Especially For Women

Application

Many places you can apply over the web...do it! It saves time and you know they received your information on time. General information is needed. Have your resume and transcript near by. Know your work history.

Transcripts

Be sure to ask for them from the registrar's office. Grad schools may want multiple copies sent to multiple locations. Also, it can take awhile for Hope to send your transcripts, so you may want to have one sent "as is" and send one with final grades for the semester later.

Letters of Recommendation

People to ask are professors in your major, research advisors, and intership advisors.

Statement of Purpose

What to write about

• Your preparation for graduate school: classes, research, internships
• What you learned that will help you in grad school.
• Skills you have obtained
• Research interests
• Career goal (immediate and future)
• Why do you want to go to grad school?
• A few sentences about the specific institution (professors and research that looks interesting to you and why you would be good at that research).

Time Table

• Junior Year and the Following Summer
  
  • Look at graduate programs and fellowships online
  • Prepare and register for required standardized tests (General and Subject GREs)
  • Start thinking about your statement of purpose
• Senior Year: September
  
  • Discuss your Statement of Purpose with a faculty member
  • Ask for letters of recommendation
• Senior Year: October - November
  
  • Take standardized tests (October if possible)
  • Request/download applications
  • Give recommendation writers the appropriate materials (resume, transcript, stamped, addressed envelopes)
  • Order Transcripts
• Senior Year: December
  
  • Complete applications (most are due between early December and early January)
• Senior Year: March
  
  • Hear back from your schools of choice, and visit all that you can!