Excelling in graduate-level courses and securing your advanced degree requires you to up your undergraduate game in a big way. Graduate students are expected to have:
- A greater level of academic maturity
- High emotional intelligence
- Social professionalism
- Interpersonal respectfulness
- Strong research, critical thinking and writing skills
For some grad students, this means adopting a few new behaviors. For others, it just requires a more concerted focus and a renewed commitment to self-discipline. Many of the skills you master in graduate school are the same ones you鈥檒l need to achieve your career, service, and leadership goals. Start setting yourself up for success early in your graduate school experience with these strategies.
1) Organize and prioritize
Expect to be very busy. In addition to your academic workload being far more rigorous than that of your undergraduate years, you鈥檝e probably taken on more professional and personal obligations since completing your bachelor鈥檚.
Planning your weekly schedule down to the last hour and managing your time effectively are keys to staying on track. If you鈥檙e a procrastinator by nature, assignment due dates and required reading could be chronic stressors if you don鈥檛 break that habit. Falling too far behind is a setup for turning in subpar work. Plus, it puts you at risk for a severe case of burnout.
Find a calendar or scheduling system that works for you and stick to your plan no matter what. If you can鈥檛 resist the lure of the internet, your smartphone, and other tempting distractions while studying, research some tips and tricks to help you stay focused.
2) Work towards scholarly writing
Expressing yourself clearly in writing is mandatory in graduate school. You鈥檒l probably need to learn a new style guide for formatting your research papers correctly, such as APA, Chicago, or AP. If this is new for you, seek out your institution鈥檚 student ambassadors or student service advisors. Their role is to help make your integration and onboarding experience as smooth as possible. They can also refer you to other campus services such as free tutoring or comprehensive help with speaking and writing assignments. You might even find that your graduate program offers you access to a dedicated writing center, as does 精东影业 Online through their .
Always reference reliable sources and academic journals when performing your research. Blog posts, Wikipedia, and unsubstantiated articles are generally not acceptable. Become well acquainted with the major theorists in your field and knowledgeable about their significant contributions. Learn how to cite your sources accurately in the preferred style, and always employ correct attribution when incorporating another person鈥檚 material into your own papers.
Most academic institutions offer a student handbook that touches on issues involved in scholarly writing. Be sure to check yours. If your school is like most institutions, they鈥檒l offer guidance on the use of academic or administrative materials within your work. The handbook should also spell out school policy on cheating or plagiarism. If you aren鈥檛 quite sure what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it, check with your academic advisor, professor, or library staff for clarification.
3) Choose multiple mentors
You鈥檒l need as much academic and social support as you can get in graduate school. By building strong mentoring relationships with a few people, you鈥檒l be more well-rounded and less dependent on your graduate advisor. 鈥淚f you have more than one mentor, you increase the odds of a secure base that will get you through hurdles,鈥� advises Dr. Todd B. Kashdan of George Mason University in a piece for . You鈥檒l also benefit greatly from having exposure to multiple perspectives and different skill sets from which to draw while forming your own unique outlook.
Dr. Kashdan suggests that you 鈥渃hoose a mentor that is not looking for a clone.鈥� Select a person who honors your personal interests, abilities, and values and is willing to help you become an independent thinker and researcher. Additionally:
- You should be able to question and challenge your mentor. A good mentor will show you their flaws.
- You should be able to pursue projects that are slightly different from what your mentor does.
- Your mentor should celebrate your small successes along the journey as enthusiastically as the larger ones. Graduate school is all about taking both tiny steps and big leaps.
It鈥檚 very possible that the mentors you select now may become your lifelong friends and collaborators post-graduation, so choose wisely.
4) Ask for help when needed
Graduate school requires a great deal of independent initiative, but it鈥檚 also an interdependent community. Take advantage of every opportunity offered by your instructors to get better acquainted. When you have an issue or challenge arise, you’ll feel more comfortable reaching out to them. If something鈥檚 happening in your personal life that鈥檚 affecting your performance, communicate immediately so they can support you and adjust your deadlines. Another benefit of getting to know your instructors well is that they are better able to write a letter of recommendation for you down the road when you鈥檙e continuing on with a doctorate degree or interviewing for a job.
Learn about the programs, services, and other student resources available to support your academic journey. You鈥檒l be surprised by how much assistance is available, whether you鈥檙e attending an on-campus or 100 percent online graduate program.
5) Forge supportive, collaborative friendships
This one is also from Dr. Kashdan鈥檚 playbook 鈥� build friend relationships into your studies. Engage your graduate school peers to help relieve stress, commiserate, celebrate, and collaborate. Odds are, you鈥檒l stay in touch with at least a few of them for the rest of your life, and one or two may even become professional colleagues.
If you鈥檙e in an online learning program, you can still build a virtual support network through discussion forums, message boards, private emails, and phone calls. is a great way to stay plugged in. The close ties you develop with your graduate program cohort, your instructors, and the campus representatives will see you through any rough patches you might encounter along your journey.
If you鈥檙e ready to join 精东影业 Online’s vibrant, virtual, Christ-centered community and advance your career with a graduate degree or certificate, we鈥檇 love to hear from you.