For many people in college right now, grad school applications are knocking at our door. In some cases, people have been preparing for these applications for years now and know exactly what to expect but for others, they have no clue– like me. There were a couple things I ran into that I didn’t know were important. Here is a list of some of those things:
- Do proper research on the programs:
Before you apply, make sure you look into the school’s programs and make sure it includes all you need in order to achieve your dream career. In many cases, people already have a set school in mind because of the fame of the school or because their parents went there or any other reason but, the program changed throughout the years. If the program does not excite you in any way, don’t settle for it. There’s many different programs all around the country that will definitely have a program fit for your style.
- Take the GRE no matter what:
Yes, it’s 2022 and the GRE–The Graduate Record Exam, an admissions exam for many grad schools–isn’t required for applications but it will make you stand out. No matter if you did good or not, you still took it and now it opens up more options for you. Don’t limit the amount of programs you can apply for only because you don’t take the test. The best part is, studying for it is optional! You’re only doing it to fill out a requirement, not to make your application depend on it. Programs don’t care much about tests anymore, they care about experience.
- It’s never too late to get involved:
Experience is key when applying to programs. It may be internships, helping with research, or meeting someone in the industry and having their contact information, all of this is relevant in your application. Any information you have about how you were involved in that field is important. Rather it’s for your letters of recommendation or for our personal statement, everything you do is relevant. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been involved which is why it’s never too late. You can talk with a professor and with your advisor and they will give you your options.
- Make a game plan:
Applying for grad school can be a long and complicated process, but preparing for it will make it go smoother. Something that can really help, is setting up a plan, such as planning when you’ll take the GRE and when applications open up and so on. In some cases, you can find a school half way through your plan that you want to apply to, and you definitely should, but don’t let that hold back your progress. Use an excel sheet or a document to keep track of all your progress for each school, and what is missing in order to submit the application on time. Same goes for recommendations, make sure you have at least three recommendations when you begin applications. They could be professors, lab instructors, and even your boss at your job. Make sure they are a reliable source and will write a great letter for you, and that they get a chance to know you well before the application is due.
Some of the things listed may seem obvious for some, but it’s still important to have as a reminder for those applying. Remember, that while this is a long and tedious process, it doesn’t last forever, and soon you will have the answer you’ve been working and waiting for this whole time. Good luck to those applying during this time!