APPLICATION CHECKLIST
So you’ve decided you want to go to graduate school. First of all, congratulations! Second of all, the fun begins! If you plan to apply this Fall, ask yourself these questions…
1. Have I taken the GRE?
My GRE scores expired the summer before I applied to Ph.D. programs and I needed to take it again. I scheduled a test for the first week in November (which is around the last time you can take the test and get your scores in time for the December 1st application deadline).
2. Do I have a decent score?
I have found that “good” GRE scores are fairly relative, but to get a good a sense of what a “good” score looks like, look at the average scores of the schools where you plan to apply. And do NOT stress about your scores. Do your best but know that this is NOT, I repeat NOT, the only thing that goes into your application decision. For all my fellow over thinkers just repeat that to yourself half a dozen times, you’ll get it!
3. Do I have 3 -5 professors who would recommend me?
You will need to have 3 recommendation letters from professors and/or supervisors based on your application requirements. Depending on their workload your first 3 may not be able to write you one in time. You should have around 3-5 people (you often need at least 2 of your final recommenders to be past professors) in mind and reach out to those with whom you have a good professional relationship and have worked with most recently first (be sure to reach out to them at least 6 weeks before applications are due). I reached out to 3 professors who were all willing to write letters of recommendation for me. I also reached out to one past supervisor who was willing to step in if needed. Be sure to provide your recommenders with a copy of your most updated CV. And when submitting your application be sure to opt out of viewing your recommendations later. Though not a huge deal, I was told it is not looked upon favorably.
4. Do I know the schools I want to apply to?
I assume most of you have followed the reach, reasonable, and safety school classification for schools you have applied to in the past. A graduate degree is generally very specific, specialized, and includes a mentorship relationship with your advising professor. For this reason, the schools that you apply to depend highly on the professors there, their research interests, and how well those interests align with your own. You should identify no more than 3 professors at each school with whom you’d like to work with and learn from in your Ph.D. statement (more on this to come). Graduate degrees generally require a lengthy time commitment of 2-5+ years. You should apply to schools that interest you regardless of ranking, and make sure that your school can serve you well and connect you with a strong network in your field.
5. How do I plan to reach out to the professors I’d like to work with?
So this is something that I did not do prior to applying to my Ph.D. program and I wish that I had. I just didn’t know what I should say. But, I’m here to help you with that knowing what I know now! You want to plan out what you’re going to say by thinking about these things.
What are you interested in learning from them?
What projects are they currently working on that you’d like to be a part of?
What funding opportunities do they have available? (This is particularly important when applying to programs that do not come with automatic funding)
Once you have considered the questions listed above you can start to form your question for them. Keep in mind these professors are very busy and will not have a ton of time to engage with you. Make your email clear and concise and include 1-2 questions with the goal of helping you decide how your interests coincide with their work. My program did not come with automatic funding and if you’re applying to schools with similar policies your second question should be around funding opportunities that professor has available (post on funding coming soon!).
I hope you found this helpful!
Please share any questions you have here.
Until next time,
-EM