Here's some advice, regarding graduate applications, I wish somebody had given me earlier.
GRE preparation/University Research
If you want to attend graduate school, you have to know that in advance (well-in-advance). Here are some tips, that will help :
SOP writing and University Application
After you have made a university list, you will probably always feel that you have not applied to some good universities that you can get into. Resist that feeling if you are on a tight budget. University applications can be expensive. Some universities require you to mail materials when you are applying. That is an expensive but avoidable expenditure. Many university courier services provide discount if you send materials to large number of places. If your list is not that big, team up with another guy who is also applying. It would save both people lots of money.
Write, re-write, re-re-write, and re-re-re-write your SoP. Also proofread, re-proofread, and roofpread it. Look at this: Stanford writing center. Make a list of the deadlines for universities. Remember to remind your recommenders to send their letters on time. For most universities you have to send your application material to either the department office or the university graduate office. Check what your department requires. Many times the university graduate office does not forward your application material to the department, or forwards it late delaying your application.
Make a list of requirements for each university. Many universities require a Personal Statement (PS) other than the SoP. Arrange for a credit card to pay the application fees. Also make a formal looking email-id that you plan to keep for long. Don't provide your university email to your applications knowing that you would not have access to it after you graduate.
Make a list of professors you like in each university. Make a list of professors' names to write in your SoP. Both lists may not be the same ( Remember game theory ? ). Contact professors before applying. Ask them if they are going to take students for the following session and/or if they have funding. Read some of each professor's research before emailing them. Show them some interest. Many people would reply if you look sincerely interested. You can re-edit your university list based on their replies. Also professors generally are too busy to reply, so if someone does not reply, it is not necessarily an indication that they are not interested.
Apply well before the deadline. And call the graduate office to check that your application is complete. Get an international calling card if you have to. If you have a good internet connection you may not need an international calling card or even to pay to call US phones.
Application Complete. Now what?
Read this : Commando tactics after application. Email professors and remind them. Explore other professors in universities that you have applied to, whom you had not previously contacted. Do not fret, try to keep calm and not check gradcafe / your email every 10 minutes. What's done is done. Do not try to second-guess your previous decisions.
When the admissions start trickling in you would feel a huge sense of relief. But remember that it is only part of the journey to (hopefully) greatness. Also read this : Psalm of life .
Look at this too : Advice for undergrads
Happy apping.
GRE preparation/University Research
If you want to attend graduate school, you have to know that in advance (well-in-advance). Here are some tips, that will help :
- You cannot screw-up course grades even if you do not like the course.
- Try to improve your sphere of knowledge by taking diverse courses in areas you want to work.
- A bad-course with a good instructor is better than a good-course with a bad-instructor.
- Apply sincere effort in areas/courses you like. It pays.
- Improve your english. Also work on your curiosity. Try to be curious about words, their meaning, their usage, their applications in different context.
- Read. Read lots of varied materials. Random blogs, research blogs, books, novels, academic texts.
- For the GRE, take a test date well in advance and at a good center. Setting up a test date makes you focus (because the date feels nearer).The TOEFL test is comparatively easy so you don't have to fret about it that much.
- At least one year before you want to join for graduate school, do some research about universities. Look at people who are famous. Look at not-so-famous people at not-so-famous schools who are doing good research. A good way to find out who are the big-shots in your area of interest is to look at famous conferences and their chairs/organizers.
- Make a list of universities you want to apply to. Safe, moderate, and ambitious universities, if you really want to go next year. Look at thegradcafe.com, Edulix.com to find profiles that get into your target schools.
- Talk to people in your area who are also applying. Look at their list. Compare.
- Talk to seniors. People you know, who already are attending graduate schools. Ask them what its really like. Be sure, before you commit.
- Identify prospective recommenders for graduate application.
- Read SoPs. There are many websites devoted to just SoP writing.
- Make a draft of your SoP early. Ask your friends to review it. Even if your friends do not know anything about graduate school they know you, sometimes better than you, and sometimes that helps. Also ask seniors to review it.
- Research experience is more important than a perfect CPI. Remember that and try to build a profile that shows that you can make a dent in the universe's knowledge, not just get perfect scores in all your courses. That is not to say that a good CPI is not important, both are. Life's difficult, deal with it.
- Also, do something other than building course grades and academic achievements. Professors look at all sorts of things. One professor wrote on his graduate advice column, that he once considered an otherwise weak candidate just because he was a mountaineer. It reflected his determination. Try to learn a musical instrument. I have heard, girls get impressed.
- Finally, save money for graduate applications. Or if your dad is paying, don't be too much of a burden on him. Choose your list wisely.
SOP writing and University Application
After you have made a university list, you will probably always feel that you have not applied to some good universities that you can get into. Resist that feeling if you are on a tight budget. University applications can be expensive. Some universities require you to mail materials when you are applying. That is an expensive but avoidable expenditure. Many university courier services provide discount if you send materials to large number of places. If your list is not that big, team up with another guy who is also applying. It would save both people lots of money.
Write, re-write, re-re-write, and re-re-re-write your SoP. Also proofread, re-proofread, and roofpread it. Look at this: Stanford writing center. Make a list of the deadlines for universities. Remember to remind your recommenders to send their letters on time. For most universities you have to send your application material to either the department office or the university graduate office. Check what your department requires. Many times the university graduate office does not forward your application material to the department, or forwards it late delaying your application.
Make a list of requirements for each university. Many universities require a Personal Statement (PS) other than the SoP. Arrange for a credit card to pay the application fees. Also make a formal looking email-id that you plan to keep for long. Don't provide your university email to your applications knowing that you would not have access to it after you graduate.
Make a list of professors you like in each university. Make a list of professors' names to write in your SoP. Both lists may not be the same ( Remember game theory ? ). Contact professors before applying. Ask them if they are going to take students for the following session and/or if they have funding. Read some of each professor's research before emailing them. Show them some interest. Many people would reply if you look sincerely interested. You can re-edit your university list based on their replies. Also professors generally are too busy to reply, so if someone does not reply, it is not necessarily an indication that they are not interested.
Apply well before the deadline. And call the graduate office to check that your application is complete. Get an international calling card if you have to. If you have a good internet connection you may not need an international calling card or even to pay to call US phones.
Application Complete. Now what?
Read this : Commando tactics after application. Email professors and remind them. Explore other professors in universities that you have applied to, whom you had not previously contacted. Do not fret, try to keep calm and not check gradcafe / your email every 10 minutes. What's done is done. Do not try to second-guess your previous decisions.
When the admissions start trickling in you would feel a huge sense of relief. But remember that it is only part of the journey to (hopefully) greatness. Also read this : Psalm of life .
Look at this too : Advice for undergrads
Happy apping.
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