If you want a master's degree or a doctorate, then grad school is exactly what you need. There are many reasons people decide to get something more than an undergraduate degree. Sometimes their career requires the degree for advancement, or the student may want to pursue a career in education within the field or they may just want as much knowledge as they can fit into their brain.What does it take to get into grad school?

1. YOU NEED TO STUDY HARD

It doesn't matter how much money you have or how bad you whine to the school's admissions department; if you don't have the grades, chances are you won't be going to grad school. Graduate degree programs are extremely difficult and time consuming and the people who make the decisions need to know that you are going to apply yourself. There are a few things you can do to better your chances of getting into grad school.

Take classes related to your field. You will want to take the most challenging classes offered in your undergraduate program that relate to your field of study. This shows a commitment to learning that grad schools will be looking for.

Do your homework. You do not want to be known as the student who is always late turning in their assignments. Grad schools want to see a good work ethic. If there is extra credit offered in a class, do that as well.

Make class every day and on time. The classes you take in grad school will be much more intense and you will not want to miss anything. Get in the habit of making classes now so you won't have unlearn bad habits later on.

Study hard for your tests. Test scores are taken into consideration when applying for grad school. You will want to study hard for every test and absorb the knowledge.

Hang out with other students who are as serious as you are. Everyone has friends who don't seem to care about anything. They seem to just be sliding by through school, life; whatever comes their way. If your friends are going out and you need to study, stay home and study.