2018.09.10海外大学院留学のよくある誤解

It's becoming increasingly popular to pursue education beyond the regular 4-year bachelor's degree. I, myself, have dabbled in the idea and so have several of our clients at Ryugaku Journal. But there seems to be a few misconceptions about obtaining a Master's degree abroad. It may be harder than one thinks but possible with the right support.

First of all, what would you like to study? If you are on the fence between different majors, especially if they are wildly different, then you may not be ready to apply for a Master's degree. Postgraduate education is to advance your knowledge on a subject that you have already excelled in, so think about what experiences and knowledge you have that you want to further and we can help you find a school that fits you.

But let's say that you know exactly what you want to study, it's connected to your undergraduate study, and you have lots of experience. Well, the next step is to look at your English. If you are having trouble reading this so far, heads up, you may not be ready to study for an advanced degree in an English-speaking country. Having proficiency in English is a base requirement to tell you whether you can apply to a program or not. But don't fret! There are some options and pathways to prepare your English.

Are you still with me? If you've made it past the base English requirement, we can move up to the actual degree program requirements! We are talking GPA, GRE/GMAT, CV, references, essays to name a few. Of course, what is necessary depends on the program but those are the usual suspects. GPA minimums usually start from a 3.0 （US）, whereas most programs don't specify a GRE/GMAT minimum but that doesn't mean they don't have an unwritten minimum. The best Graduate schools are looking for the best students and their requirements reflect that.

To say I've barely scratched the surface is not at all an understatement. It's a lot to take in, right? A bit overwhelming? Well, you don't have to do it alone! That's what we are here for. We here at Ryugaku Journal have the tools and experience to help you succeed and pursue further education.