Research Resources for Graduate and Professional Study in the Arts & Sciences
Find Useful Books
Use the Library Catalog to find books, videos and other resources available at the Center for Work and Service Library and other Wellesley College Libraries.
Subjects to try include: Universities and colleges Graduate work; [the subject area you are interested in, such as Psychology] plus Study and teaching (Graduate); Universities and colleges United States Graduate work Directories. Also try keywords, such as graduate and admissions.
Researching Schools and Preparing your Application
- BrainTrack Over 7700 links to higher ed institutions in 192 countries.
- The British Council-USA describes how to get a graduate degree in the UK.
- The Council of Graduate Schools offers general resources on going to grad school, financial aid, and an inexpensive guide called "Graduate School and You."
- GradSchools.com is produced by Educational Directories Unlimited and includes a mix of free information and paid advertisements.
- Taking the GRE? The official Educational Testing Service site has all of the details on taking the Graduate Record Examination general exam and subject tests, plus free practice tests.
- Petersons.com let's you explore accredited programs in Canada and the US, and work on application and essay skills.
- StudyAbroad.com provides information on both graduate short-term study abroad and graduate full-degree programs.
Researching prospective advisors
- Departmental Web sites generally list faculty research interests, publications and grants.
- A campus visit is essential; e-mail is a good way to begin preliminary conversations. Asking for reprints is routine and even flattering in scholarly circles.
- Check Dissertation AbstractsWC for the skinny on your professor's graduate research.
- To get an idea of other recent publications, if they aren't listed on the professor's Web site, choose the appropriate subject/field from our list, and use the "Find articles and essays" section.
To find articles on particular schools or fields of study, try:
- Expanded Academic Index WC 1980+.
Find scholarly and popular articles, most with full-text available. - LexisNexis
Academic WC 1980's+.
Full-text articles from wire services and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Tip: Choose "Guided News Search," then News Category "University News."
Selected resources in the CWS library include:
- Applying to Grad School in the Arts and Sciences. GS/45. Wellesley College Center for Work and Service, September 19, 2002. Videotaped presentation of panelists discussing the graduate school application process: decision-making, procedures, the GRE, essays, and requesting letters of recommendation.
- Educational Rankings Annual. LB2331.63 .E34. Gale Research Inc., annual. Ranks educational institutions (graduate and undergraduate) in 1500 different categories. Rankings have been compiled from a variety of cited sources. In addition to rating institutions and departments, categories include faculty reputation, library facilities, alumni achievement, faculty salaries, etc.
- Graduate Admission Essays - What Works, What Doesn't and Why. LB2366.2 .A84. Donald Asher. Ten Speed Press, 2000. In addition to suggestions on writing an essay for admission to graduate school (with samples), the author presents an overview of the entire process, including choice of schools and how to evaluate them, financial aid sources, and letters of recommendation.
- How to Write a Winning Personal Statement. LB2351.52.U6 S74 . Richard J. Stelzer. Peterson's Guides, 1997. Hints on writing the graduate school essay include information on the opening paragraph, reviewing personal history, what not to include, and summary. There is special information on essays for business school, medical school, and law school and also samples of essays and tips from admissions officers of specific schools.
To finance it all, see Research Resources for Fellowships/Scholarships/Loans
Access to Resources
WC = Wellesley College users only.