Tara Kuther, Ph.D., is a professor at Western Connecticut State University. Your income cannot exceed the annual limits. It is your responsibility to find out which exams you need to take, schedule and take the exams, and make sure the scores are sent as part of your application. Completed applications will often be due in December of that same year. The program must be considered an undergraduate program. Carefully structure your essay. For some fields, it’s very normal for students to apply to graduate school as seniors in college and go straight to a master’s or PhD. Grants can be provided by public and private sources, such as government agencies, professional organizations, corporations, and the schools that students attend. If you were accepted only at a school you were “on the fence” about, decide whether you should accept there or wait and try again at your preferred choice(s). And they are looking for someone who will be productive and interested in their work. Talk to current students, walk around the area, ask questions, and trust your instincts. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Average Cost Of Graduate School. Expectations in Your Field The best time in your life to apply to graduate school depends a lot on your field. Skip letters from friends, spiritual leaders, and public officials. How to Get Recommendation Letters for Grad School, Why Grad Schools Require Your Undergraduate Transcript, How to Email Professors at Prospective Grad Schools. However, make sure to individualize them so that each letter speaks to the specific attributes of its target graduate program. Contact your new professors, see if there are any reading lists you can get started with, make sure you have filled out all necessary paperwork, learn your way around campus, find the best places to study (and unwind), and so on. But a large reason for that requirement is to (1) verify that you earned an undergrad degree, and (2) ensure that they have an official record of it. If you have an established career plan in mind, and don't have any impediments in your way, it's probably best to continue straight through from undergrad. If more than one school looks good to you, it's time for more lists. Be thorough. To apply to most medical schools in the United States, you will need to use the AAMC’s centralized application processing service, the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®). There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. You can qualify for a Prodigy graduate student loan without a co-signer; lending decisions are based on your future income, rather than your current financial situation. If you qualify for benefits, you’ll get a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Each application will likely require an official transcript from your undergraduate institution(s). Most applications come with a fee, which often range around $100 in the U.S. If you put your best foot forward with your application, create and stick to a schedule, and do your homework about grad schools before and after the application process begins, you can wait for that acceptance letter in a (slightly more) relaxed way. One of them is the TEACH (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) grant. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. Applying to Graduate School: What You Need to Know. Most applicants become anxious when they realize that graduate school applications are very different from college applications. Law, medical and business schools usually require different exams (the LSAT, MCAT, and GMAT, respectively). This should include teaching assistantships and research assistantships. This article has been viewed 7,336 times. By using our site, you agree to our. Possibly. What Do Grad Schools Look for in Students? Wait for a decision. If you cannot afford to pay, contact the graduate program to inquire about possible fee reductions or waivers. First, you should apply for grants, scholarships, and other funding when you are applying to graduate school. Peterson’s is a scholarship finding site helps you find any grants you qualify for (both for undergraduate and graduate school. Although not part of the application, some programs use interviews to get a look at finalists. Before you begin writing, consider your qualities. Your transcript provides information about your academic background. Kuther, Tara, Ph.D. "Applying to Graduate School: What You Need to Know." Average award amounts for graduate school Disbursement of your financial aid Important FAFSA support resources. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Demonstrate satisfactory progress in course work, and timely progress in completing the degree requirements as defined by the enrolling graduate program. You don't want your application to be rejected because your transcript was late or never arrived. A distribution to pay for qualified higher education expenses at a graduate school or professional school will be considered a qualified distribution and therefore tax-free. In the best-case scenario, if you are planning to attend graduate school in the fall after you complete your undergraduate degree, you should start planning in May prior to the start of your senior year. Many states offer assistance for graduate or professional school. Other majors, such as Psychology, will also get you in, but when you graduate, you’ll qualify for different jobs than you would have with a scientific undergrad major. The coursework cannot lead to a graduate degree. Be specific: What do you offer? Much of the material will be repeated from your CV, but never write “see CV” or truncate your responses. This should be completely error-free and well written. If multiple approvals arrive, visit the schools you were accepted to and get a real feel of what the campus is like. When you apply, we carefully consider your experience, achievements, motivation, and potential for growth. You can read over the same obvious “your” instead of “you're” typo several times without noticing it, while another person might pick up on it right away. You may be expected to take a graduate entrance exam and report your scores (or have them reported by the testing agency). Feel free to go beyond two pages in length (without going overboard) and try to prioritize your strongest areas (your wealth of relevant research experience, for instance) by placing them early in the document. Don't rely only on emotional motivation (such as "I want to help people" or "I want to learn"). GRE scores or scores for any other required tests. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/df\/Apply-to-Graduate-School-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Apply-to-Graduate-School-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/df\/Apply-to-Graduate-School-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid7610848-v4-728px-Apply-to-Graduate-School-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"