Researching Graduate Programs via the Web

The World Wide Web has become an invaluable source for information about graduate schools. Every university has a website (though they may vary widely in design and information available) and most departments and graduate colleges maintain homepages as well. Perhaps the most important use of the Web is looking up e-mail addresses to contact potential mentors and current grad students. Many schools even allow you to apply electronically. If you know what school you're looking for, the fastest way to get there is to use Yahoo!'s index of Colleges and Universities in the U.S.

The Web may also provide you with information about the community surrounding the university, including such quality-of-life aspects as housing, weather, recreation, transportation, social climate, and cultural opportunities. Large index sites such as Yahoo! Get Local are good sources for this kind of information. You can also use the Web to plan your move.

If you are still looking for schools to apply to, the Web can be of service in that process as well. There are a number of clearinghouse sites that will help you search for graduate programs in your area of interest, including one maintained by the same people who publish Peterson's Guides. If you'd like to check out a particular program's reputation, try this site maintained by U.S. News and World Report.

Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) scores will be part of most graduate school applications.  From the official website, you can learn about the test, find out where it's given, register to take it, or even practice taking it online.  All of the possible topics for the Analytical Writing section are available. 

This document will continue to be developed, but I hope these links will give you a good start. You may also want to check out the Guide to Graduate Schools maintained by KSU's Academic & Career Information Center. Please call or e-mail Jon at the McNair office if you have any questions about using the Web to research grad programs, or to share links that you've found useful with other McNair Scholars.

Return to K-State McNair Home