Thinking of applying to grad school? Here’s a rundown of the main differences between grad school and your undergrad experience.
Less Classes
Whereas undergrad programs have a standard five courses per semester, I was only required to take three courses in grad school. This made it easy to plan my week and place a lot of focus and attention on each course. HOWEVER, taking only a few courses was in no way easier than my courseload back in undergrad.
More (Required) Reading
Even though there are fewer courses per semester, the assigned reading is pretty unreal. You can expect as much as a hundred pages per week per class, which ends up being much more than the required amount for your undergrad courses. That said, don’t stress yourself out if you don’t finish every single page of every single reading. Just do your best and focus more on understanding what you’re reading rather than completing it all.
Less Lectures
In fact, you may not have any lectures at all. My courses were all discussion groups. However, this means that you’re responsible for contributing to the discussion which centers around the assigned readings.
More Discussions
Courses are more like discussions rather than lectures. Even if you’re unable to finish all the readings, make sure to have your notes ready. Be prepared to discuss your thoughts and main takeaways from the readings.
Less Immersion In The University Culture
Honestly, I found it much harder to participate in the university culture as a graduate student than as an undergrad student. Because I was on campus way less, I was less inclined to attend sports games or join clubs. Furthermore, I had already gone through that experience in undergrad and was kind of over it. That said, if you’re attending a new school for your postgraduate program, feel free to make the effort to attend events, join clubs, and put yourself out there.
More Open-Ended Assignments
Assignments allow you to interpret the readings and course discussions and respond to them based on your own experiences. I found this way more enjoyable, as I was able to express my love of Arthur, discuss that ludicrous Pepsi commercial with Kendall Jenner, and write about elements of my Jamaican heritage.
Less Guidance
More open-ended assignments, unfortunately, mean less guidance and less of a “right answer” when it comes to writing papers. Fortunately, if you have a good grasp of the course material and can incorporate it into a relevant topic, you still have a really good chance of doing well. It’s a win-win, really.
More Topics Of Interest
Even though you may have enrolled in an undergrad program that interested you, you made an intentional decision to apply to a particular program in grad school. Therefore, the courses you take and the topics you discuss are bound to be of genuine interest. Hopefully, you feel pangs of excitement, even when you want to pull your hair out trying to complete all the work.
