Considering Graduate Or Professional School

Here are some common myths that can confuse students and family members alike. Click on any of the myths listed below to discover the CEC’s perspective. cap and gown

Two Common Myths:

Graduate school always leads to a better salary, so it’s a good choice when undecided about what career to pursue.
Graduate and professional schools are only interested in applicants who have certain specific majors, such as science for medical school.

How Parents and Family Can Help:

Explore resources together. If your student is unsure about whether graduate school would be beneficial for a certain career, the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor, is a handy on-line resource that provides information about the education, licensure, and certifications needed for hundreds of careers.

If your student is unsure about graduate school in general, take a look at Is Graduate School for Me? and Graduate School FAQs. If your student decides on graduate school, our on-line resources can help your student determine how to choose graduate programs and how to get organized to meet graduate application deadlines.

Encourage your student to "try out" graduate school. Being on a large university campus means that your undergraduate student can get an inside look at graduate school. Your student can use the CEC Faculty/Staff Contacts Database to contact professors to ask about sitting in on classes. The Law School’s Admission office can arrange for undergraduates to observe a class in law school. Teaching assistants can tell your student about what the graduate school lifestyle is like.

Undergraduate students can get a further taste of graduate school by participating in two programs. They can assist with graduate level research through a program called Eureka. They also can apply for the Intellectual Entrepreneurship Program, which offers pre-graduate school internships.

How The CEC Can Help

Counseling

In-depth 45-minute sessions with professional career counselors.
No extra charge. Counseling is covered by your student’s tuition.
Examples of questions that might arise in a counseling session: How do you plan to use your graduate degree in career? Which graduate programs will provide the best preparation for the career you want? How can you rework your career goals if graduate school plans do not work out? For students who want to take a break between undergraduate and graduate school, how can you make the most of this time to benefit career goals or further career exploration?
Personal statement critiques
Resume critiques for graduate school, professional school or transfer within Colleges at UT-Austin.

Mock interviews

45-minute coaching sessions to help your student gain confidence and present professionally at upcoming graduate school interviews

CEC library

resources that outline how to gain admission to business, law, medical and academic programs, as well as information on scholarships and fellowships, admissions tests, and graduate schools, both national and international.

Graduate and Professional School Day

an annual event featuring representatives from more than 100 graduate programs across the country, representing a wide range of disciplines. The event includes information sessions on graduate school planning, admissions, and funding.

This is just a sampling of the resources and services we offer to help students decide about graduate school. Please encourage your student to visit the CEC to learn about all the ways we can help.

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