When it comes to grad school applications, there is no such thing as being fully prepared. It’s a very stressful process that will even make you question if you indeed want to pursue further education. At least, for me, it did. Now that I’m done with my applications and I’ve received an answer from one, I’ll tell you what are the do’s and don’ts of applying to grad school. Hopefully, this article will help you not make the same mistakes as I did.
Don’t: Just set your mind to one university
I know most of us fall in love with that one university and we put all our time and effort into getting into it. However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to only one application. I’m not saying this to be pessimistic, but sometimes we might not get accepted into the one we want. Because of this, it’s good to have a backup plan. It’s also good to have more than one option because even though you might think your first option is the one for you, you might end up liking another one equally or even more during your application process.
Do: Have a calendar with all the deadlines
It’s very easy to forget the dates of the deadlines, especially if you have more than one university you’re applying to. Between the things you need to write for the application, the forms and asking for recommendation letters, I sometimes thought everything was too much. What helped me was having a digital calendar with all the deadlines. Bonus points if you have self-anointed due dates for the different parts of the application, those are a lifesaver.
Don’t: Leave your application essays for last minute
When it comes to essays, I procrastinate a lot. Just the thought that I have to write a certain quantity of words, especially trying to sell myself, is really hard. Even with how I didn’t love trying to sell myself to a program, I’m glad that I didn’t leave it to the last minute cause it took me more time than I thought. And I did enjoy talking about why I’m passionate about the programs.
Do: Select the professors for the recommendation letters early on
I selected the professors quite a few months from the priority deadline. However, I made the mistake of contacting them only a month from the deadline. I became really stressed because, while I had almost everything else for the applications, some professors took days to answer my emails. Try to contact them a couple of months before you need your recommendation lettersーalso, if you need to harass them a bit to get an answer, do so.
Don’t: Forget to make a nice resume or curriculum vitae
You might not think of the resume or curriculum vitae as something extraordinary, but that summary of your life experiences is basically what will introduce you to the admission committee. When applying to grad school you’ll find that most of the time there are no interviews, which means that the university will have to meet you through some words in a document. That’s why you have to make sure to not leave out important stuff and make sure your resume or curriculum vitae stands out without being too much. Just spend a little time on it, you won’t regret it.
Do: Ask for help
When it comes to grad school applications, nervousness is bound to put pressure on us and lead us to make mistakes. Having friends, family, and even a professor checking our essays for grammatical errors, or our portfolios for no mistakes can be our saving grace. You cannot even start to guess the hundreds of errors I made while stressing over my application essays, but it’s ok because I always had someone to help me. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Applying to grad school can be a nerve wracking process. I’m sure it will be a cause of stress no matter what, but hopefully with these do’s and don’ts I learnt while making my own mistakes will lead to a more easy going affair.