Getting In To Grad School

     An Applicant's Guide to Graduate School Admissions

What are good undergrad classes to take?

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2006-06-07 12:54.

Besides psychology classes, what classes do grad school committees like and look for? What classes, if any, do they not like? I'm a senior and while the university thinks my degree is almost complete, I don't feel like it is or like I'm ready to graduate. Thoughts?

-M. Walbridge





In my experience, "good undergrad classes" depend on what you're doing for graduate school. If going for law school, then courses which emphasize communication skills, social problems, and logic/analytical skills rank high. If going to med school, then courses OTHER THAN science classes are important -- add in an extra advanced humanities or social science class to showcase how well-rounded you are. Otherwise, take courses that you are really interested in and challenged by so that you are more prepared for grad level work. In particular, look for courses that require RESEARCH. The first big obstacle in grad school is getting used to reading primary sources and writing a whole variety of documents.

One final note: rather than adding merely courses, see if there are volunteer or internship opportunities that are relevant to your career/vocational goals. Many grad committees like to see evidence of commitment beyond course work.

Mickey S. Schafer, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer
University of Florida

Submitted by Mickey S Schafer on Fri, 2006-06-09 08:43.
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