Planning for Graduate School While Choosing an Undergrad College

For some students, undergrad is just the beginning of their education. Many professions require advanced degrees, meaning a significant amount of time after undergrad will be spent completing a graduate program. This could mean completing a program for an MD, PhD, PsyD, EdD, etc. If pursuing a career that requires further education, students must consider extra factors in order to make a good choice for an undergraduate program.

The most obvious factor is cost. Many graduate programs are very expensive, especially medical school. However, many PhD programs in the U.S., especially in science and engineering, cover tuition and pay a stipend, often in exchange for work as a research or teaching assistant. Funding varies by field and program, so check each program's funding policy. Thus, the choices that need to be made at the undergraduate level will differ greatly based on the desired graduate program. If a high school student aspires to become a doctor and cost is a concern then attending an in-state public undergraduate pre-med program would make sense. If that student would not receive a lot of financial aid from out-of-state colleges, then staying in state would save lots of money that could be put towards medical school. In contrast, students that want to become a scientist may have more flexibility to consider out-of-state colleges for undergrad because many science PhD programs are funded.

Another factor is selecting an undergraduate program that will put students into prime positions to get into graduate school. Some programs care more about undergraduate college pedigree than others. Medical schools review applicants holistically, considering their experiences, personal attributes, and academic metrics such as GPA and MCAT scores. This means that pursuing a top ranked college is not necessary. However, undergrad can matter for medical school if a undergraduate college offers a combined baccalaureate-MD program, which can provide a direct path to medical school for students who meet the program's requirements, such as a minimum GPA and, in some programs, a minimum MCAT score. These programs are often extremely competitive, but should be a consideration when selecting an undergraduate college if students are very passionate about medicine. Regarding PhD programs and other graduate programs besides medical school, undergraduate pedigree matters to an extent. Grades, research experience, and recommendation letters matter a great deal, and some programs no longer require the GRE, so check each program's requirements. Attending a college with strong research opportunities can give applicants a competitive edge. This is why PhD funding matters: if a student's likely PhD program is funded, the student may be able to spend more on undergrad to help them get into top graduate programs.

Planning for graduate school starts when students apply to undergraduate colleges. The cost of undergrad and possible graduate programs must be calculated together to ensure students have sound finances upon entering their profession.