Application Advice | How To Apply For Graduate School in 7 Easy Steps

The graduate school application is already overwhelmingly involved. You do not want to further complicate the process by waiting until the last minute to start working on your application.

You don't want to hinder your chances of getting into great graduate schools just because you weren't able to get all of your application materials in on time.

Depending on the program that you're applying to, most applications open around early August at the latest and close around Late November or early December.

Several components of your grad school application require you to have an ample amount of time (i.e., letters of recommendation, statement of purpose edits, GRE test results, etc.). 

This is why starting early is my biggest piece of advice on how to apply for grad school.

MEET THE EARLY DECISION DEADLINE

Also, some graduate schools offer funding if you submit your application before the early decision deadline. Starting early increases your chances of snagging some extra funding in grad school, which is always a big help.

Examine campus culture

There is no telling how much money I spent on travel when I was scoping out potential graduate schools. I would do it again if I had to because this technique does several things. 

First, it allows you to get a feel for the campus culture. This is so important because you want to be in a graduate school program that allows you to thrive as much as possible. Graduate students go through a lot, so you want to feel supported at every turn.

Show your dedication

Second, it shows potential mentors and advisors that you are willing to make sacrifices to be in their grad school program. 

I have met several graduate students who never visited schools or connected with faculty members at prospective schools. However, when I look at applicants who got into the most competitive graduate programs, they all made the effort to visit schools.

So many people are afraid to reach out to potential advisors but understand this, you have to be willing to speak up for what you want, especially in graduate programs.

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

This goes along with actually making the effort to visit the graduate schools. It isn't always about what you know but who you know.

If a program has two identical applicants, they are going to go with the most familiar one. This is most likely the one who has already formed some sort of a relationship with the faculty in the program. The people serving on these admissions committees ARE the faculty. 

Let them know who you are.

It's crucial to apply this step long before your application is submitted. Also, there is a technique around the type of email to send. Luckily for you, I included an example here!

Keep it short and sweet!

Notice how the email is very short and concise. Long emails are discarded often.

These three documents are slightly different, but always be sure to pay special attention to the application instructions when writing your statement of purpose or letter of intent, or personal statement. 

Usually, they include specifics on content and structure.

Here's a general Letter of Intent template when exploring grad schools:

As I mentioned previously, most grad schools are very competitive, so they want to see that you're already doing the research and that you have the skills necessary to be a successful grad student. 

So, things like getting some teaching experience, research experience, or even lab experience are very, very valuable.

This information gives the program a better sense of who you are and how well you're going to fit into their program. You don't have to spend years gathering this experience. Start by volunteering in a lab one semester and go from there. 

If you're anything like me then you kind of want to increase your chances of getting accepted into grad schools and so you apply to multiple programs that you find interesting or that you find would be a good fit for you as a graduate student.

APPLYING FOR MULTIPLE PROGRAMS

Whenever I was applying for Ph.D. programs, I applied to seven schools in total. Some students apply for even more, but the more programs you apply to, the more money it will cost for application fees, so keep that in mind.

ONLY APPLY TO DREAM SCHOOLS

Also, you NEVER want to apply to grad schools that you don't really see yourself being happy in. Only apply for graduate school programs that, even if it is your last choice, you know will still be okay because you can thrive there as a student.

Some people make spreadsheets of the different programs they're applying to, but for me, I just got a dollar notebook from Walmart and used that to stay organized.

I have to have things written down, and when I was visiting schools, it was easier to pull out my notebook to take notes than a laptop.

I went back and forth about whether I would add this final piece of advice, but I decided to because some of my graduate school applications were significantly impacted by it… and others weren't.

Spend time trying to improve your scores by practicing as much as possible and taking the test more than once if necessary.

DOWNLOAD THE GRE PRACTICE APP

I used the official GRE Manhattan Prep app to study every day on my phone and my quantitative score improved drastically because of it.

Something that will help you remain competitive if you have low test scores is contacting the schools beforehand and seeing how much weight they put on standardized test scores, or just seeing if it's still required. 

Some schools (the smart ones) have thrown out these requirements altogether.

Remember, your success as a graduate student does not depend on one score. Highlight your academic strengths in your application. At the end of the day, it is just one part of your overall application.

THIS BLOG POST WAS ALL ABOUT HOW TO APPLY FOR GRAD SCHOOL IN 7 EASY STEPS.

These techniques helped me accomplish my academic goal of getting into my dream school, and hopefully, they can do the same for you.

All the best on your journey!