Planning for Graduate and Professional School

The process that results in admission as an undergraduate to Stanford differs significantly from graduate and professional school preparation. Advanced planning allows students to follow a highly individualized path to graduate and professional school that grows out of their intellectual interests.

If you are interested in a research PhD, a degree in law, business, medicine or education, meet with faculty mentors, advisors, academic directors, and advising staff. Those with expertise in your field can help you create an academic plan that supports your interests and goals. Consult with them early and often.

Steps for Planning for Graduate and Professional School

  • Consult UAR Planning for Graduate School Printables for complete information on how to prepare and apply to graduate, business, education, medical and law school. These documents provide the following:
    • Application and testing instructions and support
    • Descriptions of the degrees available in your field or future profession
    • Application timelines
    • Testing requirements and preparation for the GRE, GMAT, MCAT, LSAT, among others
    • Tips on writing applications and how to arrange for a review of written portions
    • Student professional groups and email lists
    • Curricular requirements
    • Desirable extracurricular experiences, including shadowing opportunities
    • Advice on whether to take time off
    • Questions to ask faculty
    • Questions to ask graduate, law, business, education and medical students at Stanford and prospective schools
    • Preparation for interviews
    • Financing and fellowships
    • Other resources

Browse the Printables.

  • Plan Ahead. You can create a path to graduate or professional school that is uniquely your own and allows you to explore opportunities at Stanford. Consult with UAR advisors to ensure that you are aware of your options, the benefits and costs, curricular requirements, extracurricular research and exploration, and timelines.
  • Avoid ranking services. Match your interests to faculty interests or school features instead. Rankings can’t convey which school is right for you.
  • Consult people in the field and in programs that interest you. Talk with faculty, graduate or professional students and postdoctoral students in your future field or profession. School websites often list student names and contact information. In most departments undergraduate advising has a list of graduate students who are willing to answer questions about graduate school. 
  • Cultivate and maintain faculty relationships. Faculty are the best conduit of information about specific programs. They also write the letters of recommendation that tell schools about you. The best letters grow out of well-tended relationships anchored in shared interests.
  • Participate in research and / or Honors in your field. Undertaking Honors projects in the humanities, sciences, engineering or a senior project in the arts, provides exposure to the graduate experience. This can include close work with faculty and awareness of the research frontier (and methods) in your field.
  • Participate in an internship or shadowing programs if you are interested in the health professions, law, business, or education.
  • Consider funding options. Consult with UAR advisors for information on how to pay for graduate or professional school.
  • Create a testing schedule. Students need to develop individualized study plans based on their experience with standardized tests and familiarity with required curriculum. The timing of their decision and whether they wish to take advantage of commercial preparation courses also might affect their plans. Since testing requirements can vary, students must consult the guidelines for each school and fellowship competition.
  • Use the Resources available to you through Undergraduate Advising. From printables to personal consultations, the UAR offers a variety of resources specially designed to help students interested in planning for Graduate and Professional School. Visit Undergraduate Advising and Research in Sweet Hall or explore the online resources.

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Planning for Business School

Students interested in business school can think of it as a way to develop effective leadership capabilities in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Many people move back and forth between both sectors during the course of their careers. Students have a great deal of flexibility with designing academic plans that prepare them for business school.

  • Most business schools welcome all majors, so pursue something that you find intellectually exciting.
  • Consider taking at least one calculus course (many schools prefer a year of math). Also consider classes in economics, computer science, statistics or organizational behavior (psychology or sociology).
  • Consider taking time off to work in the business or nonprofit sectors. Most MBA students spent two to five years working before attending business school.
  • Join the Stanford Prebusiness Association, a group of more than 500 undergraduates interested in business. The club sponsors activities and services designed to expose its members to various aspects of the business world.
  • Consult UAR advisors.
  • Download the UAR Printable on Business School Advising and Resources

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Planning for an Advanced Degree in Education

  • Schools of Education offer several different kinds of graduate programs. These cover credentialing programs, master’s in administration or policy, practitioners advanced degrees in EdD and doctorate degrees in advanced research.
  • Students pursuing education degrees must take several admissions tests, depending on the degree program they’ve selected. Students should plan on taking the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) near the end of their junior year.
  • Credentialing programs do test for knowledge of specific disciplines and students are free to pursue whichever major truly interests them.
  • Students interested in education can participate in the undergraduate Honors program offered by the Stanford School of Education. Interested students should contact the Director of the Education Honors Program:
  • Consult UAR advisors.
  • Download the UAR Printable on Education Graduate School (PDF).

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Planning for Law School

  • There is no "pre-law" track at Stanford. Most law schools welcome all majors, so pursue something that you find intellectually exciting.  As long as your major requires you to write well and to develop critical thinking, you can become a strong applicant. To learn more about your options  
    • Consult advisors
    • Develop intellectual projects and interests in specific areas. 
    • Consider shadowing lawyers in different fields of law.


  • Law schools consider the following criteria:

• Undergraduate GPA
• LSAT score
• Undergraduate course of study
• Graduate Work
• College attended
• Improvement in grades
• College curricular and extracurricular activities
• Ethnic/racial background
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement or essay
• Work experience or other postgraduate experiences
• Community activities
• Difficulties (financial, personal, physical) overcome
• Proven leadership
• Each student's unique character and background

  • The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is designed to measure skills considered essential for success in law school. Take practice tests and meet with a UAR advisor to discuss strategies for preparing. If you plan to take some time off, you can take the LSAT in February (or later) of your senior year. If you plan law school immediately following your graduation from Stanford, you should take the test no later than December of your senior year. 
    •  
  • Download (PDF) the Printables for up-to-date advice, instructions and timelines for applying to Law School

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Planning for Medical School

  • There is no "pre-med" track at Stanford.  Medical Schools publish requirements annually and UAR advisors help you to determine how and when you will complete those requirements.  (For a complete and updated list, download the PDF below).  Students have several options as they plan for medical school but it is critical that students consult advisors to understand the effects of each choice:
    • Major in Bio or HumBio
    • Select another major in the humanities or sciences that will still allow you to complete the requirements in four years
    • Take classes or specially designed summer programs that help you to complete requirements while maximizing your flexibility at Stanford
    • Select a post-baccalaureate program designed to allow students to pursue the BA they desire and subsequently complete medical school requirements.  Some of the programs target students who wish to improve their performance.
  • Successful applicants usually have clinical experience.  Students can find more information about shadowing opportunities at
  • Many schools now require a quarter of biochemistry. Advanced coursework in biology (such as molecular biology and genetics) is highly recommended.
  • Students especially interested in research and/or academic medicine will want to consider MD/Ph.D. programs and explore research opportunities early in their undergraduate years.
  • Consult advisors:
    • if you are considering a switch from the Biology core to the Human Biology core or vice versa, in case you miss material covered on the MCAT.
    • to learn how Stanford chemistry classes satisfy requirements and whether to complete chemistry requirements elsewhere.
    • to find out whether your AP units in Math and Physics will translate into the most compelling application. Medical Schools do not view AP credit consistently and advisors can explain why students might need to take courses at Stanford.
  • The MCAT is a required test that should be taken after students have completed pre-medical requirements, with the exception of the labs.
    • MCAT Access and Preparation. As of 2007, the MCAT will be computer-based and offered on 19 dates during the calendar year. Visit the link below to learn about registration, practice tests and content
    • Essential coursework:
      • Chemistry 31 or 32, 33, 35, and 131
      • Biology 41, 42, 43 OR Hum Bio 2A, 3A, 4A
      • Physics 21, 23, 25 OR Physics 51, 53, 55
    • Timeline.  Prepare during winter quarter for spring MCAT's.  There are some summer testing dates but students will want to complete the MCAT by early August.
  • Download (PDF) the UAR Printable on preparing for and applying to Medical School and other programs in the health professions.

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Planning for a Masters or PhD in the Humanities, Arts, Sciences or Engineering

  • Students who pursue graduate school can opt for two very different kinds of degrees:
    • credentialing degrees - advanced coursework that allows students to gain specialized knowledge
    • research degrees - require the creation knowledge that contributes to specialized fields
  • The best advice for students pursuing research degrees will come from faculty, postdocs, graduate students within their field. 
  • Explore research early.  At Stanford, opportunities exist in all fields - arts, science, engineering, humanities, social science
  • The Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Some graduate programs require both the general and "subject" tests.  For fall and winter applications, take the GRE during the preceding spring and summer.  Note that some fellowship opportunities require the reporting of scores in early October. Information on including testing dates, registration, preparation and content is available at the GRE website:
  • Most research programs offer competitive students multiple forms of financial support, including fellowships and teaching and research assistantships.
  • Many fellowship opportunities exist for students who pursue graduate school. 
  • Consult UAR advisors as you identify programs and develop applications.
  • Download the UAR Printable on preparing for and applying to graduate school.

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Other Resources for Graduate and Professional School Planning

  • Individual consultations with academic advisors at UAR.  Academic advisors can help you with the following:
    • Find the right degree program for you
    • Identify faculty and graduate students to talk with
    • Plan academic preparations
    • Learn about the application process
    • Learn about financial support and fellowships
    • Discuss your options
  • The UAR library.  Visit the UAR library on the first floor of Sweet Hall for access to useful resources and the following:
    • Program catalogs
    • Surveys of alumni currently in graduate school and professional schools
    • Summer program announcements
    • Samples of effective applications
  • Quarterly workshops and panels.  UAR hosts periodic workshops designed to provide the following:
    • Detailed explanations of application processes
    • General discussions on how to find your way, work with faculty and identify Stanford resources
    • Instruction about how to write applications

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