ST. THOMAS—How many notices or posters urge students to inquire at the university student Career Services or Center for Student Success about getting a master’s or even a doctoral degree?  None.

Informational sessions are critical for students who are passionate about education and learning.

Tamah Henley, a senior, English major, said, “I think that some kind of information should be posted, yes. We are a university of higher education…. The flyers that I have seen around campus are for National Student Exchange Program. I have not seen any posters about graduate school.”

Information on graduate schools could lead students at the University of the Virgin Islands to branch out and seek higher education. One can succeed with the right guidance, but with no one to come to with questions and concerns, students tend to forget about it or struggle with the huge burden of preparing for graduate school by themselves.

It is alarming that a university of higher learning claiming to put “students first” is not doing much to propel senior college students and college graduates towards a master’s or doctoral degree.

“I believe that having informational sessions would be very beneficial because I am interested in graduate school,” said Leslyn Tonge, a senior, communications major. “Besides the little stuff that I pick up from my fellow classmates talking about their progress and the information online, I have nothing at UVI.”

Furthermore, there are neither informational sessions about the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) nor an explanation of how they can help gauge our ability to succeed in graduate school and how they can also help with gaining financial aid, like fellowships.

In fact, knowledge of the GRE is critical for students considering graduate school because it is a measure of whether graduating seniors have succeeded at the bachelor’s level and have sufficient mastery to continue to the next level.

The university needs to cater to student needs beyond the bachelor’s degree and push them forward to further their education so that the students, the university, and ultimately the economy can benefit from a more educated population.

The lack of significant information about continuing in higher education needs to be corrected if the university wants to attract and produce quality university graduates. The university must understand that information is a way of life.  Information about applying and getting into graduate school is priceless for students, whether they know it or not.

“There should be something in place,” said Tonge. “Just like they have freshman development classes, there should be a senior development course, something to prepare us for what’s out there.”