Undergraduate Programs
Preparing for Graduate School
Sociology and ISS majors who are thinking about pursuing a graduate degree should begin to plan early, certainly before the beginning of their senior year. Before your senior year, you are encouraged to consult with and think about:
- Whether you anticipate applying to professional degree programs (e.g., law, business,
social work, public administration) or academic degree programs (e.g., sociology,
psychology, communication, anthropology);
- What standardized exam(s) you will need to take before or during your senior year
in order to apply to the graduate program(s) of your choice, and the dates when those
exams are typically administered;
- What the application requirements are for the various graduate programs you are considering.
These could include personal statements, writing samples, standardized test scores,
and letters of recommendation.
- What experiences would increase your chances of admission (e.g., volunteer/service activities, internships, education abroad, undergraduate research experiences, writing an honor's thesis, etc.).
Anyone thinking about pursuing a graduate degree is also encouraged to consult regularly with their academic advisors, professors, and peers.