Should I decide about graduate school before choosing my undergraduate university?
It is useful to consider graduate school early, but you do not need to decide your graduate destination before choosing an undergraduate university. First compare undergraduate options based on what you want to study, course content, research environment, cost, and commuting. You can reassess during your degree as your interests, grades, and research experience develop. If you may pursue a related graduate field, check the connection between the undergraduate program and graduate programs, as well as their requirements.
Key points
- When choosing an undergraduate university, consider the subject and learning or research environment, not only the possibility of graduate study.
- Researching related graduate programs and their requirements early can help with course selection and planning.
- Your decision about whether and where to attend graduate school can change during your undergraduate studies as your interests and experience develop.
Things to check
- Connections between undergraduate and graduate programs, internal progression systems, and application requirements vary by university, faculty, graduate school, and academic year, so check official information.