
Exercise.
Use the student counseling services.
Occasionally, do something fun without feeling guilty!
Other resources
Books
Getting What You Came For by Robert L. Peters. This book contains a lot of helpful advice on getting the most out of the Ph.D. process. The sections on writing and giving presentations are particularly helpful.
The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play by Neil Fiore. Since one of the biggest problems in finishing a PhD is procrastination, this book should be helpful to those of you who actually get around to reading it.
Web sites
How to Succeed in Graduate School, by Marie desJardins; the best source of advice! www.cs.umbc.edu/~mariedj/papers/advice-summary.html
Graduate Student Resources on the Web, pointers to lots of other good web pages related to graduate life in general. www-personal.umich.edu/~danhorn/graduate.html
Many students fret over their classes and professors, but forget one very important variable: if you’re unhappy at home, you’ll be unhappy in the classroom. This part of the higher education equation was easier during undergrad because the school did much of the thinking for you: they chose your tiny room and roommate in the campus dormitory. In graduate school, you are encouraged to think about which living situation would be best for you: a house or apartment with roommates, living alone, or living with family.
Calculate your budget early so you know what your living expenses will be. This number may dictate whether you have roommates and where you can live.
If the cost is too great and your family is located near your college or university, you may opt to live with them during your graduate schools studies (especially if you cannot work while going to school). This is a good option for those who have a solid relationship with their family, where there is mutual respect of space and time. You will need a place to complete assignments without distractions, so if your younger brother drops down from the top bunk onto your bed while you’re working, you may want to find an alternative.
It’s important to really understand yourself and your preferred lifestyle. At this point in your life, you have likely lived alone and with others. Which did you find more fulfilling? Some students crave the interaction with other students, so they choose to find roommates within their program. Others prefer to live with someone who isn’t even a student, so when they return home from classes they will not hear any school talk. Others know that they will not be tolerant of roommates, so they choose to live alone.
Consider living solo. Graduate students keep erratic schedules, sometimes working before sunrise or long after a reasonable bedtime. Teaching assistantships require patience and flexible schedules for students who need extra instruction. You may be called on to complete some kind of research in a short amount of time, meaning you’ll be working non-stop until it is finished. When you live alone, you don’t have to worry about inconveniencing others with your schedule. If you do choose to live with others, keep your workload in mind as you look for roommates. If and when you are finding people to live with, make sure they understand your schedule and work out a way to live and study that everyone, including you, can tolerate.
If you’re choosing to live in an apartment while you study, start the hunt for your place early. Be diligent about checking online for new listings and reply immediately when you find a possible fit. Ask your campus housing office about the on-campus possibilities, whether the school lists available off-campus apartments, and if there’s a roommate finder service.
In the end, your housing should work well with your lifestyle and complement your studies. Create a situation that will help you ace your classes.
In some disciplines, having a graduate degree is a necessity for getting a “career” job. That does not mean you should dive right in immediately after completing your undergrad degree. Just make sure you have a good reason for going. Some of the reasons below are more valid than others, but they are all common reasons for which people attend grad schools.
1. Greater earning power. This is a popular reason why people go to grad school. However, it should not be the only reason, since getting a grad degree is a very serious commitment.
2. Advance your career. A grad degree can open up a wider array of career opportunities: in psychology, social work, healthcare, for example.
3. Career change. Many people are finding their current careers unrewarding. An advanced degree can help transition to another career—whether out of desire or necessity.
4. Enhance your education. Graduate schools can provide opportunities to explore theories you may have about a topic.
5. Get community recognition. If you explore your theories and discover something new, you will get recognition for it.
6. Get international recognition. Carry that recognition further. If your discovery is truly groundbreaking, you may receive international recognition, not to mention awards. Who knows? Maybe you have a Nobel prize within you.
7. Get research opportunities. Even if you do not get to explore your own theories, there are other opportunities to participate in funded research.
8. Upgrade your education. Your knowledge of your field is outdated and you find it difficult to keep up with advancements without following up and getting an advanced degree.
9. Enjoy travel opportunities. Some programs, such as archaeology, require studying abroad for research purposes. For those who like to travel, this is a bonus.
10. Find teaching opportunities. Not everyone is suited to teaching, but for those who are, getting a PhD can lead to a tenured position at a university or college, with a nice salary, a teaching or research assistant to help with workload, consulting opportunities (partly shared with your department), and a nice pension upon retirement.
11. Work on advanced projects. For example, the computer scientists who delved early into computer graphics set the standards for much of the CGI technology used in movies today.
12. Access to advanced equipment and tools. In a similar vein, entering a grad program could mean having access to advanced equipment on campus—such as the astronomy lab, supercomputers, rare books, and even great minds.
13. Higher potential for future promotion. While obtaining a graduate degree does not necessarily always lead to a high-paying job right away, it can open up opportunities for future promotions.
14. Not being stuck behind a desk. If you have the necessary education to qualify for a high-ranking position in your chosen industry, it means that you often have the option of not sitting behind a desk all day. You might go meet colleagues or clients, travel, or even play golf in the afternoon on a nice day.
15. Employer incentives. Some large corporations have funds set aside that will pay partial or full fees for qualified employees.
16. Be part of a chain of knowledge. This doesn’t tickle everyone’s fancy, but just imagine that the knowledge handed to you by your professor came from another professor who learned it from someone who learned it from a famous scientist or philosopher. You become part of a chain of knowledge.
17. Because you want to. To learn, to think critically, to accept the academic challenge.
18. To stand out. By attending grad school and completing a degree, you join an elite segment of the population.
19. Free tuition. In some cases, grad schools might not only waive your tuition, but also give you a stipend for living expenses in return for taking on the work of a teaching assistant or research assistant.
20. Realization of interest. Not everyone realizes during undergraduate studies that they are suited for grad studies. Some of your professors might recommend it to you and offer to supervise—with tuition waived and a research assistant position to cover expenses.
Worried about paying for grad school? Read this first. A grad school insider shares his top tips for making smart financial decisions.
Of all the challenges graduate students face, paying for grad school is right up there.
When I served as a Dean of Enrollment and Dean of Students, many of the issues students brought to me during my weekly open office hours centered on their grad school finances. Many had simply not taken time to think through the financial responsibilities they were assuming in pursuing a graduate education.
While graduate school is expensive, it can be made affordable by taking time to plan, conduct research, and think outside the box.
Here are a few tips for grad school financial aid tips and best practices that have been extremely helpful to students over the years.
Ask yourself the right questions about your finances
Before you even start your grad school search, you need to ask yourself a few critical questions about the financial implications:
If you already have some debt, how comfortable are you taking on more? If you have no outstanding debt, how much are you comfortable borrowing?
Should you spend another year or two paying down your debt and/or saving money for grad school—and giving yourself more time to prepare for grad school and really check out all of your graduate school options?
Have you researched the potential ROI of your graduate degree, including the job prospects and estimated salaries for your intended post-grad career?
Have you considered the financial consequences of going to grad school in their totality, including both the estimated costs of the program and potential loss of income if you need to take any time off from work?
Research your grad school’s financial aid options—ASAP
When researching graduate school, spend as much time looking at the financial aid each program offers as you do any other facet of the school. Do not wait until you are admitted to find this information. Why? Because some institutions offer scholarships or fellowships you apply for when you submit your application for admission. If you wait to research graduate financial aid until you are admitted, you have lost out on the opportunity to be considered for these scholarships and fellowships—not to mention impaired your ability to make more informed application decisions.
Check your credit score
Much like with other big-ticket purchases, like a house or car, your credit score can have a serious impact on your ability to pay for grad school. Check your credit score before submitting your grad school applications and try to amend any issues. Problems with your financial record might delay your ability to receive graduate financial aid and/or qualify for student loans, if needed. And by the time things are resolved, it could be too late.
Explore job opportunities at your grad school
Consider working at your graduate school, part or full time, if at all possible. You could even work with/for a faculty member in your department. (I did this for both my master’s and doctoral programs, and the experience, not to mention the financial help, was invaluable.)
Working for your grad school, you can help defray the costs with your earnings, improve your employability by adding relevant work to your résumé, or, depending on the position, perhaps even take advantage of an employee tuition discount. Another tip for you: grad schools love to hire their students!
Don’t stop after you enroll
Keep asking for financial assistance and searching for graduate grants and scholarships after you enroll. There could be additional sources of financial aid that become available once you are there. Toward the end of each term, stop by the graduate financial aid office and ask if there are any new scholarships available; if so, ask what you can do to apply for them and be a competitive applicant.
There is a major myth that graduate school is always too expensive and, therefore, impossible to attain. This is usually not the case. With adequate planning ahead of time and a dedicated pursuit of funding opportunities once admitted and enrolled, it is possible to finance your graduate education.
You can’t cram for the GRE test. By and large, the exam is a test of patterns, not facts, so if you want to raise your GRE score, you will need sufficient time to practice. We suggest you devote between 4 and 12 weeks to GRE preparation.
1. Find your baseline
Your baseline score is the score you would receive if you took the GRE today. Before you make a study plan, take a full-length GRE practice test under the same testing environment as the real thing. The results will guide your prep by showing you which content areas you need to focus on the most.
2. Determine your target GRE score
You’ve probably started making a list of the graduate programs that interest you. Compare your practice test score against the average GRE scores of the most recent incoming class to each program (find this information on the school website or in our grad school profiles). Your target score is one that would put you at or above the average for the schools on your wishlist.
3. Make a plan to close the gap
Whether you choose a prep course, online program, or a test prep book, you need a smart prep plan that will hold you accountable and give you the results you need. With a little research you’ll find the right environment for you.
4. Practice for technique
Focus on how you approach each question while taking practice tests and drills. If you focus on just the results, you do nothing more than reinforce the way you are taking the test right now. The techniques you use and the way you solve a problem are what help you get better at taking the GRE.
5. Mimic real GRE conditions
Paper-and-pencil tests can help you practice concepts and test-taking strategies, but they do not adapt to your performance like the real GRE. Make sure you budget online practice into your study schedule to help prepare you for the computer-based test experience.
6. Review your results
Always review your performance after taking GRE practice exams. What kinds of questions do you consistently miss? What question types do you tend to ace, and which ones slow you down?
This is where access to a GRE tutor can really give you a leg up. Test prep is only partly about mastering content—it’s also about your pacing and test-taking skills. To be completely prepared, sit down with a coach to review your performance on practice exams and make a smart plan to meet your GRE score goal.
7. Build up your GRE vocabulary
Vocab is still an important part of the GRE Verbal sections. You can absorb many of the words that will show up on the GRE by reading respected publications such as academic journals or some of the more highbrow newspapers and magazines. When you come across new words on practice tests or practice problems, add them to your list. They have been used before on the GRE and they may very well be used again. Check out our GRE Power Vocab book for lists and drills.
8. Practice with and without a calculator
A calculator is provided for you on the GRE as part of the on-screen display, and can be a huge advantage if used correctly! But the calculator can also be a liability. Figure out when using a calculator makes you more accurate, and when you’re better off learning the rules of a key math concept.
The GRE and MAT are both exams taken by people who plan on attending grad school, but the GRE is significantly better known. If you’ve heard of the MAT, you may know that it’s a shorter and cheaper grad school admissions test that includes only one type of question you need to study for. Is the MAT your solution to a less stressful and cheaper test-taking experience? Don’t get too excited just yet — there’s more to know about the MAT.
In this guide, I’ll give an overview of what the MAT is and what its questions are like then compare and contrast that information with the GRE. I’ll then explain which exam is considered easier and walk you through the MAT vs. GRE decision so you can be certain you’re making the best choice for grad school.
What Is the MAT?
There are multiple exams with the acronym “MAT” so before we go any further, let’s first be clear on which test we’re talking about. In this guide, “MAT” refers to the Miller Analogies Test. The Miller Analogies Test is the exam most closely related to the GRE, and it’s the exam likely being discussed in any article with a title like “MAT vs. GRE” or “GRE or MAT.”
The MAT is a standardized test that measures your ability to solve analogies, and it’s used mainly for graduate school admissions. The MAT was created about 50 years ago as an IQ test to measure the test taker’s analytical thinking skills. It’s administered by Pearson Assessments. In the following sections, we’ll dive more in-depth into the format and content of the MAT, as well as the GRE.
An Overview of the MAT
The MAT contains 120 questions and is 60 minutes long. The MAT is designed to test higher-level thinking skills, analytical thinking, and general academic knowledge accumulated over years of schooling. All of the questions on the MAT are partial analogies that you must complete.Below is a set of five sample questions so that you can get a sense of what to expect from this exam.
The correct answers are 1.b, 2.a, 3.d, 4.a, and 5.d
There are no separate sections on the MAT, and you’ll take the entire exam in one sitting, without breaks. Twenty of the questions (you won’t know which ones) are unscored questions used only for research, so you’ll only be graded on 100 questions. Like many other standardized tests, the MAT is computer-based, so you won’t take it with pencil and paper.
An Overview of the GRE
Like the MAT, people take the GRE as part of grad school admissions. The GRE has three major sections: Analytical Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning.
Analytical Writing consists of two essays, each of which you’ll be given 30 minutes to write.
Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Reasoning each have two 20-question sections, for a total of 80 multiple-choice questions.
The GRE will also include one 20-question research section which won’t be included as part of your score. This will be either a Verbal or Quantitative section, but you won’t know which section is the research section.
Even though they are both used for grad school applications, there are numerous differences between the MAT and GRE. Below are 12 of the main ways in which they differ, and at the end of this section is a chart showing key differences between the GRE and MAT.
#1: Length
The MAT is significantly shorter than the GRE. The GRE lasts 3 hours and 45 minutes and includes six sections for a total of two essays and 100 multiple-choice questions. The MAT, in comparison, lasts 60 minutes and includes 120 questions.
#2: Sections
The MAT also has fewer sections compared to the GRE. The GRE includes six sections covering three main topic areas. You’ll begin by writing two essays, then alternate between Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections for the rest of the exam. All the Verbal and Quant questions will be multiple choice. The MAT has only one section with questions on different subjects ordered randomly within it.
#3: Structure
Both the MAT and GRE contain multiple types of questions, although only the GRE separates these questions into multiple sections. There are three types of sections on the GRE: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Analytical Writing tests writing and critical reasoning skills.
Verbal Reasoning measures your skills in analyzing and drawing conclusions from written excerpts, identifying main points in texts, summarizing passages, and understanding the meaning of words, sentences, and complete passages.
Quantitative Reasoning tests skills in algebra, arithmetic, data analysis, and geometry.
As mentioned above, all the questions on the MAT are analogies that you need to complete; however, the analogies test your knowledge of a variety of topics such as humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and mathematics. There are four main analogy types.
Semantic: Focus mainly on word definitions.
Classification: Focus on the hierarchy of words and concepts.
Association: Deals with relationships between two distinct ideas.
Logical/Mathematical: Include equations or other math-related problems to solve.
#4: Time Per Question
The MAT is shorter and has fewer questions, but you’ll have to move through those questions faster. You’ll have an average of 30 seconds for each MAT question. GRE questions, on the other hand, are usually more involved and can involve solving complicated math problems or reading passages that are several paragraphs long. You’ll have an average of about 1 minute and 40 seconds to answer each multiple choice question.
#5: Emphasis on Verbal vs Math
The MAT is more heavily weighted towards verbal questions, so you’ll have fewer math questions to answer compared to the GRE. Of the four MAT question categories only one, Logical/Mathematical, asks math questions, so over half the exam will focus on Verbal questions. The GRE, on the other hand, has two sections each of both Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning questions, and scores from the two areas are weighted the same, so the GRE has more of an emphasis on math compared to the MAT.
#6: Verbal Passages
The verbal questions of the two exams test some similar skills, but on the GRE you’ll need to read and interpret multiple short passages, while on the MAT you will only have the analogy questions with no additional reading.
This means that verbal questions on the GRE focus more on critical reading skills, and your ability to analyze and summarize written passages, while verbal questions on the MAT focus more on “smaller picture” topics like word definitions and analyzing phrases compared to long passages.
#7: Essays
You won’t need to write any essays on the MAT, although you will be asked questions that relate to parts of speech and forming clear sentences. On the GRE you’ll need to write two complete essays: Analyze an Issue and Analyze an Argument. You’ll have 30 minutes to plan and write each essay.
#8: Calculator vs No Calculator
On the MAT, you won’t be able to use a calculator, but you can use one on parts of the GRE.On the GRE, you’ll have access to an on-screen computer during the Quantitative Reasoning sections. To learn more about how to use the GRE calculator, check out our in-depth guide. You won’t have access to a computer during the MAT, and all questions can be solved without one.
#9: Availability
Because theGRE is much more popular, it has many more test centers and dates available than the MAT does. To register for the GRE, you’ll first need to create an account on the ETS website. Once you do that, you can find the test centers closest to you and choose a location, date and time to take the exam. The GRE is offered year-round at numerous test centers in the US and around the world.
There are approximately 500 test centers (mostly in the United States) that offer the MAT, and you can see the full list of them on Pearson’s website. Each test center sets its own schedule for the MAT, and many only offer it a few times a year or less, so it can be more difficult to find a location and time that work for you if you take the MAT. You’ll need to contact test centers directly to learn when they are offering the MAT.
#10: Cost
The MAT will typically be cheaper than the GRE, although you’ll have to do some research to figure out exactly what the MAT costs. It costs $205 to take the GRE, and this fee includes four free score reports to send to schools. Nearly all grad programs accept GRE scores. Each test center sets its own price for the MAT, so you would need to figure out where you’d want to take the test before you know when you can take it and how much it will cost. In order to register for the MAT, you’ll need to contact the specific test center directly (you can expect to pay around $100). The fee includes three free score reports.
#11: Scoring
After you take the GRE, you’ll receive three scores. The score range for Analytical Writing is 0-6, in half-point increments. Both of Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning are scored the same way. Their score range is 130-170, in one-point increments. The three section scores are generally reported separately and not combined into a single composite score. After you take the MAT, you’ll receive one score, between 200 and 600. The average score is 400.
#12: Schools That Accept Scores
The GRE is much more widely accepted than the MAT. The vast majority of grad school programs in the US and abroad accept GRE scores, so it’s likely that you can take the GRE and it’ll be accepted by all the schools you’re applying to. In comparison, the MAT is accepted by far fewer schools. These schools are mostly in the US and typically in humanities and social science programs. STEM grad programs usually don’t accept MAT scores.
MAT vs. GRE Comparison Table
MAT
GRE
Length
60 minutes
3 hours and 45 minutes
Number of Essays
0
2
Number of Multiple-Choice Questions
100 + 20 unscored research questions
80 + 20 unscored research questions
Number of Sections
1
6 (Including an unscored research section)
Composite Scoring
200-600
Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning each have score ranges of 130-170 for a total score of 260-340
Cost
Varies by test center
$205
How Long Are Scores Valid?
5 years
5 years
Is the GRE or MAT Easier?
If you’re trying to decide between the MAT and GRE, a key question you’re probably asking is, which exam is easier? In this section we discuss the difficulty of the two exams.
3 Ways the MAT Is Easier
In the GRE vs. MAT debate, the MAT can seem like the obviously easier test; here are three factors that support that viewpoint.
Shorter Length
Most people find the format of the MAT to be easier than the GRE’s format. The MAT is a fraction of the length of the GRE, and there’s only one question type, analogies. The GRE lasts about four hours and includes multiple types of questions, even within individual sections. Many people find testing that long, as well as jumping between different question types through the test, difficult because it requires more concentration.
Easier Math Questions
The MAT places less of an emphasis on math, and its math questions are often easier to solve than most GRE Quantitative questions. You don’t need a calculator to solve any of them, and there are no complicated, multi-step math problems like there are on the GRE. Therefore, people who struggle with math will likely find the MAT’s math questions easier.
No Essays or Reading Passages
You don’t need to write essays or read long passages for the MAT, so people who have difficulties with that, such as non-native English speakers, may find the MAT easier.
3 Ways the GRE Is Easier
Despite its greater length and greater variety of question types, the GRE is easier for many test-takers. Here are three benefits of the GRE vs. MAT.
More Familiar Question Format
The way the MAT words its questions—as analogies—can be challenging for many people to understand, even if they know the material being tested, since many people are not super familiar with analogy questions and how to approach them.
GRE questions, on the other hand, are likely to be much closer to the questions you’ve had in school in terms of their format. This can make people feel more comfortable and confident answering them, even if they actually test more advanced skills, since it’s easier for test takers to understand what they’re asking and how to solve them.
Easier to Register For
Most people find the logistics of registering for the GRE faster and straightforward for the GRE compared to the MAT. The GRE has a very streamlined registration process, and it’s pretty much the same no matter where in the world you’re taking the exam. You can easily see where and when GREs are available and sign up quickly. Also, if you have questions, it’s easier to find the answer on ETS’s website or find the right place to contact.
The registration process for the MAT is much less centralized. Each test center has its own MAT policies so you’ll have to contact each center individually to find out when they are offering the MAT and how much they charge. This information is difficult to find online for most test centers, so you’ll likely need to find their contact information and call them. If there’s a problem with your registration or you have a question, you’ll again have to deal with the test center directly since Pearson doesn’t have a lot of troubleshooting help available for the MAT online.
More Schools Accept GRE Scores
Since the GRE is much more popular than the GRE, more grad programs accept GRE scores. The majority of grad programs don’t accept MAT scores, and there is no comprehensive list of the programs that do accept MAT scores available, so you’ll need to check with each program you’re interested in to see if they take MAT scores.
Also, while both tests allow you to choose a few schools to send scores to at the test center, it’s much easier to send additional score reports later on if you take the GRE since all you need to do is sign into your account online and follow a few steps. For the MAT, you’ll need to contact the test center where you took the test and follow their instructions for sending additional score reports.
1 Major Toss-Up
Despite the tests many differences, it’s not especially easier to prep for either the MAT or GRE.
How much you should (or even can) prepare for the two exams varies quite a bit. Preparation time for the MAT is often shorter than for the GRE, simply because it’s harder to study for the MAT. The MAT is an IQ test designed to test knowledge you’ve accumulated over years of schooling. Some studying can help, especially if you aren’t familiar with analogies, but it likely won’t make a massive difference in your score. The MAT is designed to test what you already know, and cramming for it won’t help a lot.
The GRE, on the other hand, is easier to study for, and a smart and targeted study plan can really raise your score from where it was initially. There are also far more GRE study materials available than MAT study materials.
So which is easier? Well, it depends. Test takers happy with their initial MAT score and/or those who don’t have the time or desire to study a lot will likely find the lack of preparation needed for the MAT easier, while those who want to raise their score and have the time to do so will find this easier with the GRE.
Should You Take the GRE or MAT?
Now it’s down to the big question: GRE or MAT? For nearly everyone, it’s best to take the GRE instead of the MAT. The GRE is much better known, it’s easier to find a test date and location that work for you, and it’s accepted by far more schools. In fact, most people applying to grad school probably won’t even have a choice between taking the GRE and the MAT since the majority of grad programs don’t accept MAT scores. This is especially true if you’re applying to STEM programs. However, there are a few situations where it may be better to take the MAT, which we discuss below.
Before You Go Any Further: Do the Programs You’re Applying to Accept MAT Scores?
Before you sign up for the MAT, you need to make sure that every grad program you’re applying to or thinking about applying to accepts MAT scores. If even one of them does not (which is likely), you should just take the GRE in order to avoid taking two completely different exams to apply to grad school. It’s accepted and understood by far more schools than the MAT is, so you’re not putting yourself at a potential disadvantage by taking a lesser-known test, which can be the case if you take the MAT.
As mentioned above, there is no master list of programs that accept MAT scores, so you’ll need to search the admission page for each program you’re interested in individually. Look under “Test Scores” or “Application Requirements.” If the program doesn’t mention MAT scores, that probably means it doesn’t accept them, but you can always contact someone in admissions to confirm it.
Potential Reasons to Take the MAT Over the GRE
Below are two reasons that may make you consider taking the MAT vs. GRE.
Reason 1: You’re Really Good at Analogies
Analogies are a tricky question type that some people understand right away and others never really feel comfortable with. If you’re one of the people who excel at analogies, you may score higher on the MAT than the GRE. You should check this by taking practice tests for each exam. There are free practice GREs available and Pearson offers practice MATs for $30 each.
Because the two exams use different scoring scales, you’ll need to compare them using percentiles (which tell you what percentage of other test-takers you scored above). Your practice MAT will give you percentile data, and you can check your GRE percentile here. Only if your MAT percentile is significantly higher than your GRE percentile (10 points or more) should you consider this a good reason to take the MAT.
Also remember that most people who take the GRE study beforehand to improve their score, so you’ll likely be able to raise an initially low GRE score.
Reason 2: You Strongly Prefer Shorter Tests
The MAT is both significantly shorter than the GRE and only has one question type. If you really struggle to focus for four hours and/or jump from writing an essay to solving a math problem to reading a passage of classic literature, you may score poorly on the GRE even if you know the information you’re being tested on. Like the first scenario, you should first confirm this through multiple practice tests before assuming that you can’t handle the GRE’s format.
One Last Thing to Consider
Even if every program you’re applying to does accept MAT scores, and you fit one or both of the situations described aboveyou should still think hard before taking the MAT over the GRE. There isn’t any data on how many people take the MAT each year, but in any case it’s only a tiny fraction of the number who take the GRE. Grad programs simply know and understand the GRE, what it tests, and what a particular score means much better than they understand the MAT.
If you submit MAT scores instead of GRE scores, admissions officers will likely have a much weaker understanding of what that score means about your skills and knowledge compared to if you’d submitted GRE scores. This can put you at a disadvantage, even if you scored well on the MAT. Your final step, before you decide to take the MAT, should be to contact someone from the admissions office of each of the grad programs you’re interested in and ask them if sending MAT scores instead of GRE scores will put you at a disadvantage. Only after you’ve gone through all the steps above and understood any potential drawbacks from individual programs should you decide to take the MAT over the GRE.
Summary: GRE vs. MAT
The MAT and GRE are both exams taken by people applying to grad schools, but there are a lot of differences between the two tests. The MAT is an IQ test that only includes analogy questions, and it’s much shorter than the GRE.
Many people may find the MAT easier since it’s shorter than the GRE and only contains one question type, but the GRE is easier to register for and includes questions more similar to those you were tested on in school. Additionally, the GRE is much more popular than the MAT and is accepted by many more grad programs.
In the MAT vs. GRE decision, the GRE is the best choice for almost everyone. You should only take the MAT if it’s accepted by all the programs you’re applying to and practice tests have shown you’ll score significantly higher on it.
“Being a graduate student is like becoming all of the Seven Dwarves. In the beginning you’re Dopey and Bashful. In the middle, you are usually sick (Sneezy), tired (Sleepy), and irritable (Grumpy). But at the end, they call you Doc, and then you’re Happy.” –Ronald Azuma
Grad school is not meant to be a walk in the park. The responsibilities associated with being a grad student involve completing coursework, providing treatment, conducting testing/assessment evaluations, working on research projects, teaching courses, fulfilling practicum requirements, preparing for supervision meetings, writing your thesis, dissertation, and clinical documentation, and involvement in professional organizations (just to name a few).
These tasks are doable. They require a lot of work and time management skills, but they are doable.
But what if you have a spouse at home who expects your time and wonderful attentive nature? You won’t be the only one who’s Grumpy. Being a spouse requires an even greater commitment.
As a spouse you provide:
Emotional SupportSuch as love, encouragement, kindness, and respect.
Household MaintenanceChores such as cooking, cleaning, and doing the dishes.
Financial Stability Perhaps your spouse isn’t in grad school and they are providing the majority of the financial support to the relationship – if so, thank them.
There is not any substantial research that examines the successes of married graduate students. Some older studies have reported that marriage during graduate school is inherently detrimental to the relationship [1], while more current research suggests that marriage can be a supportive factor that contributes to married graduate student successes [2].
Due to the lack of research, we’re currently left to the advice of married grad students to share their experiences with the goals of making it work. I don’t pretend to be the best grad student around, nor do I believe that I have the key to a successful marriage.
This advice stems from the musings and self-reflections of a married doctoral student who is somehow balancing the demands of becoming a clinical psychologist with those of being a good husband.
My Top 5 Tips to Strengthen Your Marriage in Grad School
(Attention Directors of Clinical Training and All Supervisors: See #4!)
So if you’re in grad school and thinking of getting married or you have already taken your vows, here are my Top 5 Tips to Nourish Your Marriage (While Still Being a Good Student):
Prioritize With Perspective
If like me, you are more in favor of putting your spouse first over various aspects of grad school, then you’re more likely to find yourself creating and maintaining a strong spousal relationship while learning the skills germane to your graduate program.
Marriage is meant to last a lifetime – thankfully grad school is not. With the average doctoral graduate program meant to last 5 years, and the average lifespan reaching 79, how much are you willing to sacrifice aspects of your most important relationship to appease a supervisor who only influences 6% of your life?
On the other hand, if you’re not married and you can’t possibly see yourself devoting your energy and attention to anyone outside of grad school, then maybe holding off on saying “I do” is a better option for you.
Learn to (Kindly) Say “No”
It’s unlikely that you would’ve gotten to grad school without believing that working hard would bring you success.
With grad school being a source of many great opportunities, it might be tempting to write that book chapter, take on extra patients, or teach that extra course. It’s important to keep in mind that saying “no” does not equal laziness.
Appropriately declining extra work demonstrates (1) that you are aware of your limits as a student and professional, and (2) that you don’t want the work you do to suffer as a result of over-commitment.
Saying “no” is key to balancing your grad school requirements and your marriage, and being able to balance various aspects of your personal and professional life is paramount in preventing burnout [3].
Kindly is certainly an important takeaway here. Remember, a spouse can be the buffer between you kindly declining someone’s request and feverishly hitting reply to that email only to later regret appearing unprofessional.
Create the Marriage You Want
We are all creatures of habit. From little things like needing to sleep on the left side of the bed, to larger patterns like trouble communicating with your spouse – routine turns into comfort.
It’s hard to think of life after grad school, but that time will eventually come. The habits that we develop during grad school are likely to stay with us after graduation.
It’s easy to get in the mindset of “this is all temporary;” however, the ways you manage your time, divide up household chores, and communicate with your spouse will turn into a well-oiled routine that is unlikely to change simply because you graduated.
Picture the marriage you want to have and start working toward that goal now!
Involve Your Spouse in Your Self-Care Routine
Self-care is such an important aspect for behavioral health students and professionals alike, and unfortunately, the current data examining self-care in graduate schools is deplorable.
For example, 82.8% of graduate students report that their programs don’t provide written self-care materials, 63.4% report that their programs don’t even support or promote self-care activities or practices, and 59.3% don’t even promote informal self-care atmospheres [4].
There are many ways in which you can incorporate your spouse into your self-care practices. Together you can:
Exercise
Cook healthy meals
Meditate
Work on puzzles
Take on new hobbies
Listen to music
Visit farmer’s markets and/or garage sales
Create art
Walk the dogs
Plan regular date-nights
Go out with mutual friends
Take periodic vacations
Plan breaks in your day where you can both be together
Involving your spouse with activities that you both enjoy will help decrease the angst and resentment that many spouses may find themselves feeling as a result of being married to a graduate student.
Don’t Skimp on Intimacy
As a grad student you already schedule meetings, courses, and patients.
If you’re able to be spontaneous, keep it up! But if not, give your spouse the same care and level of importance and schedule times when the two of you can focus solely on each other. This means no TV, no cell phones, and no pets.
The more you incorporate intimacy, the less you will need to schedule it in.
References
[1] Brooks, A. (1988, November 03). For Graduate Students, Marriage Presents a Special Problem. Retrieved May 24, 2016.[2] Price, J. (2006). Does a spouse slow you down? Marriage and graduate student outcomes [Electronic version]. Retrieved May 24, 2016.[3] Rupert, P.A., Stevanovic, P., & Hunley, H. A. (2009). Work-family conflict and burnout among practicing psychologists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40, 194-200. Doi:10.1037/a0011860[4] Norcross, J.C., & Guy, J.D. (2007). Leaving it at the office: A guide to psychotherapist self-care. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Carter, L. A., & Barnett, J. E. (2014). Self-care for clinicians in training: A guide to psychological wellness for graduate students in psychology. New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press.
Schwartz-Mette, R. A. (2009). Challenges in addressing graduate students impairment in academic professional psychology programs. Ethics & Behavior, 19, 91-109. Doi: 10.1080/10508420902768973
What’s a GRE test-taker’s best defense against a lineup of scary answer choices? A formidable vocabulary. Improving your vocabulary is one of the most important things you can do to maximize your GRE verbal score.
The GRE tests words that ETS (the creator of the GRE) believes the average college-educated adult should know. If you see a word you don’t know while prepping for the GRE or elsewhere, it’s probably a good GRE word. Develop a routine for learning new words, and you will grow your vocabulary in no time.
1. Read, read, read.
Get in the habit of reading good books, magazines, and newspapers. Start paying attention to words you don’t know. You might be tempted just to skip them (as usual), but train yourself to notice them, write them down, and look them up.
2. Learn to love the dictionary.
Get used to looking up words. Don’t assume that the first definition is the only one you need to know! The GRE often tests secondary definitions, so scan through them all.
3. Come up with your own definitions.
Now that you’ve learned the dictionary’s definition of a new word, restate it in your own words. You’ll find it much easier to remember a word’s meaning if you make it your own.
4. Say words out loud.
This might feel strange at first, but it works! Saying a new word out loud will help you remember it.
5. Keep a GRE vocabulary list.
Keep a list of new vocabulary words on your phone or in a notebook. Writing something down also makes it easier to memorize. Jot down the words when you find it. Copy the sentence in which you originally found the word to remind yourself how the word looks in context.
6. Use GRE flashcards when you’re on the go.
Stick 5 or 6 flashcards in your pocket every morning and use them whenever you can. Stuck on a delayed subway train? Look at your flashcards. Standing in a long line at the coffee shop? Look at your flashcards. We make GRE flashcards easy with our Essential GRE Vocabulary , which contains 500 physical cards in the box, plus access to the full deck online.
7. Prioritize learning words that GRE tends to test.
When you come across new words on a GRE practice test , add them to your list. They have been used before on the GRE and they may very well be used again. You can find a list of some of the most frequently tested works on the GRE in our book Cracking the GRE.
8. Visualizations help.
Use your imagination to create a mental image to fix a new word in your mind. The wilder the image, the better. For example, if you’re trying to remember the word voracious , which means having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit, picture an incredibly hungry bear eating huge piles of food. The voracious bear will help you to recall the meaning of the word.
9. Understand word roots.
Many words share similar origins. For example, ben , bene, and bon mean good or well (and are used in the words benefit , benefactor , and benediction ) By learning these common roots, you’ll be better able to work with words you’ve never seen before. This will come in handy when you’re trying to narrow down answer choices!
10. Use your new words every chance you get.
Developing a powerful vocabulary requires a lot of practice. Try casually dropping a GRE word into your next conversation. Using a new word (in writing or conversation) as often as you can will help you retain it longer.
11. Don’t forget GRE math vocabulary!
Quick—what’s an integer? Is 0 even or odd? How many even prime numbers are there? The GRE loves to test your knowledge of integers, fractions, decimals, and all those other concepts you probably learned years ago. You absolutely need to know this math “vocabulary,” so you can understand what the question is asking.
You’re in. Congratulations! Be excited and celebrate. Also, prepare. You want to make the best impression while in graduate school. And in order to make that impression, you need to be as stress-free as possible. If you can establish a good balance early on—studying, socializing, networking, and excelling at an internship—then you will be on track to succeed. Also essential to that balance is a solid living environment. As you can see, while there are many aspects to life in graduate school, they are all linked together and should work in harmony. We’re here to help you put all the pieces in the right place.
The Summer Before Graduate School
Summer time, and the livin’ is easy. That’s not entirely true, but you should make it a point to relax during the weeks and months of the summer before graduate school. Up to this point, you’ve likely been working hard, whether you were working a full-time job or completing the multitude of work necessary to graduate with your bachelor’s degree.
The best way to manage the weeks and months before graduate school is to budget your time well. Carve out time to breathe while getting some prep work done. One thing that will make your life easier is to calculate your financial budget several months before your graduate school program begins. Decide whether you will be able to take the summer off from work completely, or whether you will need those funds to make ends meet while in school. Some students choose to work full-time to make as much money as possible, and continue once the program starts—with a part-time course load. Others choose a full-time class schedule and part-time job. Others can afford to go to school full-time without working. Of course, this is ideal because graduate school can be rigorous and time consuming on its own. Everyone’s finances are different. The important thing is to take an honest look at your bank account and plan ahead.
Even if you aren’t working full or part-time before grad school, try to earn some extra money somehow. If you’re a writer, take on an editing project. Or, if you’re a graphic designer, accept some freelance work. Even if you have figured out how to cover tuition and living expenses with grants, awards, government and/or private loans, unexpected expenses almost always arise. If you have a car on campus, you might need a repair. You might need to travel unexpectedly. Or, you might want to take a partner out on a fancy date to celebrate an anniversary. In general, it’s smart to have a slush fund.
Try to check items off your to-do list and schedule those irritating annual appointments with doctors and the dentist, so it’s not another thing to worry about once classes begin.
One part of planning before graduate school might be to save money by living with family before your grad program starts. You can help your family with projects around the house and spend time with them before you’re swamped with work and research. And, in return, you can save funds that can be applied to rent in a few months.
At the very least, try to allot the last two weeks before you move into your apartment or dormitory to clear your head and gather materials. You’ll want to be prepared with the things you need. It’s a good idea to move early to allow time to get settled, especially if you are in a new city and living near a new campus. Once you arrive, find the library and on-campus coffee shop (for your own caffeine-fixes and so you’ll know where to go if someone asks you to meet). Check out the campus workout area and find the activities center, where you can look for events that interests you. While you likely won’t have a lot of free time, you’ll need to have some kind of social life.
Ask yourself how you are feeling and what you need to start on the first day of graduate school with a healthy outlook and lifestyle. By the time some students enter a graduate school program, they’re already burned out from rigorous senior year undergraduate seminars, internships and fellowships. Others find that their first job out of undergrad has fatigued them. Find a way to recharge and feel refreshed. That means something different to everyone. Read a book, visit friends, or take a small trip.
This summer is a transition. Make the best of it.
What to Bring to Graduate School
Before you pack, de-clutter. It will reduce your stress in so many ways. Bring clothes, of course, but only the ones that you wear several times a month. Don’t bring the dress or sweatshirt you haven’t worn for over a year. Don’t bring a ton of decorations, either (maybe just a few treasured photographs).
Bring a solid planner and wall or desk calendar. This way, you will be able to manage short, mid and long-term deadlines with ease.
Purchase and bring only the books you need ahead of time. Instead of buying them from the campus bookstore, try to buy them used online. If a book is particularly expensive, reach out to current students (or look on message boards) to see if it’s absolutely necessary. Reach out to students in your program to ask if someone might be interested in splitting the cost and sharing an expensive book. In addition, ask your program or university’s librarian which books are regularly available at the library.
On that note, a small bookshelf could be helpful, especially to organize academic and personal books. If your apartment doesn’t come with a desk, find one from Ikea or a nice used one from craigslist. Another good place to look: on-campus bulletin boards. Students often post fliers to get rid of their furniture for cheap. Inside the desk, you might want things like post-it notes and an organizer for small and large paper clips.
Keep in mind that some larger items are more expensive to bring than they are to repurchase. Take stock of what you have and what you will truly need and plan accordingly.
Make sure you have chargers for your mobile devices and laptop. If possible, even an extra. Also, if you have a vehicle on campus, bring a car charger for your cell phone. We all know how frustrating it is to have a cell phone battery die at an important moment.
Consider bringing a couple of items purely for comfort or relaxation. Perhaps your favorite fleece blanket or slippers. Or you might want a spice rack that includes exotic spices and herbs for cooking your family’s favorite meals. Consider bringing a teapot and teas and the kitchen items you use at least once per week.
If your family asks what you might need for graduate school, it’s a good idea to tell them you would like gift cards for places like Costco, Amazon, and your favorite restaurant. Gift cards don’t take up much space and they come in handy.
Most of all, bring your energy and determination. Graduate school will test you in many ways. If you’re stressed, remember that a semester is a finite amount of time that will pass. Before you know it, you will be finished and walking across the stage to receive your diploma.
Tips to Maximize Your Graduate School Experience
Graduate school will present you with many challenges, but this is perhaps the first one that you should anticipate: How do you get the most out of your program?
Graduate school tests students personally, academically, and professionally. Be like a sponge. Think about how to best use your program’s resources and absorb every bit of knowledge and experience. Initially, graduate school may feel unending. But the time passes quickly and you’ll graduate before you know it. You want to walk across the stage certain that you learned all you could and made every possible connection.
Here are some tips to help you make the most of your time in graduate school:
Smile when you meet your classmates and professors. At first, graduate school may feel like high school or undergrad. You’re meeting sometimes dozens of new peers all at once and the unfamiliar social dynamic might make you feel insecure. Don’t be! Introduce yourself. These are all future friends and colleagues—and possibly employers.
Make sure your living situation won’t get in the way of good work. You don’t want to worry about apartment repairs or a noisy roommate when you should be studying. For more housing advice, check out How to Create the Best Living Situation in Graduate School.
Challenge yourself. Push, but know yourself and your limits well. Once you hit that point, allow yourself personal time and room to breathe. A long, quiet walk can do wonders.
Set realistic goals and work consistently toward achieving them. Unrealistic goals lead to burnout and will set you back. Don’t underestimate little victories. Plan how to chip away at long-term goals and try to accomplish something each day or week.
Join at least one professional organization related to your major and career field. This is a great way to make professional connections and to learn more about your field of choice. The events and opportunities will be tailored to your interests and needs.
Join at least one club. If there isn’t a club related to your studies, make this an outlet for your hobbies or social life. You will meet interesting people and maybe even develop a new skill (even if that skill is a strong Frisbee toss).
Attend every event you can (in your free time, of course). Graduate programs—yours and others within the college or university—often host mixers and other events that can be great for networking.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or for help. In graduate school, there is a wide support network. Professors, career counselors and therapists are all part of the university system, and are there to guide students with personal or professional questions.
Stay on campus. As tempting as your apartment might be, this is where many literal and figurative connections are made. Professors might stick around for 30 minutes to an hour after class for students who need extra help or just want to talk about the material. Try to create a professional bond, especially if you are interested in your professor’s work or are seeking a mentor. A professor who feels like he or she knows you will be more likely to write you a letter of recommendation or suggest you for a position.
Stay in touch. You will meet many people while in graduate school, so always follow up. Don’t accept a card without sending an email or making a connection somehow. Once your time with a professor is done, stop by their office and say hello. And try to connect with classmates and professors after you graduate. Your peers may become your colleagues and your professors could become your boss.
Living on a grad student stipend is tough, but we often make it harder on ourselves if we don’t know where the money is going. By tracking our spending habits, we can get a better sense of what we value, our motivations for spending, and areas where we can save a few dollars or even a few hundred dollars. Although our schedules our tight, making time to track spending and create a practical budget will pay huge dividends in the long run. Read on for budgeting and money-saving tips!
Figure out where your money is going. Track your spending for at least one month (3 months yields better results) and categorize the expenses. This will give you clues about where you can save money (more on this below). Using Excel is an easy way to track income and expenses, but if you prefer to use apps, here are few to try:
Android: My Budget Book ($2.59) This app allows you to set up your own categories and subcategories of spending, add recurring monthly bills, and export your monthly expense reports to html, cdv, or back it up in the cloud.
iOS:Mint (Free) This app allows you to link bank and credit card accounts to track both income and expenses, draw up a budget, and even set alerts when you’re over your allotted spending or a bill is due. This app is also available as a free website.
Spendee is available on both platforms ($1.99): It’s easy to use and colorful charts help you see quickly and easily where your money is going.
Divide expenditures into wants versus needs. Just a note of caution here – don’t give up everything on your want list, otherwise, you’ll never stick to your budget. If you enjoy drinking wine and don’t want to give it up, consider doing tasting experiments with $5 and under wines at Trader Joe’s (one of my current projects). You’ll be surprised how many wonderful wines you can find that won’t hurt your budget!
Identify categories that are unnecessarily draining funds. For example, can you cut out your daily $5 coffee purchases, make your own at home, and bring it along in a thermos? Can you purchase an inexpensive coffee maker for the grad student office? This can save you $100 or more a month!
Consider your purchasing motivations. Do you turn to shopping (in stores or online) to relieve stress? While things are tight, can you replace this habit with something less expensive, such as going for a walk or calling a friend?
Reduce your bills. Do you need a data-heavy cell phone plan or can you cut back on this and rely on wifi? Consider getting rid of cable or satellite TV for a while or trimming down the package. Check out Lifehacker’s Bill-by-Bill guide to see where you can save money on other common expenses. Liz Homan’s recent GradHacker article on meal planning offers advice to make your money go farther and still eat well. Housing is probably one of your biggest expenses. Consider looking for a roommate, subletting, or alternative housing options, such as graduate student housing on or near campus.
Learn to do things yourself or find out what skills your friends and colleagues have and offer to swap work with each other. Not the best mechanic? Offer to edit and provide feedback on conference papers and articles they’re working on or babysit their children for a couple of hours.
Negotiate. There are many things you can negotiate, such as rent and even interest on your credit card. Don’t be afraid to ask about these things.
Avoid debt, especially credit card debt and loans from private agencies. Talk with your financial aid office to create a plan to get on top of any debtyou currently have and avoid taking on more. Look into the various options to pay off current debts, including SponsorChange to pay off student loans with volunteer work.
Lastly, draw up your budget based on your tracked expenses and the above considerations. Be reasonable and don’t cut out all of the fun. Look at this time in life as an opportunity to be creative, still do some of the things you’d like to do, and know that it won’t last forever.
