Last Thursday, October 18, 2018, the University of South Florida’s Student Marshall Center held a great event about going to graduate school, and everything you need to know to succeed during this journey. This conversation included topics like: how to write effective essays, what to write, creating your resume for graduate school, what courses you take during undergraduate school, what to do to prepare, whether you should or should not take time off before going to grad school, and letters of recommendation.
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Don Asher is a nationally recognized author and speaker on the graduate application and admissions process. When it comes to writing essays for graduate school, he suggests being specific. He also suggests writing right under the word limit. If the limit is 1,000 words, you should write around 940-950 words because that is the necessary time to write about the topic and demonstrate that you have knowledge about it. He also advises to be careful with the word “I.” Avoiding this specific word can give your essay a more professional look, and keeps the readers entertained. Having your essay revised by faculty members, friends, and family is essential. The essay for grad school is an ongoing and constructive process that will require a lot of tips and suggestions while it is made.
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Graduate school, according to Mr. Asher, is a process you should start in your junior year, or as early as possible, since it requires preparation and building your resume. During these years, Mr. Asher says that involvement on campus is crucial. attending all the different types of events, talking to faculty members for research purposes, and creating and keeping meaningful by connections. If the plan is going to another school for graduate school, connecting with faculty members through email is also very important for creating these connections. Letters of Recommendation will also come in a natural manner, just give the professor enough time, which would be about three to five weeks.
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Preparing for graduate school can be challenging, but the University of South Florida provided us with a speaker who knows the area, gave specific suggestions on how to prepare, and what to do to succeed during this time full of essential information and questions.