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Graduate school rankings are important. The better the school you get into, the more successful you will be. Or is that entirely true? The Reality Behind the Rankings A school that ranks high in US News and World Report is undoubtedly more attractive than a school further down on the list, but graduate programs are so specialized that you can't get the whole story from a single chart. For years, schools have debated the merits of the rankings and questioned how universities shape their own statistics to move up the list. Just because a school is low on the list or not even ranked does not mean you should count it out. With graduate programs, you need to focus on the school's strength in your specific discipline. The school you consider might not have an excellent reputation nationally, but, if the school is known as a leader in your specific field, then you should consider it. You should narrow your focus even more when finding the best graduate school for you. Study up on the individual faculty members in each school's department. While professors move from place to place, the tenure system means they will be around for at least a few years, and you may be able to work with them. Knowing what you want to study and being as specific as possible can help you find the top experts in your field. These are the people you want to work with as you study for your degree. Just ask if they are available and willing to work with graduate students. Individual professors matter, even if they aren't at the best graduate school according to the US News rankings. How to Use the Rankings The worst thing you can do is apply to a school on the basis of its name-brand recognition or ranking in US News and World Report. A high ranking in US News and World Report should mean only one thing that the school is worthy of some more research. With a little more investigation, you may decide that a lower-ranked school can do the most for your career. The smartest move of all is to use the rankings to your advantage. Apply to several schools high on the list if you meet their requirements. Then apply to a middle tier and a lower tier. If you do not get into one of the higher-ranking schools, you should not worry because you have already done the research to find which schools, no matter their rankings, best fit your needs.
For more information on graduate schools, visit the career and money section of Life123.com.
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