A : It is a good question. Selecting a graduate school entails many considerations. It's not just a matter of determining your field of study - graduate programs in a given discipline may vary widely. Graduate programs differ in academics but also in training philosophies and emphases. When I deciding where to apply, I think first and foremost is faculty. Who are the faculty? What are their areas of expertise? Are they distinguished? Are they all about to retire? Do they publish with students? The answers to these questions can help you to determine what really is best for you. Next, I attach great importance to program goals. Are students trained to produce theory or research? Are they trained for careers in academia or the real world? Are students encouraged to apply findings outside of academic contexts? This information is hard to come by and must be inferred by studying faculty interests and activities as well as examining the curriculum and requirements. The last but not the least, don’t place too much importance on ranking. There is no exact science to ranking. They are worth looking at for reference, but don't take it too hard, because you could miss out on the perfect graduate program for you.