In October, the CLS partnered with the Writing, Reading, and Speaking Center to present a workshop on writing effective statements of purpose for graduate school. Student participants learned what makes a great statement of purpose and how to get started writing their statements.
According to the first destination survey, about a quarter of each Grinnell graduating class goes directly into graduate or professional school. Grinnellians go to medical school and law school; they get MFAs and MBAs; they pursue research degrees across a vast array of disciplines. The critical thinking and research skills students develop at Grinnell College are tremendous preparation for further study. Graduate schools know this, too: Grinnellians are very successful in their graduate school applications. About 90 percent of seniors who apply for graduate or professional school are admitted to at least one program, and most are admitted to their first- or second-choice school.
If you’re thinking of pursuing a graduate degree, the CLS can support you at all stages of your journey to further education beyond our campus. First, you might work with your Exploratory adviser to figure out what areas of study intrigue you enough to pursue further. The rest of the Career Communities can show you potential paths and connect you with alumni who’ve walked those paths before you. CLS advisers will work with you to determine which graduate degree will help you meet your goals, identify best-fit programs to apply to, and guide you in crafting competitive application materials. Do you want to do something else after Grinnell before going to grad school? No problem: We work with alumni, too.
If you are applying for graduate school in a science discipline this fall, stop by the CLS on alternate Thursday evenings for support from the STEM grad application cohort. This group provides structure, guidance, and accountability for students throughout the application process. You’ll find us in JCC 010 at 8:00 pm on October 27 and November 10.
