With all of the choices out there for graduate school, how are you possibly supposed to choose the right one for you?
Many prospective graduate students have found Brigham Young University to be an excellent selection for furthering their education. BYU Graduate Studies recently spotlighted Kara Duraccio, a clinical psychology doctoral student from the Family Home and Social Studies college.
Kara has found her graduate experience at BYU to be very rewarding. She explains, “I chose BYU because, when it came time to make a decision, I knew I was compatible with the people here.”
However, more than experiencing the notoriously positive and uplifting culture and atmosphere at BYU, Kara has also found great possibilities academically. Speaking of her decision to attend BYU for graduate school, Kara says, “I knew the incredible research that was going on. For me, it was a no-brainer. I just knew I wanted to come here and continue the research I had already been working on.”
Since enrolling in her doctoral program, Kara has had the opportunity to work with Dr. Chad Jensen in researching childhood obesity. In one of their most recent studies, they were able to explore how diet and physical reactions to food are affected by sleep deprivation.
The work that this research team has done in the labs could have a large impact on future practices for decreasing childhood obesity. Kara explains that these studies have shown that “when we’re sleep deprived, we make unhealthy dietary decisions [and] we have a harder time controlling our impulses around high-calorie foods.” The research group plans on tailoring their future interventions for helping kids lose weight to include more sleep recommendations because of these findings.
For Kara, the research that she has been able to do through the clinical psychology program has been very impactful.
Many other graduate students have also found BYU programs to offer an enriching and fulfilling experience for their graduate studies. BYU Graduate Studies explains the unique opportunity that BYU holds for potential graduate students:
“We offer world class instruction from faculty mentors who genuinely care about both your professional and personal development as they challenge and expand your academic intellect using cutting edge pedagogical practices and technologies. Share your unique perspectives and engage in diverse dialogue with our faculty, university administration, and our student population who are represented from all across the nation and from all over the globe from more than 160 countries.”
Reflecting on her decision to attend BYU for graduate school, Kara concludes, “I haven’t regretted [the] decision.”
Pictures courtesy of Flickr.
