{"id":2701,"date":"2019-07-22T20:48:43","date_gmt":"2019-07-23T01:48:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abound.college\/gradschool\/?post_type=advice&p=2701"},"modified":"2019-08-20T10:47:56","modified_gmt":"2019-08-20T15:47:56","slug":"should-i-use-rankings-to-find-a-grad-school","status":"publish","type":"advice","link":"https:\/\/abound.college\/gradschool\/advice\/should-i-use-rankings-to-find-a-grad-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I Use Rankings to Find a Grad School?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re thinking about going to grad school, your first question will likely be where you should go. Deciding on which school to go to for your master\u2019s degree is a tough decision to make; you might be intimidated by the sheer number of schools you could choose from, and rankings lists can only add more pressure. So what should you do? Should you use rankings to find a grad school? Maybe, but not always. At Abound, we think the answer is complicated, but we do know that if you do use rankings, you should do so cautiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rankings lists can be beneficial in a few ways. For one, can give you a sense of where your undergraduate credentials fit in with certain grad school requirements. <\/span>U.S. News & World and Report, <\/span><\/i>for example, considers current students\u2019 undergraduate GPA in their analysis of grad schools. You can also see the percentage of graduates who have found employment. While there are some benefits to rankings lists, they do not accurately convey the unique attributes and experiences of an institution, which might be right for some, but maybe not right for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The data used to create these lists are important to consider, but they rarely tell the full story. More often than not, these rankings provide a superficial analysis of what a grad school can offer you, so while you might use them to create a preliminary list of schools, your perception of a school shouldn\u2019t be wholly dependent on its rank. Rather, we suggest that you discern what is most important to you and find a grad school that meets your needs and helps you accomplish your goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

You should use whatever information you gather to create your <\/span>own<\/span><\/i> rankings list\u2014one that\u2019s based off what is most important to <\/span>you<\/span><\/i>. Are you looking for a school with a special emphasis on research? Are you interested in experiential learning opportunities? Do you need a program that can accommodate your busy lifestyle? These are all factors that rankings lists cannot communicate. When creating your own list of potential graduate schools, consider the following factors:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n