There are many different things to keep in mind when applying to graduate school. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Photo Editor
The thought of graduate school can be stressful and overwhelming. There are so many “what if’s” that something supposedly exciting turns into a topic you push to the back of your mind.
To break things down easily you can remember three ‘R’s’: resolutions, roommates and rentals.
Step one is picking a school. After the stressful (and expensive) process of applying is over and you hear back from all your dream schools, how do you choose?
One important thing to do when making a resolution and sticking to it is thinking about your college experience. What did you like? What did you not like? Take all of that into consideration — from distance from home to weather — and decide from there.
Once you’ve decided on your new home, it’s time to look for a roommate. While paying that hefty tuition price on top of all the other expenses graduate school brings, odds are you can’t afford to live in an apartment or house all by yourself. Plus, going to a brand new place without knowing anyone could be a hard transition.
Having a roommate might make things easier for you, both socially and financially. Luckily, there’s a great platform for just that: Facebook.
Facebook is how many college students find their roommates if they decide to go random or travel to a brand new place by themselves. An easy way to find people looking for roommates is through Facebook groups created for your respective graduate school and year.
Then, you can make a post describing yourself and what you’re looking for in a roommate. It’s important to be honest here because the last thing you want is a roommate horror story.
Once you’ve decided on a school and a roommate, it’s time to go house hunting. All schools are different, so depending on where you go, you and your roommate have to decide what is most important when it comes to your rental.
How close to campus would you like to be? Do you need parking? How much are you willing to spend per month? How many rooms? Do you have pets? All of these questions are very important to ask when looking for a rental.
If you make it here, all the fundamental building blocks of a successful graduate school experience are complete. You’ve stuck to your resolution, found a roommate and a rental. Congratulations, and happy graduate schooling.
