<p>So, I'm thinking about going to grad school. I'm currently a double-major in History and Creative Writing at UC Riverside, second year. I have a 3.9 GPA, some work experience at a historical research center, and a few awards for academic achievement.</p>
<p>If I go to grad school, I'm probably going to try to get a Master's in History and use that to segue into high school education at some point.</p>
<p>I've been looking around, and some of the schools that've piqued my interest are Oxford University, Columbia University, NYU, BU, and University of Toronto.</p>
<p>Am I shooting too high in terms of where I'm applying? Am I screwing myself over by even considering a Master's at all? Should I be studying something other than history? What can I do to up my chances of getting in? Any advice on applying to grad schools? What kinds of GPAs and GRE scores and work experience do typical successful applicants to these schools have?</p>
<p>Any input, insight, advice, tips, or information could be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>The Schools that you have mentioned are excellent schools overall, but I don’t know how the History Dept is in there.
You are not shooting high,infact, we all should shoot for the skies so that we land tree-tops 
A MAster’s is a good option but I am not sure whatjobs a MAster’s in history degree may give you. I think job choices for history majors are limited. I can think of research,writing/editing.information and library sciences, and teaching as some job choices. Do you like these?
MAy be you should wait another year to see if there are other things/courses that interest you. Then in your third year you could take a call about grad school admissions.
GRAD schools will generally ask for a decent undergrad GPA(usually 3.2 and above), A GRE general test, and some majors will ask for a couple of years of work experience. If you are planning to apply to schools such as NYU,Columbia then your GRE score needs to be high(around1400+).</p>
<p>Good Luck :)</p>
<p>Where is the money going to come from? Can you self-fund, or do you need assistantship support?</p>
<p>If you want to teach HS History, you don’t go to grad school to earn a Master’s in History.
You go to grad school to earn M.S.T.–Master of Science for Teachers in Adolescence Education.</p>
<p>[Adolescence</a> Education Program at SUNY Plattsburgh - Master of Adolescence Education](<a href=“http://web.plattsburgh.edu/academics/education/adolescence/master.php]Adolescence”>http://web.plattsburgh.edu/academics/education/adolescence/master.php)
^review this as an example.</p>
<p>Don’t go to graduate school if you want to teach High School if you are not funded. You will be wasting your time and wasting lots of money. If you’re not funded, you will just load yourself up with debt that you will probably never be able to pay off. Do not go into debt to go to graduate school.</p>
<p>Check out your state’s requirements to obtain a teaching certificate. You may have to take education courses and student teach unless your state has an alternate path available.</p>