A graduate degree can be a valuable step toward achieving your career goals. Some career paths require additional education beyond a bachelor’s degree, while others pursue higher education to gain more knowledge, develop new skills, or achieve a personal goal. Regardless of the reason, the decision to attend graduate school is a deeply personal one, closely tied to an individual’s career interests.
Deciding whether to attend graduate school is a uniquely personal choice. However, if a graduate degree is required for your desired career path or if you have a strong interest in specializing in a particular field, it may be worth serious consideration. If you are unsure of whether or not the career(s) you are interested in require graduate school, the educational attainment data on O*NET is a great place to start your research.
A transcript is an inventory of the courses taken and grades earned by a student throughout a course of study. The Student Records office provides official transcripts as requested by students. Unofficial transcripts can be accessed through BU Brain.
GRE: The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a commonly used standardized test for many graduate programs.
Other industry/career specific standardized tests include:
Most commonly graduate schools require:
Some schools or programs may also require specific standardized tests, additional essays and have other industry or program specific requirements.
It is most common to ask for a letter of recommendation in person or via email. We suggest always sending an email to confirm and/or to follow up with your recommenders. Faculty, Supervisors and/or others who can speak to your work ethics, leadership skills, communication skills and academic abilities can write letters of recommendation. Each school you apply to may have more specific guidelines or suggestions regarding who they will accept letters of recommendation from, so pay close attention to the application requirements.
A gap year is typically a 1-2 year timeframe between earning your undergraduate degree and enrolling in a graduate program. Gap years can be beneficial for gaining experience, clarifying career or program interests, and enhancing your overall graduate school application in addition to other benefits.
Schedule an appointment or stop in during drop in hours M-F from 12 pm – 4 pm to discuss post-graduation planning with a member of our team.
