omg, i'm freaking out about grad school

okay, i am 21 and graduate from college this year with a BA in anthropology and a BA in philosophy. I am currently planning on going into anthropology in grad school, but i'm so confused as to what to do and how to find the right grad school for me, and if i'll be able to handle it. i know i'm smart, i have a 3.86 GPA, but i'm just worried, i have no idea what grad school is like, i hear its all mostly research, and i've never done that before.

I'm already signed up for my GREs and stuff, i just am not sure about how to find the right grad school and if i can hack it.

I'm also scared of moving away and being alone.

right now i'm only 5 hours from home, so if i really needed to go there i could.

idk, i guess i just need to hear from someone whose been through it that its normal to freak out a little. i'm worried i'll end up in a program i hate.

also, should i apply right for my PhD, or get my MA first?

You're in the US right?  I think MA/PhD are looked at different there than they are in Canada/UK.  If my friends inform me correctly the former isn't nearly as respected as the later.  If you can get a PhD - go for it.

Everyone needs to get out on their own.  Take it slow in wherever you end up.  Don't party too much ;), don't jump into really serious relationships.  Find your footing and before you know it.  It'll be like you've lived there. 

I do plan to get my PhD, i just am not sure if i need a MA first.

and i dont really party at all, and i'm already in a serious relationship.

And the everyone needs to go out on their own thing....i'm okay with being on my own, just being like, 6 states away and all alone is very scary to me.

Hey Poly!  Congrats on the grad school decision!! Even that is awesome... although I know the process can be intimidating!!  I'm FINALLY nearing the end of my doctoral program in clinical psychology.  As far as picking a school... you just need to look for a program that has what you want!  You can factor location into that and probably still find something close to home!

The MA or PhD thing is relatively simple to decide as well.  I don't know much about anthropology in particular, but many doctoral programs allow you to pick up the master's along the way.  You should factor in if doing the MA first is going to effect how many years you are in school (trust me it gets long eventually!!!)  You also have a better chance of getting a job in the field with an MA while you go on to pursue the doctorate.  You should also look at other "field" experience in both programs.  For instance in mine you get an extra practicum in if you do the MA first and so more direct experience that later internships and jobs will look favorably upon.  

It's a big change in your life and of course scary!!  But just know it will all work out in the end!!!  Good luck to you and feel free to PM me if you'd like!!!

Start here:  Rankings for Anthro Programs
Hopefully that link will work.  If you've never done research before, and you apply to a research institution - I'd recommend going the MA/PhD route.  The masters program will help you get your research skills.  Plus, if you decide that grad school is not for you - you can stop at 2 years and have a masters to walk away with.  Don't just apply for the masters program though.  Most schools only offer full funding to students that make the long term commitment. 

Definitely visit the schools and departments.  Think about the research questions you're interested in and find faculty members that have similar interests.  Meet with them if you can.  At least email them.  Talk to the grad students at your school now to ask them about their experiences. 

Think carefully about what you want to do when you finish college.  Does your ultimate goal / carreer require a PhD?  If you just go for the masters, what kind of job market can you expect?  These are all important questions to ask. 

I picked my school based on a few key factors:  it's national ranking for my department, the faculty, and the funding. 

Thanks so much trvlta00, and congrats on finishing up your PhD program!

I guess i'm on the right track then, i'm really just searching and crossing my fingers.

sometimes i have a hard time focusing on the big picture.

thanks again

sry pyxyz, you posted when i was, so i thank you too.

i think the PhD route is where i'm going to go, because i know i will need one.

The big thing about your post that caught my eye is that you haven't done any research with a BA in Anthro.  How on Earth did you manage that with a 3.86 GPA?!  Anthropology is the den of those British pith-helmet-ed guys; why weren't you out there with them?

Father has two Masters and a PhD in Botany.  Says his biggest regret is not going straight for the PhD.

That said, you know what you do with a PhD...you teach.  Those who can't do... :>  That's why I have my MPPA (that's right, UMass stuck an extra P in there.  Makes me that much more better having that extra P...sort of like Brak's Poo Poo Poo Platter...).  I like doing rather than sitting in an ivory tower publishing articles that are most likely not based upon anything in reality (you should hear the groans when a university researcher comes into our office to bestow their so-called "knowledge").

But then again, you're in ANTHRO, for crying out loud.  You'd hopefully be running around with the natives chowing down on some grubs in yer pith helmet.  Speak to someone in your field about what the nature of the graduate degrees is.  Is the Masters like Botany, where my father thinks it was a waste of time?  Or, is it like my MPPA, which got me my cushy save-the-world job and if I went onto a PhD, I'd just regret it since I'd be slaving for a university trying to get a tenure position and guess what?  In the US, those are getting harder and harder to come by.  Yowser.

Also, why would you be needed at home?  If you are truly needed at home for whatever, then you should stay nearby.  However, if you're just worried that you'll be needed someday for some unknown reason, like pigs sprouting wings and attacking dear ol' mum and dad, don't worry about it so much.

Speaking of which, my mother worked at Yellowstone for a summer...biggest regret of her life is bolting from there mid-summer by feeling guilty for her parents.  It was more out of her irrational guilt than her parents' need and voila!  She now has a big ol' regret!

So...good luck.  All I can say is that Bachelor degrees are a dime-a-dozen so go to grad school no matter what you do.  Unless you decide to go into business, where apparently you just need to be savvy...there was a recent article in the NY Times about that...

Well, it definitely helps to have PhD. But why do you want it? Do you want to go into a research? But you haven't done it?

I'm sure every department offers classes such as independent studies so that you can do your own research under faculty supervision. Or, if you have a favorite professor - it's okay if you don't, just find one that you share academic interest with - and ask if you can be a research assisstant. My bf is going for his MA and did research. However, his research wasn't what he thought it was gonna be and he really didn't have fun. So make sure that you DO want to do research if you are applying to institution that mainly focuses on research. Usually, MA programs offer choices - MA by thesis or just by taking grad courses.

But really, the important thing here is why you want to go to grad school and what do you want to do with your majors.

-Lemon Jello

Good luck!
One other thing - you'll be working with a faculty member.  Typically, one of the faculty members has to agree to work with you to be accepted into a program.  That's why I say you should contact them so when your applications comes across their desk they will recognize your name. 

Another thing, if you find a faculty member you'd like to work with - contact their current students and ask them some questions. 

"I'd like to apply to your program, and I see you're working with Dr. Blah Blah Blah - I'm interested in his research on blah blah blah.  What's he/she like to work with?" 

You might find that that particular faculty member is difficult to work with, or never around, or the most supportive mentor in the world!  It helps to know these things ahead of time. 

What surprises me in your post is that you don't seem to know anything about grad school and yet you have decided to go in that direction. Why? Why do you want to go to grad school of you don't know what it is about in more detail? Choosing grad school because you don't know what else to do or because someone told you you should go for it because you're smart is not the best way to start. It takes a lot of efforts and work, long working hours usually, and that's not something you'll enjoy if it's not really what you want. Do more research about grad school, about the different schools, perhaps contact grad students in the school you're interested in to know what it's like, and then decide if that's what you want.

wow, i guess i didnt expect people to be so negative, i was just looking for help. 

I'm a grad student.

Grad school isn't something you should do to kill a few years. I'm doing it to advance my career, and so far I feel like I'm accomplishing that, even though I'm making many sacrifices in the short term.

I think part of the reason you're seeing so much negativity is because it sounds like you really have no idea what grad school is about, yet are committing yourself to it anyway. 

I agree with dm84.

My brother is applying now to grad shool.  The kid never (and I mean never) had below a 4.0 in all of his shooling.  He has a BA in Philosophy and will be graduating in the sprint with a BA n Biology with a Chemistry minor.

He took the GRE's a few weeks ago.  

...and called me close to tears that afternoon.  My brother is extremely intelligent, but left in the middle of the test because he was starting to guess at his answers.  My only advice to you is...prepare yourself for the GRE's.  My brother with two BA degrees and also studied for a month before the GRE's had a difficult time, and this kid tests really really well.  So, if you can, try and take a GRE class, and study study for it.  From what he's said and what I understand, a lot of weight is put into those tests.  (Although, I'm not sure if it's the school you go to, he's applying to Harvard, Yale, Umass Medical and another school in NY I think...maybe it depends on the school.) 

Depending on the program you are applying for, the GREs have all but lost relevancy nowadays. For some a good score is important, for others, doing poorly means nothing.

Even if your brother bombed the GREs, his 4.0 would stand out. Although he did choose to apply to really hard schools, so that does increase the need for a good GRE score.

If my admission to grad school was based solely on GREs, I would not be in grad school right now. Grades and letters of recommendation are extremely important. 

Okay....I've talked to him over the past couple of weeks and his first choice is Umass Medical.  He's got SHINING letters of recommendation from all of his professors and is currently volunteering in research studies at UMass to aide in his chance at getting in.  However, is professors stressed that UMass (again, I wasn't sure if it was the school or all schools) heavily weighs on GREs especially for their Med programs.

Not sure about anthropology polythelenepam, but thanks DM for the info.  

..he's also a perfectionist.  If he can't get a perfect score, it's not good enough. so...I'm sure that's why he backed out of the GRE last time he took it.  He's hoping to get a perfect score on that test. 

Usually you take the MCATs for medical school, not the GRE.

He's giong to UMass Medical...for Biology and something with Human Genes...but it's not necessarily to be a doctor.  The GRE's are sufficient for what he's looking to do.

Hey there, Poly!

First let me just say congrats on your decision to go to grad school- and NICE WORK on your awesome GPA. With that kind of GPA, something tells me that you would handle grad school very well.

I am a third year law student (in my last year!), and I did pretty well in college. I will say that it was quite an adjustment to go from college to law school, as my study habits DEFINITELY needed some fine-tuning. That said, it has been a good experience and I am glad that I made the decision to go to grad school. I will say a prayer for you that you are led in the right direction! :)

polythelenepam, I was not expressing negativity but rather concern. Sorry if you took it that way. You just should be aware of what you're getting into. I went through grad school, I am glad I did and, because I've done it, I know it is not something to do kill time, as dm84 said. You are going to invest several years of your life and make lots of sacrifices. Grad school requires a lot of motivation and to love the work you're going to do. It is therefore not something to jump into without doing a minimum of research first. Grad school is about research, so that would be a good thing to learn to do anyway.