I recently completed the application process for graduate school, and it certainly wasn’t easy. Luckily, I knew at the start of my sophomore year that graduate school was going to be the route for me, so I’ve had plenty of time to dedicate to my applications (some may say too much time). Though I’m sure there were other things I could have done to make the process easier on myself, there are a few pieces of advice I can offer to anyone planning on pursuing this option later this fall.
1. Give yourself plenty of time
Each individual graduate school application takes hours to complete, so it’s important to start the process early. Having the time to fully explore all of the options open to you and be able to differentiate which ones you’re interested in and which you’re not is the first step to being able to apply to programs with as little stress as possible.
2. Do your research
This one may seem like it goes without saying, but you’ll need information on the programs you’re applying to! In order to know that you’ll be a good fit (and in order to write a well-informed statement of purpose), you’ll need to know the program’s specialties, opportunities, degree requirements, and research interests of the faculty. In-depth research allows you to narrow down your options and know for certain what programs will benefit you, as well as benefit from you.
3. Take Notes
When you’re applying to more than three or four programs, the details can get pretty blurry. You’ll need to integrate these specific details of each program into their respective applications, so it’s best if you’re able to organize them somehow. I designated one notebook to the details of my chosen programs. I color-coded each section to indicate program requirements, faculty members of interest (and their fields of research), courses, tuition, and funding. Then, as I worked through each application, I had an easy-to-navigate resource that I could look back on instead of having to search through my thousands of tabs to find the right website.
4. Mark your calendar
Unlike Undergraduate, there’s no CommonApp for graduate schools, meaning that all programs will have their own deadline you need to meet. My deadlines ranged from early December all the way to late March. It’s important to mark the dates of specific program deadlines, not only so you meet them, but also so you know which applications to prioritize and when.
5. Relax!
Once you’ve submitted an application, push it to the very back of your mind! I, unfortunately, didn’t have anyone to tell me to relax after I completed the process, and in the meantime, I’ve been relentlessly checking my application portal for updates (even though I know that they’ll email me when they’ve made their decision). The truth is, though, I wish I had just put it behind me to better enjoy the first few months of the year. After all, the applications had already been submitted, and it was completely out of my hands. And there’s something really fun about not knowing what’s to come!