Advice for succeeding in grad school?

Question

I have just started on my Master's, and would like any advice from those who have been to grad school for how to make the most of it and make the best grades (because I would like to go for a Ph.D once I am finished with my Master's). I am in a counseling psy program if that makes a difference to any of your answers. :)

Answer 1

I have finished several degress while holding down a full time teaching job.
A few tips:
1. Expect to miss out on some family/friend activities.
2. Keep up with your assignments. Don't procrastinate.
3. Listen in class. Teachers usually talk about the important ideas.
4. Set aside time everyday to do some studying or reasearch for papers/projects.
5. Attend class faithfully.
6. Find someone to proof read your papers.
7. Network with others. Find someone who is in the same program. Sometimes it's nice just to be able to vent to someone who can understand! Friends in class can help to discuss assignments or take notes if you are sick.
8. Establish some connection with the professor. People, even teachers, are more helpful when they know you a bit. A compliment on the lesson or a question about something you don't understand can be a beginning. I'm not saying suck up exactly, but, a connection will help.
It really takes dedication to complete a degree. You will not regret the decision.
Good Luck

Answer 2

Stay organized. Get one of those weekly organizers, or use the one on yahoo, or something, and put EVERYTHING in it... your class schedule, exam dates, when big projects are due, when you can register for classes, when the last day you can drop a class is.... carry it with you constantly.

Meet with your major professor regularly, I'd say once a week at least. Also keep an eye out for opportunities like internships or scholarships you can apply for.

Colleges let you sign up for a ton of classes at a time. I recommend signing up for at least one more than you think you can handle, then after going to the first few classes of each, drop the one you like the least. There's no harm in this at all, so long as you don't drop below "full time" student status. Don't take on too much at once - I'd say 15 credits maximum. Remember graduate classes are harder than undergraduate, usually.

Also, remember to balance your classes. If you need to take a very hard class that you know you won't do well in, (like a C or D) balance it out with a class you'll get an easy A - that will keep your GPA from going too low. Ask around, experienced students will tell you what classes/professors to take, or avoid. And take advantage of the fact that most colleges offer free tutoring help.

Be prepared for a few "bad" classes, no matter how good of a student you are. Stuff happens. Always drop a class instead of failing it. Usually you can drop a class even when it's halfway through the semester. So you should NEVER fail a class. Late drops don't look "good" - but it's better than an F that would kill your GPA.

Finally, if you plan on going on to a PhD, you'd best get some research and teaching experience under your belt. The research element is usually covered by the thesis, but also get a job on campus as a Teaching Assistant, and teach a few undergraduate labs. This also helps pay for college. :-)

Best of luck to ya!

Answer 3

Many schools have shelters of some sort, but they're generally not underground and would therefore be less effective in a tornado of this magnitude. Unfortunately, "It's expensive" is actually a very justifiable answer and one that will be used a lot. To build an adequate shelter, they would first have to lift up each and every school and then build a shelter underneath. That costs a LOT of money. You have to take into consideration the size (big enough to hold all the kids and teachers) and the fact that there would have to be adequate restroom facilities and all of that. You're looking into hundreds of thousands of dollars...per school. Multiply that by about 2,000, which is the number of public schools in the state (and I don't even know how many private schools there are). And what happens if a school grows? My town is in an oil boom. We're trying to figure out what to do with the influx of new students we get every year. We're even talking about trying to pass a bond to add over a dozen classrooms to EACH site.

Answer 4

I just completed my Masters in Counseling psych and the best advice i can give you is make sure your internship site is diverse. You want to have more than one person above you you can go to to seek input. Interning for a private practice, for example, will not give you the widest experience and may leave you wanting when you actually start work. Also, do all your reading and write really good papers. And make use of peer-review processes. And go into therapy yourself. Not only will you resolve your own issues, you will see firsthand which techniques resonate with you and which don't. Good luck!!

Answer 5

Your relationship with your major professor is probably the single most important aspect of success in gaduate school. Try to do what you can to make sure that the two of you get along well. Other than that, I guess it's just good old fashioned hard work.

Answer 6

Treat it like a job.

When I got my PhD at Berkeley, I set deadlines for each of the chapters of my dissertation. I went in to my office every day & worked on my thesis. When I left the office, I tried to put it away the way I would if I were working.

Answer 7

don't rush to get your degree. Have a support system with fellow grad students and teachers. Getting your masters is more than getting a degree, it is an experience and an absorbtion of knowledge. when it comes to defending your thesis, you need to use the tools you have learned to be convincing.

Answer 8

Was in the 60's when I went through that ? ?(?) I'm at a loss to really describe it. If I knew what I did, I'd let you in on the plan.........but I know I worked my a++ off and I think I had a good time.

Answer 9

Hard work and long hours. Just as your previous studies have been. Good luck to you.

Answer 10

Been there done that so Study, Study, Study and study. Good luck to ya.