Office of Student Life
Buckeye Careers

Applying to Graduate School

Deciding on Graduate and Professional School

Whether you are looking to continue your education here at Ohio State or moving on to another institution, the process for applying to graduate and professional schools should begin about a year and a half before graduation. So it is important to start exploring if graduate school is right for you around your third year. A career advisor in the student's college or in Buckeye Careers, as well as faculty members in their major, can help you determine if graduate school is the next step for them. Below are some points to keep in mind:

  • Attending graduate school will add at least two and sometimes more than eight years to your academic studies based on the degree you decide to pursue. The very first question that should be asked is: "Why do I want/need to go to graduate school?" 
  • Often the application process is unique and tailored to each specialty, program and university. Researching the application, deadlines, interview and acceptance process of your intended program well ahead of applying will help tremendously when you create your application.
  • Some programs may have rolling admissions, meaning they accept students to fill their class well before the final deadline, while others will only admit students once a year. Knowing what kind of admissions materials you need to have prepared (including appropriate exams-GRE, LSAT, etc.), the number of references and the deadlines of these programs will help you strategize how best to complete your applications.
  • If you are applying to Ohio State, the best resource for information is the Graduate and Professional Admissions website. Here, you will be able to research all of the programs that Ohio State has to offer, the materials needed to apply and the contact information for each program. The Ohio State Graduate School also has more in-depth information about the masters and doctoral process and timeline, including exams, specific forms and dissertation defenses. Both of these offices are great starting points to begin researching further academic pursuits here at Ohio State and beyond.
  • We offer a monthly workshop called Grad School 101 that will provide you with tips and tricks to navigate the graduate school application process.