Advice for Students

2019 National Planning Conference

There's More Than One Path to AICP Certification

The AICP Candidate Pilot Program launched in 2017 allows for planners to begin the journey to AICP certification earlier in their careers—even while they are still in school.

September 6, 2021 - James Brasuell

Graduation Ceremony

Getting Into Grad School in Planning

Ten years ago I wrote "Graduate School 2008: Nuts and Bolts of Applying". As deadlines draw near for this year’s round of applications it is a good time to revisit and update this advice.

December 21, 2018 - Ann Forsyth

Library

The Best Reasons to Go to Grad School in Planning

As the 2016 admission season winds down, thoughts turn to the 2017 application process. For students considering the idea, there are several good reasons to attend graduate school in 2017, and a few that may cause problems later.

April 13, 2016 - Ann Forsyth

City Planners

How do Planners Generate Ideas?

How to generate ideas in planning is a question that many planning students ask. This can seem a mysterious and difficult process. Unfortunately, planning education has not always done a great job of helping students unpack this apparent mystery.

April 6, 2015 - Ann Forsyth

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Advice for Students: When to Contact Faculty at a Different Institution

With social media and the internet generally making it easy to contact faculty across the globe students are tempted to do so. But when is it appropriate? The short answer is contact them if they request it.

February 10, 2015 - Ann Forsyth

University of Chicago

What Makes a Great Planning Program?

Ann Forsyth, professor of urban planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, shares insight into common traits of the best educational programs in planning.

January 13, 2015 - Ann Forsyth

APA Conference

Should I Present at a Conference? And If I Don't Present, Should I Attend?

One question I get asked a lot is if students should present at conference. In fact it is often more of a statement of intent rather than a question about whether it is useful. The answer, however, is not as clear as many students believe.

December 8, 2014 - Ann Forsyth

Google Maps Street Vendor

How to Decide if Planning is for You

At this time of year, many prospective graduate students are asking themselves if they should apply to planning programs. This is a good question. Planning is a diverse field and it can be hard to figure out if it will be the right fit.

November 26, 2014 - Ann Forsyth

Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge @ NASA Goddard

How Important is Your Graduate Planning Specialty or Concentration?

As students plan their spring semester courses and make early plans for the summer, they often wonder how to choose a planning specialization or concentration. They ask how important the concentration is for their future career as a planner.

December 24, 2013 - Ann Forsyth

Writing

Writing a Statement of Purpose for Graduate Education

How should a statement of purpose for a graduate school application differ from one for an undergrad program? This post outlines the elements of a compelling graduate school statement.

February 27, 2013 - Ann Forsyth

College Students

Making the Most of Being a Student, Part 2

Making the most of being a student requires more than just completing the course credits necessary for a degree. See my suggestions for activities beyond the classroom that are key to getting a great education.

February 8, 2013 - Ann Forsyth

Harvard University

Does it Make a Difference if a Planning Program is in a Policy, Design, or Other Kind of School?

Students investigating options often ask if it makes a difference where the planning school is located. The short answer is it matters less to students than many think.

October 29, 2012 - Ann Forsyth

A row of GRE exam study books lined up neatly in a bookstore.

How Much do GREs Matter for Graduate School in Planning?

If you are applying to graduate school in planning, how much do GREs matter? Like many things in planning the answer varies with the person and program. Below I provide some general advice.

October 20, 2012 - Ann Forsyth

A word cloud of Planetizen phrases

Breadth and Depth in Planning Education

A frequent query I receive from students is whether they should focus on gaining a broad understanding of many aspects of planning and places or if they should focus on one topic in depth. This is an important question.

July 6, 2012 - Ann Forsyth

Graduation mortarboard on a pile of money.

Sticker Price vs. Real Price for a Planning Education

Unless they are independently wealthy, students thinking about graduate school in planning need to consider the cost.

May 29, 2012 - Ann Forsyth

Public Engagement

Urban Design Graduate Study for Planners

Each year a lot of students ask me "how can I get a degree in urban design?". This is a very big question but in this blog I outline some key questions that those interested in urban design in planning need to consider.

May 9, 2012 - Ann Forsyth

Education

Getting into Planning School: How Much do Transcripts Matter?

I’ve had a lot of questions lately from students about how important transcripts are in the graduate admissions process. Your application is one of the few times anyone will actually read your transcript so it has some importance.

April 6, 2012 - Ann Forsyth

Students at a graduation ceremony

Finding an Undergraduate Planning Program

Undergraduates face special challenges and one of them is in finding a planning-related program. The following tips may make the search easier.

March 19, 2012 - Ann Forsyth

News from HUD User

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.