I have to choose a graduate school, and the first thing to do in making such a decision is not to gather information on graduate schools themselves but to gather information on what kinds of information are needed and how that information will help me in making my final decision. To this end, I have investigated the matter on the Internet and have followed leads from there to decide what data I need.
Overall, most of the information needed is the same sort of information one seeks in deciding what undergraduate school to attend, meaning information on programs offered, course descriptions, professors available, amenities offered, location of the campus, style of life in the area, costs of both the course and living in the area, and so on ("Evaluating Graduate Schools").
Jobweb on the Internet offers specific steps to follow in gathering the needed information and making the decision:
( You should first consult faculty members in your undergraduate program and individuals who have specialized in the discipline of your choice and who have knowledge of the field, for they should be able to refer you to graduate schools and answer questions about the strengths and weaknesses of the programs.
( Next, consult reference materials and books in your college's or community career resource library, and these guides will give you such information as number of degree candidates enrolled, prerequisites for admission, size of institution, and types of financial aid available.
( Many colleges have pages on the Internet which will provide important information.
( You should write to individual graduate departments to get information on the program and the school. You should also ask for a bibliography of publications of the faculty within the discipline you are considering, as this will help you assess the focus areas of the faculty.
( You have to visit the schools to which you are applying, at which time you should talk ...