Grad School Checklist

So you want to Go to Grad School?

I recently was notified about the next group’s interview weekend, so I decided that it probably would be a good time to start a series of posts about the Graduate School Process. It’s tricky to navigate without help, and I was blessed to have my family help me out.

The first part of the series is: The Checklist

I am a huge fan of To-Do lists, and I know that it was helpful for me to make my own checklist for graduate school. So here’s what you will need.

1. A Competitive GPA

I am not saying that you need to have a 4.0. We all have that rough semester with the awful breakup or Physics. What you need is a strong GPA that reflects that you are able to understand content. Once you are in graduate school, they expect you to have a strong base to work off of when you come to class.

2. A strong GRE Score

Some people are awesome at standardized tests. I am not one of said people. Since standardized tests are rarely about the content and all about the questions, I find myself choosing the trick answer instead of what the exam wants.

I got the books and took many practice tests.

Practice makes perfect friends.

3. Recommendation Letters

If you haven’t been very nice to your professors, then you may have a bit of a problem with this one. So make sure you have had your best manners in class. More importantly, get to know your professors. Work in their labs. Serve as a TA. Do whatever you can to spend more time with your advisors.

Here’s where the science world and the business world collide.

Gettting to the next step of the graduate school application process is a lot more about who you know than you would expect. If your recommender knows a person at the school you are applying to, then your letter carries a lot more weight.

So see where your recommenders have connections, and pick schools from that list to apply to.

4. Experience

This was key for my acceptance to Notre Dame. It is one thing to have a project from your undergrad, but what schools really want to see is taking an interest beyond class requirements. Medical Schools require shadowing and volunteer work in a hospital so that the premeds can garuntee that medicine is for them.

So obviously grad schools want to be sure that you are at least interested in research, or whatever style of graduate school you are applying for.

My REU really revealed the nature of scientific research. I would highly recommend applying for these. Here’s the link: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp

5. A Good Story

By a good story, I mean that you should have a strong personal statement explaining why you want to go to Graduate School in the first place. It shouldn't just be a recap of "why I like school" or another rehashed story about finding your passion as a child. Sure, these are good things, but graduate schools want to know that you are going there for a reason. Everyone has a backstory, and your story is just as important as everyone else's. Therefore, you need to tell it as best you can.

Basically, work hard and show interest, and you will be fine. Grad school is easy to get in to if you follow the steps.

I will write more about my journey every other week or so.

Best of luck!