8 Ways to Prepare for Grad School | Advice from Grad Students

Last week, a new grad student asked how to prepare for grad school and the grad students in my Facebook group gave some great advice! I'm sharing their advice plus my own in this video. These are 8 ways to prepare for grad school.
How to Know What to Expect in Your First Semester of Grad School: www.theacademicsociety.com/free
Facebook group for grad students: / mintedacademic
Follow for daily advice: theacademicsociety_

[@theacademicsociety]

Do you have any grad school tips you wish you knew before starting grad school?

[@sandrajames8451]

- its important to read your syllabus very slowly and carefully . Lots of times I forgot certain things that were in the syllabus because I didn't read it throughly.

[@sandrajames8451]

Time management and motivating urself

[@estherthomas4205]

Hi, I'm new here. I start my graduate program in Health informatics February 2021. I don't know if you'll make a video or not about this, but what is graduate school like now with a global pandemic. An what is a fully online program like ?

[@theacademicsociety]

@@estherthomas4205 So happy you found my channel! I've actually filmed a video about online grad programs! I'll be posting it next Sunday. I would say that the main difference is you need extra accountability and you're time management skills have to be STRONG. I have a masterclass for new grad students that will help you manage your expectations: www.theacademicsociety.com/free

[@anamarie97]

Project planning is key! It's what helped me graduate with honors twice (2020 and 2021). It honestly made my Master's a breeze! :)

[@abbigayedavis1730]

Phd in math..????!!! Mad respect

[@theacademicsociety]

Thank you!

[@dchao923]

Have a good paper/article filing and organization system in place! Readings and papers will accumulate (and at times I have 30 tabs open, no papers read), so it's nice to have a way to organize everything. If I had this habit down earlier, I feel like my current and recent attempts at figuring out what to do my thesis project on would have gone a lot smoother.

[@theacademicsociety]

Thanks so much for sharing! Organization is so important!

[@ProfessorDerricotte]

Excellent tips! I love establishing a self-care routine and sticking to it. I was so much happier from my 2nd year of Grad School on because I started taking care of myself much more than I did in my first year.

[@theacademicsociety]

Yesss! I'm so happy that you found a way to add self-care to your routine! It's so important.

[@bunnyval7724]

When you said somewhere in the lines of ‘Get the syllabi before school starts’ MADE ME TURN ON MY LAPTOP AND SEARCH ONLINE🤣❤️ I loved these hacks!! Just took my first 2 classes this summer and somehow survived with A’s. The last 4 days of school I’d sleep at 6:30 am and wake up at 9:30am for my classes that were from 10am to 2:50pm:( I died but IT WAS WORTH IT. Anyway, amazing video!!🥰

[@theacademicsociety]

Haha! I love it! So glad this was helpful for you!

[@kareta24]

WOW Anthony! That was beautiful! That might keep me sane, actually.

[@dominijerzboi]

Ayo thank you for posting this! Granted this was posted a year ago I’m glad that YT suggested it to me being that I’m considering going back to school next year. I got a lot great practical tips so thank you!

[@theacademicsociety]

That's so great! I'm glad you found the video!

[@Double00Bubble]

Thank you for sharing these tips! I’m starting graduate school in the fall (first person in my family and immediate circle of friends, so I feel a little lost 😅). How many hours per day do you think a typical graduate student spends reading research articles and doing assignments outside of class hours? Thank you!

[@theacademicsociety]

Congratulations! I would say that class, research, and assignments can be treated like a job. If you are working on grad school stuff from 9-5, you should be ok. There will be times when you work more or less. But it also depends on your program. I would say to expect to spend about 8 hours a day.

[@anamarie97]

Congratulations!! That's an amazing milestone, so happy for you :) grad school is challenging but it's so worth it. The most important thing is time management, organization, and planning. I've learned so much while I was getting my Master's! Let me know if you want any tips!

[@umakittusamy3590]

Ahhhhh!!! You read my comment first!!!! I got so excited when I saw that! Thank you!

[@theacademicsociety]

Yay!!! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@LihimSidhe]

Legit awesome advice on reading the required books before classes even start. It seems so obvious but I never thought to do that and i have bachelor's already!

[@theacademicsociety]

So glad this was helpful for you!!!

[@tisaferemenga8650]

Thanks for the video, going back to school after 6 years and feeling a bit nervous. However after years working a 7am-7pm intense job, I am sooo looking forward to a 9-5 routine in school!

[@theacademicsociety]

12 hours is a lot! I'm excited for you and this new journey! You got this!!!

[@brennanthebronzelanguages386]

woooof chiiiiiiiile let's go! The tips plus additional background was such a bomb combination. Gearing up for Fall 2020 :)

[@theacademicsociety]

Yay!!! Congratulations on being accepted and good luck this semester!

[@sabrinarose5541]

This is a wonderful topic! Thank you for sharing and congratulations on your PhD 3 years ago! I love a helpful and encouraging channel 💕

[@theacademicsociety]

Thanks so much for the encouragement!!! 💜

[@JustSomeRandomAnna]

Starting my stats masters next month! Thank goodness this popped up on my recommended!

[@theacademicsociety]

Yesss!!! I'm so glad you found my channel!

[@Prosperous265]

These tips are incredibly helpful I start my MS degree in the fall. Now I know what to focus on to prepare myself for the next month and a half.

[@theacademicsociety]

Yay! So happy this was helpful!

[@nurpii5770]

my peak hours are after midnight!! I feel more productive this time and my college grad programs are also in the evening time so I have a long time to sleep and have a rest before going to school, I'm not a morning person at all, so I spend my early mornings sleeping wake up afternoon prepare for school have lunch then I just go to college at evening and then midnight time is when I start keeping up with my studies, I know its a weird routine but it works perfectly for me, thank you for the tips 😘

[@theacademicsociety]

I love that you were able to find a program that works with your best and most productive hours! That's so awesome!

[@sweetintuition1]

This is great advice. These things definitely helped me for my PhD!

[@theacademicsociety]

Yesss!!! If you have more advice, you are more than welcome to share!

[@savannahapedaile]

This was so helpful! Thank you

[@theacademicsociety]

Yay! So glad you found the video!

[@adeyemikayode3039]

I love your video, i never wish it ended

[@theacademicsociety]

Thank you!

[@Awakenedwoman2020_]

Thanks for the advice. I start grad school next week and I am excited. This advice is great, I now know what I need to do to be successful and prepare myself!

[@theacademicsociety]

Yay! So happy to help!

[@mindlesskitty42]

How's your experience been so far? What are you studying ?

[@lebogaleromelwe]

Are you done with grad school? How has the experience been?

[@jadebethj4807]

I've been watching your videos for months and I just accepted my grad school offer yesterday!! Om so excited but I want to prepare.

[@theacademicsociety]

This is so exciting!!! Congratulations! You should check out my free masterclass on how to know what to expect in your first semester of grad school: www.theacademicsociety.com/free

[@anamarie97]

Congratulations!! That's huge! The best way to prepare is identifying your goals ahead of time. That's what helped me stay focus, get my Master's in 1 year, and graduate with honors! I can share my methods if you'd like :) what are your top 3 goals for grad school?

[@jennyrodriguez7166]

Thank you for posting this video. I am nervous because I am starting my graduate school after 10 years of completing my undergraduate degree. Your video is very helpful!!! God bless you!!

[@theacademicsociety]

Congratulations on starting going back! You got this!

[@jennyrodriguez7166]

The Academic Society with Toyin Alli thanks!!!🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@pcpcpc873]

Same. What program did you or will you start? How’s it going?

[@kellyl5349]

OMG is it really that intense?! I'm supposed to be applying to grad school soon! Yikes! Thank you for the tips

[@theacademicsociety]

It can be vey intense! That's why it's important to surround yourself with a supportive community and to make friends in your program. It will make the experience enjoyable at times! Lol! So happy you enjoyed this video!

[@anamarie97]

It's less overwhelming when you prepare ahead of time :) like making sure you are strategic about which assignments you choose to do and when you start them!

[@veekay6142]

thanks for the advice ,i love your teeth ur really beautiful with it

[@quingalvin7324]

You are an angel 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@theacademicsociety]

Yay!!! I'm glad you found this video helpful!

[@lindstheteacher1611]

Doing grad school this fall.

[@theacademicsociety]

Congratulations on being accepted!

[@asiawilson873]

Thank you for the advice. I start grad school in January. I also am married with a 7 month old baby. I am just now wrapping my head around the fact that I am going back. I’m super nervous and anxious.

[@theacademicsociety]

Totally understandable! You can do it! I had classmates that had full families and still made it! You got this!

[@ChasingDestiny22]

Would programs work with you on weekend residency requirements if you are a single parent? @@theacademicsociety

[@theacademicsociety]

@@ChasingDestiny22 I'm not sure about this. There was no residency requirement for my program. But this is definitely something to ask when applying for programs

[@smbearfan1]

I've been accepted to MS math starting summer 21! I ultimately want to teach college classes at high school level (to be adjunt at my school I have to have my masters in math)! So excited but nervous with my schedule and family. I feel on the right foot, but also like I'll never know if I'm ready. I'm very curious about what your shirt says?!

[@theacademicsociety]

Calculus is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Congratulations on your acceptance!!!

[@anamarie97]

Organizing your syllabi in a way that allows you to project plan your assignments will save you time AND help you maintain your desired GPA! :) that's what worked for me. I was able to get my Masters in 1 year.

[@ren.4021]

Great video and advice, thank you so much! Is three graduate level courses, one of which is a mini-master, too much for a full time employee?? I am an elementary teacher and currently enrolled for three courses at GSU, but I think it may be too much?! Please help!! Thank you in advance. 💕

[@theacademicsociety]

That's a great question. Typically, for a full-time grad student, 3 classes is average and 4 classes is pushing it. So that does sound like a lot for someone working full time. You may want to ask around how intense those classes are.

[@EclecticElegance13]

My cohort starts June 14th! I’m nervous but really excited!! 🎉

[@theacademicsociety]

Woo!!! This is so exciting!!! You got this!!!

[@anamarie97]

You got this!! Through time management, planning, and organization you can exceed your own expectations! :)

[@EclecticElegance13]

@@anamarie97 thank you!! The first week has been insane LOL. I’m actually writing a paper as we speak. But it’s my last of 8 assignments in 6 days. So I’m trying to take it all in stride!

[@anamarie97]

@@EclecticElegance13 Oh yeah that must be a relief! I'm curious about what you're studying :) I know for me getting a Master's in Social Work came with 20+ syllabi lol. Which felt like an uphill battle until I figured out a system that worked for me. What's your classes like? (you can respond when you have time, don't want to interrupt your school work!)

[@EclecticElegance13]

@@anamarie97 hey girl!! So I’m getting my masters in strategic communication & digital strategy. Ultimately I plan to be a director of marketing SOMEWHERE 😂 but I’m also working full time. So being in school full time and working full time is a lot but I’m managing! I’m actually finishing up a paper right now and SO looking forward to going to bed LOL. I stayed up until 2:30 doing assignments yesterday!

[@djdoleak7773]

Hello. My name is Marques and I enjoy all of your videos. I am in graduate school trying to get my PhD at Walden in education. How do I start making connections with professors or presidents of college so I can become a tenure professor in the future?

[@theacademicsociety]

That's wonderful! I would recommend starting with your professors. Go to office hours, ask questions, read their publications. You also have your research advisor. Then when you get deeper into your research, you can start presenting at conferences to make connections in your field.

[@Antweezy]

Outside of loans...how do people typically pay? I've gotten 1 acceptance and they didn't mention scholarships, just TA positions and loans. Thank you

[@theacademicsociety]

I'm not very well versed in the financial side of grad school. I was offered a fellowship for my first three years and then had a graduate teaching assistantship for the last 2 years. I would recommend checking out Dr. Emily Roberts from Personal Finance for PhDs: pfforphds.com/

[@lindseyrae8598]

I am starting graduate school in two weeks.

[@theacademicsociety]

How exciting! You got this!!!

[@yuhoseok47]

Does a college where you went to undergrad matter when applying to graduate school?

[@theacademicsociety]

I think that it depends on the grad program that you are applying to. But if your school doesn't have a strong department for the subject you want to go to grad school for, I would recommend applying for undergraduate research programs. That will give you a boost when applying for grad programs.

[@WilliamSmith-wn1sg]

Hi There!! I’m starting as a MBA student in the Spring and wanted to find out is taking 3 classes for spring and late spring feasible? Also, I’m working full time, will it affect my family and personal relationships?

[@theacademicsociety]

Hi! Three classes is considered a full time load for grad students. And this is for grad students who are going to grad school full time. Based on what I've heard from students who also work, two classes may be more feasible. You can always try out 3 classes and if it isn't working for you, you can drop one

[@WilliamSmith-wn1sg]

@@theacademicsociety thank you so much!! Classes start in two weeks so let’s see what happens!!!

[@757Princess]

What computers do you all use? I’ll mostly use for typing papers and my campus portal. A large screen is my main concern

[@theacademicsociety]

Hopefully other people will come and answer this question. As a mathematician, I rarely used a computer in my first 3 years of grad school.

[@kdoddieTR]

Studying my Masters in the Human Service field. We typically have papers and/or a project due weekly so I use a laptop. I specifically use a MacBook Pro. All throughout my undergrad I had a typical laptop/PC. It got the job done. However, I said when I started graduate school I would invest in a MacBook. I purchased an open box one at my local electronic store. I have upgraded since then as I had water damage to this one a yr ago and took time off from school due to my family life. However, last year (2021) I purchased an M1 Macbook Air. For the most part works the same (It's Apple), but faster. But that's to be expected. It's a 4 yr difference in technology and I increased the storage and RAM. Mainly because I know alot of ppl who have had Macbooks last up to 10 years. Compared to some traditional PCs all under 5 years (or less) those have lasted for me. MOST IMPORTANTLY, Buy what you can afford!! Also, identify what is specifically "REQUIRED" for you to use at your university as well as in your program specifically. You what to make sure that you have an idea of the required tasks before making such a large purchase. If you haven't done so already. Same thing goes for other things necessary in your work station. Such as a printer. I prefer to use HP for my everyday work at home. It offers me speed and dependability. Versus a Canon printer. Which i will use this or any if it's just available. It could delay my processes due to the lack of speed and/or slightly higher costs for my needs. Hope this was helpful. Sorry for the long reply!! 🙃🙃🙃

[@timmysamecphd]

Great video and a lot of things very relatable. I just uploaded a top ten for things to expect and how to be successful as a graduate student! We all can have a lot of similar experiences, but everyone is different. Make sure to get advice from several different people so you know as much as possible!

[@theacademicsociety]

Definitely! It's especially important to talk with the current grad students in your program.

[@timmysamecphd]

The Academic Society with Toyin Alli 100%! We take prospective students on a lunch during their visit to get all those ‘nitty gritty’ details only we can share 😉

[@blackamericanlesbianprofes4357]

Hello, I see your video in my KZbin suggestions as I am looking for videos on Master's degree academic writing help. I am a U.S. Air Force Veteran now International (Black American) student, I have returned to University for a career change. I am graduating this Summer 2021 with my degree BSc Accounting and Finance at age 36 (so excited!). And I am planning to do MSc in Forensic Accounting at another UK University. Thank you for sharing this insight. Date Stamp: 23june21

[@theacademicsociety]

That's awesome! As a mathematician, I haven't done much writing. I would recommend books on academic writing as a good starting point.

[@blackamericanlesbianprofes4357]

@@theacademicsociety Thank you for your reply. And I have tried a few writing books in the past but it wasn't working for me especially because of my learning styles. I am a kinesthetic/tactile learner (also I have Special Learning Differences/Dyslexia which my struggles are working memory and comprehension). So maybe I can try again with the books to get the big picture while using writing examples at the same time.

[@theacademicsociety]

@@blackamericanlesbianprofes4357 Definitely! Keep trying different things and combinations until you find what works for you!

[@kiarahaughton1929]

@theacademicsocietywithtoyinalli

[@rizgille8150]

what's your fb group. I want to join to learn more. I will be taking MBA.

[@theacademicsociety]

It's called The Academic Society for Grad Students. There's a link in the description of this video.

[@wave5009]

Alright this is scaring me, I might back out

[@theacademicsociety]

This video isn't meant to be scary! But it's really important to be deeply to connected to why you want to go to grad school! It's very intense!

[@wave5009]

@@theacademicsociety thank you for the reply! I just don't want to overwork myself by missing too much sleep, especially since I have some health issues, I don't wanna die at 23, so grad school might not be for me.

[@theacademicsociety]

@@wave5009 And that's totally ok!

[@veekay6142]

thanks for the advice ,i love your teeth ur really beautiful with it

[@theacademicsociety]

Thank you!