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Graduate By NICOLE BYRD Staff Writer Graduation is just a few weeks away, and while many college graduates are planning to enter the job market, other students are heading oack to the classroom, this time tor graduate, medical or law school. The decision to continue one's education can be an exciting and terrifying experience. Making decisions on which schools to apply, the cost factor and the preparation for placement tests such as the GRE, MAT, MCAT or LSAT can be stressful. Biology senior Faith Lawrence plans to go to medical school at John Hopkins University in the fall, but initially, it wasn't an easy decision. "I considered 15 schools, but I narrowed it down to five and then picked John Hopkins," Lawrence said. Lawrence plans to specialize in pediatrics and possibly research genetic diseases. She took the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) during the fall of last year. "The MCAT ivoio a iiuuiuu v/i uiiicivm uiiu^o ? biology, chemistry, physics, writing and verbal skills," Lawrence said. "It's a difficult test because you have to recall so many facts and it lasts all day, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m." She advised students considering medical school to do as well academically and to get involved with extracurricular activities. She said admissions looks for well-rounded V3 i ^ I_f? schoold students who can combine schoo and other activities. "Thp rplipf vnn opt nnrp vnn'ri finally accepted to the school yoi really want is incredible.' Lawrence said. English senior Keila Legre* plans to go to law school in th< fall. "I've been accepted to severa schools, but right now I'm lookim at the school's reputation, cost an* location," Legree said. Legree said she expects lav school to be different from under graduate life. "There was a time ii undergraduate to still have a lot o fun and still do your work, but it law school it seems like it woul< be a lot more demanding am you're expected to retain a lot mori information. It's a true learning process," Legree said. Sometimes a student knows fron the beginning what school he o she wants to go to. Student person nel services graduate studen Michelle Geshe is one of those. "USC was the school I wanted t( get into," Geshe said. "I lookec specifically for schools with studen personnel students programs, ant USC has a good program." Geshe said graduate school wil be a learning process for her. " wanted to go to graduate schoo because I had a job in educatioi and wanted to know more abou better serving students and t< become more knowledgeable in m; field," Geshe said. "It's a very aca demically intensive program ant you sharpen your writing and pre emands o 1 2 English (Grad) 1 1. University of California 2 at Berkeley 1 1. Yale 3. Stanford v 3. Harvard 3. Cornell 3. Johns Hopkins 7. University of Chicago 7. Duke 7. Princeton e 10. Columbia 2 10. University of Virginia Source: U.S. News & World Report 1 1 r sentation skills." Geshe will receive her Master t of Education in December. She i also a graduate assistant whic ) helps considerably widi the higi 1 cost of tuition. t Last year, USC tuition for in-stat J graduate students carrying 11 hour or more was $1,474 per semestei 1 and $2,948 semester for out-of-stat I graduate students. A graduate assis 1 tant who works about 20 hours pt i week pays $446 per semester. t Last year, USC law school fc 3 in-state students was $2,200 pe y semester and $4,675 for out-ot - state students. USC medical schoc i was $2,520 in-state and $5,775 oul - of-state. QUACK QU *DonTt forg 2700 Broad River Rd 7 ommitmen SI8I38HP Medical School 1. Harvard |_q 2. Johns Hopkins 3. Duke 1. " 4. Univ. of California 2. 1 at San Francisco 3. 5 4. Yale 4. 1 6. University of Pennsylvania 5. < 7. Washington University 6. 1 8. Stanford 7. 1 ACK SHORTS (ill COLORS i STYLES) ;et about Bum's fan $1 rack 98-4100 (Next to Rush's ii 9. Columbia 8. 1 10. University of Michigan 9. 1 10. Cornell 10. Chris Mutdrc "Being a graduate assistant is an s economical way to get through is school, but it is very demanding," h Gesche said. h She is a graduate assistant for the Graduate Student Association p whprp ?ho work* hnnrk-nn s with the officers of the organization, answers questions, gives tours, e and helps plan events. "The GSA conducts orientation :r for all new graduate students, assists with library and computer ir services, sponsors professional i development and information vvorkshops and recently held an apart>1 ment fair." Gesche said. L- "Over one-third of the campus is graduate. We try to introduce them mmm aha AH J t, money \ \\f w School tele m Harvard X Stanford ? University of Chicago Columbia University of Michigan Mew York University University of Virginia Duke University of Pennsylvania 3w and Lee Cbntz/The Gamecock to their campus and get them involved." Gesche added. When asked how graduate school is different from undergraduate Gesche said, "Undergraduate is like a buffet, you set to taste all the dis ciplines. In graduate school you dive in and locus on one thing." "Also, in undergraduate you have a lot more services and programs designed for you like housing or the campus newspaper" For students interested in graduate school Gesche advised that they have a clear focus on what they want to get out of it. "Grad school is a marathon not a sprint, so you need to be prepared and pace yourself." Gesche said. I $18.99 nous i St. Andrews)