Congratulations! You\u2019re\u00a0continuing your path in higher education by earning an advanced degree\u2013an accomplishment that less than 12% of the U.S. population achieves. Whether you\u2019re pursuing a Master\u2019s degree, or you\u2019re in the long haul working towards a Doctorate degree, your experience will undoubtedly be different than undergrad.<\/p>\n
For me<\/a>, graduate school has been one of the most challenging experiences I\u2019ve ever been through, but at the same time, one of the most rewarding accomplishments of my life. I\u2019m certainly eager to be graduating in May 2014, but as I look back on my time at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at the\u00a0University at Albany<\/a>, I\u2019m incredibly thankful for the things I\u2019ve learned\u2013not only professionally, but personally. I\u2019d like to share with you some tips for those of you embarking on this journey!<\/p>\n Check out these 10 great tips for\u00a0starting or continuing your\u00a0graduate career:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Get to know the faculty<\/strong><\/p>\n Graduate programs are the mecca of expert professionals in your field or industry. Colleges and universities really focus on having incredibly intelligent, influential, and experienced faculty and adjunct professors to train and teach the next generation of professionals in the field. Take some time to Google and research the faculty members in your program\u2013even read some of their\u00a0scholarly publications and research<\/a>. Their work may inspire you to study specific topics, and you may even find a mentor or advisor to guide you through your career. Plus, they\u2019ll be impressed if you know about their work!<\/p>\n 2. Catch up on current events<\/strong><\/p>\n Specialized advanced degrees are meant to prepare you and provide practical experience for a career. It wouldn\u2019t be surprising, then, to find that your coursework will tie back to real issues, problems, and topics that are currently happening in your field. Start getting into the routine of checking the news every day\u2013whether it\u2019s online, on television, or even on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u2013to brush up on current events that could have real implications in your career field.<\/p>\n 3. Join a professional organization or association<\/strong><\/p>\n Graduate school should be considered the beginning of your professional career, where you\u2019ll be regarded as a specialist or scholar in your particular field. You\u2019ll be exposed to a large network of other professionals and have access to tons of resources to help you excel in your career. Every profession has a related association or membership club that provides professionals and students with relevant tools. Some are free to join, but most have a membership fee. They are usually worth the cost though\u2013just remember to join as a student in order to\u00a0get a discount<\/a>!<\/p>\n 4. Subscribe to industry publications and newsletters<\/strong><\/p>\n While you\u2019re scoping out the right professional associations to join, add yourself to the mailing lists of other relevant websites and blogs to stay on top of industry trends, issues, and even\u00a0potential job opportunities<\/a>!<\/p>\n 5. Work on your resume\/CV and set up a LinkedIn page<\/strong><\/p>\n Many graduate programs will require that you complete an internship or have relevant work experience in order to graduate. Most programs even have a \u201cResume Book\u201d for employers to search for qualified candidates from the program. You\u2019ll definitely want to have your resume included in this! Check with the career services office within your school or program to make sure that your resume or CV is formatted according to industry standards. You should also create a virtual resume through your\u00a0LinkedIn profile<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 another resource that employers use to seek candidates.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0Polish your professional side<\/strong><\/p>\n Now that you want to be taken seriously as a professional, you\u2019ll want to\u00a0ditch your collegiate persona<\/a>. Whether you were the campus jock, the popular sorority girl, or the fun-loving socialite in undergrad, you\u2019ll want to update your Facebook page and even consider creating a more polished\u00a0Twitter account. People in your new professional network will certainly Google you and inevitably find your social network profiles. Make sure those profiles speak well for you!<\/p>\n 7. Network with your cohort<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cCohort.\u201d Fancy, right? You\u2019re in graduate school. You get to use words like this now.<\/p>\n For the next 2 to 7 years that you\u2019ll spend in your graduate program, you\u2019ll be surrounded by the same eager, ambitious, and tortured faces. You and your classmates will be going through #thestruggle together; studying for exams; working together on group projects; calculating what your weighted grade will be; and navigating the many challenges you\u2019ll encounter in grad school. This is not the time to be shy. These folks will not only be your friends in school, but they\u2019ll be long-term professional contacts whom you\u2019ll keep in touch with long after graduation (or more!<\/a>).<\/p>\n 8. Get organized for next semester<\/strong><\/p>\n Graduate school will not only demand your time and energy inside the classroom, it will take up your time outside of the classroom. You\u2019ll want to take full advantage of guest lecture series, attend helpful workshops, travel to conferences, take on an assistantship with a faculty member, fulfill an internship or job requirement, join a student club or professional association\u2026 oh yea, and study! It\u2019s best to get organized as early as possible. Get started with a day planner or calendar and use it diligently. There are also really helpful websites and\u00a0mobile applications that can keep you organized<\/a>\u00a0when you\u2019re on the move. My favorite apps to use are Evernote and Google Calendar!<\/p>\n 9. Scout out your favorite study spot<\/strong><\/p>\n Full disclosure: you may have already found out that graduate school is not like undergrad. In undergrad, it may have been easy for you to get by on last-minute studying, or you may have been able to talk your way out of a penalty on a late assignment. But graduate school shows no mercy. In fact, for a lot of programs, grades that are lower than a C are considered failing!<\/p>\n Take graduate school seriously; it\u2019s not worth your money or time to slack here. You\u2019ll want to get into a\u00a0routine of studying regularly<\/a>. Find a place where you\u2019ll be able to concentrate on your work and not fall asleep. For some folks it\u2019s at home, for others it\u2019s a library. Or maybe it\u2019s a nearby coffee shop with free wifi. Wherever it is, find it, and start calling it \u201chome.\u201d<\/p>\n