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Thursday, February 14, 2019
GRAD SCHOOL SPECIAL SECTION
THE LANTERN thelantern.com
@TheLantern
The student voice of the Ohio State University
Year 139, Issue No. 11
INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES GRE, MCAT on United States graduate school experience
AKAYLA GARDNER Lantern reporter gardner.1199@osu.edu Shahwar Ali said that although she was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, she doesn’t identify with one city because she has lived in so many different places within her nation. Ali, a graduate student in higher education and student affairs, said she began considering studying in the United States during high school when her cousin left home to pursue an undergraduate degree in the U.S. “She paved the way. She was the first woman. No one in my family had ever gone abroad before her,” Ali said. “It felt like I could do that too.” According to an Ohio State report, there are currently 2,496 international students enrolled in graduate school at the university — 23 percent of the total population, compared with only 8 percent in the undergraduate population. Each person has a different story about their motivation to pursue a graduate degree in America. Following her cousin’s footsteps, Ali decided to come to the U.S. in order to pursue her undergraduate degree in communications at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. When it came time for graduate school, Ali knew she wanted to stay in the U.S. due to its more holistic approach to education. “You focus on studies, but you also focus on co-curricular activities and being more involved,” Ali said. Ali said there are fewer choices in majors in Pakistani universities, and financial resources are very limited with rare opportunities for scholarships or availability of student loans. “When I started graduate school here, there was no program in this field back home,” Ali said. “The first school
and LSAT: Keeping calm during the big 3 LILY MASLIA Senior Lantern reporter maslia.2@osu.edu
AKAYLA GARDNER | LANTERN REPORTER
Mark Hubbe, an associate professor of anthropology, shares his perspective on graduate school in the U.S. and in Brazil.
of education just started in 2017, but they are not offering specifically higher education.” She said she never thought about the AKAYLA GARDNER | LANTERN REPORTER political climate when she first came to Shahwar Ali, a graduate student in higher education the U.S. and student affairs, describes her experience in the Ali witnessed both the re-election of U.S. as a Pakistani woman. former President Barack Obama and the election of President Donald Trump while attending Berea College in KenPERSPECTIVES tucky. She said America seemed very CONTINUES ON 7 welcoming because Obama was the first multiracial president elected. Ali said the night of the 2016 presi-
No. 2 pencils, photo IDs and … metal detectors? Standardized tests are no walk in the park, and taking the actual test can be just as anxiety-inducing as the studying. When your post-undergraduate career depends on the results of a test, it’s important to stay cool under pressure, especially when the tests last for hours at a time. The GRE graduate school entry exam is required for most graduate school programs, ranging from English master’s programs to STEM doctoral programs. The test takes three hours and 45 minutes, but Andrea Thompson, a fourth-year in psychology, said the arduous registration and security processes make the test seem even longer. “You can’t bring anything in with you. [Test administrators] use a metal detector before you CALM CONTINUES ON 6
More factors to consider than the school alone JASMINE HILTON Lantern reporter hilton.93@osu.edu As Julia Dziabis embarked on yet another graduate school interview, she found herself asking tough questions on a commonly overlooked topic — safety. “Is it safe to run outside? Do you run outside by yourself? What are the surrounding areas like?” Dziabis, a fourth-year in neuroscience, said. “I have to think beyond just the program, beyond just the school because it’s going to be my life for the next couple of years.” With graduate school quickly approaching, students face many decisions. Before choosing a graduate school, safety should be taken into consideration, and students should be
well prepared. “It’s going to feel much more different to move somewhere brand new and start over,” Dziabis said. “Aspects like safety are a lot more important when thinking about moving, especially moving alone.” Students can gain the best tips on safety and adjusting to the new environment during the graduate school interview process by talking to other students at their prospective schools, Dziabis said. “It’s definitely something I take into consideration when I’m visiting and ask the students about because they’re going to have the most realistic view,” Dziabis said. Dziabias said that the school is looking at more than just someone’s scholarly qualifica-
SAFETY CONTINUES ON 6
AMAL SAEED | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Before choosing a graduate school, students should consider the safety of the campus and off-campus areas.