As a senior this year at the University of Maine who is looking to go to chiropractic school I have understand that it can be incredibly stressful and really hard to deal with. I have learned so many different ways to keep stress levels down, get what you want and keep yourself happy.
1. Research… Research…. RESEARCH!
GiphyWhen picking schools for whatever you want to go into whether it be chiropractic school, psychology, or even medical school. I think the most important thing is to make sure you do ALL your research. There are millions of schools out there and if you don't do the research you could miss the school for you.
Take one of my best friends, for instance, he was looking at graduate schools and completely overlooked one in Nebraska because of its location. I mean honestly, what is there in Nebraska? Turns out the school that has 100% of the things he was looking for. But he never would have known if he didn't go back through and do more research.
2. Talk to people
GiphyI have found that the best way to learn about graduate school, the application process, the lifestyle, the class literally anything is to talk to a current student or an alumni and even sometimes a professor. Yes that seems super intimidating, why would they give you the time of day? The answer is because they love their school.
I find that graduate college is rather different than undergraduate college in the sense that the people who are there genuinely want to be there unlike undergraduate where people go just to get a degree or because their parents did not give them the options. Plus current students are going to give you the truth, they have no obligation to "sell" the school to you. So ask any question you want (even if it seems silly).
Contact an adviser of the school and they will help.
3. Start early
GiphyThis kind of goes along with the other two, but start looking early. It is NEVER too early to start looking at graduate schools. Plus for the majority of graduate programs they recommend that you apply nine to twelve months PRIOR to your start date. That is like a complete year!!!
Starting early gives you the opportunity to a. Research b. Talk to people c. find what you're looking for and d. Visit the school (if you want). The process of starting early can be as simple as talking to your adviser about what you want to do and potential schools.
4. Study hard
GiphyYour junior and senior year tend to be two of the most important years in your undergraduate degree. Your classes get harder and you need to maintain an acceptable GPA. This could also be the time of year where you save your GPA if it fell in semesters prior.
If anyone has ever told you it is a lot harder to raise your GPA than it is to drop it, they're right but that doesn't mean it cannot be done. If you work hard, get everything done and ask for help (when needed) you are bound to get the GPA up or keep it where it is.
5. But remember to play just as hard
GiphyPeople tend to get so caught up in their academics that they forget to take time for themselves and enjoy their college career. Graduate school is tough, and you are less likely to have time to "play" so enjoy your undergraduate career. Go out with your friends. Take time for yourself. If you spend all your time stressed about academics and getting into graduate schools, you are going to burn out real fast.
6. Take care of yourself
GiphyThis can be as simple as making sure you're eating right, exercising, and sleeping. I get that constantly going to the gym is not for everything. But keeping your body active or doing something to relieve stress will make all the difference, trust me.
It is important to take care of yourself and relieve stress because your body is not able to handle it. You become at a higher risk of becoming sick once the stress decreases because your body is exhausted from trying to cope with constant stress. So take the extra few minutes a day to do something for yourself even if it is just ten minutes.
7. ASK FOR HELP
GiphyI can't even begin to express how important this is. I know when sitting in a big lecture hall of 300 other students you might not want to raise your hand and ask a question when lost. But when it comes to deciding where to go to school, raise your hand and be the kid who asks a million questions. It is better to know the answer than pick a school and end up hating it. Contact the admissions team, ask your adviser, or look it up on the website, there is an answer to every question.
8. Plan
GiphyGraduate schools are EXTREMELY expensive and they all have application fees and need test scores and most need a pre-entrance test such as the GREs. All of these are expensive. Plan ahead. Make a budget and a budget estimate for how much you need to spend pre-enrollment and another for post enrollment FOR EACH SCHOOL.
I also highly recommend talking to the financial aid offices and a financial adviser who will help you understand all of your bills, finances and plan a way to cover everything (especially if you're like me and don't know much financial accounting/planning knowledge.)
Graduate schools help shape your entire career and it is important to understand EXACTLY what you are getting yourself into financially, academically, and emotionally. Picking a school can be terrifying, the application process can be worse but in the end it will all be worth it as long as you remember these tips.
