How do I help my students apply to graduate programs?

Each graduate degree program has its own application process and its own requirements, so students will need to obtain from the web or from the program itself the appropriate deadlines and materials required for their applications. You can also help students determine how best to apply to graduate school, based upon your own experiences.

Most graduate applications have a number of common requirements. These are:

• Transcripts from undergraduate school and other schools attended
• Grade Point Average, particularly in the field of interest
• Standardized test scores - the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Personal essay

This statement gives applicants the opportunity to persuade members of the admissions committee of their value for the doctoral program by demonstrating their ability to think and express ideas clearly and effectively. The personal statement should also include a section about the student's research experiences as an undergraduate.

Whenever possible, review students' personal essays before they submit them to a prospective graduate program. Give clear, specific feedback and help students catch and correct errors. Your comments will help to ensure that the student's personal statement sends a strong, positive message about his or her goals and qualifications for graduate school.

Letter of Reference

Generally, graduate school applicants are required to obtain three or more letters of reference. Encourage students to provide more letters than the minimum in case one arrives late (or not at all). Letters from faculty who earned their graduate degree from, or who are otherwise familiar with, the institution and program to which students are applying can be especially helpful.

If you are asked to write a letter of recommendation for a student, seek to compare the student's record with that of other students who may have chosen the same graduate institution or who have been successful, as this is especially useful information to graduate admissions committees.

Encourage students to ask for letters from professor who know them well. If the student has had a positive research experience under the supervision of a faculty member, inform the student that a letter from that faculty member may be especially helpful. The more specific the letter can be about the student, the more impact the letter will have.

Example of Research and other Experience

Students may also ask you to review research reports or brief essays about any research experience or other relevant experiences they have had outside the classroom. These pieces are also extremely helpful to graduate admissions committees.