Career Services

The Role of the Faculty Advisor

If you are considering applying to graduate school, it is important that you begin talking with your faculty advisor or other faculty members in your discipline during your junior year or very early in your senior year. From teaching faculty you can gain valuable information about various specialties within your academic discipline and sound advice about how to choose graduate schools as well as specific suggestions of schools you should consider.  Further, your faculty will be able to advise you regarding graduate school fellowships and teaching or research assistantships.

Once you have decided to apply to graduate school either immediately following your Denison degree or in the near future, Career Services can help you work through the application process by providing several services and resources.

Graduate Record Examination

Registration booklets for the graduate record examination are available in Career Services, 306 Burton D. Morgan Center.

For further questions regarding the GRE, see or email Pam Allen, Director of Career Services in 306 Burton D. Morgan Center. Click here to go to the GRE website. Click here for some useful graduate school resources for students.

General GRE

Nearly all graduate programs require general graduate exam recordscores.The General GRE (4-hours) measures skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study. Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Sections comprise the test. The analytical section is comprised of two essays (not multiple-choice).

The computer-based general GRE can be scheduled at your convenience by individual appointment at testing centers across the country, including two in the Columbus, OH, area. Advantages of the computer test are that you can schedule it at your convenience, you will know your scores immediately, and score reports are sent to schools within a two-week time frame. Register early to get your preferred test date and to avoid the crowded testing period of November through January. Computer General GRE Fee: $140.00. Call (614) 451-4652 or (614)457-0105  to schedule the computer-based test in the Columbus,OH area.  Call 1 (800) GRE-CALL for general information regarding computer-based testing.

Subject GRE
Many graduate school programs also require subject graduate record exam scores. Subject tests are measures of achievement in particular fields of study. Each subject test assumes either an undergraduate major or extensive background in the specific field. Subject Tests are available in 8 subject areas. Check the Peterson's Guide to determine whether or not programs to which you are applying require the Subject GRE. Paper/Pencil Subject GRE fee: $140. GRE Subject Tests are not available on computer-based testing.

2007-2008 GRE Subject Test Dates

GRE SUBJECT TEST DATES:		RECEIPT DATES AT ETS:
October 6		August 31, 2007
November 3		September 28, 2007
April 12, 2008		March 7, 2008

Preparation for the Computer-Based GRE

Denison has a new resource through the Ohio link library and the new website has three free, timed practice exams for the LSAT, GRE, GMAT and MCAT. The website is www.learningexpresslibrary.com and you need to create a free account and be logged in at Denison's webpage. With LearnATest.com's practice tests, you'll get:

• An online practice test in the various categories, just like the official exams
• Instant online score and detailed answer explanations
• A personalized analysis that identifies your strengths and weaknesses so you'll know how to prepare.

Preparation for the computer-based GRE is an individual matter. When you register for a GRE test, you can access prep material at http://www.gre.org/pracmats.html. The Career Resource Library has both General and Subject study guides which you may use in Career Services or check out for weekend use.

GRE Prep Courses are offered throughout the year by KAPLAN and The Princeton Review

Be sure to attend Denison's 15th Annual Graduate/Professional School Fair, Thursday, October 25th, 2007, 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Slayter Union.

Peterson's Guides

Use  Peterson's guides to graduate progams, available in the Career Resource Library to secure names, addresses, phone numbers, deadlines, pre-requisites, and other helpful information regarding individual graduate programs. Click here for Peterson's Website. Most graduate programs have extensive home pages on the web which you will find extremely helpful.  Many web sites allow you to request detailed program descriptions/catalogues, an application and financial aid information.
www.gradschools.com is another website to review graduate programs.

Denison's Career Network

Through Denison's Career Network you can contact alumni who earned graduate degrees and have offered to share their insights and advice with you about their graduate school experience. Access the website at www.denison.edu/careernetwork.

Credential File

Request letters of recommendation from faculty directly or establish a credential file of faculty recommendations through Career Services. Some faculty and departments prefer to prepare and send individual letters of recommendation to each of the programs to which you are applying, while others prefer to use Career Services service of soliciting, collecting, and retaining letters to be sent out to schools on your behalf. At your request, Career Services can help you establish your confidential credential file which will be kept by Denison for 5 years. The credential service is especially helpful for you if you are not applying immediately to graduate school. You'll find it to be an efficient system for helping you to complete your graduate school applications.

In order for faculty and staff to write a letter of recommendation for you, it is highly encouraged that you follow the guidelines from this pdf file: Recommendatations [pdf]

Financial Aid Information
The Career Resource Library has some financial aid information on graduate school fellowships, assistantships, grants and other awards for funding graduate school education. Be sure to ask each graduate program to send you information on their fellowships and assistantships. Talk with your faculty advisor about teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships.