Deck 5: How Do Counseling Students Get the Most From Their Graduate Programs

Question 1

Graduate education differs from undergraduate study in which of the following way(s) _____

A) Difference in intensity
B) Difference in focus
C) Difference in peers
D) All of the above

Answer 1

All of the above

Question 2

Being intentional in graduate school means _____

A) Being inflexible - knowing what you need to do
B) Being a micromanager - controlling every aspect of your education
C) Being deliberate - thinking about how you want to approach your education
D) Being a multi-tasker - intentionally taking on many different projects at the same time

Answer 2

Being deliberate - thinking about how you want to approach your education

Question 3

Preparing your attitude is an important component of preparation for graduate work because _____

A) You must be open to new possibilities
B) You must be energetic and passionate about counseling
C) You must be comfortable with ambiguity
D) All of the above

Answer 3

All of the above

Question 4

An ideal spot for study has all of the following elements EXCEPT _____

A) Easy access to email and text messaging so you can talk with others about your progress
B) An ergonomically correct seating arrangement
C) Visual reminders of projects and deadlines
D) Room to spread out

Question 5

Which of the following most accurately reflects considerations about scheduling time for graduate school _____

A) Most students keep a full-time job during graduate school, since all graduate programs are set up to accommodate adult learners
B) Making accommodations for graduate study inevitably means putting everything else in life "on hold"
C) Choosing commitments and projects wisely and scheduling time for friends and family can help maintain a balance between school and life
D) All of the above

Question 6

When receiving feedback from others, it is most helpful if you can _____

A) Listen without interruptions or objections
B) Wait to write it down until later, so you can make eye contact
C) Respond to each piece of the feedback, rather than waiting for the entire message
D) Wait until other people seek you out to give you feedback, rather than seek it out

Question 7

Students from underrepresented groups may find that their graduate programs lack diversity among the students and faculty. Which of these strategies has been recommended to help minority students be successful in graduate school? _____

A) Reach out to other minority students and faculty, even if you have to go outside your department to do so
B) Whenever possible, try to speak as a representative from your underrepresented group, making sure that you get the "voice" from that group heard in the class discussion
C) Remember that taking on a lot of responsibilities is important to demonstrate to others that people from your underrepresented group are capable
D) All of the above

Question 8

When reading a textbook for a class assignment, it is most important to _____

A) Make copious notes of all the dates and facts, since you never know what you will be tested on
B) Use a highlighter to highlight all important sections and paragraphs in the reading
C) Just read for the main ideas of the text, since graduate textbooks are intended only as reference material
D) Know what is expected of you in each class and the type of learning the professor expects you to get from the reading

Question 9

Feedback given to others is most helpful when it _____

A) Is evaluative rather than descriptive
B) Is general rather than specific
C) Is directed at a behavior the receiver can do something about
D) Is imposed rather than solicited

Question 10

The "3 P's of Receiving Feedback" include all of the following EXCEPT _____

A) Agree in Part (find a part of the feedback that you can accept)
B) Agree to be Professional (adopt a professional demeanor when receiving feedback)
C) Agree to Probability (decide what to what degree you agree with the feedback)
D) Agree in Principle (agree to the underlying principle that you share)

Question 11

An elevator speech is _____

A) A short talk about your research and practice interests, future goals (named after the kind of speech you could give someone you shared an elevator ride with)
B) A speech that tells people how your career path is rising (named after the trajectory of an elevator)
C) A speech that demonstrates that you are good in a crisis (named after a famous incident where a graduate student stuck in an elevator was able to help someone though a panic attack)
D) A speech about elevators

Question 12

Which of the following statements is/are true of graduate students and graduate education? _____

A) Some of the study strategies from undergraduate education (e.g., memorizing large amounts of data) are less applicable to graduate studies
B) Graduate students who have found that academic work always came easily to them in the past may find it particularly hard to motivate themselves when faced with the challenges of graduate school
C) Even successful students can benefit from learning enhanced study skills
D) All of the above

Question 13

Dressing appropriately for classroom attendance _____

A) Is unnecessary, since it is only how a counselor dresses when s/he is interacting with clients that is really important
B) Means wearing business formal attire at every class meeting
C) Conveys a level of professional commitment, understanding, and maturity
D) Is unnecessary, since the classroom is only about learning the material presented

Question 14

Research shows that therapists who have participated in their own counseling at some point in their careers typically have _____

A) More "therapeutic blind spots," since they are typically worried about bringing their own issues into the counseling session with their clients
B) A better understanding of their own interpersonal functioning
C) A decrease in their belief in their ability to do counseling, since they have a better understanding of the complexity of the process
D) All of the above

Question 15

Topic areas on a Curriculum Vitae (CV) typically include all of the following EXCEPT _____

A) Education
B) Licensure or Certification
C) Hobbies & Interests
D) Publications and Presentations

Question 16

The "self-directed" learning that occurs during graduate school typically involves _____

A) Following all of the details and expectations laid out by the instructor, since s/he is the expert
B) Waiting for clear guidelines on all of your projects and activities
C) Taking more responsibility for your own learning
D) Figuring things out on your own, since solitary learning is a hallmark of adult education

Question 17

When reading material for graduate courses, all of the following strategies have been demonstrated to be effective, EXCEPT _____

A) Pay particular attention to the introduction and summaries, as these often contain important summaries or highlight important parts
B) Take notes on the reading, writing important points or reactions to the topic in the margins
C) Use multicolored tabs or highlighters to make important points easier to find for review
D) Wait until after class to read the material, as the instructor will point out important information that you should pay attention to in the reading

Question 18

The style of professional writing that is used in the field of counseling is _____

A) APA style (American Psychological Association)
B) AMA style (American Medical Association)
C) MLA style (Modern Language Association)
D) Chicago style (Chicago Manual of Style)

Question 19

Students who are passive learners, sitting quietly and taking notes in class _____

A) Can be perceived by faculty as disinterested or disengaged
B) Deprive other students of their insights and perspectives
C) Miss out on the opportunity to test out their ideas in a public forum
D) All of the above

Question 20

Events and opportunities that are available, but not required, for graduate students _____

A) Are voluntary. Therefore, faculty do not have any expectation that students will attend
B) Are distracting from the real work of graduate school, which occurs in the classroom
C) Represent the hidden curriculum, and are often opportunities to enhance a student's professional development
D) All of the above

Question 21

Graduate school is an extension of undergraduate training. Although the work is harder, the rest of the experience remains essentially the same.

Question 22

Planning with intentionality the type of student you wish to be in graduate school means consciously building on your academic strengths and developing strategies to overcome your weak spots.

Question 23

Preparing your family and friends for what to expect can be an effective strategy to enhance your success in graduate school.

Question 24

The majority of college graduates are not proficient at reading graduate-level material, such as lengthy, complex, abstract texts.

Question 25

Selling textbooks after each class is a good way to earn some extra money, since graduate students in counseling never need to refer to their textbooks after the course is over.

Question 26

It is within a students' right to set appropriate boundaries for interactions with program faculty.

Question 27

Graduate students are sometimes surprised when they realize that a graduate education is quite different from undergraduate studies. List and describe at least three of these differences.

Question 28

Why is it important to share information about your graduate program with family and friends? Discuss benefits of this approach for both you and for them.

Question 29

What are some of the strategies that graduate students can use to enhance their reading for comprehension?

Question 30

Name and describe at least four different criteria for giving feedback. How does following these criteria help insure that the feedback will be useful for both the receiver and the communicator of the feedback?

Question 31

Some graduate students decide to continue their education and receive a Ph.D. Compare and contrast the benefits and limitations of continuing directly into the Ph.D. program from the Master's program with returning to school to obtain a Ph.D. after years of practice in the field.