On Oct. 23, Elizabethtown College held a Graduate and Professional School Day. The day gave students the opportunity to meet with representatives from many graduate schools in the mid-Atlantic states. This event included a presentation by author Donald Asher called “Getting Into Highly Competitive Graduate Schools.”
Asher is one of the nation’s leading authorities on the graduate admissions process. He is the author of 12 books, including “Graduate Admissions Essays,” which is a guide to the graduate admissions process, and “The Best Scholarships for the Best Students.”
There was also an opportunity for students to attend a presentation called “Applying to Graduate School in the Humanities.” Two former deans of graduate schools were there to answer common questions about graduate schools in the humanities.
Jane Nini, director of career services, and the rest of the career development staff were the primary organizers of the Graduate and Professional School Day. Professor of History Dr. David Brown organized the session on applying to graduate programs in the humanities. Dr. Amy Milligan, visiting assistant professor of women and gender studies, stepped in to speak at the event alongside Dr. Gale Bossenga.
Etown graduates apply to graduate and professional schools each year. Dr. Kimberly Adams, associate professor of English, said, “It is a big decision, involving a commitment to a particular career direction and to one or three or more years of intensive study and research.” The application process for graduate and professional schools is highly competitive, requiring a student to take on more debt and putting off earning a living in a job field. National surveys do show higher lifetime earnings and employment rates for those who decide to take on the graduate degree process. “Etown faculty, administrators and staff are therefore committed to helping students get the information they need, talking to them about their research interests, their dreams and plans and helping them to submit the best applications possible,” Adams said.
