How to Prepare for Graduate School this Summer

By Alyssa Laffitte on May 6, 2018

The decision to attend graduate school is not one you should take lightly. It is different from undergraduate school because you are now more independent. Going to graduate school is a big commitment of your time and money, so it makes sense that you should be as prepared for it as possible. Here are a few ways to prepare for graduate school this summer.

Image via Isorepublic.com

Save as much money as you can

Graduate school is expensive. Not only do you have to be mindful of tuition and living costs, but also the initial moving costs if you will be relocating to a new place (especially if you will be moving to an entirely different city). If you are not taking classes during the summer, try getting a job or a paid internship to offset these costs. Also, it’s always a good idea to try to limit your spending. Your future self will thank you for having the extra money!

Sort out your new living situation

One of the most important parts of your graduate school experience will be your living situation, because your living situation will dictate many aspects of your new life (for example, your living situation will determine whether or not you will need a car, if you will be living with roommates, if you will be able to have pets, etc.), so you should try your best to have it sorted out as soon as possible.

Finding a place to live might be more difficult than it was when you were an undergraduate student, because most schools do not offer on-campus housing for graduate students. In that case, you need to find off-campus housing. A good place to start your search is your school’s off-campus housing page, as they can suggest good places to live. You could also ask current graduate students where they live or if they could offer any suggestions for places to live. As a last resort, you can look on Craigslist, Apartmentlist, or other apartment hunting websites. Of course, be careful with these websites, as there is a small possibility of being scammed. If your school does offer on-campus housing for graduate students, definitely consider it, as it is convenient and might even be cheaper than off-campus housing.

Once you have your living situation sorted out, you can start looking for roommates or for a car.

Write down the important dates

Now is the time to mark your planner with important dates. This will help you keep a timeline of when you are expected to start at your new school and to move into your new place. These important dates include your rental start date, program orientation date, and the first day of classes. If the entire year’s calendar is already available, it would also be a good idea to include in your planner any days off or breaks from classes. Knowing these dates will make it much easier to plan your move and your transition to your new city and school.

Get rid of any unnecessary stuff

It’s likely that you have accumulated lots of unnecessary stuff during your undergraduate years (it’s okay… we all did!). The summer before starting graduate school is the perfect time to get rid of all your excess stuff. Go through your drawers and closet to determine what you don’t want to take to graduate school with you. You will feel much lighter once you get rid of all that clutter. Plus, having less stuff will make the moving process much easier.

Connect with your new classmates

Your new classmates will become your friends for the next few years. Even before the program starts, you can connect with your classmates on social media. Your program might have a Facebook group for incoming students, which is very helpful for students to get to know each other. If your program has something like that, take advantage of it! It’s very nice to arrive on the first day of orientation and already know at least one other person in the program, even if you’ve only “met” them online.

Another benefit of connecting with your new classmates is that you might find a roommate! Chances are, your new classmates are looking for a place to live in the city, too. Who better to room with than someone in the same program? Connecting with your new classmates will help with that!

Graduate school is a big commitment, much more so than undergrad, so you should be prepared for it. It’s a good idea to save money, figure out your living situation early on, know your program’s important dates, get rid of your excess stuff, and connect with your classmates.

Congratulations on your acceptance to graduate school, and I wish you the best of luck in continuing your studies!

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