Moving Forward: Five Steps To Getting Into Graduate School
As you are nearing the end of your junior year of college, you may be considering pursuing higher education. In an ever increasingly competitive world, obtaining a Master’s degree or a Ph.D will definitely make you more marketable and will open many more opportunities than with just a Bachelor’s degree.
I was recently accepted into George Washington’s Milken Institute for Public Health for their Masters program in Public Health Nutrition. Looking back, there were things I did right, but there were also things I wish I did differently. This post is my guide to future graduate school applicants to hopefully make the transition and application process a lot easier.
As you’ll see, there are many similarities between applying to college and applying to graduate school. The main difference, however, is that applying to graduate school is mostly independent. If you applied to college while you were in high school, you most likely had help from your counselors, teachers, and even friends who willingly pushed you in the right direction.
Applying to graduate school is mostly on you. Your friends will not have the same career trajectories as you, let alone apply to the same programs and universities as you. Your professors and counselors will not give up time out of their busy days and ask if you need help unless you ask for it first. You have to take responsibility for yourself so it is your job to take initiative and ask for help when you need it. The main takeaway is: help them help you.
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1. Prepare yourself.
You should have already started to think about whether or not you want to pursue higher education by at least your junior year of college. It’s a good idea to give yourself at least two to three months for the entire application process.
I highly recommend attending workshops for graduate school before going forth with your application. Your university’s career center will be a great resource to learn more about these. There, you can meet with other potential applicants and alumni who can give you their advice on what you can expect moving forward. For example, the workshops I went to focused on STEM programs and how to pay for graduate school.
Once you’ve made the decision to apply, compile a list of universities and programs you are considering. Personally, I don’t recommend applying to more than five (I only applied to two). Not only is it fairly expensive, but the pool of applicants for graduate school is already much smaller compared to when you were applying to college (i.e. it’s competitive, but not as competitive so you won’t need to worry so much about “having a back-up”).
Once you have your list, find out when your deadlines are and locate each program’s appropriate applications. You can fill out your basic general information right away, so get that done as soon as possible. The general rule of thumb is: the earlier you submit your application, the better.
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2. Begin to think about recommendations.
The best people to ask for recommendations from are professors and mentors, people who can vouch for your academic strengths and work ethic. (I would also stick to asking professors from your university instead of past high school teachers.) It is also beneficial to find people who are in the general field that you wish to pursue in graduate school.
Do not ask your parents or other family members for a recommendation. One of the seminars I attended also strongly opposed asking religious people of influence. These people are biased and will not give the most objective recommendation to vouch for your potential.
If you ask a professor for a recommendation, they should not show any hesitation. If you know that you’re not the best student in Professor A’s class, don’t ask Professor A. If you are one of 250 students in a professor’s class, consider going into your professor’s office hours to become more acquainted with them before asking them for a recommendation.
Now if you’re an introvert like me, asking for a recommendation may be a little intimidating, especially in the fear of rejection. My tip? Casually bring up the topic, either by email or during office hours, with the following question: “I am considering applying to graduate school; what is your recommendation policy?”
Everyone will give a different answer. One of my professors accepted immediately, while another said I needed to earn at least a B before he would accept. You should orient yourself with each potential recommender’s policies as early as possible, and give each professor or mentor at least a month in advance to write their letter. The worst thing you can do is procrastinate.
Once your professor or mentor agrees to submit a recommendation letter for you, continue to check up on them every now and then. Don’t be overbearing. Gently remind them of when the deadline to submit your application is and treat them with courtesy. Remember: they are doing this because they want to, not because they have to.
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3. Take the GRE.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is required for most graduate programs you apply to and is very much like the SAT or ACT you took back in high school. The GRE consists of three sections: Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing, and you can take it as many times as you wish.
Aim to take your GRE at least two months prior to the application deadline. This will give you a safety net in case you don’t do as well as you hoped so you can retake the test at least one more time before submitting your application.
It is important to know that the GRE is a strategy-based exam. It is less about how much you know, and more about how you use what you know. In fact, you don’t need a math level higher than Geometry to score well on the Quantitative section!
Take at least two timed practice tests prior to your test date. Simulate a testing situation, e.g. shutting yourself in your room, to put yourself in the proper mindset for the actual thing.
Have a good idea of what scores you’re aiming for before taking the test. When you’re finished, the computer will automatically calculate your scores for the Verbal and Quantitative sections. You will then be given the option to submit your scores without a fee. If you decide to submit your scores after you leave the testing room, you will be required to pay.
If you decide to submit, please make sure you submit to the correct university or program code. I sent my GRE scores to George Washington University’s code when I should have submitted them to George Washington University SOPHAS’s code. I didn’t realize this until much later and had to pay a hefty $27 fee, so don’t fall into that trap!
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4. Send your transcripts, prepare your resumés, and write your essays.
As I said in Step #1, filling out your basic general information is easy and half of your application can be completed within a week.
Similar to GRE scores, make sure you send your official transcripts from every post-high-school institution to the right location. Your application will tell you if those transcripts (and GRE scores and recommendations) were received.
Whenever I had to submit a resumé, I always went to the career center. The people there will give you the best advice for tailoring your resumé for whatever it is you’re applying to, including graduate school.
The essays are the hardest part of the application and will require the most time to prepare and perfect (so don’t hold them off!). Just like in high school, your essays are your chances to really sell yourself and convince the admissions council why you are a good fit for their graduate program.
Do not be generic! This can be really hard to do especially if you’re given a somewhat generic prompt, but do your best to make yourself stand out. Why are you pursuing this field of study? What relevant research have you done? Do you have certain anecdotes influencing your decisions?
Have someone objectively look over and critique your essays before you submit. I asked my academic advisor to go over my drafts a few days prior to my deadline.
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5. Get help from as many people as you can.
My final piece of advice goes back to what I said before: take initiative and ask for help whenever you can.
The application process will be stressful, especially if you’re balancing classwork, an internship, or other responsibilities. Time management will be key so it is important to stay on top of everything. No one is going to hold your hand at this point in your career, but there will always be people willing to offer advice and provide feedback to help make your journey to success easier.
You just have to take the first step.