Grad Versus Undergrad: The Difference In Mindset And Experience

By Francine Fluetsch on September 15, 2016

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

*Note for reading: This is based on personal observation, and is by no means saying that every individual will have this same experience or fit into these categories.*

I’m only three weeks into my master’s program at Chapman University, and I have already seen a tremendous difference from what I experienced as an undergrad at UC Santa Cruz.

Sure, I knew there were going to be some changes, but I figured it was mostly going to pertain to what I was studying and mostly everything else would be the same, but this hasn’t been the case so far. And even though it’s only been a short time, I can honestly say that I prefer the grad student atmosphere, and here’s why:

Grad students seem more motivated.

This is by no means saying that undergrads aren’t motivated, but it gets to a whole new level when entering the grad school world. As an undergrad, I was surrounded by both motivated and unmotivated people, so if I didn’t fully finish a reading assignment or wasn’t quite into one of my classes, I could bond with the majority who felt the same way. As long as we were getting decent grades, we didn’t much care.

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In grad school, everyone is pushing towards a particular career that they will use their master’s degree for, so everyone is on their A game, and if you’re slacking, it’s not “cool” anymore, it’s unheard of. Why bother being there if you aren’t going to put in 100 percent effort? It’s a shock at first, but that push has really been helping me to strive to be my best self.

In grad school, you can get kicked out for getting a grade below a B, so good grades aren’t just desired, they are a must. Employers aren’t even going to look at your grad school transcripts, they mainly just care about the extra things you accomplished while achieving your second degree.

Because of this, grad students can’t fall behind in schoolwork, which is tricky because you are expected to do a lot outside the classroom to boost your CV and make it stand out from the rest, and also have to work to afford going to school.

Grad students have different priorities.

As an undergrad, your priorities consist of doing well in school, making some extra money to pay rent and bills, and to have fun with your friends. The college years are where you take spontaneous trips, go to parties, and always make sure that you are having a great time. Sometimes, school falls on the back-burner, and that’s okay. We all did it.

In grad school, I really noticed the shift in priorities. School and boosting your CV are at the top of everyone’s list. This isn’t to say that grad students can’t go get drinks after class or hang out with one another, but that tends to be a secondary matter.

We’ve gotten our party urges out during undergrad, so we now have the time to focus. Also, when choosing friends, grad students look for people who are going to help them through the program and who might be helpful later in life.

For creative writing, for example, I found a group of people who want to meet outside of class to work on writing together and motivate one another. We’ll still be hanging out, but school will also be in the mix.

The level of passion differs.

Many students in their undergrad are still trying to figure it all out. You might be in classes with students that are just testing the waters, or are just taking the class to fulfill a GE requirement, so you aren’t necessarily always surrounded by people who share the love in what you are studying and know what they want to do.

This is the great part of undergrad since you get to meet and mingle with people from different fields, but it can also feel lonely at times not having someone who shares your passion. You might find a handful, but in my experience, there really weren’t as many that I could bond with during my undergrad.

In grad school, everyone knows what they want. If you are going to take out more loans and take the time to go to school longer, you are doing it because you love it and you want to go far with it, and those are the people who are going to be in your classes. You’d think that would mean that you’d be competing with everyone, but most people (not saying all since there are still a few competitive people) genuinely want everyone to do well and want to support one another on the journey towards our shared dreams. It’s a wonderful feeling being around like-minded people, and I definitely feel a lot more motivated.

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You can also see this difference in what the professors are teaching. In undergrad, they give you a general overlook of your field so that you then get to choose where you want to concentrate, and in grad school, since you’ve already chosen your direct point of study, the professors are able to give you more advice for the real world and cater their teaching towards that.

Both experiences are going to change you for the better! If you’ve experienced both, do you agree with me that grad school is more enjoyable, or do you prefer undergrad? Leave your comments below!

Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.

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