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Grad apps, Step 8: Apply for financial aid and scholarships.

By posted March 2, 2009

Applying for financial aid.

8 of 8 in a series

Let’s be realistic: grad school ain’t cheap.

Now that you’ve completed the applications for admission at each of your schools and programs, you’re almost done. You’ll still need to pay for school, and in order to obtain scholarships and loans, schools require you to submit financial aid applications.

Step 8: Apply for financial aid and scholarships.

In order to apply for financial aid, you’ll need a massive stack of information. Perhaps most crucial in that stack of information: your taxes.

Gather all required application forms and information from each school’s website or other information provided to applicants.

Even if you haven’t heard anything from the programs you’ve applied to, go ahead and submit a financial aid application. Don’t wait for your decisions to start rolling in. In fact, most schools will tell you not to do so. Be sure to find all instructions and deadlines. You should have marked these dates on your application calendars a while back and you should have printed out all the required information and placed it into your application file box. Retrieve all that information now so you can complete the final step.

Retrieve or complete your current year’s tax returns.

In order to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you’ll need your tax information (and possibly your parents’ info, too). While it’s not 100% necessary to actually file your taxes, you’ll need information that essentially requires you to complete them, so why not submit them? Generally, if you’re under age 30, you’ll also need your parents’ tax information, too. Check with the schools to which you’ve applied to find out if parental information is required; requirements vary from school to school.

Complete a FAFSA.

Virtually all schools require the submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your FAFSA is used to determine any need-based grants and your loan awards. New forms are available each year starting January 1st. Get started as soon as possible, as many schools’ deadline is as early as March 1st.

You’ll need the school codes for each program to which you’ve applied. Codes can be retrieved from each program’s website or you can search for a school/program by name and location as you complete the FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Complete any required school-specific forms.

Some schools have a separate financial aid application you’ll need to complete, and this application is often available online or will be sent along with admissions information. If you haven’t found anything yet, make a call to the financial aid office to find out if there’s anything you should be completing and sending their way.

Apply for every possible scholarship!

Schools and private organizations often offer scholarships ranging from one-time $500 awards to renewable full-tuition awards. Usually, applicants for such a scholarship are asked to submit a topical essay and/or other information (letter of recommendation, résumé, etc.). There are tons of books available at your local bookstore and loads of information available online regarding such awards. Check your schools’ websites and hit the bookstore or your local library. Make a list of all the scholarship programs you’re eligible to apply for, and make a run at every dime you might get to help fund your education.

Research educational loans.

Chances are good you’ll need some loans to help fund your life through graduate school, and it’s never too soon to prepare. Get a credit report so you’re aware of your current standing, then research educational lenders. The financial aid folks at the schools you’ve applied to can offer you more information on public and private lenders with whom they work. Here’s a good place to start researching the different types of loans available: http://www.gradloans.com/.

Hurry up and wait.

Everything is now officially on its way! Many schools will email you to confirm acceptance of your application materials, completion, and decision status, but some won’t. The waiting game you’ll play between application submission and decision notification can be nerve-wracking. Pick up a hobby. Throw yourself into work with new vigor. Read more books. You might hear in a week, but you might not hear anything for several months. Remember that each applicant is different, and try not to hedge bets on whether or not you’ll be accepted or rejected. There’s only one way to find out, and you’ve done all you can. Only time will tell.

Good luck!

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Grad apps, Step 7: Complete and submit your applications.

By posted February 25, 2009

Making it official: the applications.

7 of 8 in a series

You’ve researched. You’ve planned. You’ve taken your tests. Sent your transcripts. Gathered your letters of recommendation. Written your application essays and personal statements. Now it’s time to make it official.

Step 7: Complete and submit your applications.

Good news: you’re just moments away from becoming an official graduate school applicant. The hard parts are finished, and by now, you should have a stellar application packet almost ready to go… it just needs an official application form to introduce you to the admissions committees who will soon be reviewing your file.

And more good news: there’s not much you can do to screw this part up, but there are a few pitfalls you must absolutely avoid at all costs.

Review your programs’ application website and proofread everything else.

Before you complete the last portion of your application for admission, take a few moments to re-read the full application instructions on the website of each program at which you intend to apply. Double-check all application instructions to ensure that you’ve followed all instructions and completed all the necessary elements. Review the word count or page limits for your essays. Check off each required form, letter, or statement required. Once you’re satisfied that you’ve done everything correctly, you’re ready to fill out the surprisingly brief application form.

Do a “dry run.”

After the months you’ve probably spent preparing everything else, the actual application form will look pleasantly quick and easy. But before you begin filling anything in, print a copy to fill in manually if you plan to submit online, or print or photocopy a spare if you’ll be sending in a paper application. Start on your practice copy. Make sure you read each prompt carefully and provide the correct information. Taking the time to physically write out your application (rather than simply completing it online) will give you an added opportunity to get everything right.

Once you’ve finished filling out the paper form (or the spare copy), read everything again. Trust me: this is not the place for sloppy mistakes, missing blanks, or typos.

Complete your final application form(s).

When you’re satisfied with your “dry run” application, transfer everything to your final application form(s). If you’ll be sending in a paper application, choose your pen wisely. Choose a pen that won’t smudge as you write or bleed through to the opposite side of the paper.

Proofread your final application form(s).

Yes, again. You can never be too careful with this stuff. Always be aware that your admission and scholarship opportunities will be determined based upon your submissions, and take the appropriate amount of caution.

Include or attach payment.

Applications cost money (unless you’ve obtained a fee waiver), so don’t forget to include the correct payment amount with your application.

Submit everything.

Once you are absolutely, positively certain that your entire packet is ready to go, it’s time to send it off. If you’re submitting online, make sure all documents are properly attached and send it off with confidence. If you are sending in a paper version, use your printer to address the envelope you’ll be using. Make sure the envelope is oriented properly in the printer. Double-check the addresses. Make sure you place a check in the envelope or include credit card payment information on the application form (if/where you’re prompted to do so). Include all of the appropriate documents and attachments, seal up your envelope, and stamp it. I recommend taking your applications directly to the post office, but maybe that’s just me being neurotic.

Your application is now officially on its way! Time to celebrate! …But not for too long. You’ll still need to pay for school, so when you’re ready, you’ll need to gather up your most recent tax documents, complete your taxes, submit your FAFSA (for domestic students), and apply for financial aid.

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Grad apps, Step 6: Write your application essays.

By posted February 19, 2009

Essays and Personal Statements

6 of 8 in a series

You know yourself.

Adcoms, however, don’t know you. All they have to go on is your GPA, some test scores, some letters from some people who know you, and these: your application essays and/or personal statement. With that said, your essays and personal statements are, well, personal. So I can’t (or won’t) tell you what you should write.

What I can–and will–tell you is what characteristics your essays should and should not have. There are reasons adcoms ask specific questions: 1) to figure out how well you can follow directions, 2) to learn more about your writing and communication skills, and 3) to find out more about your specific qualifications for their programs. Here’s a good starter list of dos and don’ts:

DO Be honest.

DON’T “stretch” the truth.

Never, ever “stretch the truth” in an application essay or personal statement. More often than not, these kinds of things have a way of coming back to bite you. Think of it this way: the applications process is tricky enough on its own. You’ll have enough to keep track of with your various schools and programs and different essay questions and personal statement guidelines and deadlines. You’ll need to make sure you’re naming the right school, sending the right targeted letters of recommendation, meeting the right deadlines, answering the right essay question, and keeping to the appropriate margins and word counts for each school’s essays. Telling the truth means you have that much less to remember.

There are ways to deal with the less-than-pleasant elements of your past as they apply to graduate applications. There are few things that are absolute deal-breakers. Should you need to address something like a grade slump, an altercation with the law, or a blemish in your employment past, adcoms want to know that you learned a valuable lesson from the experience and that the problem is in your past and won’t happen again.

Besides, admissions folk see enough applications to develop some pretty good instincts on honesty, fluff, and outright falsehoods in applications, and I’ve heard plenty of stories about applicants being asked about elements of their applications in interviews. If you have to lie to get into a program, it’s not the right program for you. Trust that the admissions people know who and what they’re looking for, for reasons that are quite often beyond an applicant’s knowledge and/or understanding. They’re professionals. Trust them; if you’re who/what they’re looking for, then you’ll get in… and if not, well… that just wasn’t the school or program for you.

DO: Use spelling and grammar checkers.

DON’T: Submit any writing samples with spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.

In the age of built-in spelling- and grammar-check, there is absolutely no valid excuse for submitting a writing sample that contains spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. Such blunders are often considered inexcusable, and rightly so. If you’re applying to graduate studies, your most basic writing skills should display competence. A lack of such attention to detail also reeks of laziness and shoddy work, traits not so highly sought after in the graduate school admissions process.

But beyond mere lack of error, there are other crucial elements to keep in mind.

DO: Follow directions.

DON’T: Exceed the allotted word limit, page count, or margins.

You are not the first person to feel like you are worth more than 500 words or two pages or whatever the particular limitations might be. I know I might sound repetitive here, but trust that the adcoms know what they’re doing (not to mention that they’re really, really busy).

Great writing necessarily involves great editing. A truly great story includes all of the relevant story elements and nothing superfluous. Need more tangible examples? Think about what happens to a joke’s punchline when you flub the build-up with too much padding, or recall a bad movie you’ve seen that seemed to carry on and on for hours with little plot development (“Swept Away” comes to mind), only to leave you feeling underwhelmed at the end (and robbed of three hours of your life).

But don’t take my word on it: When asked why he wrote a particularly lengthy letter, Mark Twain allegedly replied, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” A little bit of editing can go a long way.

DO: Answer the questions asked.

DON’T: Stray from the topic.

To do so, your submissions must be on-point. Failure to do so can cause adcoms to think one of two things about you: 1) you didn’t think the question asked was worthy of an answer, that you know what they want better than they do, or 2) you’re unable to comprehend directions. Neither portrait is a desirable one.

Here’s something important to consider: In the applications for many different schools offering similar programs, you may find a high degree of overlap in essay question prompts. While it is definitely okay–and smart, even–to consolidate your efforts by using some of your answers to similar questions from previous applications, you should make absolutely certain that you have adequately tailored the response you submit to the particular question asked on the correct school’s application.

DO: Communicate skillfully.

DON’T: Answer the question(s) like a simple Q&A.

This is a writing sample–a rare chance for you to shine–and, as such, your writing should positively exhibit your communication skills. Being free of spelling or grammatical mistakes is a start, and staying on point is also helpful, but you’ll need to exhibit some real panache if you want to stand out from the crowd.

In regards to tone, know your audience. Schools are looking for serious students, so you’ll want to convey maturity and commitment in your writing. The structure of your writing should illustrate your ability to introduce, develop, and conclude an idea. Your language and sentence structure should be complex enough to exhibit your linguistic skills, but shouldn’t be plugged with excessive displays of esoteric language.

DO: Be true to yourself in your writing sample.

DON’T: Copy someone else’s personal statement or write your essays “by committee.”

Remember that this might be a school’s best chance of getting to know the real you. Be yourself in your essay. Speak in your own voice. Don’t retool the essay of someone else who got into XYZ school, and don’t get the input of your twelve closest friends and family members. Doing so only makes it more likely that your writing samples, when considered as a whole package, will sound disjointed and confusing. They’re not applying to XYZ school; you are. You know your reasons better than anyone. You know why this is the perfect school or program or field of study for you better than anyone else does. No one will be a stauncher advocate in this process.

Trust your own voice and run with it. Many applicants choose to write personal narratives, others choose to write persuasive essays, while others feel that neither option fits and choose a style more personal. There is no right or wring way to write, so long as you stick to the dos and don’ts above. Find the best way you can use this opportunity to prove to schools why you’re the right fit for their program and get to work.

Finally…

DO: Write several drafts over time.

DON’T: Procrastinate until you have only two days to submit your essays.

Trust me on this one: you’ll need time to be able to edit your essay(s) properly. Even the best writers can’t edit their own material without giving the brain some time to recover from writing mode. Give your head a little time to distance yourself from the first draft. Come back a few days, maybe a week later, and give it a fresh look. You’ll be much better equipped to find the problems in flow that need to be fixed or the linguistic oddities you’ll want to smooth out. I recommend dedicating the same day every week for a month to the process. On your application calendar, maybe block off every Saturday morning for the month before you intend to submit your applications. Use this time for drafting, writing, editing, revising, and finalizing your essays. You’ll be glad you did.

Now go get inspired! Read a few pages from your favorite book or poem or speech. Take some notes. Print out the essay questions or personal statement guidelines and start outlining what you want to say. When you’re ready to move on, we’ll get on with the business of submitting those applications you’ve been working on for so long!

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Grad apps, Step 5: Solicit and obtain letters of recommendation.

By posted February 16, 2009

Recommendations

5 of 8 in a series

People dig you.

Well, let’s hope they do, at least, because once you’ve requested that your transcripts and documentation be sent to schools, it’s time to find a few people who are willing to vouch for your aptitude for graduate studies:

Step 5: Solicit and obtain letters of recommendation.

Adcoms (admissions committee members) don’t know you. Most graduate programs don’t even offer interviews. In most cases, all they’ll see of you is a short stack of paper, and they’ll probably have hundreds or thousands more very much like yours from other applicants who want to get into their program just as much as you do. Standing out from the pile can be difficult, but it’s absolutely crucial to gaining acceptance (and, perhaps, scholarship offers) to your desired program(s).

Chances are good that your “numbers” are more-or-less set. If you’re considering graduate school, then you’ve either finished your undergraduate education (in which case you can’t do anything to nudge your GPA up any more) or are very near the end of it (in which case you have very little time to make even a small positive change in your GPA). You may still have time to improve your standardized admissions test score(s), which can definitely help. But more likely than not, your best opportunity to shine comes from two sources: your application essays and your letters of recommendation.

Solicit recommendations early.

Since the letters of recommendation aren’t fully under your control, you should solicit them before you start working on your application essays. Give yourself two to three months before you plan to submit your apps so your recommenders (who are probably busy people) have time to write an insightful, well thought out, glowing recommendation.

Ask the right people.

Hopefully, when you started this process, you took my advice and followed up with some potential recommenders. If you haven’t done so yet, now’s definitely the time. Make a quick phone call or send an email. Invite him/her out for lunch or coffee.

But who should you ask? Schools typically have guidelines for applicants regarding who should recommend a candidate and how many letters must and can be sent. Before you start asking around, visit each school or program’s website. Peruse the “admissions” section. If you haven’t already done so, print out the application and slip a copy into your application file box. The admissions page or application will contain guidelines for recommendations.

Follow instructions.

Nothing bugs an adcom more than an applicant who doesn’t follow instructions. Don’t send more letters of recommendation than a school accepts. It won’t make you look any better. Two letters of recommendation is a fairly common requirement; three are often accepted (and some schools will accept even more). Most schools want at least one recommendation to come from an academic source, although there is a little bit of wiggle room on this guideline. Unless otherwise specified, it’s usually best to solicit at least one academic recommendation and one professional recommendation (particularly for business school applicants).

Some highly competitive programs even require a Dean’s Certification form/letter, which can be tougher to obtain, so work on making communication in-roads as soon as possible to facilitate the process.

Applicants come from a variety of backgrounds and apply at various stages of their lives, and adcoms know this. If you’ve been out of school for quite some time and you have a difficult time contacting your old professors, schools will generally accept recommendations from less traditional sources. It’s not uncommon for candidates still in undergrad to submit exclusively academic recommendations; similarly, candidates returning to school after years in a career path often submit exclusively professional recommendations. While this may not be ideal, it’s certainly acceptable.

Get the best recommendations possible.

Most importantly, your recommendations should be absolutely stellar. If you’re not sure how positively a potential recommender will endorse you, ask. Try something direct, but courteous, such as: “How strongly would you be comfortable recommending me to [graduate school or program]?” If he or she seems at all hesitant, this is probably not your recommender of choice.

You may know an alum of one of the programs to which you’re applying. If so, a targeted letter is a great idea. A targeted letter is one written particularly for one specific program by someone who has close ties to that school or program. In such a letter, the recommender can address your aptitude for that particular program. Such a recommendation is likely to carry more weight, considering the intimate knowledge the recommender has with the school. But here’s a word to the wise: make sure you don’t send the targeted letter to any of the wrong schools. Want to insult an admissions committee? Then send Stanford a letter that outlines why you’d be such a great fit at Harvard Business School. That’s almost a guarantee that you’ll be placed in the “reject” pile.

While an alum or board member can be a great recommender if he/she knows you well enough to endorse your application to graduate studies, submitting “celebrity” letters just for name recognition won’t do you any favors. Like I said before, the most important element of any recommendation is its quality. Your recommenders should be able to address your aptitude for graduate studies in your particular program of choice. They should mention things like your work ethic, your attention to detail, your attitude and how you interact with other students or co-workers, your intellectual curiosity, your written and verbal communication skills, your logical aptitude, your critical analysis skills, etc.

Provide resources.

I hope this point is obvious, but it’s still worth stating. Make sure you provide your recommenders all the proper forms and guidelines they need. If  particular school requires a specific form, make sure you provide it along with your request.

To make their jobs a little bit easier, provide a résumé to each recommender and supplement the résumé with notes. Include a story that illustrates a particular skill or trait that he or she might include in the letter, but make sure the story is relevant to the particular recommender in question. If you have one, provide a draft of your personal statement or another writing sample.

Also, be sure to provide envelopes that are already addressed and stamped. Recommending you shouldn’t cost the gracious writer anything and shouldn’t be a hassle. And I’m sure you want the letters to get to the right places, so do the legwork yourself. In short, make it as easy as possible.

Set a deadline.

Don’t forget that recommenders are people, too. They have other priorities, most of them more important that writing a letter of recommendation for a graduate school applicant. To help the process along, set a deadline for him/her and make sure to follow-up on occasion–maybe every two weeks. Don’t be annoying, for sure, but check in with a quick email asking if he/she has had a chance to look over the forms and materials you presented and ask if he/she has any questions you might be able to answer to help with the process.

Show your gratitude.

Be forewarned that some schools require a very specific recommendation form, and any good recommendation will take some time and effort to be well-written, so you should be extremely courteous and thankful of anyone willing to jump through such hoops for you. Once your letters are in, do more than just say thank you. Send “thank you” cards to your recommenders. Take them out to lunch or coffee. Make sure your recommenders know they did the right thing by signing their names to your application to schools. A little bit goes a long way.

Once your letters of recommendation are taken care of, it’s time for you to start writing. Next up in the series: application essays and personal statements.

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Grad apps, Step 4: Get your transcripts and other academic documents sent.

By posted February 16, 2009

Transcripts and Paperwork

4 of 8 in a series

The proof is in the paper.

Wait, that’s not how the saying goes? Well, in relation to grad school applications, that’s  how it should go. Once you have your test prep study plan in full-swing, you’re ready to start the next phase:

Step 4: Get your transcripts and other academic documents sent.

For some of you, the process of sending your transcript(s) to the graduate programs you’re applying to may be an easy process. If you only attended one undergraduate institution, didn’t dual enroll during high school, don’t have any blemishes on your single transcript, and are only applying to one program, then your process will probably be relatively painless. And if so, I envy you. The rest of you, be forewarned: this can be the slowest and least controllable element of your application.

Law school applicants have a notable advantage here. When applying to (U.S.) law schools, domestic students traditionally must use the LSDAS (the Law School Data Assembly Service, that is). The LSDAS acts as a clearinghouse of sorts, compiling transcripts, standardizing them, and sending them off in the form of “Law School Reports” to each school an applicant requests. For the low cost of $12 per school, applicants can transmit these reports–which contain transcript summaries, actual transcripts, LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, and short-form applications–to schools electronically (NB: the $12 report fee is separate from the schools’ application fees; application fees, which are payable to each school, are assessed in addition to report fees).

The true beauty of the LSDAS is the time, energy, and money it saves so many applicants. Rather than ordering a transcript copy for each undergraduate (and graduate, if applicable) institution attended–$5 to $12, typically–and having an official copy sent to each of the schools to which an applicant applies–multiply the fee by the appropriate number of schools–the headache and expenses only need be incurred once… Okay, well maybe more like several headaches. But the headache-of-a-process only needs to be endured once.

And let me be clear: this process is, quite often, a headache.

Been away from school for a number of years? You’ll have to search the web and/or make some phone calls to get in touch with your institution’s registrar, find out the procedure, pay the designated fees, and then wait. Since schools are inundated with requests like yours (especially as deadlines approach), transcripts can take two to four weeks, if not longer, to be processed and sent out. Be sure to start the ball rolling well in advance of application deadlines (read: two or more months, at least).

Did you attend more than one college or university? Dual enroll during high school? You’ll have to do this for each institution.

Did your target schools receive all of your transcripts? Are you sure? In an effort to save time and paper, many schools notify candidates of application status via email or through an online “status checker,” but if you haven’t heard anything, it may very well be time to make some phone calls.

Did you ever receive an academic or disciplinary sanctions? There’s some more paperwork that needs to be sent, and that’s usually from a different department. More research, more time, and more energy.

Do any of your target programs require a “Dean’s Certification”? Many top programs require a short-form letter, a recommendation of sorts, from the Office of the Dean at your undergraduate institution. There’s usually someone in the Dean’s office who is responsible for such letters, and many students don’t know their respective deans. (Most) schools are prepared for these requests, but again–more paperwork, phone calls, emails, letters, follow-up, etc.

Law school applicants are lucky, because at least the lion’s share of this work is standardized. They only need to have everything sent once, directly to the LSDAS, which then forwards along certified copies of all (or most of) the necessary documentation. Other grad program applicants: you’re not so lucky. You’ll need to get a jump on the transcript and academic paperwork process several months before you want your applications to be “complete” at your target schools. If you can, start six months out; this way, if there’s any missing documentation, the programs to which you’re applying have time to notify you of the missing components (read: more of the same headache) in time for you to remedy the error well before application deadlines so that you’re not pushed to the late review pile of applicants.

And this is to say nothing of your letters of recommendation or your application essays and personal statements.

Get out your application calendar. Add in transcript/paperwork request dates four to six months before everything’s due. Track all follow-up communication. Keep an email folder for each school’s communication, just in case. Don’t be afraid to be persistent, but always be polite. Trust me: you’ll thank me for this when the late applicants are doing the last minute shuffle. You’ll hear all about it if you follow any applicant blogs.

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Grad apps, Step 3: Prepare for and take the appropriate test(s).

By posted February 9, 2009

Test preparation

3 of 8 in a series

You’ve decided you want to go to graduate school. You’ve done your research. You’ve created your own system to manage your application process. Next, it’s time to get the biggest hurdle out of the way:

Step 3: Prepare for and take the appropriate test(s).

I could write about test prep all day–and will do so in later blog entries–but for the sake of the “To Do” list in progress, I’ll keep the main points few and, well, pointed. My goal in writing this tonight is to help you setup a study-and-execution plan for tackling your test or tests.

Determine which test(s) you will need to take for your particular program(s).

This may sound like a no-brainer, but there are some testing considerations that are easier to overlook. For most graduate business programs, you’ll generally need to take the GMAT; for law school, you’ll need to take the LSAT; for medical school, you’ll need to take the MCAT; optometry school, OAT; dental school, DAT; pharmacy school, PCAT; and for most other programs, you’ll probably need to take the GRE.

But some programs vary, and certain types of students may need to take additional tests. For instance, some graduate business schools accept the GRE or MAT (Miller Analogies Test). For students who were educated abroad (in locations other than the U.S.), most graduate programs require a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). Research your particular program(s) at your particular school(s) to ensure you’re covering all your bases.

Learn all about the test(s).

Enter the name of the test into a search engine. Find out the test provider, then go to the testmaker’s website. Read up on the format and scoring of the test, content tested, and time restrictions. Find out where you’ll be taking the test and what you are and are not allowed to bring with you to the test center.

Questions you should be able to answer about the test(s) you need to take:

  • Is this a paper-and-pencil test, a computer-based test, or a computer-adaptive test?
  • What’s the difference between a computer-based test and a computer-adaptive test? (if applicable)
  • Will I be penalized for wrong answers or unanswered questions?
  • What content is tested?
  • What types of questions appear in each section?
  • How many questions of each type in each section?
  • How much time is allotted for each section?
  • How does this test’s content and format serve as a valid measure of aptitude for graduate studies in my field? (This one’s more of a question that, if applied to each question type, can help you better understand why the test is designed as it so that you can master the reasoning it tests.)

To help you on your way, here’s where you can find information on some of the most common graduate admissions tests:

  • GMAT — test administration organization: GMAC; website: www.mba.com
  • GRE — test administration organization: ETS; website: www.ets.org/gre/
  • LSAT — test administration organization: LSAC; website: www.lsac.org
  • MCAT — test administration organization: AAMC; website: www.aamc.org/mcat/

Devise a well-rounded and layered study plan.

There are countless different preparation methods available to you; the sheer volume of materials and resources available can be overwhelming. Should you take a class? Study alone? Hire a tutor? Which books should you use to study? Should you practice on the computer? Should you study math content? If so, which content? Should you focus solely on testing strategy? If so, what strategies are most effective?

How you prepare–class, solo study, tutor–is up to you. But here’s what you must do:

  • Always start with an actual practice test, preferably a sample test released by the testmaker. That’s your baseline, and it’ll help you figure out your natural strengths and weaknesses in both content and strategy.
  • Balance your approach. Your preparation should include a combination of content-based study, test/question/section strategy, and test simulations.
  • Your early preparation should be dominantly content-oriented, with a moderate dose of question-type strategy and very little, if any, test-like practice. Take advantage of the time you have to really shore up your weaker areas, but make sure you don’t neglect your strengths. Taking too many practice tests or sections too early in the game merely reinforces bad habits, making them harder to break later on.
  • Your mid-range preparation should be a balance between content-oriented study and question- and section-strategy practice, with some test simulations.
  • The final stage of your preparation should be primarily test simulations, with detailed post-mortem analysis of each test from all points of view (weak content areas, troublesome question types, and section/test strategy issue management). Make sure you take adequate time in your analysis to learn from your mistakes.

As for the solo study/class/tutor question, you’ll need to do some self-reflection here. If you tend to do well on standardized tests and you’re very disciplined, then solo study might be fine. If you’re slightly less disciplined, then the structure of a class might do you well. And it’s always great to have the advice of an expert available in a class or through a tutor, but cost is a factor to consider (and add to your budget, should you choose one of these options).

Use quality materials.

With the stockpiles of material available to you, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The first and best material to use is the material released by the testmaker. Get your hands on previously released tests and free practice materials, usually available on the testmaker’s website. You may also be able to purchase additional prep materials through the website or at your local or online bookstore.

To supplement the testmaker’s resources, join some online forums and read through the posts of other test takers. Use an internet search engine. Play on Grockit!

Your materials should provide a mix of formats, at least some of which should be very similar to that of the test. Shameless-yet-earnest plug: Since most tests are now either computer-based or computer-adaptive, Grockit can provide great preparation in a rather test-like format, while still allowing you to work on content with experts and other learners alike and review your practice material in-depth later on.

Do test simulations.

Never, and I mean never ever, take a standardized test without doing a healthy amount of test simulation practice. Make sure your test simulations are as test-like as possible: place yourself in a similar environment, observe time constraints strictly, use only the resources you will be permitted at the test site (i.e., don’t use your calculator unless your test permits the use of one), and take only the allotted breaks.

After learning about the test format, always start your preparation with an actual practice test, preferably a sample test released by the testmaker. Take it before you review any content (and likely waste time reviewing stuff you already know or didn’t need to know). That’s your baseline, and it’ll help you figure out your natural strengths and weaknesses in both content and strategy.

Don’t do too many prep tests until you’re comfortable with the knowledge that your test-taking habits are correct and consistent. As you shift into your later phases of preparation, you should ramp up the frequency of your simulations. Once you’ve scored three times at in acceptable score range, you’re ready to take the real thing.

Once that’s done and your scores are finalized, it’s time to get to the paperwork.

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Grad apps, Step 2: "Manage" the application process.

By posted February 8, 2009

Managing the application process

2 of 8 in a series

If you’ve completed your research, you should be ready to move on to the next step and begin some real work. But before you start plugging away, it’s smart to organize your application process. With that in mind, here’s the next step on our list:

Step 2: Manage the application process.

Managing the process– much like you might manage a project at work– will help ensure you meet all deadlines and obligations while maintaining high quality standards in your applications. Here are the most important elements you’ll want to be sure to work into your routine:

Tend to your relationships with potential recommenders.

Your recommendations will play a big role in your applications, and you should ensure that you’re getting absolutely top-notch recommendations. And while noted alumni are great recommenders for targeted schools, the most important characteristic of good recommendations are that they come from people who are credible, know you well, and can speak to your aptitude and preparedness for graduate work.

While your recommendations can come from a variety of sources (academic, professional, personal), most schools have preferences regarding at least some of your recommendations. In fact, many schools prefer to receive at least one academic and one professional recommendation. If you’ve been out of school for a while, it may take some time to hunt down an old professor who remembers you well and fondly enough to sign his or her good name to your application to graduate studies.

Start early, and make sure you show your gratitude at each step of the process. If it’s been a while since you’ve spoken or seen each other, write a quick email to say hello. Maybe invite him/her to lunch (you’ll buy, of course). Make sure this person feels comfortable recommending you strongly; if you’re unsure, you might want to ask just that: “How strongly would be be comfortable recommending me to — school/program?” It never hurts to ask, as long as you are courteous.

Sort your list of possible schools into categories.

At this early point in your application process, you probably aren’t sure where you’ll score on standardized tests required for admission. But you should have done plenty of research on the schools that offer your desired program. Sort your list of possible schools into three categories:

  • “reach” schools, where you may be unlikely to gain admission, but would nonetheless love to attend;
  • “target” schools, where you are competitive for admission and would like to attend; and
  • “safety” schools, where you have a very high likelihood of admission.

While you may not be absolutely certain which schools are “reach”, “target”, and “safety” schools until after you get your scores back, you probably have some early inclinations one way or the other about many schools. You can always rearrange your list later.

I’m a spreadsheet addict, so I personally recommend making a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet is probably the best way to organize your list of schools. You’ll be able to add columns for “applied” (date submitted), “complete” (date application is “complete” at each school), “interview” (date), “financial aid” (dollar amount), “tuition” (total), and “decision” (outcome). You may want to include other columns as well, but these should get you started. A spreadsheet with all important information will make selecting the best school for you much easier once all the columns get filled out, and you can always delete a row if you decide that a particular school isn’t right for you.

Make an application calendar.

Get a calendar to track important dates for admissions process. Include the following:

Last acceptable test administration.

From your list of schools, determine the last possible test date you can take to meet all application deadlines. Since you’ll likely have multiple schools, be sure to note the earliest of the test deadlines. Write this date in big, bold letters. Red, preferrably. Then plan backwards for at least one possible retake, should the worst happen. Make that your target test date, although you may want to back up your target test administration date even further to reduce your test anxiety a bit.

Financial aid/scholarship deadlines.

Many schools have scholarship deadlines prior to regular admission deadlines, especially for larger scholarships. If you plan to apply for them, be sure to note the relevant dates and schools in your application calendar. You should also try to get your taxes done as early as possible, since most schools have a financial aid paperwork deadline of March 1st, and for U.S. schools, you’ll need to submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in order to be considered for any need-based assistance or federally-backed loans. While you can estimate your taxes, I recommend doing them and getting the right numbers in rather than stressing about whether or not your paperwork is correct.

Early decision application deadlines.

You’ll probably have one absolute dream school. This is the school you should apply to “Early Decision” or “Early Action.” Early decision applicants tend to have slightly better odds than do regular decision candidates, but in order to get the bump, you’ll need to commit to that school. In your early decision agreement, you must agree to withdraw other applications if you are accepted to Dream University. Notifications for early decision to fall start programs generally arrive by January 15th.

Regular decision application deadlines for your program start date.

Make sure you mark all the various RD deadlines for each school to which you plan to apply. Deadlines usually occur in clusters (on the 1st and 15th of different months), and many schools have application “rounds.” Applying to an earlier application round means there’s more space in the class for you. Apply early, and don’t miss those deadlines.

Program start dates.

Don’t forget to mark the date that classes start at each school. That’s what the application process is all about! It’ll help you remember why you’re doing all the legwork, plus it’ll help you organize the major life changes you’ll need to make as you get ready to start graduate school.

Setup a both a physical grad school file box and a virtual file folder.

Go to Office Depot, Staples, or your office supply store of choice to pick up a portable file box and hanging file folders (unless you already have these on hand). Make a file for each school/program to which you intend to apply. You may choose to organize your files alphabetically or by preference (put your top choice program first, for instance).

Once you’ve made your physical files in your grad school file box, visit each school or program’s website. While you’re there, bookmark all important pages and organize them into folders in your web browser. Print out the admissions information, tuition and fees information, and the application form. Place a hard copy in the appropriate folder in your file box.

If you used a calendar program on your computer, then you should make an additional calendar folder. Print out a copy of each month between now and the final deadline for applications at the latest school’s deadline and slip the calendar pages into the folder so you’ll never miss a deadline.

Organize your finances for graduate school.

Since most of us will need some combination of personal contributions, scholarships, grants, and loans, you’ll need to make sure your finances are in order before you start the loads of paperwork that await you. Find out where you stand, and do your best to maintain or improve your financial outlook before your paperwork is submitted. Some tips:

Get a credit report.

Know your credit score so you’re not caught off guard by an instance of identity theft or some oversight from a move five years ago that can prevent you from getting loans. Do everything in your power to maintain a good credit score or improve a weaker one in the time allotted. Google “credit repair” and research the many options available to you.

Make an application budget.

Applying to graduate school isn’t cheap, and there are many “hidden” expenses people often forget. Be sure to include all application fees, standardized test fees, test prep/prep material costs (more on that in part 3 of 8), transcript/paperwork fees, recommender thank-you lunches, travel funds for school visits and interviews, a clothing allowance for interviews, interviewer and recommender “thank you” cards, and a seat deposit at the school you finally choose. Put the alloted budget into savings and don’t touch it until you need it (or start saving it, if you don’t have it available yet).

Put the amount you intend to pay out-of-pocket for tuition into savings and don’t touch it.

Based on your FAFSA and/or other financial aid information, you will be provided with an expected contribution. Try to get an estimate of that as early as possible so you can put that money away until tuition is due. Again, if you don’t have it, start saving now.

Once you have your process all setup, you’re ready to get to the first major hurdle: taking your test(s). When you’re ready, look for my next blog entry for tips on preparing for graduate admissions tests.

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The Graduate School Application Process

By posted February 6, 2009

Where to begin

1 of 8 in a series

Okay, so you’ve decided you want to go to graduate school. Now what? This blog entry and the following seven will build and flesh out a “To Do” list for you, helping you find answers to questions from “What should I study?” to “How can I get financial aid?” Each entry will focus on one step of the process so that you know where to start and what to do next.

I strongly recommend starting this list a year before you plan to start graduate school, but this can definitely be done in six months or less; you’ll just need to be more resourceful in some steps. Here’s a good ordered list of things to do to get yourself started (we’ll fill in notes on each step in this and subsequent entries):

  1. Research.
  2. Manage the application process.
  3. Prepare for and take the appropriate test(s).
  4. Get your transcripts sent.
  5. Solicit and obtain letters of recommendation.
  6. Write your application essays.
  7. Complete and submit your application(s).
  8. Apply for financial aid and scholarships.

“But how do I dive into this list?” you ask. Well, let’s start at the beginning:

Step 1: Research.

Before you do anything else, do your research. Make sure you investigate each of the following points:

Research which graduate programs of study may be right for you.

Identify people who are in positions you’d like to obtain, and find out their educational backgrounds. Ask them, ask co-workers, and check company websites.

Research which graduate program formats are available to and appropriate for you.

Once you’ve identified the program(s) you wish to pursue, research the different program formats offered at different institutions. Many grad programs now offer many alternatives to tradition full-time studies. Look into part-time, fully-employed (weekend), and “virtual” (online) options that could allow you to continue working while you’re in school or enroll in courses at a non-local institution. Many employers will even contribute to tuition for such programs!

Find out which schools offer your intended program(s) of study in your desired format(s).

You may want to start with nearby institutions or with those with name prestige in your chosen field. U.S. News and World Reports publishes (in print and online) annual rankings for a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs—and breaks them down by specialties, even—as do countless other organizations. Google “business school rankings” or “cost-effective master’s degree” or “part-time law school” and see how many results you find.

Determine the costs associated with graduate school.

Using the schools’ websites and other published resources, figure out annual tuition and expenses (books, parking, etc.) and, if you’ll need to relocate, expected cost of living. You can use a cost of living comparison tool, which you’ll also easily find online.

Figure out the reasonable expected Return on Investment for your graduate studies.

Many published rankings’ sources and school websites offer average starting salary for graduates of each particular program. You’ll need to be a bit more persistent in your research, but different schools offer different options. A strong alumni network, high rankings, and reputation are just a few factors that may impact graduates’ starting salaries. Before you hand over much of your hard-earned (and, likely, hard-borrowed) money, pick the best investment… because that’s exactly what you’re doing: investing in your future.

Research the schools and their surroundings.

If you’ll need to relocate for school, you’ll want to make sure that the city in which your program is located is, in fact, a place you can live comfortably. Research the size and demographics of the towns, check message boards, and visit the campus and city if you can. In addition, many schools place recent graduates best locally, so it’s definitely wise to make sure you like the area before you commit to two or more years there.

Once you’ve gotten a handle on your program and school research, you’re ready to start applying. In my next blog entry, we’ll focus on how to properly manage the application process.

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Considering graduate school?

By posted February 5, 2009

Although I’ve taken the LSAT, GRE, and GMAT (several times, in fact), until recently, I never did so with a true focus on immediately starting a graduate program. I love school—always have—and always intended to go back. But as the all-too-common story goes, I moved across the country, started working, was doing pretty well, and it just got put on the backburner. Life happened.

Nine years out of college, I found myself with a post-collegiate address history in South Florida, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco, with family and friends scattered all around the country… but with few nearby. And although I had a strong résumé of work that I truly enjoyed, I’d also racked up quite a bit of debt over the years. When the U.S. economy really started heading south in September, I had to face some hard facts. Comparing my income and debt to the cost of living in San Francisco didn’t look pretty, and I found myself in too vulnerable a position to be comfortable.

As a political junkie and the daughter of an economist, the excitement of a presidential election and the agitation of a full-blown global economic crisis incited some intensive reevaluation and spurred me into action. So, after nearly a decade of helping people prepare for standardized tests and putting off graduate school myself, I decided to finally pursue my own JD/MBA.

The decision to go back to school is a very personal one, and it’s certainly not one to be taken lightly. For those with reliable income and pressing responsibilities, now might not the best time to go back to school (at least not full-time; a part-time program, however, might be a very wise investment). For me, however, I found myself very flexible at age 30, with only a dog to take care of, at the cusp of what definitely feels like “the rest of my life.” Riding out the rough economy in graduate school seemed like the smartest—though not the easiest—choice for me.

When I committed to the decision in October my LSAT and GMAT scores were somewhat out-of-date. Faced with two different tests and two very different application processes, I had to prioritize—and quickly. Since the LSAT is only administered four times a year and test sites fill up early (especially later in the application cycle), I first scheduled the soonest possible test date, the December administration. I figured that I’d get the LSAT out of the way first and finish up my law school apps (which are considerably easier to complete than are B-school applications, thanks to the LSDAS—more on that in future blogs). Once I had the law school portion finished, I’d begin the Business school application process.

And that’s where I am.

As a frequent advisor but first time applicant, I’ve learned some valuable lessons about deciding to go to graduate school and how to complete the preparation and application process, which I intend to share through this blog. Let’s start with the first question: Is graduate school right for me now?

To answer that question, here are some questions you should ask yourself:

[N.B.: I’ve chosen three years as a guideline for candidates in the U.S., as that seems to be a reasonable estimate for a considerable recovery from the domestic economic situation. If you are outside the U.S., you might want to change three years to one year—next application cycle.]

Is my current job stable enough to sustain me for the next three years?

If you’re working in a growth industry—like education—and you’re confident that your superiors are impressed with you, you’re probably better off waiting out the rough economy in your current position or perhaps considering part-time/fully-employed graduate programs. But if you work in the auto industry, as a stockbroker, or at a startup, graduate school may hold more personal appeal. Being laid off may very well provide you an opportunity to pursue something that you’ve always wanted to do, but don’t voluntarily sacrifice stability too hastily for the mere possibility of something better. Wait for the situation to stabilize before you make your move.

Will I be happy enough staying where I am for the next three years?

Let’s face it: now’s not the best time to be looking for your “dream job.” Job markets are tight, and leaving your current job for the prospect of something unknown is unwise, at best. I don’t recommend leaving your current job because you don’t like the guy who sits next to you.

But if you’re going to be absolutely miserable if you stay at your current job, in your current field, or in your current location, then graduate school might be right for you. An advanced degree will definitely make you more attractive to employers, but you should consider part-time/fully-employed programs before ditching your current bread-and-butter gig.

If I put off graduate school for three years, will I still be able to return to it later?

Will you have too many personal commitments to return to school in three years? Will you have progressed too far in your career for graduate school to be feasible or even desirable? Will the career you wish to pursue with your graduate degree still be as relevant in three years? If you’re not sure you want to go at all or that it’ll be a sound investment, then don’t do it now. If you’re sure you want to pursue a graduate degree but now doesn’t seem like the time, there’s still much you can do to prepare while sustaining yourself in your current job. Prepare for your GMAT, LSAT, GRE, or other standardized test. Cultivate relationships with people who can advise you and recommend you to graduate programs. Grow your résumé and resume the application process once you’ve finished all the prerequisite legwork and the timing is better.

Can I afford graduate school right now?

Reality check: graduate school is expensive. Scholarships are much more scarce for graduate school than they are for undergrad. Credit markets are tight everywhere. Can you really afford to go back to school right now? A full-time program might be out of reach at the moment, but a part-time program is something to consider as a viable alternative. Review your finances and research programs before making your final decision.

Once you’ve asked yourself these (and other) tough questions, it’s time to take action. If you’re ready to move forward, I’ll chat more about the next steps in tomorrow’s blog entry.

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