There are many different things to keep in mind when applying to graduate school. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Photo Editor
For some students looking to attend graduate school after receiving their undergraduate degree from Ohio State, the Buckeye doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Twenty percent of Ohio State admitted class of 2018 graduate students have bachelor’s degrees from the university, Alicia Berton, vice provost for graduate studies and dean of the graduate school, said.
Some graduate students receive financial assistance, which may create an incentive to continue their education at the university, she said.
Bertone said the university now offers 12 fellowships only for Ohio State students through the graduate school’s pilot program called “OSU Direct,” as well as general enrichment fellowships, which recruit students to represent diversity in the different programs.
“We are putting half a million dollars towards new fellowships that are specific for inclusive excellence of students, and we’re identifying these by reaching out to programs that have already reached out to a diverse student body to enroll in their graduate programs through our general enrichment fellowships,” Bertone said.
DaVonti’ Haynes, a second-year Ph.D. student in agricultural communication, education and leadership, is pursuing his third degree from Ohio State. Haynes received his bachelor’s degree in public affairs and Master of Social Work, and he said he chose Ohio State for his master’s because he was offered a fully funded graduate assistantship.
“I was fully funded to continue my master’s here at Ohio State, and most social work programs don’t offer full funding for their master’s students,” Haynes said. “A lot of master’s students here at Ohio State in the social work program, they don’t have funding attached with them, and so that was what it really came down for me to stay here.”
Haynes said in choosing Ohio State to continue education, students should keep in mind that transitioning from their undergraduate to graduate experience will be a challenge, as it is like seeing two different sides of the university.
“For students who ultimately decide to stay at Ohio State for their graduate degree, they have to understand that degree of separation between your time here as an undergrad and your time here as a graduate student, and I think if you ultimately set those boundaries and kind of separate yourself from those two different experiences, then it could pan out very well,” Haynes said.
In looking for a school to pursue both his master’s and Ph.D., Haynes said he considered the scope of the institution, the resources it provides, how the institution’s missions and strategic plan align with his career goals and faculty in the departments he is interested in studying.
In terms of getting current undergraduate students to consider Ohio State as a graduate school option, Bertone said some Honors and Scholars programs in the graduate schools identify students who would be a good fit for graduate school early on.
“[The programs] essentially let them know that it’s a pipeline for them to get into their graduate program,” Bertone said.
Bertone said she recommends that any current undergraduate students at the university considering graduate school should reach out to Graduate and Professional School Fairs and faculty from different programs of interest for more information.
Stephen Post, president of the Council of Graduate Students and graduate student in applied clinical and preclinical research, said his transition to graduate school was easy due to his previous undergraduate experience.
“It is really part of building on your community and your network you already had built here while you were in undergrad,” Post said.
Post said that in the process of researching Ohio State graduate school, there is something he did not look into: rankings.
“I never even really realized it because of how easy that transition was, but Ohio State really does have really top-rated graduate programs,” Post said.
