Hacking Graduate School
Graduate school admissions look at a plethora of things when you apply. These include:
Grades + Undergraduate Education
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Recommendation Letters (ideally from three faculty members who know you well and are in related fields; a fourth letter sometimes can be submitted)
Research experiences (detailed in your CV, Personal statement, and Letters)
GRE scores (General; Subject test, as needed or required)
Fit with program and advisor (the “match”)
Many other extraneous factors that you can’t know about or control!
Read on to learn more about these requirements!
What kind of experience do i need?
Ideally, by the time you apply to graduate school, you want to have some prior experience that somehow relates to the type of program you’re applying to.
Example: Research experience in a social psych lab before applying to social psych Ph.D. programs
However, plenty of people do not have prior experience that relates directly to the type of program they’re applying to.
Example: Working in a lab that specializes in basic research (e.g., rats) before applying to a clinical psych program
What tangible items do i need?
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Personal Statement
A personal statement is a short essay that allows the graduate school admissions to get to know the applicant better. The essay should include why you are applying for the specific program and what made you interested in your chosen field. Click here for a few questions to consider before starting the writing process, or click here to see an example!
Essay Break-Down
Introduction: The introduction should include goals/characteristics relevant for someone with your desired degree, define such goals/characteristics or tie to long-term goals, and discuss how you and/or the program fit with these goals/characteristics.
Experience/Body Paragraph(s): This/these section(s) should include the location(s)/position(s) of your experience, a description of your role and skills you acquired, any presentations/publications/posters/awards/leadership roles related to your experience, your perspective of the experience and how it shaped your thinking/training/goals, and something missing that led you to pursue more experiences or training
Conclusion Paragraph: The conclusion should bring up specific faculty/tracks/elements of the program that you would like to do, summarize why you would be a good fit, and restate your long-term goal and how the program will get you there.
Other Considerations
Make sure everything you write connects back to why YOU will make a good graduate student. Anything too vague or narrative should be cut.
Get your peers or superiors to review your work! It always helps to have a second or third pair of eyes on your work, and any advice from current or past graduate students will be invaluable.
Letters of Recommendation
A letter of recommendation is written by a faculty member from your specific university detailing your personal accomplishments and attributes. These letters can often be very crucial when applying to graduate school as they provide insight into the applicant that won’t come from your personal statement or CV.
Try and connect with faculty in your department; this can be especially helpful for applying to on-campus research labs as well! Making personal connections is one of the most important parts of work-life; if you help someone, they very well may help you too in the future (such as giving you a stellar letter of recommendation!).
What else will I need to do?
Graduate record Examination (GRE)
The GRE is a standardized test that most graduate school programs require as part of their admissions process. The exam will test you in three main fields; analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. Click here for a list of helpful study links!
What if I can’t afford graduate school?
GRE Fee Reduction Program
ETS provides a fee reduction program for GRE test-takers who can provide evidence of financial need. Click here for more information on the program!
Application Waivers
Many schools will provide fee waivers for their applications at your request! This isn’t something that most schools publicize, so make sure you reach out to your school’s admissions and ask!