The search for the right master’s program has not been easy or quick, so it is best to start early!
In this article I talk about 3 areas I have learned that you should focus on when search ng for a master’s degree.
I began the search for a master’s degree in Summer of 2019, but not thoroughly until Fall 2019, which was 2 and a half years before I would graduate, and 2 years before I would need to make my final decisions and start applying to programs.
When I began my search online, it was just so I could get general ideas of what kind of programs were available and where. After a bit of searching, I found a few programs I liked and started talking about them with my roommate. This was a beginning of a pivotal conversation that really changed the way I looked at master’s programs and how searched for them. During the conversation with my roommate, he told me that if I like a program, I should look at the admission requirements.
As my roommate suggested, I began the process of looking at the admission requirements for programs that I liked. Through my searches, there was a term that came up that I did not quite understand, "Conditional Admission." I mentioned the term to my roommate, and he explained it. For convenience’s sake, and to spare me from trying to explain the definition and confusing you, I shall provide the term from Google.
Conditional admission, also called "provisional admission" or "conditional acceptance," means that you will be admitted to a college or university on the condition that you make up for a certain requirement you do not presently meet.
How did conditional admission apply to me?
Well, I would like to begin my master’s program in the academic year following my graduation with my bachelor’s degree. For that to happen, as application periods for fall are due 9 months or so before the program start date (around December), that means that when I apply, I will not have earned my bachelor’s degree yet. Some universities require that you already have your bachelor’s degree when you apply, others do not. Conditional admission is the waiver by the university, in which they acknowledge that you do not yet have your degree in hand, yet they still allow you to apply and will admit you upon one condition, and that is if you graduate and have your degree by the time classes would start.
That ever so crucial bit of information was a big deal, because it meant that I could not apply to some universities. There was one program that was the perfect fit for me, but because they will not accept conditional admission, I would have to have earned my degree at the time apply, which would bar me from applying until December 2023, adding a one year wait, as I would want to ideally start my Masters in Fall 2023, not Fall 2024.
Aside from being able to apply to the master’s program, the next crucial piece of information is finances and funding. How are you going to pay for your program so that you can support yourself? This is probably a similar scenario to your bachelor’s program, as money is also a big consideration there, but nonetheless, it is a crucial piece to consider. In my situation, it is even more crucial because I am looking at getting an international degree. An international degree would make money much tighter, as I would be in a new environment with new situations, experiences, needs, and especially considering that I would have fewer means to support myself through means of funding like a job or help from family members, etc.
The last piece of information that I have learned is to never stop searching for the right program! As I have grown and learned more about myself (as I have progressed through my bachelor’s program) I have found that my likes and dislikes, interests, not interests, etc., have been changing. I am now, as of 1 year later, interested in different programs than I was when I first started looking. The best way to put it is that my likes and dislikes are more defined now, the programs I am currently looking at reflect that change. If I went for the first program I considered when I began my search, I would not be happy right now. For example, the first program I was interested in was a master’s for Innovation and Management; the program was very business oriented. The current program I am looking at is a Master's in Design - Exploration and Translation. The two programs have similar themes in innovation and creativity, but overall, they are very different from each other.
To sum this article up, I can't enough stress the importance of starting your search early! I thought that 2 years was way too early to start my search for the right master’s program, but as of one year later I am still narrowing my search! The method of starting searches early does not have to apply only to a master’s program either, it can certainly apply to a bachelor’s program, a PHD program, or anywhere in life!
It pays to start preparing early and get priorities in order!
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