ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the extent to which students meet the academic standards set by the graduate institution as reflected by their grade point average. A large number of scholars agree that successful socialization of graduate students to their new roles likely results in feelings of membership, community, relatedness, or a sense of belonging among others in the graduate department or professional field. The chapter describes existing literature and research to explain the relationship between graduate students' socialization and their sense of belonging in school. Belonging is a universal human characteristic and a basic need. Adjustment to graduate school is defined as successful adaptation to the norms, values, and expectations that predominates the degree-granting department or field, which, in part, reflects one's sense of belonging. Contrary to research on undergraduate students, very little information is available about factors that influence students' choice of a particular graduate school.
