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Applying to graduate schools is like having a full-time job. In order to be successful, you have to devote enough time, and handle the whole process seriously and with great care. As a PhD student who has taken these steps a year ago, I thought it would a good idea to write an article about how to apply graduate schools in order to be successful.

GRE and GMAT:

You should start studying for these tests in summer in order to be ready in fall. I recommend you to take the test in mid- or late October. It will give you plenty of time to study, practice and retake the exam in case you do fail to achieve good scores. Hence, you can retake the test in late November, or early December, according to your first deadline.

Letters of Recommendation:

Letters of recommendation are one of the most vital parts of your whole application package. So, from whom you are going to ask those letters is an important decision to make. Most graduate schools would like to hear from your professors, but in some cases they also accept recommendation letters from your employers, too. (One example would be the research associates you worked with in a research project). The golden rule is the following: the person has to know you well. Remember, recommendation letters have to support your personal statement and complement it. It would be a good idea to write down your personal statement first, and send it over to your recommenders. This would provide them with a broader picture of your application. If they know your story, they can contribute it by telling their side of that story, which would make your application look stronger.

Personal Statement:

Writing your personal statement is like having the worst nightmare. You have to start thinking about it early. Almost all graduate schools have their own formats. Some schools ask you write more, some ask you write less, so you have to adjust your personal statement to each school's format. The challenge is to prove that you are a good fit into their department. You have to convince the admission committee that your research interests, your training, and your future goals a perfect match with the faculty. It would be a good idea to do some research on the faculty of each school you are applying to. Find professors whose research interests match yours and tell the admission committee how your work is going to contribute to their work. Writing personal statement is not a one-night job. You are going to write it over and over again. That's why start early. Also make sure some of your professors or colleagues read your statement and give feedback.

Resume:

Many graduate schools will requests resumes of the applicants. Your resume has to be short and to the point. It should be of two-pages, at most. It should contain information on your academic past. If you have worked at a restaurant or bar as a waitress, there is no need for admission committee to know that. Write down your training, conferences you have participated, papers you have published, and extra-curricular activities you have involved (volunteer work, student clubs, etc.). And always remember: Your resume has to be short and to the point.

Writing Sample:

Graduate schools ask your writing sample in order to evaluate your writing skills. It should be your best piece. You have to work on it, too. I strongly recommend you to send it over to some of your colleagues or professors and ask for feedbacks. Your writing sample may capture the interest of one of the members of the admission committee which may be your one-way ticket in.

Yes, applying to graduate schools is very exhausting. But nobody said this would be an easy ride. Yet, once you get in, it will be worth to every trouble you have been through.

Learn more about this author, Zeynep Bayhan.
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