Are you working on your grad school application?
Or are you just starting to research what grad school applications entails? In this video,
we are going to provide some useful information that will help you navigate the graduate school
application process and build a strong and compelling grad school application package
that will make you stand out to the admissions committee members.
Hi! My name is Chris and I'm an admissions associate here at BeMo. Before
we get started, be sure to subscribe on whatever social media channel you're watching this
from now, so you don't miss any of our upcoming videos. If you would like us to help you with
your grad school application, click on the link either above or below this video to schedule
your free initial consultation. As a quick tip, check out the time stamps in
the description of this video to navigate to specific sections of the video that you
are interested in. Here's what we are going to cover:
Starting the Online Application Process Ordering Transcripts
Getting Your Test Scores Ready Writing Your Statement of Purpose
Asking for Reference Letters Organizing Your CV
Submitting Your Application By the way we're giving away $50 Amazon gift
cards every week to best comments and questions - comment below for a chance to win. We know
the secret to preparing the best grad school application - so keep watching to learn our
strategies! Let's get started!
Starting the Online Application Process Once you narrow down your top choices for
grad school, you want to get familiar with the online application system for each school
you are applying to. It seems obvious, but the sooner you create your application account
on the program's website, the sooner you will get familiar with the different components
of it. Check your preferred schools application deadlines and do not, I repeat, do not submit
your application at the last minute! Give yourself plenty of time to account for technical
issues and other unforeseeable circumstances. Make a list of every single requirement for
every single school you are applying to. Be organized. Once you know what you need, start
gathering your materials and putting together your application package.
Once you start the online application, you will need to upload your documents. These
will most surely include your transcripts, test scores, a statement of purpose for grad
school, samples of academic work, English proficiency test scores (if English is not
your first language), your CV for grad school, information about your referees, and any other
requirements specific to the program. It is very important for your application
components to complement each other and read as one story. In other words, the narrative
that you create with your application package has to clearly show who you are, why you are
interested in the program, and how the program
will help you achieve your personal and professional
goals. Most importantly, it should also highlight the fact that you have had meaningful experiences
throughout your life that have allowed you to develop a specific set of skills and acquire
characteristics that will make you a successful graduate student one that will complement
their program and bring something to the table. Let us review some of these components in
more detail and see why they are important. Ordering Transcripts
Your transcripts are your academic history, which demonstrates the courses you have taken
and how well you have performed in them. More importantly, a transcript record will show
your GPA and you and I know that this number is extremely important moving forward. Transcripts
are also official proof that you have the degrees and the academic background you claim
to have. Usually, grad schools ask for transcripts from all the previous post-secondary institutions
you have attended, even if you did not stick around long enough to obtain a degree.
Keep in mind that some programs will accept unofficial transcripts during the application
process and will require official transcripts once you are admitted. These official transcripts
have to be sent directly to the program by your school. Of course, if you are applying
to programs in North America and your transcript is in a language other than English (or French
for some Canadian schools), you will have
to provide official translations of your documents.
This is an additional step that international students have to follow, but as long as you
plan in advance and pay attention to the deadlines for your program of choice, you should be
able to fulfill this requirement with minor complications.
Keep in mind that official translations are done by certified translators, sometimes appointed
by the state, and that the requirements they have to follow vary from country to country.
But don t worry, certified translators are very common, so it is easy for students to
find one near them. The courses you take in your undergraduate
program and the grades you get will really make a difference in your academic preparation
and, ultimately, in your GPA. If after all your effort and dedication your GPA is still
low, do not despair. Just make sure you ramp up the other components of your application
package to increase your chances of being admitted.
Getting Your Test Scores Ready Many grad school applications require you
to take an admissions test. The test you take will depend on the program you want to study.
For instance, the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations)
test is more of a general test and is required
in most graduate programs, whereas Business School requires the GMAT score, Law School
the LMAT score, Med School the MCAT score, and so on.
The purpose of these tests is to assess your knowledge and skills and to determine how
suitable you are to pursue studies at the graduate level. Whether you are taking the
GRE, the MCAT, or any other standardized test, it is important to familiarize yourself with
the test, its format, and its structure. Research when to register, when and where to take the
test, how the test is scored, when your results will be available, whether the results will
be sent directly to your chosen programs, etc.
Look for online resources that will help you prepare for the test, including simulations,
sample questions, and diagnostic tests. For example, the company that administers the
GRE testis ETS. If you go on their website, you will see that they provide official tools
from the maker of the test to help you prepare for it. Similarly, the MCAT, developed and
administered by the AAMC, is an essential component of any med school application that
you should prepare for. Check the AAMC s website to find the information you need to know to
successfully prepare for it. Do consider that different programs use these
scores differently, and that cut off scores vary among them. Additionally, consider that
some of these standardized tests have expiration dates. Medical schools, for instance, only
consider MCAT scores dating back two or three years, and both GRE and GMAT scores are valid
for five years while English proficiency tests are usually valid for only two years. Be that
as it may, the important thing is that you prepare for the test as you would for any
other major assignment: by being focused and determined to do a good job and confident
that you will succeed. If English is not your first language, you
will probably need to take a standardized language test if you are applying to schools
in the United States or Canada. Other English-speaking
countries may have similar requirements, hence
the importance of checking specific programs websites before applying. The most widely
accepted English proficiency tests are TOEFL and IELTS, and they usually send your scores
directly to the programs you are applying to. Just like with academic standardized tests,
the key to taking these English proficiency tests is familiarizing yourself with their
format and structure, going over the materials offered by the companies that administer the
tests, practicing sample questions, and doing diagnostic practice tests.
Tip: If English is not your first language but you completed your undergraduate degree
in an English-speaking country, some graduate programs may wave this proficiency requirement,
so make sure you look for specific information or contact the school directly to inquire
about this once you decide where you are going to apply.
Writing Your Statement of Purpose This essay is one of the most important components
of your application package. Let s be honest: your GPA and test scores are just numbers,
your referees can sing your praises as objective
observers of your abilities, and your extracurricular
activities and community service may or may not resonate with the admissions committee.
Your personal statement, however, is the only item that you really have control over and
the most direct mechanism you have to communicate your ambitions, goals, passions, and intentions
to the members of the committee. It is the one document where you can speak directly
to them. Typically, a statement of purpose is 500-1000 words long, but make sure to check
the required length with your program of choice. The thesis of your essay should be why you
have chosen that particular discipline, field, program, etc. As an academic essay, it should
be impeccably well-written and have good transitions,
flow, and cohesion. It should paint a picture
of who you are as a person and highlight the skills you have developed throughout your
life and how these skills will be applied as you move forward in your profession. You
can highlight, for instance, two or three areas you appreciate about the discipline,
field, or program and mention your own experiences to demonstrate how you complement it. Include
the skills you developed or the characteristics you refined through these experiences and
how you can apply this learning moving forward. If you are applying to a thesis-based program,
your statement of purpose should also present a research interest, which you can connect
to those same experiences. Your statement of purpose may seem to you
like any other email or letter you have written, but we are here to remind you that you should
not underestimate its importance. Writing a strong and compelling essay will increase
your chances of being admitted to your dream school, and it is an endeavor that takes a
lot of time, effort, and expertise. It requires creating an excellent essay structure with
a captivating introduction, two or three body
paragraphs highlighting your meaningful experiences
and skill sets, and a creative conclusion that leaves the reader wanting more.
It also requires including the right content, as well as doing multiple revisions, writing
and re-writing drafts, and most importantly, receiving honest, specific, actionable, and
professional feedback on it. So, you should aim to give yourself 6 to 8 weeks to prepare
the statement of purpose. Asking for Reference Letters
Most graduate programs will require at least three reference letters. What your professors
and mentors say about you really does matter,
and it is a good way for programs to get information
about the type of student and the type of person you are.
When the time comes to ask your professors for a strong letter of recommendation, inform
them of this request early and ensure you provide them with all the details that they
are going to need as well as plenty of time to write the letter. If possible, approach
them in person first and ask them if they would be willing to provide a strong reference
letter for you the keyword in this sentence is strong. You do not want a mediocre letter.
If you doubt whether your potential writer is willing to compose a stellar letter for
you, consider asking someone else. You do not want to worry that the weak link in your
application components is a lukewarm letter from one of your previous professors. If you
cannot approach them in person, send them a friendly email asking if they would consider
writing you a strong letter of recommendation. Only if they agree, you can forward them all
the supporting documents. When you request the letters from your writers,
mention that you will make the process easy by providing them with your transcripts, CV,
a draft of your statement of purpose, and any other document they request your CV and
specific information about you. You want them to write a strong letter, so it is always
a good idea to expose them to your life outside of academia, such as your volunteer initiatives,
conference presentations, honors and awards you may have received, or anything else you
want them to know about you. Once they agree, confirm that you will send
them a formal request via email. Tell them that you will send them reminders of this
reference as the deadline approaches. This will help them keep track of the deadline,
as they are very busy people, and it will also help you be on top of things. Believe
me when I say that waiting for a professor to finally submit a letter of recommendation
on your behalf last-minute is not a fun process. Please visit our blog to see a sample email
you can send to your referees when asking for a recommendation letter. The link is in
the description of the video. Organizing Your CV
Essentially, a good CV highlights what you have done in terms of education, work experience,
volunteering, research, and other accomplishments. Moreover, good CVs are clear, concise, and
up to date with the information they present. Your CV should outline different activities
and experiences throughout your life that you would like to present to the reader, i.e.,
your academic, social, professional, personal, and other achievements. The bottom line is
this: to be a strong applicant, you need to make sure your CV includes meaningful personal
and professional experiences that showcase the different skills that you have developed
and refined throughout the years that make you a good match for the program you are applying
to. You might be wondering if you have any meaningful
experiences to show. If you have been paying attention, you know by now that applying to
grad school is a process that starts before you even solidify your decision to apply.
Building a good CV can start as early as your high school years. Therefore, your time as
an undergraduate student is the perfect opportunity
to start honing your skills through different
activities that will make your CV stand out. The Education section of your CV has already
been determined by the schools you have attended.
However, the sections that pertain to Working/Teaching/Tutoring/,
Research Experience, Volunteer Experience,
Extracurricular Interests, Publications, Skills/Qualifications,
and Awards/Honors are a work in progress and have the unequivocal potential to be complemented
with relevant and meaningful experiences from your college years. You do not have to have
it all, but you do need to keep your eye on the prize and get involved in those activities
that will align with your future academic goals.
Submitting Your Application You are almost there! You collected all your
documents and uploaded them to the online application system, your referees are working
on their letters and will hopefully submit them before the due date, your university
has delivered your official transcripts (if official transcripts were required at this
point), and you have paid the registration fee (which varies from school to school but
could range between $50 and $200 dollars). The only thing standing between you and your
dreams now is clicking the submit button. But not so fast! You know how we roll. Of
course, we are going to insist that you check
and double check your application before submitting.
Paying attention to detail and is essential in grad school. Your application should be
no exception! So, please check and double check. We can wait.
Once you confirm that everything is in order and that the documents you uploaded are the
correct ones, you can submit your package. Phew! So much work and effort to get to that
one click! Congratulations. You have officially applied to grad school!
Check out our blog for more information on grad school application. I have included a
link in the description of this video so you can find the blog easily. If you would like
us to help you with your grad school application, click on the link above or below this video
to schedule your free initial consultation. Hopefully you enjoyed the video so please
subscribe, like and leave a comment . If you have any questions about grad school applications
that I didn t cover in this video, let me know in the comment section and I will get
back to you as soon as possible. Don t forget that we're giving away $50 Amazon gift cards
every week to best comments and questions - comment below for a chance to win. Thanks
so much for watching this video, see you next time.