I’m graduating with my B.S. in Applied Psychology in May, but I’m interested in pursuing a Marketing or PR career. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what the best post-graduation path is for me, but I chose to apply to a few Master’s in Marketing programs in case I decide down the line that a job right out of college isn’t right for me. Now that I’ve completed the application process, I wanted to share a few tips that I picked up that made the process (relatively) painless!
*Note: These tips can probably be generalized to a variety of post-graduate application processes, but keep in mind that I only Applied to M.A. or M.S. programs in Marketing (or related business/communications programs). For reference, I applied to schools in New York City, Chicago, and London.
Be Proactive and Organized
This tip will make you and your reference writers’ lives a whole lot easier! Most of my applications had deadlines in Spring of 2021, but I decided to start preparing and organizing everything in early September. After I had a general idea of the kinds of programs I was interested in, I reached out to my two referees via email in mid-September. After hearing back from them, I created a “Recommenders’ Master Sheet” on google drive that included deadlines, submission portal links, and general notes (e.g., program name, degree requirements) for each of my seven schools. This file was put in a shared folder with my updated resume and transcript as well. This way, both of my referees had easy access to all of the information they’d need to write their letters! From the beginning, I provided general deadlines, so everyone was aware of the time frame they had for writing.
Do Your Research
Researching various programs and schools is key for any grad school application, but especially when it’s in a new field or area of interest! I took about 1-2 weeks really diving into the nitty-gritty details of around 15 programs. I took notes on core classes, tuition prices, and the general “pros and cons” of each degree. Again, being the organization freak I am, I created a color-coded google spreadsheet with all of this information to easily compare across programs. Besides looking on the school’s websites, I checked out any alumni forums and current students’ testimonials to get a good idea of the student-experience in each respective program. While I started with around fifteen programs, I ended up cutting this down to only seven schools in the end. Doing your research is key, but so is being realistic! You’ll want to make sure that the program’s curriculum, price, and other components are a true fit for you.
Review, Review, Review!
Whether you’re drafting a cover letter or finishing up the last section of an online application, you want to make sure you’ve always done a last-minute review of anything you’re about to submit. Ask peers or your referees to review your personal statements if you are struggling with editing-down. Triple check that you’re uploading the correct, specific statement of purpose to the application portal. Take another glance over your contact information to make sure your mailing address and personal information are all filled out correctly. You’ll want to make sure everything is in tip-top shape to avoid having to send those awkward follow-up emails when you realized where you messed up! Admissions officers will be understanding more often than not, but it’s always better to start off on the right, organized foot.
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Good luck to all my fellow 2021 graduates figuring out that post-grad life … we got this!