Similar to high school diplomas in the past, nowadays, bachelor degrees come a dime a dozen. In order to become professionally accomplished in most occupational fields today, students, especially underrepresented minorities and women, need to be better than good, smarter than average, and more ambitious than most.
Graduate school is an opportunity for underrepresented minorities to be set apart from other students who will compete with them for the same job positions.
Winston-Salem State University students have the privilege of learning more about various graduate schools and the programs they offer during the Graduate and Professional School Fair sponsored by the WSSU School of Graduate Studies and Research. Forty institutions will be represented at the fair, which will take place Nov. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Anderson Center, McNeil Banquet Hall.
The annual event provides students with an opportunity to meet recruiters from various universities, learn about graduate school admissions requirements, determine available funding opportunities and discover future opportunities.According to WSSU Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, Dr. Linda Nixon Hudson, the Graduate and Professional School Fair is an opportunity to encourage students to think outside of WSSU’s walls.
“We hope to generate interest because we want a lot of students to come and see what opportunities are available to them,” she said. “We want to be ranked No. 1 in sending our students to graduate school.
“Our goal is to get students in graduate school, regardless if they go here or elsewhere.”
The WSSU School of Graduate Studies and Research is only six years old and it houses nine graduate programs. According to Hudson, “The master’s degree is the fasting growing degree in this country.”
Dean and Chief Research Officer of the School of Graduate Studies and Research, Amos O. Olagunju Ed. D, insists that there are several benefits to attending graduate school. “If you wait one to one and a half years and go to graduate school, what jobs want to pay you will increase. It is a good investment,” he said.
An advanced degree can increase earning power, the amount of responsibility students assume, and the freedom they have to make their own decisions, as well as enhance their job satisfaction, according to “Graduate School and You: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students,” a publication by the Council of Graduate Schools.
Hudson also agrees and recommends going directly into graduate school because students may face obligations such as marriage, children, family and bills. Olagunju suggests that students get their degrees in a different field than their current bachelor’s degree. “It makes you more marketable,” he explains.
Both Hudson and Olagunju urge students to not let financial resources be a hindrance to deciding to seek a master’s degree.”[Undergraduate] student loans can be deferred; loans [for graduate school] are an investment in the student’s future,” Hudson said.
“As a minority, if you are a good student, you can receive scholarships. You need at least a 3.5 GPA to receive money. Even if you have a 3.0 GPA, you are still a good student, especially with internships and work experience,” she adds.For many professors and much of the administration, students are the future professionals who will be taking their places.
“We serve as mentors and role models. We need students who will be equipped to replace us because there is a shortage of those who come back to get advanced degrees.”
Olagunju says the greatest gift his students can give him is to go to graduate school.
“Knowledge is power; you can never have too much knowledge.”
The School of Graduate Studies and Research strongly encourages students to participate in the Graduate and Professional School Fair to learn more about and possibly discover future opportunities.
According to Hudson, students applying for graduate school should keep these tips in mind to avoid common mistakes:Apply early. Do not miss deadlines.
Get into prep classes for the Graduate Reading Exam (GRE). Do not go unprepared.Stay disciplined. Do not forget to practice, practice, practice.
The following is a list of important questions that students should ask graduate school representatives at the fair.
What are your graduate admission requirements? (Average GPA, standardized test and average scores)What programs are available at your institution? (Department highlights and strengths, facilities and internships)What financial support is available?(Tuition waivers, fellowships and assistantships)