The Difference Between Undergraduate and Graduate School
It's tough to make a decision about going to graduate school if you don't have a clear idea of what graduate school is like. Just how is graduate school different from undergraduate school? Here are just a few possible differences:
- Undergraduate school is typically for students who have completed high school and are working toward a college degree. Graduate school, on the other hand, is generally for students who have completed a bachelor's degree and want to do additional advanced studies in a particular field.
- Graduate students are expected to have more knowledge and better research skills than are undergraduates.
- Expectations are higher for graduate students than for undergraduates.
- Graduate students are more likely than undergraduates to have additional responsibilities, such as families and full-time jobs.
- Graduate students need background knowledge and experience (gained through undergraduate work, jobs, etc) so they can explore their fields of interests more deeply.
- Graduate students spend most, if not all, of their classroom time in their major field of study rather than taking a broad range of classes as undergraduate students do.
- Financial aid for graduate students tends to come more in the form of loans, fellowships, and assistantships. Undergraduate students, on the other hand, have more access to financial aid options such as grants.