Once you're certain that grad school fits into your career and life plans, you need to find out as much as possible about the program you have in mind. Early in your junior year, begin to explore schools offering the type of program you want.

A common concern deals with which institution has the "best" program. There is no single reliable ranking of graduate schools. National rankings do exist, however each is based on different criteria. Therefore, it may be more meaningful to talk to faculty in your field and see which professors are doing research and publishing.

While actual rankings may be somewhat misleading, comparative information about various programs is readily available. As you attempt to gain an overview of the many graduate and professional school programs available, you may find the following directories particularly helpful. They are probably available in your Career Resources Library.

Peterson's Annual Guides to Graduate Study, published in six volumes, profile over 1400 accredited institutions offering masters and/or doctoral programs. Many profiles list faculty and their research interests.

The Guide to American Graduate Schools, describes post-baccalaureate study opportunities at more than 685 accredited institutions. Sections include: admission and degree requirements, tuition, degrees conferred, enrollments, fields of study, and financial aid opportunities.

The Directory of Graduate Programs, published by the Graduate Record Examinations Board. This four-volume publication contains information on U.S. graduate programs in over 80 major fields.

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO EVALUATE PROGRAMS

Review Graduate Catalogs. Your Career Resources Library should have a comprehensive collection of in-state college and university catalogs, with selected holdings of out-of-state institutions. The Microfiche College Catalog Collection, which encompasses most U.S. and foreign colleges and universities, may be available in your student library.

You may also request catalogs directly from the Admissions Office of the institutions you are considering.

Talk with Graduate School Admissions Representatives. An annual Graduate & Professional School Information Day is held on most campuses each fall. You may confirm the date with the Graduate Affirmative Affairs Office.

Other annual events where you'll be able to meet representatives from grad schools across the country include the GRE Forum, Law Forum and MBA Forum. Information on dates and locations is available at the Placement and Career Planning Center.

Visit the Campus. Perhaps nothing can help you get a better perspective than an actual campus visit. There you'll have a chance to observe the following: Do students and faculty interact productively? Is faculty easily accessible? Do the school, campus and community satisfy your lifestyle and extracurricular needs?

Talk to Current Students. The Admissions Office can arrange meetings or provide phone numbers if a campus visit is not possible. Beyond basic questions, you'll want to determine responsiveness to student opinions and concerns. Do students serve on committees How well, and by what means, are students informed of academic, administrative and social matters?