After receiving information from a number of graduate schools, you will have to decide where you would like to apply. No absolute criterion exists from ranking graduate schools and programs. Of course, evaluations based on various factors have been made.
Needy students can have their application fee waived.
Some require that you take a list of designed courses. Other schools give more leeway by allowing you to choose numerous electives. You can take complementary courses in a different department under combined degree programs. Normaly a Ph.D. is 4 to 8 years. Professional degrees may require 2 to 8 years of study.