Applying to Graduate School
Before You Apply | Junior Year: Beginning the Process | Six Months Prior to Applying | Financial Aid | Letters of Recommendation | The Graduate School Essay | Timeline
Before you apply you need to ask yourself why you are intending to pursue graduate school in the first place. If you are thinking about applying to graduate programs but are not completely certain of why you would do well to be conducting a job search at the same time in order to keep all options open!
The reasons for applying to graduate school should be sound and based on your future career plans. Will the advanced degree put you on a particular career path or enable you to obtain employment in a specific career? Do you have a strong interest in the field of study and in obtaining an increased knowledge base in it? Will an advanced degree improve your chances for a better salary and job opportunities? Do you know what your short term and long term goals are and how a graduate degree will help you attain them? These are valid reasons for pursuing graduate school.
If you are applying for graduate school because you are concerned about the current job market, are unsure of your career direction or are just not ready for the 'real world', you may wish to schedule an appointment with a career counselor in the Amica Center for Career Education to discuss these concerns.
Most students start the research process a full year and a half before their anticipated date of matriculation. There are, however some exceptions to this rule.... application deadlines may range from August (before your senior year) to later Spring/Summer (during your senior year). Most deadlines for the fall's entering class are between December and March. You should, in all cases, plan to meet formal deadlines and be aware of the fact that many schools with rolling admissions encourage and act upon early applications.
Junior year is the time to begin researching the institutions that offer the specific graduate programs you are interested in. Target your search by academic specialization and
geographic preference. Talk to faculty, professionals or other advisors who have knowledge of your particular area of interest for insight into what might be helpful for you. Utilize graduate school reference books and catalogues. Check into accreditation, assistantships (teaching/research/administrative), fellowships, and financial aid. Start obtaining letters of recommendation.
Applying to graduate school is much like applying to colleges: you want to apply to a few "reach" schools, a few schools you will be relatively competitive to get into, and a few schools you feel you have a good chance of getting into. Apply to a "workable" number of programs (Average: Approximately 6.) If the institution's application is not online contact them directly for application materials.
Deciding where to apply should be based on the quality of the program and reputation of its faculty, financial cost, available course offerings, facilities, employment outlook, geographic location and quality of student life.
Admission exams are an important part of your graduate school application. At this time you should be planning to either enroll in a study course (Kaplan's is the most common) or be setting up your own self-directed study schedule using online and hard copy resources to assist you in preparation for your graduate admission exams. The common exams include:
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The GRE (Graduate Record Examination): primarily required by arts & science, engineering, nursing programs, and other specialized areas of study. The GRE measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study.
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The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test): primarily required by business and management programs. The GMAT measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that have been developed over a long period of time through education and work. It does NOT measure business knowledge.
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The LSAT (Law School Admission Test): required by ABA-approved law schools and most Canadian law schools. The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.
Three Months Prior to Applying
At this point in the application process, students should be taking their application exams, visiting the institutions they are intending to apply to, applying for financial aid if applicable, checking application deadlines and/or rolling admissions policies and writing the graduate school application essay/statement of purpose.
Financial Aid is available for graduate school. Most graduate students finance their education through fellowships, assistantships, grants, loans, or a combination of those funding sources. Below you can find basic definitions of these funding types.
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Fellowships are typically granted to individuals to cover their living expenses while they carry out research or work on a project. Awards may be single or multiple-year. Awards are usually based on an individual's merit as measured by grades, GRE scores, publications, and letters of recommendation.
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Assistantships are usually campus-affiliated work assignments (e.g. graduate teaching instructor, research associate) that provide an individual a stipend and often waive tuition and/or other matriculation fees.
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Grants are most often awarded to cover expenses associated with carrying out research or other specific projects, such as travel, materials, or computers.
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Loans are available from the government and other private sources.
Letters of recommendation are required for almost every graduate school application and are a very important part of the application process. Usually grades and test scores factor in most heavily; however, your letters of recommendation could be the deciding factor in the admission process. Strong letters of recommendation can strengthen your application and if there are deficiencies in your application, they can help to outweigh them.
The best letter writers are those that know you well and can provide an evaluation of your ability to perform and succeed at the graduate level. A good time to approach letter writers is early fall of your senior year if you plan to attend graduate school immediately following graduation. If you ask for letters before this time, ask during the school year; sometimes professors are hard to find in summer.
The best letter writer is:
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someone who knows you well
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someone with the title of “Professor”
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someone who is a professor at the school granting your baccalaureate degree
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someone who has earned the degree which you are seeking in your graduate work
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someone with an advanced degree who has supervised you in a job or internship aligned with the graduate program you are pursuing (e.g., Public Health, Social Work, Business Administration, etc.)
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someone who has academically evaluated you in an upper-division class
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Note: letters from family friends, political figures, and the like usually are discouraged and may, in fact, be detrimental.
The graduate school essay, often referred to as the purpose or personal statement, is often the first impression a selection committee has of you.
Writing a successful personal statement is all about conveying your interests, your goals, and why the program you are applying to is the perfect fit to meet both of these.
You may wish to show that you have the ability and motivation to succeed in your field, or you may wish to show the committee that, on the basis of your experience, you are the kind of candidate who will do well in the field. Whatever its purpose, the content must be presented in a manner that will give coherence to the whole statement.
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Pay attention to the purpose throughout the statement so that extraneous material is left out.
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Pay attention to the audience (committee) throughout the statement. Remember that your audience is made up of professionals in their field, and you are not going to tell them how they should act or what they should be. You are the amateur.
Since many committees have to sift through several graduate school applications, you want your essay to attract attention. The graduate school essay is your chance to talk directly to the graduate selection committee. Areas to focus on include:
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Why their graduate program is the perfect one for you
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Expressing yourself clearly and reflectively
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Indicating what makes you unique
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Using everyday language and avoiding cliches
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Having logical transitions from one paragraph to the next
The following is a timeline to help you in planning your graduate school application process:
Junior Year
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Begin researching available programs
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Talk to faculty/alumni/current students in the program
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Review grad school guides/directories
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Request promotional materials
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Visit schools' websites
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Start exploring financial aid resources
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Take a practice test
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Sign up for required standardized test
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Identify potential letter writers
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Order an unofficial transcript and check for and correct any discrepancies
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Take the required standardized test
Senior Year - Fall Semester
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Write the first draft of your statement of purpose
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Request your letters of recommendation from faculty
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Order official transcripts
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Write final draft of statement of purpose
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Complete and mail your applications
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Apply for aid available through program; assistantships, fellowships, scholarships etc.
Senior Year - Spring Semester
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Complete and submit financial aid applications
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Visit prospective campuses if possible; talk to faculty and graduate students
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Follow-up with schools to make sure your file is complete
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After receiving acceptance from the school of your choice, send in the required deposit, and contact other schools and decline acceptances
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Write thank you notes to people who helped you
