5 Things to Do to Help Prepare for Graduate School

For some, obtaining a bachelor’s degree means their college days are officially behind them, but for others - the ride isn’t over just yet. Graduate school is the next level of education many continue on to pursue.

Unlike college, grad school typically occurs during the “start of real life” transition - which can make the thought of it even more nerve wracking. If you’re looking to embark on this new graduate school venture, we wanted to share some things to help prepare you beforehand:

1. Find A Residence - Finding a new place to live can be a stressful task and one that should be done at your earliest convenience. While most graduate schools do not offer housing, St. John’s University has housing options available for graduate students. Due to their high demand, all forms and payment must be submitted well in advance. If you’d rather find an apartment nearby, allot enough time to find a home suitable to your needs.

2. Develop Your Interpersonal Skills - The classes one takes during grad school are designed to show you material needed for your career path. Learning how to work, communicate, collaborate, and problem solve with others will need to take place outside of the classroom. Before you begin your first graduate school semester, try to hone your interpersonal skills by working at a variety of places where interacting with others is part of the job. This skill will come in handy during your studies as well as your career.

3. Read More - Reading is one of the best ways to keep your mind sharp while increasing your intelligence. Make it a morning habit to pick up a newspaper and see what’s happening in the world. This can provide you with great insight and world knowledge that you can carry into your graduate studies.

4. Start Networking - It’s all about connections! Start attending conferences and career fairs to meet with people in your industry. Here, you will be able to gain knowledge outside of the classroom and ask questions that can enhance your studies and development. The more connections you make, the more opportunities you could have presented to you.

5. Create New Goals - If there is always something to accomplish, you will always have something to work for. Set long term goals like landing an interview at your dream company and short term goals like receiving a top grade on your term paper. Figure out your goals leading into the start of grad school - no matter how big or small, these will help keep you motivated. 

To learn what else you can do to prepare for grad school, visit USA Today’s full article.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

5 Interview Tips

Interviewing never seems to get any easier, especially if you’ve gone on more than you can count. Fear and uncertainty underlie most interview anxieties - so how can you pull yourself out of that rut? 

Whether you’ve just graduated or are a high level executive looking for a new work venture, it’s important to approach each interview with optimal confidence and the below smart strategies:

1. Change the way you think about interviews. Interviews should simply be viewed as a conversation, a general Q&A session between you and a potential employer. It’s not uncommon for people to be swept with a wave of panic and negativity leading up to an interview. Remember, you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you.
2. Avoid self-doubt. Keep your negative thoughts in check, self-doubt and fear will render you helpless. Re-frame your thinking - instead of negative thoughts like “I’ll never get this job,” consider the glass half full - “They called me for an interview, which means they were impressed with my background. I’m going to do my best to bring my resume to life for them.”
3. Provide real life examples. When asked questions about your strengths, provide specific examples from a real life situation. While you may not have a solid example from your workplace, perhaps through your education or volunteering efforts something can connect. Leadership skills? Think about group projects or presentations you’ve led in graduate school. Perhaps you’ve participated in one of our panel discussions at St. John’s - relate that to your interviewer’s question.
4. Turn your biggest weakness into your greatest strengths. There’s no doubt your interviewer will ask you to list some of your weaknesses - and no your weakness can’t be you have no weaknesses. Bring up some things that aren’t your strong suit and the steps you are taking to improve them. Found it hard to complete your to do list? Now you are utilizing online tools and email alerts that help you stay organized and improve your time management. In the end, bring the focus back to how the improved you can help your potential company.
5. Take every interview opportunity that comes your way. Practice may not make perfect, but it does make how you perform. The more interviews you go on, the more you can hone your skills and feel more comfortable in the ‘hot seat.’ You’ll learn what works, what doesn’t, and what approach you will take for your next interview.

For additional tips, visit Huffington Post’s full article here.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

Skills You Can Gain From Volunteering

Have you been on an interview where you were asked to provide an example of when you had to “think outside the box”? Or perhaps when you’ve overcome a challenge with your team? These commonly asked questions can sometimes be difficult to answer based on your current skillset, which is where volunteering comes into play.

Voluntary work has been known to offer rewarding experiences and opportunities, especially in terms of gaining skills you may not get to practice in your daily routine. If you're looking to broaden and diversify your competencies, below are a few transferable skills you can gain from doing voluntary work:

Time Management
You have a full time job, participate in extracurriculars, attend graduate school at St. John’s - and now you have to add a new volunteer effort to your already filled schedule. By learning to juggle multiple responsibilities, you’re better prepared to manage multiple tasks in your career setting.

Problem solving & adaptability
Doing volunteer work can be an eye opening experience in many ways. Not only will you encounter different walks of life, but often times you’ll have limited resources and be put in scenarios that will challenge you to think creatively. By applying the skills you do have to this new environment, you’ll learn to challenge yourself to do the best you can with what you have.

Confidence & passion
Whether you are a seasoned expert or just starting in your career, volunteering helps boost confidence - both in the ideas you present and in the work you are doing. The more you work hands on with a charity or organization, the more you learn about its people, mission, and values, enabling a more passionate work ethic.

Communication
Whether you are mentoring youth, cleaning up your community, or volunteering at your local shelter, you will need to communicate effectively. You may need to practice a variety of  communication methods (phone calls, emails, public speaking, etc) during your volunteer experience, which can enhance such skills in the business setting.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

Tips for Choosing the Right Grad School!

Choosing a college or university for graduate studies is much more than going with the school with the highest ranking or best word-of-mouth reputation. After all, your time, effort, and money is at stake. Graduate school is a big commitment which is what makes choosing the right school such an important decision.

Keep the below tips in mind while considering which graduate school is right for you:

Do Enough Research: Avoid waiting a few weeks before an application deadline to start conducting your research. Give yourself at least six months in advance to fully review potential university’s websites, create a spreadsheet comparing and contrasting schools and programs of interest, then based on your research, hone in on your choices.

Know Yourself and Your Industry: Remember to find the school that is best fit for you right now. Not what you used to want or what other people have told you. By now, you likely know if you prefer the hustle and bustle of a city or a quaint college town. Pursue a graduate school the meets that criteria. Additionally, get a solid understanding of the industry you are pursing by connecting with professionals in your field. Make sure their realities are something you envision for your future.

Visit Campuses: A campus may seem great in theory, but to really seal the deal you should try and arrange for an in person visit. If the college or university is too far, that visit may be difficult. Check to see if they offer virtual tours instead - so you can take a gander in the comfort of your own home. SJU offers virtual tours of our Queens and Staten Island campuses for interested students.

Talk to Current Students: What better than hearing first hand experiences? Here at St. John’s University we want to help set your mind at ease by providing you with the opportunity to connect directly with a current SJU graduate student. You can ask what you feel is important, and you will receive an honest and timely reply from someone who personally knows what it’s like to pursue graduate studies at St. John’s.

Explore Different Types of Programs: Traditional classroom college experiences aren’t always right for everyone, so consider your options. Look into schools that offer a variety of learning experiences from traditional, to online learning, and even study abroad experiences.

With so many schools and programs available it is important to do your research in order to make an informed decision about where to apply. This way when time comes to enroll, you can look forward to a much richer and confident experience.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

How to Become More Charismatic

Looking to set yourself apart from a crowd and leave your mark? The secret may lie in your charisma.

Charisma: a compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.

While you may feel like you aren’t as charismatic as your peers or colleagues, developing charisma isn’t out of reach. No matter your personality, there are traits you can apply to your own behavior that can help you seem more magnetic, trustworthy, and influential.

Be alert, be present: Perhaps the most important thing to remember when developing charisma: it’s not about you. Challenge yourself to listen to every word that comes out of a speaker’s mouth - invest all of your attention on them. Look people in the eye, smile when appropriate, and keep your energy high and engaged. Be positive, speak confidently, and keep your ego down.

Practice eye contact: Going along with the above, good eye contact can often communicate more than words. Proper eye contact expresses you care, you are listening, and you respect the person you are speaking to. The eyes carry many emotions and nuances, you’ll begin picking up on these through your practice.

Dress appropriately: You must look the part. A first impression is quickly made upon what you are wearing. Given the social setting your find yourself in, be sure to choose an ensemble that is  appropriate and reads success.

Be expressive: Put yourself in a state of mind that keeps you aware of your behavior. Standing stiff? Ease up. Don’t be afraid to express with your body how you feel. People enjoy being around others with a vocabulary of expressive gestures - so long as they’re appropriate.

Practice mirroring: We’ve all been in a situation where someone commands the room or an audience, but have you really observed them? Next time, match the person’s physical mannerism and energy level and then fine tune them until they fit you. Emulate the people you know are likable

Whether you’re attending a job fair or networking with a group of industry professionals, you can enhance your presence by becoming more charismatic. For additional tips, please visit
Business Insider or Life Hacker.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

Personal Finance Tips Post Graduation

Post graduation can be a whirlwind between planning your future, securing jobs, and preparing to pay back student loans. We know how valuable guidance can be during this transition and as such wanted to help share some advice. Embark on your next chapter of life with confidence by keeping the below personal finance tips in mind:

Budget.
It’s important to live within your means. Evaluate your current financial standing - do you have any debt, how much do you have set aside in savings, how much money are you currently bringing in. Also consider your loan statements and their deadlines. An online monthly budget planner can be a great starting point to help you stick with a lifestyle you can afford.

Plan for the future.
This may not be at the forefront of your mind, but you’ll thank yourself later if you begin planning for retirement now. Start by taking a small percentage of your paycheck and putting it towards your retirement savings. Check your 401(k) options that are offered at your job, try to contribute enough money to receive a company match. Additionally, incase of emergency, have an account set aside with enough money to cover three to six months of basic living expenses in case of illness or unemployment.

Have health insurance.
Are you one of the lucky ones who is fit as a fiddle and hasn’t been sick in years? Way to go! But this still doesn’t mean you should be without health insurance. A bad accident or an unforeseen illness could be ruinously expensive. Apply for health insurance through your work (or if possible, remain on your parent’s policy until you’re 26) or shop around for benefits and find a high deductible policy.

Stay on top of student loans and bills.
If loans are not tackled right away they can quickly get out of hand. Understand your repayment process, when deadlines are, if you should consolidate, etc. Speak to your loan provider or visit studentaid.ed.gov for more information.

Remember to make adjustments on your finances on a regular basis. Revisit the amounts you have set for repayment, savings, etc. every few months to ensure they are still relevant and working effectively. Have any post graduation finance tips to share? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page!

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

Consider a Master of Arts in Criminology and Justice

If you are passionate about working in the field of criminology? Kick-start your career with a Master of Arts degree in Criminology and Justice from St. John's University!

In just as little as three semesters, you can complete this 33-credit program and gain the academic foundation and skills needed to thrive in the criminal justice industry. By combining theory and practical applications, our Masters program prepares students to continue their education or get a job upon graduation. Recent St. John's alumni are currently employed at a variety of state and government organizations, including:

• NYPD
• New York City Department of Investigations
• Department of Homeland Security
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• Social Security Administration
• And more!

What are you waiting for? Begin your pursuit of a Master's degree as early as Fall 2015! For more information about our Master of Arts degree in Criminology and Justice, click here or contact department chair Dawn Esposito at 718-990-6295.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!