Want to know more about graduate school admissions?

A new study released by the Council of Graduate Schools paints a mixed picture of American graduate school education today. Trends identified by the study include the following.

1. Enrollments in Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs Are Down, but PhD Program Enrollments are Up

Enrollments in Master’s degree and graduate certificate programs were down 1.6 percent in 2010, fueled by drops of 8.1 percent in master’s degrees in education and 2.9 percent in business. Contributing factors included the hesitancy of prospective students to take on debt or leave jobs, and employers’ reluctance to subsidize employee graduate studies at a time of economic uncertainty. In contrast, PhD enrollments were up 1.5 percent in 2010 as departmental grants for enrollees remained intact.

2. International Student Graduate Schools Enrollments Continued to Climb
Enrollment of international students in American graduate programs was up 4.7 percent in 2010. International students made up a whopping 45 percent of graduate enrollees in math and computer science and in engineering.

3. Women Make up an Increasing Proportion of Graduate Students
The presence of women in graduate programs continues to grow and they now make up 58 percent of graduate students. Women constitute 80 percent of the graduate student body in the health sciences and 78 percent in public administration. Women still make up a distinct minority of graduate students in math and computer sciences with 30 percent of the total and in the physical and earth sciences with 39 percent of students.

4. Latino Graduate School Enrollments are Inching Up as Other Ethnic/Racial Groups Experience Declines
In terms of graduate enrollments of ethnic and racial groups (among U.S permanent residents), Latino numbers grew by 4.9 percent in 2010. Asian graduate enrollment percentages dropped by 0.1 percent for the year while declines were recorded among whites (0.6 percent), blacks (8.4 percent), and Native-Americans (20.6 percent).

Conclusion
Advanced degrees remain the best path to opportunity and prosperity for Americans in the post- industrial era, as borne out in numerous studies, despite enrollment fluctuations in selected fields and a cloudy national economic picture.

****

Top Test Prep offers GRE Tutoring, LSAT Tutoring, and MCAT Tutoring, for those applying to graduate schools. Call (800) 501-Prep to learn more.

Tags: Admissions Counselor, Admissions Experts, Graduate Schools // View Comments

Here’s our latest video on “How to Get into the Best Schools” with Top Test Prep’s private tutoring and admissions counseling programs.

Top Test Prep helps hundreds of families each year get into top private schools, colleges and grad schools, with admissions and test preparation.

For more information, call (800) 501-Prep or visit Top Test Prep today.

Tags: Admissions Advice, admissions consultants, Admissions Experts, Graduate Schools, private tutoring // View Comments

Congratulations to you for completing your college courses and moving one-step closer to the real world. Whether you’re starting a job and beginning your career, or applying to graduate programs, we congratulate you. It’s an incredibly momentous occasion and you should be proud.

At Top Test Prep, we’re proud to continue serving those applying to colleges, and those moving one step closer to a graduate degree. If you’re planning on taking the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT or GRE, contact us today to see how we can help you improve your scores and get into top schools.

Congratulations again!

Ross Blankenship
Founder
Top Test Prep

(800) 501-Prep

Tags: Admissions Advice, Colleges, Graduate Schools, Law School Admissions // View Comments

Here’s some good advice on how to write the best scholarship essay…

We’ve told you to take your scholarship essays seriously. So where and how do you begin? Here are some helpful questions to get you started:

What attributes do you wish to convey?

- In order to answer this question, you should at the very least read a description of the award. Is the award intended to honor a certain person, and how is he or she described? This will give you an idea of the criteria on which your character will be judged.

- What are the main interests or goals of the organization offering the scholarship? How might you be expected to help achieve these goals? Present yourself as someone compatible with the organization’s mission.

- Create a list of attributes you wish to emphasize in your scholarship essay. Remember: in addition to self-confidence, humility is a very attractive trait!

- If you have questions regarding the scholarship, you can always call the organization. Committees want to help students create strong applications.

Do you need to do some research, or is the question more personal?

- Outside research can enrich your writing and strengthen its impact. You may be required to do research in order to answer the question – if, for example, you need to evaluate a policy and take a stance for or against it. If the question is personal, outside research may still be helpful for placing your circumstances in context. Maybe you want to explain just how crucial the lab research you’re conducting is to our understanding of the habits of howler monkeys.

Do you come across as human?

- If so, good! It’s alright – even beneficial – to reveal shortcomings, as long as you have some insight into them and can demonstrate that you’ll give a challenge everything you’ve got. Have a friend read your essay, and see what kind of picture of you it paints.

- Use specific details and examples to convey desired attributes. Don’t just say you work hard. Describe the steps you take to succeed, and how you manage to balance work with other demands.

• Examine your examples. How can you make them even more specific, and therefore more compelling? Remember that your readers have never met you or anyone in your life (probably). In order for your character to stand out, people need specifics, just as they do when reading a novel or a biography.

Lastly, get feedback.

Top Test Prep offers admissions counseling that can help you hone your scholarship essays and grab an organization’s attention.

This article is on how to write scholarship essays. For more information on scholarship essays for applications, go to TopTestPrep.com.

Tags: admissions consultants, admissions consulting, Admissions Counselor, admissions essays, Colleges, Graduate Schools, Scholarships // View Comments

With the economy as it is, there’s no question that more people will be heading to business school as a safe haven for the recession. So exactly what kind of return on investment does a business school education bring these days? Well a recent study by BusinessWeek provides some very interesting insight on Business Schools, costs and the eventual return on investment. Most notably making the rankings is Harvard Business School at #50 on Return on Investment. But before you think it’s a bad investment, consider that many of the most prestigious schools like HBS and Stanford, have many enrolled students who were probably already making a lot of money before they pursued their MBAs. Do check the rankings out and let us know your thoughts.

Ranking Return On Investment
Special Report: The Best B-Schools

Program Rankings and Profiles

Contact us for a free initial admissions consultation.

We have business school admissions counseling to help you get into top MBA programs. Call us today at (800) 501-Prep.

Tags: Admissions Advice, Graduate Schools // View Comments