Undergrad vs. Grad: The University Experience
Here are some of the biggest differences between student life while working towards a bachelor’s and master’s degree at IU…
As a grad student, you can say goodbye to random elective courses worth 1 or 2 credits. All your courses will be worth at least 3 credit hours and be directly related to your degree program, which means no more Gen-Eds! Because of this, you’ll be seeing a lot of the same people every day and every semester (either really good or terrible news depending). Also, as you're taking fewer courses, your professors will expect a lot more of you.
Class time in grad school can be similar to undergrad, depending on the professor, but it’s usually more discussion-based than lecture-based. Professors expect more prerequisite knowledge and want their students to lead the class discussion each day. In terms of homework, get ready to read and write…a lot! Gone are the days when you only had to post a paragraph on a canvas discussion page. Instead of many small assignments throughout the semester, most graduate-level courses will have a few large essays and/or projects dispersed throughout.
Because grad class sizes are smaller, it’s really obvious if you’re absent, so you should plan on attending class regularly. On a positive note, you’ll probably only have one or two classes each day, so there’s plenty of time to catch a nap or take that extra shift at work.
As an undergrad student, you’ll spend the majority–or all–of your time on campus. Gen-Ed requirements will take you to classes all over IU’s three major neighborhoods, and you’ll quickly learn the lay of the land. Graduate classes are pretty much exclusively within your school, so you won’t have as much opportunity to explore new buildings and see other parts of campus.
Another interesting difference you’ll see between undergrad and grad students is their style! In undergrad, 99% of the class will be wearing jeans and a t-shirt in any class you go to. Grad students opt for a slightly more professional look–some even going as far as wearing a suit every day. This was shocking to me until I realized grad students aren’t all fresh out of undergrad. I have people in my classes ranging from 22–40 years old. At some point, most of us will grow out of our jeans and t-shirt every day phase. Plus, dressing nice makes you feel like you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t!
There are so many things to adapt to when you start college for the first time, and if you’re considering continuing on to grad school, be ready to experience some of these changes.
