Graduate School Resources

Timetable for Applying to Graduate School

You should begin the application process no later than the summer before your senior year of college or at least a year before you plan to start graduate school. Many students who have had graduate school in mind for most of their undergraduate careers start much earlier. This timetable is approximate, but it offers an idea of the steps you must think about and, roughly, when you must complete each step. No generalized chart provides the specifics that you will need to meet your personal timeline.

As you refine your own timeline, then, carefully examine each application for deadlines. They may vary significantly. Keep your timeline updated and follow it.

Summer

• Write a draft statement of purpose/personal statement.
• Start browsing through guides to graduate programs and college catalogs.

August-September

• Meet with faculty members that you know to discuss your personal statement and learn about possible programs.
• Ask for letters of recommendation.
• Begin to develop your personal timeline for the application process.
• Sign up for required standardized tests.

October

• Take standardized tests.
• Determine the schools to which you plan to apply, and request application materials.
• Finish your timeline based on each institution's deadline and financial aid deadlines.
• Complete your personal statement, adjusting it to meet each application's specific needs.
• Order transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (If fall term grades are expected, then check with staff in the registrar's office to see if a transcript including fall term grades can be sent in time to meet the deadlines of programs to which you are applying).
• Complete application forms (do a draft on a photocopy of the form).
• Give your recommenders all the information that they will need to write recommendations for you for each of your application schools.

December/January

• Mail applications. Even if deadlines are later, it is good to get the applications in early.

February

• Contact programs about the possibility of visiting. Make trips if possible.

April

• If you are applying for need based financial aid programs, you may have to file a copy of your federal income tax return.

Next Step? Schedule an appointment with a counselor and use the information on our website and in our resource area.

Graduate and Professional School Directories

Graduate Guide - directory of graduate schools in the United States and Canada

Gradschools.com - 58,000 programs categorized by curriculum and subdivided by geography

Graduate School Rankings - from U.S. News & World Report

Peterson's Guide to Graduate Schools - Search for graduate and professional schools by subject area, program, geographic location or degree level.

Directories of Graduate Programs in Specific Fields

Accredited Social Work Degree Programs - from the Council on Social Work Education

Association of American Medical Colleges - Get the inside story on medical education. Learn about where to go, how to get in, MCAT's, financial aid and school rankings.

Careers in Science & Engineering - a student planning guide to graduate school and beyond

Pre-Law Insider - information on how to apply, choosing a law school, and more 

Pre-Medical Programs - from the Association of American Medical Colleges

Top Law Schools Admissions Resource - View requirements and acceptance rates needed to get into top colleges in the U.S.

International Graduate Schools

International Colleges and Universities - Select and review world-wide universities and colleges.

Grad School Abroad | International Graduate Programs

United Kingdom Universities - links to all UK universities and general information

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS

A graduate assistantship is typically a 20 hour a week job that pays a stipend and waives some or all of your graduate tuition. In other words, it is a great way to help finance your graduate study and a resume builder as well! A graduate assistant (GA) could be working with a professor on research projects, teaching a 100 level course or lab in their field of study, or doing clerical work in the department. These assistantships are often issued by the academic program, but other assistantships may be available in other campus offices such as residence halls or other student affairs offices like career development or campus life. You should always ask the academic program you are applying to, the graduate admissions office, and the financial aid office at each school about all GA opportunities on campus, as well as when and how to apply (there may be a completely separate application process).

Financial Aid Resources

100 Minority Scholarship Gateway List

FinAid! - financial aid, scholarships and student loans

Fellowship Database - fellowships primarily in the U.S. but some are international

Council of Graduate Schools - fellowships and financial aid

ENTRANCE EXAMS

Graduate school entrance exams are always evolving, as are test dates and exam sites. You should get information regarding the specific exams you need directly from the exam websites. If you are not sure which exam is required for your program, check that program’s admissions website or contact the department or graduate admissions office.

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) - http://www.ets.org/gre
• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) - http://www.mba.com/
• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) - https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/
• Dental Admission Test (DAT) - https://www.ada.org/education/testing/exams/dental-admission-test-dat
• Optometry Admission Test (OAT) - https://www.ada.org/oat/
• Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) - http://www.pcatweb.info/
• Law School Admission Test (LSAT) - http://www.lsac.org/

Test Prep and Practice Exam Resources

Educational Testing Service (ETS) - information about the GRE, PRAXIS, and TOEFL from the official Educational Testing Service website

Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) - Access graduate business school websites. Learn about financial aid, GMAT information and online registration.

Graduate Management Admission Test Preparation Resources - Links to preparation materials including study tips, strategy advice, and practice questions.

Kaplan Test Prep - free practice tests

Law School Admission Council 

Praxis - The Praxis Series tests are taken by individuals entering the teaching profession. This is a part of the certification process required by many states and professional licensing organizations.

Princeton Review - FREE Practice Tests and Events

Taking the GMAT Guidebook - from Go Grad

Taking the GRE Guidebook - from Go Grad

Taking the LSAT Guidebook - from Go Grad

Test Prep Review - free practice tests

THE PERSONAL STATEMENT

A well-written personal statement can make a good candidate great, and a poorly-written one can take qualified candidates right out of consideration. Before starting to write your statement, always read the instructions. Is there a minimum or maximum length requirement? Do they provide instructions as to topics to cover or fonts to use?

Most personal statements are 2-3 double-spaced pages and cover the following topics:

• How did you come to enter this field? This makes for a good introductory paragraph, and should be told almost like a story with personalized details.
• What are your academic and/or professional accomplishments? Include a summary of your academic performance, your extracurricular activities, and your work history as they relate to the program.
• Why are you interested in THIS program at THIS institution? This also needs to be very personalized. Do they have impressive facilities, unique courses, professors who share your research areas? It’s not enough to talk about you—you need to talk about how your goals will be served by specific aspects of their program.
• What are your career goals and how does the program fit them? Be as clear and specific as you can.

You should have a draft of your statement reviewed by a counselor at the CDO as well as by a professor in your academic discipline. Personal Statements - general advice about writing personal statements from Purdue Online Writing Lab.

INTERVIEWS

At some point during the application process a program may schedule interviews. The CDO’s handouts on interviewing will give you some excellent tips on preparation, but here are some important things to remember for a graduate school interview:

• Dress professionally. That means a business suit in most fields.
• Know yourself: your strengths and weaknesses, your reasons for choosing this career path, your accomplishments.
• Know the program and your reasons for wanting to pursue your studies there.
• Know your field: what issues and challenges are facing it, what niche do you want to fill within it.
• Most of all, remember that this is a conversation about two things that you ought to be very familiar with: you, and your favorite academic discipline. So smile!