With less than a week left in the semester, for some seniors at Wichita State, graduate school may be in the plans. Here’s how the application process works at WSU:

The graduate school program will provide opportunities for students to study in more than 41 master’s and 12 doctoral programs. There is also one educational specialist and 20 certificate areas. There are two admission statuses — degree and non-degree — available to accommodate qualified students desiring to pursue graduate degrees.

Once a student is certain graduate school is something worth pursing, students are encouraged to apply online. There is a $50 application fee each time an application is submitted. Also, in some cases, students are required to submit a program application, too.

“You have to get your bachelor’s first,” graduate student Thomas Larney said. “Getting admitted to graduate school is based solely on how your grades are. That’s the biggest thing. You have to have at least a 3.0. The lower your grades are, the more letters of recommendations you’ll likely need.”

The minimum grade point average accepted is a 3.0 in the last 60 hours taken as an undergraduate.  

 “Applicants with a master’s degree or with completed graduate coursework must have at least a 3.25 grade point average, and no more than nine hours of background deficiencies in the desired field of graduate study,” the WSU website states. “Some programs may require higher grade point averages and additional admission credentials.”

For students looking into graduate school, it is important to finish the semester strong, because the standards are high. Remember the $50 fee every time you apply, so get it right the first time.