So, you've finally finished your 3, 4, 5 - you get the picture - years of undergrad and you're ready for that next adventure. Or, maybe you've been in the workforce for a while and you're ready for that next chapter of your educational career. Well, no worries. We've got you covered.
From my experience, applying to grad school is a lot like applying to undergrad. You've got to fill out an application, pay a fee, get recommendations, and so on. One thing that may be slightly different, which I don't recall doing for a lot of my undergrad applications, is the personal statement where you describe your career goals, why you're interested in the program, and why that school or program is the one you want to be a part of. So, keep this in mind when applying to grad schools.
You should think about what you want to study in graduate school, and then look for programs. Look at cost of program, funding, location, maybe some things that make the program special, ratings, etc. Decide what are musts for you in a program and see what each program has to offer. Then, decide which ones you want to apply to. Start looking for recommenders and working on your personal statements (and these may have different names, but they all basically ask for the same thing). Make sure to have someone look at your personal statement to give feedback. Also, have your resume handy so that you can give this to your recommenders. This will assist them in writing a glowing recommendation. Make sure to choose recommenders who know you well, too. So, teachers, internship coordinators, etc. Request ahead of time to give them a chance to write it, and remind them every now and again about due dates.
Take the GRE early. You can take the test every 21 days up to five times in a year, I believe. Some schools don't require it, so check with your program. Study for it, get a GRE book, or if there are courses that you can take, take them. I was able to take it free with a program I did. However, some of the programs I applied for did not require them. Plus, special accommodations were made for some due to the pandemic. Looking into the GRE and gear up for it. The test is about four hours.
Don't be afraid to ask for help throughout the application process. Don't be afraid to ask your program questions. Everyone's there to help you be successful. Use resources available to you. For example, if you're in undergrad, then you likely have some sort of communication center where they help with things like resumes, papers, etc.
These are my tips for applying to graduate degree programs. There are so many more out there and I encourage you to ask questions and read other articles. Best wishes on your higher education pursuit!
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