Roadmap: Grad School Prep

Introduction to the Roadmap

This is an optional Roadmap designed for students who want to go to grad school. On the next page, please indicate which graduate program interests you. Information will appear based on your selection.

Students who are NOT interested in attending grad school may skip this entire roadmap.

Objective: If you're interested in pursuing graduate school in economics or another field, this roadmap will help you know what to expect and how to prepare.

Step 1: Graduate School Options

To begin Roadmap: Grad School Prep, enter your information below then click "Next." At the bottom of each page, you'll see three buttons: "Back," "Save and Close," and "Next." The "Back" button will allow you to go back to a previous page. The "Save and Close" button will save your progress and allow you to return to the Roadmap later by emailing you a personalized link. The "Next" button will take you to the next page in the Roadmap.

On the last page, you will see a "Submit Roadmap" button. When you're finished with the Roadmap, please click that button. You will still be able to view and edit your responses if you wish, but your Roadmap will be marked as complete.

Select the program(s) you are interested in, then click "Next." You will be taken to a page with more information on your selection(s). You can always return to this page and change your selection to view a different program.

Overview

The advice contained in this roadmap comes from the Economics Department's Grad School Guide. If you are considering a PhD in economics, we highly recommend reviewing the complete Grad School Guide, linked here. The guide includes the following sections:

• Is Graduate School for Me? A Look at the Nature and Rigor of Graduate Work in Economics
• So you want to get a PhD? Preparing for Graduate School
• The Application Process

PhD Economics

PhD-level economics involves a high level of math competency, heavy research, and at least five or six additional years of school beyond your undergrad. Preparation for PhD programs involves extra considerations that may impact your undergraduate studies.

In the words of the Grad School Guide, "If you feel unsure about graduate work, you should start preparing to go to graduate school, and the preparation process should help you to see clearly if graduate school is really what you’d like to do. As you start the process of preparation, not only will the work you do help you to understand more about graduate work, but your interactions with faculty and other students will also give insights into the nature of graduate work. Many students don’t firmly decide on doing graduate work until their second or third year at BYU, but if you’ve already started preparing, it will be to your advantage."

Academic Coursework 

Once you've decided on pursuing a graduate degree in economics, there are classes that will be crucial for you to complete during your undergrad. For example, you need to complete all the 500-level economics courses, some upper-level mathematics courses, and potentially some computer programming courses to prepare for graduate work. Some recommended courses are listed below.

Econ Classes

Math Classes

A comprehensive list of recommended courses can be found in the Grad School Guide in the "Academic Coursework" section.

Please note that you will need to do well in your undergraduate courses to be a competitive applicant for grad schools.

Pre-PhD Research Opportunities

When you're preparing to get a PhD in economics, any econ-focused work experience will be invaluable to you. Work opportunities for undergraduates include being teaching assistants for econ courses and being research assistants for professors.

To see current job postings in the Economics Department, visit the department webpage. We also highly recommend getting on the list for the department email blast. The email blast is sent out once or twice a week to all subscribers and contains all the recruiting information given to the department, including off-campus research opportunities. You can subscribe by emailing economics@byu.edu and asking to be added to the email blast list.

We also recommend reviewing raguide.github.io to learn about research opportunities you can do after you graduate. It is becoming more common for students to complete a one- or two-year research assistantship before starting their graduate degree. RAships are valuable because they exemplify the kind of work you will be doing in grad school, without the 5 or 6 year commitment. If you enjoy your RAship, you will likely enjoy graduate school as well!

Make an Appointment

Dr. Joe Price is the current grad school advisor in the BYU Economics Department. His role is to keep tabs on prospective graduate students and help them stay on track. If you're seeking personal advice about grad school or want to talk with someone about econ PhD programs, please contact Dr. Price to set up a time to meet. His email is joseph_price@byu.edu.

Overview

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is an extremely versatile degree. Many students who are drawn to MBA programs are students who are interested in either business, management roles, or both. However, you don't need a business background to be admitted into an MBA program, and receiving an MBA doesn't pigeonhole you into one role or one industry. Every industry needs competent leaders, and MBA programs are designed for students of varying ages, backgrounds, and experience.

 

Choosing a School

MBA programs are offered by business schools across the country and usually take two years to complete. Some programs are completely online; some are offered in the evening to accommodate full-time employees. If you're interested in receiving an MBA at some point, start collecting information about business schools now.

A common recommendation is to apply for between five and eight MBA programs. You can break down these applications into these categories, as suggested by this Admit.Me blog:

• 2-3 reach schools (top business schools/schools with less than 15% acceptance rate)
• 2-3 on par schools (schools that meet your career and educational goals that you are reasonably qualified for—about 30% acceptance rate)
• 1-2 safety schools (schools you are confident will accept you)

If you are accepted to more than one program, we recommend that you accept the highest-ranking program that meets your needs.

 

Application Process

Most MBA programs are looking for candidates with at least a few years of professional work experience, so it is very rare for a student to immediately begin an MBA program directly after finishing his or her undergraduate degree. 

Applications to MBA programs usually include essays, an updated curriculum vitae or résumé, letters of recommendation, a transcript, and test scores. Business schools typically prefer GMAT scores because they want an indication that candidates will perform well in the quantitative topics of the program. However, some business schools also accept GRE scores, and some waive the test requirement depending on circumstance. Even if your school of interest waives the test requirement, we strongly recommend that you apply with a test score because it will strengthen your application and potentially help you get a scholarship.

 

Recommended Courses

As stated above, MBA programs accept students of varying educational and career backgrounds. However, if you are interested in getting an MBA, you may want to explore some of the course offerings in the Marriott School to make sure you enjoy learning about business. Here are some minors we recommend looking into:

• Business
• Global Business and Literacy
• Nonprofit Management
• Strategy

 

Visit the Pre-professional Advisement Center

BYU's Pre-Professional Advisement Center has an advisor assigned to help pre-MBA students. The Center offers personalized assistance and guidance on programs and the application process. They also have an in-house editor who can offer strategic feedback on your personal statement.

Visit the Advisement Center's Pre-MBA page for more information.

Please be aware that the Advisement Center has fewer resources for pre-MBA students than for other pre-professional students. That's because graduates generally join the work force for three to five years before seeking an MBA, so they are unlikely to apply to MBA programs during their undergraduate studies.

 

Pre-MBA Club

For further resources, and to meet other students who planning on getting MBAs, you can join the Pre-MBA club on campus. More information on the club can be found on the BYU Student Organizations webpage.

 

Marriott School MBA Program 

BYU has an outstanding, nationally ranked MBA program. MBA students can choose from five tracks—Entrepreneurship, Finance, Operations and Supply Chain, Marketing, and Strategic Human Resources—and many emphases. Check out the video below to get an introduction to the program. You can also learn about BYU's MBA program at marriott.byu.edu/mba. 

 

Grad School Prep Class

The university offers a course to help students apply to graduate school. The course is called STDEV 318: Graduate School Preparation: Practical Strategies for Becoming a More Competitive Applicant. In the course, students explore graduate school programs that match their career goals, learn personal branding skills to help them articulate their experiences on application materials, and practice interview skills.

Even though you will likely be applying to MBA programs in several years, it won't hurt to have some knowledge about the application process under your belt. You can learn more about STDEV 318 in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Motivation for Medicine*

As you consider pursuing a career as a physician, it is important that you reflect carefully upon your motivations for pursuing medicine. Medicine can be an immensely rewarding career. In fact, many physicians feel they were 'called' to medicine, that it is more than a career—it is what they were 'supposed to do' with their lives. At the same time, it is a very long and difficult road which will consume a full decade or more of your life just to get to the point of actually practicing medicine.

Those who typically enjoy and thrive in medicine are those who have found internal, personal reasons to pursue the profession—they care profoundly about the suffering and well-being of others and want to reduce suffering and improve health. They genuinely find their courses to be intellectually challenging and interesting. These are intrinsic or internal motivations. Students who possess these kinds of attributes tend do better in and enjoy medical school. To learn more about developing compassion prior to becoming a physician, we encourage you to read this article. Additional articles about physician characteristics can be found here and here.

Medicine also can provide some extrinsic motivations such as status, prestige or financial benefits. Although most physicians likely enjoy these kinds of extrinsic benefits upon completion, they are likely not sufficient to sustain a student through the rigors of years of intensive training. Those students possessing more extrinsic motivation tend to do more poorly in medical school and report greater exhaustion in medical school.

Medical schools encourage you to shadow and engage in patient contact and community service to help you determine if and demonstrate that you have the intrinsic motivation, compassion, and commitment necessary to succeed in medical school and to be an excellent physician.

As you begin your preparation for medical school, start with your motivation for pursuing medicine. Why do you want to be a doctor? What character traits, commitments and values do you hold that qualify you to be a physician? In several years when you apply for medical school, you'll be expected to clearly know and have demonstrated through your preparation your reasons for becoming a physician.

*This section comes from the Pre-Professional Advisement Center's website.

 

Premedical Coursework

Below is a list of BYU coursework that fulfills prerequisites for most medical schools. This is not a comprehensive list. We strongly encourage you to visit BYU's Pre-Professional Advisement Center (see section below) to help you, and consult the AAMC, AACOM, and TMDSAS guides to medical schools (available in the Pre-Professional Advisement office, on course reserve at BYU’s Library, or for purchase online) and with individual schools’ websites for specific requirements.

For a downloadable version of this course list, click here. 

 

Visit the Pre-Professional Advisement Center

BYU's Pre-Professional Advisement Center has several advisors assigned to help pre-med students. In their words, "The mission of BYU Premedical Advisement is to help you 1) determine if you want to become a physician and 2) get admitted to the best possible medical school for you. We do this by helping you understand the coursework and extracurricular preparation that you need to complete in order to become a competitive applicant. Although premed students are very bright and self-motivated and can generally understand the process, we believe that your odds of admission are better if you use our services. We regularly consult with admissions committees at various medical schools. We know the data on who gets in and who doesn't. More importantly, we often know WHY students don't get in—despite having met the general criteria. We know which applicants get the most offers and how they stand out from the crowd. Come let us help you become and then shine as the best applicant you can be."

Visit the Advisement Center's Medicine page for more information and to get in contact with an advisor. Here are some additional quick links to topics that may interest you:

• Applying to Medical School
• Becoming a Competitive Applicant
• Allopathic vs. Osteopathic Medicine

 

STDEV 272: Preview of Medicine

The university offers a course to help prospective medical school students. The course is called STDEV 272: Preview of Medicine. In the course, students receive lectures from doctors and get an overview of required courses, the application process, and recommended extracurricular activities for med school applicants. You can learn more about this course, including when it is offered, on this page of the Undergraduate Catalog.

Is Law School Right for Me?

If you are interested in law school and trying to decide whether you should fully commit, try asking yourself these questions:

• How deep is my interest in law?
• Am I willing to go into a sizeable amount of debt for school?
• How will law school and legal work impact my social and personal life?
• Do I like to research, read, and write?
• What does it mean to practice law?
• How are my analytical thinking and writing skills?
• Will law school and being an attorney satisfy my professional needs and ambitions?

To research these questions, talk to a prelaw advisor. Join the Prelaw Student Association and attend events. Contact BYU's law school and ask to sit in on a class to see what student life is like. Talk to current law students (BYU has hundreds of them) and try shadowing a local attorney. These experiences will give you clarity if you aren't cut out for law school and confidence if you are.

Please note that law school likely isn't the best fit for you if you're mainly interested because of peer/parental pressure, if you don't know what else to do, or if you just want an additional degree. Also, if you are a fan of TV shows and movies about lawyers, that is not a valid indication that law school is a good fit for you.

 

Application Process

Law school applications generally require these items:

• Law School Admission Test (LSAT)—$200
• Credit Assembly Report from the Credential Assembly Service—$195 + $45 per school
• Letters of Recommendation/Evaluations—usually 2 academic and 1 non-academic, to be completed the summer after junior year
• Résumé
• Personal Statement
• Individual school applications—$30–100
• Optional addendums

View and download the complete Law School Application Checklist, along with tips and timeline recommendations, here.

 

Selecting a School

When selecting which law school to attend, you might be tempted to focus on a law school’s “ranking” or perceived prestige; however, your happiness at law school may have more to do with other important factors. Make sure you consider the following:

• Atmosphere: Do you prefer a state or private school? Religious or not? Is there a difference to you?
• Cost: How much debt are you willing to leave law school with? Research the average debt of graduates from that school and the average starting salaries of these graduates. Do the starting salaries vary by class ranking? Are you comfortable with the average amount of debt when compared against the average starting salary?
• Curriculum: What unique classes are offered? What classes interest you? You may currently have an idea of what you are interested in studying, but you may change your mind—make sure you attend a law school that offers several different learning opportunities.
• Faculty: How do current students feel about the professors? Do the professors have experiences that they will be able to draw upon in teaching and molding you? How many professors are there and where did they study and practice law?
• Personal Career Goals:  If you want to go into politics or if you wish to teach law as a professor, where you attend law school may be important. If you intend to pursue public interest law, you may want to consider schools that will leave you with minimal debt due to the low-paying nature of public interest jobs. No matter what you think you are going to do, you could change your mind—what school will provide you with the most options for your areas of interest?
• Size: Do you want a more intimate setting with professors or do you learn better in large diverse classes? Will you bond with other students if there is a greater variety of classmates or would you rather have a small close-knit class?
• Location: Where does the law school place its graduates? Most law schools place their students in positions near the school, in-state, or surrounding states. Would you be happy living there after graduation? If the law school places a small percentage in a location you would like to live, are you willing to do the networking necessary, outside the law school’s career services, to make this happen?
• Specialty Areas:  Do you already have a specific interest in law? Is this school well known for that program? How flexible will the school be in helping you pursue that interest? If you decide you are more interested in something else, is there the potential to study other specialty areas?
• Student Body:  Because law school is taught by the Socratic method, it is important to learn from classmates that have different perspectives. Does this school bring in diverse backgrounds that you can learn from? What activities, clubs, and associations are available? How cooperative or competitive is the student body? Talk to as many current students as you can.
• Finalizing Your Decision: Once you are accepted to multiple law schools you may feel overwhelmed by your options. One of the best ways to help you decide which law school to attend is to prioritize. For example, if you want to work in Washington DC after graduation, you may decide that the higher tuition cost of a law school in that area is money well spent. Take advantage of all the networking opportunities the DC law school provides; after all, that is what you are paying for. However, if indebtedness is your primary concern, attending a school that costs less may be worth the extra time and effort it may take you to network with others to find a job in DC.

Other Resources

• Firsthand from Schools and Alumni
• The ABA-LSAC Official Guide 
• The NAPLA/SAPLA

 

Visit the Pre-Professional Advisement Center

BYU's Pre-Professional Advisement Center has an advisor assigned to help pre-law students. The Center offers personalized assistance and guidance on programs and the application process. They also have an in-house editor who can offer strategic feedback on your personal statement.

Visit the Advisement Center's Pre-Law page for more information.

 

Pre-Law Student Association

BYU Pre-Law Student Association (PLSA) is an academic club that gives students the opportunity to network with professionals and other prelaw students, learn more about law school and legal careers, and prepare to become competitive applicants to law school.

The PLSA hosts various academic, networking, and social activities and events. Click here to join. You can also contact the club at prelaw.byu@gmail.com and follow them on Instagram at @byu_plsa.

 

STDEV 168R: Law Lecture Series

The university offers a couple courses to inform students considering careers in law:

• STDEV 168R: Law Lecture Series. In this course, students explore legal professions by hearing from guest lecturers representing various fields in law. After taking the class, students will be able to better assess whether or not a legal career is the correct choice for them. You can learn more about the course, including when it is offered, on this page of the Undergraduate Catalog.
• STDEV 365: Legal Education and Practice. In this course, students get hands-on practice with legal cases, legal research, and communication. Learn more about this course, including when it is offered, on this page of the Undergraduate Catalog. 

 

*The information in this section was adapted from the BYU Pre-Professional Advisement website.

Things to Consider

Dentists are healthcare professionals dedicated to improving and maintaining oral health. There is no predental major at BYU, so we encourage you to choose a major you enjoy and make sure you complete all the dental school prerequisites. These resources will help you prepare for the application process and, later, for dental school.

 

Predental Coursework

We recommend that you first go to your college's advisement center for an outline of classes required for your major, then consult with the Pre-Professional Advisement Center to plan your predental requisite courses. That said, here is a list of classes that are generally required for dental school admission and DAT preparation:

Factors Considered for Admission

Dental schools evaluate applicants in both academic and non-academic areas. Because each school places different weight on different areas, be sure to research about specific schools before beginning the application process. To research dental schools, we encourage you to consult individual school websites, participate when visiting schools come to visit campus, and consult the American Dental Education Association (“ADEA”) Official Guide to Dental Schools (available at the Pre-Professional Advisement Center, for purchase online, or on course reserve at the BYU library).

• Academic Factors Considered for Admission
  • GPA: Both your cumulative GPA and science GPA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) are an important part of your application.
  • DAT Scores: The Dental Admission Test, “DAT,” is a standardized test required for all students seeking admission to U.S. dental schools. It includes four sections: Survey of the Natural Sciences (Biology, Inorganic Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry), Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning, and Perceptual Ability. Ideally, the DAT should be taken the year before you plan to attend dental school.
  • Workload: It is important to take full course loads (about 14+ credit hours) each semester, while working hard to perform as well as possible. Spacing out more difficult classes while continuing to take a full course load is preferred. Consistently light loads raisequestions about an applicant’s ability to handle the much heavier loads required in dental schools. Generally, work may not be a satisfying justification for taking fewer hours each semester.

• Non-Academic Factors Considered for Admission
  • Dental schools generally encourage applicants to be well-rounded individuals that have experiences in many different areas. However, the requirements and the relative weight of these factors often vary between schools. Be sure to consult the ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools and individual school websites for specific requirements.
  • Shadowing: Specific recommendations vary, but most schools recommend a total of 50-100 hours  mainly with observation occurring in general dentistry.
  • Service: Emphasis on service varies, but many schools recommend 200+ hours. Service activities should demonstrate consistent and long term commitment to helping others, but do not need to be dental related. Community service (English classes, service projects, etc.) done on a mission counts, but time spent proselytizing does not.
  • Research: Recommendations vary greatly, but many schools encourage research experience. Check with individual schools for specific recommendations. There are many opportunities to do research either on or off campus, depending upon your interest.
  • Extracurricular Activities: Most schools have no specific requirements but like applicants to demonstrate well-roundedness. The predental club has many good resources, but any kind of club, activity, or organization will work.
  • Leadership: Most students accrue leadership experience in conjunction with research, service, extracurricular activities, and employment opportunities.
  • Letters of Recommendation: Requirements vary by school. Generally, schools require two letters from science professors and one from a dentist. Research individual schools websites for specific requirements and the handout “Letters of Recommendation Requirements” for specific  requirements.

 

Application Process

There are two different dental school application services, and although similar, both services have a different process and set of instructions. Here is information on these application services:

• AADSAS
  The Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) processes all dental school applications, except for Texas dental school applications. This one application will be sent to all the schools that you are applying to.
  • Dental Applicant Quick Guide
  • AADSAS Applicant Help Center

• TMDSAS
  The Texas Medical and Dental School Application Service (TMDSAS) processes medical and dental school applications for Texas schools.
  • TMDSAS Application Handbook

For both application services, we recommend reading the entire set of instructions before filling out an application. Bookmark the instructions on your computer and use them for reference as you are filling out your applications.

 

Choosing a School

BYU applicants apply to an average of 10-14 schools. We suggest applying to a couple of dream schools, a few schools where you sit on the average, and then a couple of back-up schools where you are likely to be accepted. If you don’t know which schools to apply to, check the ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools, which lists dental schools and their specific requirements. The guide is available in the BYU Pre-Professional Advisement Center and is on Course Reserve in the library under StDev 229 or 439.

Your official DAT scores will be transmitted to the dental schools you have selected on the DAT application. Both AADSAS and TMDSAS dental schools are included. The scores will be available directly to the schools through the application services. To send scores to additional schools you did not initially select on the DAT application, you will need to submit a Request Score Report and $25.

 

Predental Club

The BYU Predental Club aims to prepare students to become excellent dental school applicants by providing education opportunities, rendering service to the community, and gaining exposure to the dental field. You can learn more about the Predental Club and join here.

 

Pre-Professional Advisement Center

The BYU Pre-Professional Advisment Center has resources for predental students. They assist students in planning necessary classes and preparing for the DAT. Additionally, they counsel students about specifics such as shadowing a dentist, assisting in scientific research, performing community service, obtaining letters of recommendation, and being involved in any other extracurricular activities that will improve students' chances of gaining admission to dental school. They are available to all students, regartless of major, and they invite you to meet with their advisors so they can guide you through your undergraduate experience. 

Visit the Pre-Professional Advisment Center's predental webpage to see a list of helpful handouts and resources.

 

STDEV 271: Preview of Dentistry

The university offers a course to help students who are interested in pursuing dentistry. The course is called STDEV 271: Preview of Dentistry. In the course, students receive lectures from dental professionals and learn about the application process and how to boost their applications. You can learn more about this class in the Undergraduate Catalog.

 

*The information in this section was adapted from the BYU Pre-Professional Advisement website.

It seems you are interested in a graduate program that is not represented in this Roadmap. Depending on the popularity of the program you entered in the "Other" field, we may add a section for your graduate program in the future.

For now, we recommend contacting the BYU Pre-Professional Advisement Center. You may set an appointment with the advisor that best matches your interests to discuss your personal graduate school plans. The Advisement Center can also help you workshop your personal statement and prepare for graduate school interviews. We strongly recommend that you take full advantage of all the resources available in this office.

We also recommend for you to look into the university course called STDEV 318: Graduate School Preparation: Practical Strategies for Becoming a More Competitive Applicant. In the course, students explore graduate school programs that match their career goals, learn personal branding skills to help them articulate their experiences on application materials, and practice interview skills. You can learn more about STDEV 318 in the Undergraduate Catalog.

 

Other Useful Links:

University Advisement General Graduate School Information

Graduate Programs in Economics

Graduate School in Other Disciplines