Going to graduate school is a big decision. Whether you’re contemplating it as you’re finishing up undergraduate school, or you’re a professional looking at going back to school for an advanced degree, graduate school will make a major change in your life. As you ponder the decision as to if you should go, and if so, where and when, take a look at these online resources. They can help you at different phases in the graduate school decision/application process.

1.Peterson’s Graduate Planner – This is a great overall application. There are questionnaires that can help you decide if you’re ready for grad school, and what you should study if you decide to go. Once you’ve made those decisions, you can use this site to help you get into the program of your choice and to help you succeed on graduate pre-testing. They’ll even help you come up with ways to pay for graduate school.

2. US News and World Report’s Grad School Rankings – Check out the best grad schools as you ponder your “where to go” decision”. You’ll find that this site is well organized based on different programs of study, helping you find only the best schools in your chosen area or study or career field. In addition to listing the “best” schools in each category, this site also lists the schools in the category alphabetically as well. This is helpful if you’re interested in researching schools in a particular geographical area, or simply want to know how your favorite school ranks. There are also lots of links to other articles on this site. For a fee, you can also buy access to expanded rankings on each school listed.

3. FastWeb Scholarship Search – You’ll plug in your interests, planned areas of study and background. In return, you’ll get recommendations about scholarships that might be right for you. Their database contains over 400,000 different scholarships. If you provide your email address, they’ll update you as new scholarships come available that might be right for you.

4. Department of Education Financial Aid –During 2010, the DEA will provide more than $116 billion to help students pay for their education. On their site, you’ll find out about scholarships, loans and grants available to you, and be able to download forms and applications.

5. Rice University’s Center for Student Professional Development – This is a great site to help you with all aspects of planning for graduate school. You’ll also find information on enhancing your communication skills and finding a job along with the information on getting into, and succeeding at, graduate school.

There are many questions to be answered before you begin your graduate studies. It’s wise to begin early and plan carefully in order to get into the program you desire and in order to do well once you’ve enrolled. With some dedication, time and help from these resources, you can find the right graduate program to help you continue your education down the path that’s right for you.

Phyllis Zerkle writes about the top masters degrees for career growth.