A graduate education has been proven beneficial. Salaries for those with advanced degrees far surpass those of graduates with bachelor’s degrees. The types of careers available and the variety of the types all increase for those with graduate training, and the levels of job satisfaction are greater. But has the recent Supreme Court ruling on Affirmative Action in collegiate admissions caused a backlash that will hinder your graduate school opportunities?

THE BLACK COLLEGIAN asked four faculty and graduate admissions administrators to answer this question and others. The four are Dr. Cheryl Evans, Miami University Graduate School Associate Dean; Kharen Fulton, Emory University’s Graduate School Director of Admissions; Dr. Calvin Mackie, Tulane University Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering; and Jessie Perval, Thomas Jefferson University’s Director of Admissions and Recruitment for Jefferson College of Graduate Studies.

Following their answers and comments is a “how to” guide for graduate school preparation.

What impact do you think the recent Supreme Court decision will have on graduate school recruitment efforts?

Evans: I do not foresee any immediate impact on my recruitment efforts. I still will visit HBCUs, and I will still have the financial support to offer students of color.

Fulton: I believe most schools value the importance of a diversified student body and will find creative ways to identify, recruit, and retain students of color.

Mackie: Many schools like Tulane, which falls within the Fifth Circuit, had to adhere to the Hopwood decision that outlawed minority-specific programs; the Supreme Court effectively overturned that decision, so we need the schools to return to the efforts and commitment of the past.

Perval: This ruling, which permits race to be one of many factors taken into account when considering applicants for admission, is indeed welcome news because it serves as encouragement to academic institutions such as ours to continue their initiatives and objectives to boost minority enrollment without fear of violating the Constitution's guarantee against discrimination. While I wish for the day that all students have equal academic experiences and opportunities, I recognize that our nation’s historic and economic history reminds us that we have a long way to go before we can proclaim equality of all citizenry. Until we arrive at that state, we must continue to right the wrongs of the past, and to keep open the doors of academic opportunity through affirmative measures

What should students of color expect as a result of this decision?

Evans: Students of color must continue to exceed minimal admissions requirements at the graduate school level. They should expect that this decision has not influenced the non-supporters. Students will still face the same attitudes about Affirmative Action and should be prepared to compete at the highest level.

Fulton: Students of color should definitely continue to pursue graduate school and not hesitate to identify their ethnicity on the applications for admission. We have a minority fellowship, and without that information, we are unable to identify candidates for the funds. Some schools have funds that are not federal funds and therefore are designated for increasing the number of students of color in their programs

Mackie: Students should be working hard every day towards their dreams regardless of any case before the Supreme Court. As long as graduate schools are accepting anyone, students of color should work to make sure that they are among those accepted.

Perval: There is a stronger need than ever for students of color to be diligent in pursuit of their academic goals. It is becoming increasingly important for students to establish personal contacts at the colleges they are applying to, i.e., contact personnel who will actively promote their application.

What are graduate recruiters doing as a result of this decision?

Evans: As a recruiter, I will continue to aggressively recruit students of color and continue to work at making Miami University a welcoming and supportive environment for students of color.

Fulton: I believe recruiters will continue to strengthen their pools of applicants with strong students of color by developing relationships at HBCUs that have demonstrated their ability to produce quality graduates, as well as recruiting students through organizations such as the Mellon Foundation, IRT, and Project 1000.

Mackie: Institutions have always had the inalienable right to recruit minorities. This decision allows them to put some meat into their efforts. Unfortunately, some schools will follow the same tired excuses used before the decision.

Perval: I believe that majority institutions will continue their mission to achieve and maintain diverse student populations to the extent that political constituencies and financial resources will allow. We must all remain vigilant in our endeavors and cognizant of the reality that we will endure legislative and legal challenges in the future.

Is there anything else you would like to say to students of color considering graduate school?

Evans: Students of color must certainly continue to pursue graduate school options now more than ever.

Fulton: I want to advise students of color to not let anything stop them from pursuing the goal of a graduate education, for despite all the controversy, the opportunities and funding are there.

Mackie: To students of color considering graduate school I would simply say, “GO! Go to a school that will support you financially and is committed to your success.” That a school is ranked number one does not mean that it is the best place for you.

Perval: Your success, matriculation, will help other students of color get admitted into graduate school.

GUIDE TO GRADUATE SCHOOL PREPARATION

What does graduate school entail?

Succeeding in graduate school is not a process that can be taken lightly, and as anything else worth having, it requires a great deal of work. Graduate study typically refers to programs that award master’s or doctorate degrees. Unlike undergraduate coursework, graduate coursework takes place nearly exclusively in a major area of study. Master’s programs usually involve one to two years of coursework, a comprehensive examination on that coursework, and, in some cases, a thesis. Doctoral programs can require anywhere from two to four years of coursework, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation. The comprehensive exams are much like senior comps and require a great deal of preparation -- typically a three-hour written exam based upon major coursework. Comprehensives may include oral components covering proposed research. The thesis or dissertation is original research written with the guidance of a faculty group. Many people worry about their ability to produce a thesis, but with their committee’s support they find that, as with coursework and comprehensives, they can write a dissertation.

How Do I Apply?

Once you have decided to pursue a graduate degree and have figured out which specific field you will study, the steps in the application process are as follows:

1. Create a list of potential schools.
2. Register for, practice for, and then take the GRE.
3. Ask faculty members for letters of recommendation.
4. Write a statement of purpose and have it critiqued.
5. Complete and mail your applications for admission and financial/fellowship support.

1. Create a list of potential schools. In order to maximize your opportunities, you will need to apply to several schools. The more schools you apply to, the more chances you have for admission. By consulting a guidebook such as Peterson's Guides (they can be found on-line or at your college library) where you will uncover a comprehensive listing of graduate opportunities in your respective area. The listings include descriptions of each discipline and their sub-fields. It will also include a wealth of data about the various institutions in those disciplines (location, entrance requirements, acceptance rates, tuition costs, funding options, enrollment demographics, etc.).

To create your list of schools, you should first consider factors such as quality of the program, strength of the university, reputation of faculty in your area, availability of funding, institutional support, and commitment to minority students. Other factors that may play a part include geographic region, size of enrollment, racial make-up of student body, community in which the school is located, and campus facilities and activities. After weighing these factors, you should compile a list of ten or more institutions.

Start by asking faculty members to recommend institutions. (Be careful; they almost always will think their alma mater is the best choice for you. It may or may not be your best choice). Check to see who are the leading experts in your chosen field. Find out what schools they attended and where they are currently working. Either school would be good to have on your list. Check to see where recent graduates from your academic department have gone to graduate school. If they have had positive experiences, that institution might be good for you.

After creating your list of choices you should contact each school. Wherever possible, you should visit the campus. Campus visits can sometimes make all the difference. In any case, you should request application materials and any other information that will help you with the process of admission. Ultimately, you want to be able to select the university that will give you your best opportunity for success.

2. Register for, practice for, and then take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). The GRE is the entrance exam most often required for graduate admission. It has assumed a greater role in the process of admission than was ever intended because most applicants have good GPAs, decent statements of purpose, and glowing letters of recommendation. What usually distinguishes one applicant from another is the score received on this nationally standardized test, thereby making performing well on this test of major importance. Make sure that you practice, using a review course or study manual. Make sure that you register early (Because the test is computerized, you may register at your convenience at a test site near you). Make sure that you schedule your exam at least nine months, but preferably a year and a half, before you start graduate school. Finally, make sure that you do well on the GRE.

Few schools will post cutoff scores (something that ETS strongly discourages), but there seems to be some "magic" in obtaining a combined GRE score of 1,000-1,100 or better. This combined score is obtained by adding the quantitative score to the verbal reasoning score. Many schools that will expect a minimum total score will have minimum scores established for these individual sections of the test. Finally, some departments will require a minimum score on a Subject Test. The Subject Tests (covering material unique to your graduate discipline) are administered separately and require preparation and practice much the same as the general test.

3. Ask faculty members for letters of recommendations. Often applicants will try to impress admission committees with letters from a local politician, a high-ranking university official, or even their pastor. While these people may be able to say nice things about you, the admissions committee is interested in your academic abilities. Assessing that ability usually requires the evaluator to be someone who has taught you and who can speak favorably about your ability to perform work at the graduate level. Faculty members from whom you have earned at least two "Bs" are ideal people to write strong letters of recommendation for you.

When requesting these letters, always remember that each is just that – a request. Each should therefore be requested courteously and thoughtfully. That means that you approach your faculty members early and that you provide them with enough information that they may effectively write about your potential. Provide each of them with a half-page abstract that includes the courses taken and grades received; a concise description of your graduate plans and plans beyond graduate school, e.g., “I plan to pursue my Ph.D. in higher education administration and later work as a student service administrator”; the mailing address for the particular schools to which you are applying (most schools will provide special envelopes for these letters); and the deadline for mailing the letters of recommendation.

4. Write a statement of purpose and have it critiqued. The statement of purpose often distinguishes the winners and the losers. Those who get accepted almost always have better statements of purpose than those who do not. What sets a good statement apart is its overall quality and its ability to clearly articulate your potential for graduate study. A good statement will be:

a. Concise - Say what you have to as efficiently as possible; most are limited to from one to one and a half pages.

b. Organized - Your essay should be well thought out and structured; work from an outline.

c. Clear - It should say exactly what you want it to say; no ambiguity.

d. Honest - Do not pretend to be who you are not; but, do not sell yourself short, either.

e. Personal - This is uniquely yours; it is a statement about you, so write about you.

f. Positive – Sell yourself using positive attributes; do not dwell on negatives like low grades.

What is included in a statement of purpose varies from school to school. Be sure to read each application carefully and provide the specific information requested. Typically you are asked to include most of the following:

• Why do you want to get a graduate degree?
• What are your specific goals for graduate study?
• How have you been academically prepared for these goals?
• What are your goals beyond graduate study?
• What tangible experiences helped prepare you (research projects, internships, professional and volunteer experiences, publications, exchange programs, etc?) 
• Why should you be admitted?

Upon completion of your statement, show it to a friend for a critique. Make corrections and then share it with a faculty member. Ask the same questions. Inquire about punctuation and grammar. Make the necessary revisions, and have it proofed one last time. When satisfied with your statement, include it with the rest of your application. This process may seem tedious for a one- page statement, but it is necessary. You will seldom be asked to write a more important statement.

5. Complete and mail your applications for admission and financial/fellowship support. This is in fact a very important process, and you do not want to leave anything to chance. Type your application. Make copies of everything! The final copy must be legible; it must look nice. Use the original application materials provided (no photocopies), including any return addressed envelopes. MAIL ALL MATERIALS WELL IN ADVANCE OF ANY STATED DEADLINE! Institutions receive hundreds of applications and most have no room for late or incomplete applications. Order transcripts and test scores early enough to be mailed on time to the appropriate institutions. Also remember that a completed, clean, and on-time application will not by itself gain you admission, but you can rest assured that an incomplete, sloppy, or late application will ensure rejection.

Also complete all financial aid forms (some are separate) and fellowship/assistantship requests (most are included in the application). While most students receive funding from their graduate institution, it is always advantageous to have outside funding. This funding may come from major corporations, professional organizations, special interest programs, or other sources. They often have deadlines for fall application, and they typically require good grades and test scores. Contact these funding sources directly or check with your school for other sources. These funding sources can be found in reference journals at your library or on-line at web sites such as www.black-collegian.com and fastweb.com. It must be noted that due to the under-representation of certain groups at the graduate level, there is plenty of funding to go around. You should not have to pay for a Ph.D., given the number of funding opportunities available. It is up to you to find your financial support.

Is Graduate School Still A Good Idea?

Yes, because you have (or will have) successfully completed an undergraduate program that prepared you for the rigors of graduate school. You have the intelligence; the question is do you have the discipline and persistence? What about grades? Usually a 3.0 GPA is a minimum, but there have been numerous graduate degrees awarded to people with averages that were lower. Good test scores and a strong statement can make the difference if your grades are not as high as you would like. What about going later? Why put off until tomorrow what you should be doing today? People who wait often do not ever pursue graduate study because of professional, financial, or personal commitments. Others who wait and eventually enroll will typically state that they wish they had started graduate work sooner. Go now while there are plenty of funding opportunities, while you are still academically sharp, and while you are not overly encumbered.

Your career, in whatever field you have chosen, can only be enhanced by the acquisition of a Master's or a Ph.D. degree. Your marketability and promotability will increase, as will your prospects for major contributions to your field and for leadership responsibilities. These and other intangibles point to the many benefits of advanced study. Further, the critical shortage of African Americans with advanced degrees, especially the Ph.D., is requiring that an immediate remedy be found to correct this situation. The need for African-American lawyers and MBAs is crucial. However, the necessity for African-American Ph.Ds. to provide research and instruction in all academic areas is at the critical stage. You owe it to yourself and the world around you to make the most of your education and your life. Preparing today for an advanced degree is more that just a good idea – it is what you should do.

Dr. Dereck J. Rovaris, Sr. is Assistant Dean of the Graduate School and Director of Graduate Placement at Xavier University of Louisiana. He frequently contributes to THE BLACK COLLEGIAN.