Grad school blues

Exams, papers, extracurricular commitments, and busy social lives are among the stresses that college seniors face. But some have taken on an additional burden that they say occupies as much time as an extra course _ the standardized testing and application process required to enter graduate school.

These students in their last year at Tufts must balance the pressures of preparing for further education with the desire to enjoy the end of their undergraduate careers.

"I've tried to take things as they come and have fun, remembering that it's my senior year and that I will be facing much more difficult challenges in medical school," senior Katie McGinigle said.

Graduate school standardized tests are a major source of stress for many students during the first semester of their senior year, with months of test preparation culminating in a grueling half-day or full day of examinations. The lengthiest of these exams, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), is comprised of five hours and 45 minutes of verbal reasoning, questions on the physical and biological sciences, and a writing sample.

Some students take the test on its April date so that they can work on their applications during the following summer. But others who study abroad their junior year usually opt to take the exam in August after a summer of studying.

Senior Brad Crotty did not study abroad, and so he was able to take the MCAT last April.

"I tried to get [what I could] done over the summer to avoid the problems with school work," Crotty said. "However, I have entire days for the next few weeks where I won't be in any classes [due to medical school interviews]. While interviews are great, it puts added pressure to stay focused on classes."

McGinigle, on the other hand, was abroad last semester, and took the MCAT in August after taking a Kaplan preparatory class over the summer.

"My practice scores didn't change all summer, but my actual MCAT score was higher," McGinigle said. "The class assured me that I had systematically covered all of the subjects and provided me with a lot of practice material."

Another of the standardized graduate school entrance exams, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), is significantly shorter than the MCAT. The LSAT is a half-day test with multiple-choice sections on analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and an unscored writing section. It is offered four times a year, and students who do not go abroad their junior year often take the June exam while seniors take the October one.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is the most general of the graduate school examinations, as it is used for a variety of types of graduate school. It includes verbal and quantitative multiple-choice sections, as well as a new analytical writing section that was added this October. The GRE testing takes up to three hours and 15 minutes. Unlike the other tests, students take it on the computer, which enables it to be offered multiple times a week at various locations.

Senior Kristin Sternowski took the GRE at the end of September because she plans to apply to physical therapy programs. To review, Sternowski bought a practice exam book that included a CD-ROM program.

"Taking paper exams did not help at all, but taking exams on the computer was very similar to the actual exam," Sternowski said. "I also spent a lot of time studying vocabulary by making flashcards."

Now that most graduate school-bound seniors have completed the required standardized tests, most of them mirror the emotions of GRE-taker senior Dave Cades, who said he feels an "incredible sense of relief." Although Cades is not applying to graduate school next year, he still decided to take the GRE this year.

"I wanted to take them before they added the writing section, and because the best time to take them is when you're in school since you're used to taking tests and preparing for them," Cades said.

Those students who plan to attend graduate school next year now have to deal with the stress of completing the application process.

"I'm dreading all of the essays I now have to write," Sternowski said. "I think spending small amounts of time working on it, and then not thinking about it the rest of the time, works well for me."

The application process for law school and medical school are quite different. For law school, students must register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). Students submit individual applications to law schools, and the schools then request transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation from the LSDAS.

Law school applications are rolling, but it is recommended that they be submitted around the end of October. Medical school, on the other hand, requires a three-step application process, with a primary application, secondary application, and interview.

Deciding on a career path is also a major decision for students.

"I am excited and worried at the same time about actually attending medical school," McGinigle said. "It's really stressful to basically sign a decade of your life away."

Although some students may cite the poor job market as a reason for attending graduate school next year, that is not always the case. Instead, many seniors have long wanted to attend a graduate school for their chosen career path.

"To generalize, I don't think that many people applying to medical school these days are going because of the market," McGinigle said. "There is just too much bad press about health care for that."

Overall, those seniors who are taking on the added burden of graduate school applications are just attempting to get into the best schools possible.

"Whatever happens, happens. I am trying to put my best foot forward," Crotty said.