Financing Graduate School

        If you are considering graduate school, you should be commended. An advanced
degree can open up a number of doors to you. However, universities are aware that
there is considerable expense associated with graduate school, and that unfortunate
reality is inevitable. You should realize before you move ahead that money will be tight
and college bills will accrue - there is little that can be done about that.

        As depressing as that sounds, there are some pieces of advice that we can offer.
They may not be worth a semester's tuition, but they may help to assuage some of the
fear about money you may be feeling.

        1.YOUR GPA CAN MAKE YOU MONEY. If you have an
undergraduate GPA of > 3.4, you may be in luck at ASU. With this
GPA, you are automatically considered for a Carr Graduate Scholarship.
If you are awarded $1,000 or more, you qualify for in-state tuition. The
Carr award can be as high as $2,000 for qualified applicants. There is
one catch: this offer is contingent on available funding. Therefore, it is
in your best interests to apply to our program as soon as you can; our
early-bird deadline (FEB 1) is usually a good benchmark.

        2. APPLY FOR ASSISTANTSHIPS. Visit this page for information on the assistantship
application and award process. You can't get one unless you apply, so don't sell yourself short!
Don't be discouraged if you are not offered an assistantship on admission; it is possible to get
one later.

        3. Be willing to work while you are in school. Several of our students have worked part-
or full-time while they completed their degrees. Though it requires considerable self-regulation
and some late nights, students who are "graduate-school capable" are often able to carry the
load. NOTE: If you are a GA or TA, it is not possible to hold another job.

        4. Student loans are the cheapest money you can buy. Student loan bills as high as $50K
can usually be paid back on an extended consolidation schedule (assuming your credit is decent)
such that the monthly payment is less than $325. Try buying a $50K automobile for that! Given
that starting salaries in I-O psychology can reach $50-60K, the payments are not really that bad.

        5. You can live on $800-1000 per month. It may not be a barrel of laughs all the time, but
San Angelo is a very affordable city and students have completed their education here making
not much more than that.

        So what's the bottom line? Graduate school should be considered an investment in your future,
and all good investments will require some sacrifice. We know a lot of former students who would
consider that sacrifice very worthwhile.

        Please let us know if you have questions about financing your ASU education.