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When Should I Start Planning for Graduate School?

Planning for grad school can depend on what type of grad school are you thinking about? Medicine? Dentistry? Law? Or an advanced degree in your chosen field?

Joan Isaac MohrJoan Isaac Mohr
Vice President and Dean of Admissions

Quinnipiac University
Planning for grad school can depend on what type of grad school are you thinking about. Medicine? Dentistry? Law? Or an advanced degree in your chosen field? For instance, if you are pre-med, you’ll want to ask about the support given to those students who are thinking along the same lines as you are. What is the pre-med committee like? How do you identify yourself as a pre-med student? What courses will you have to take as an undergraduate to prepare to apply to grad school? The best advice is to keep your grades strong. Graduate schools will usually look for a 3.0 GPA as a minimum; medical and law schools will be higher. Explore the requirements for the grad programs that interest you: Are there prerequisites you should take as part of your undergraduate education? What entry tests will be required: the MCAT, GRE, or GMAT? Most should be taken in your junior or senior year of college, so some preparation will be necessary--you don’t walk in "cold" to take those. Plan to take either a test-prep course or practice tests at a minimum.

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