GETTING INTO

GRADUATE

SCHOOL

There are many resources out there that can give you strategies on getting into graduate school. Usually, the advice is sound, but I find that it comes too late to be maximally useful. There are aspects of the application process that require a long term plan starting early in your undergraduate career.

Letters of

recommendation

You generally need at least 2 academic recommendation letters for your graduate school application. That means letters, not just from professors, but professors who are familiar with your academic work. ‘A’ students can generally find a letter writer among the professors with whom they’ve taken classes. But if the professor only knows you in passing, the letter will be generic, adding little value to your application. If you do a thesis, your research supervisor is an ideal letter writer. Supervisors are familiar with your research skills, writing ability, motivations, personality, and above all, can provide concrete examples to support their recommendations. But what of the other letter(s)? I suggest introducing yourself to your professors now, no matter what year you are in. Go to their office hours and say “hi”; ask if they have research opportunities in one of their ongoing projects; become a teaching assistant if the opportunity arises. Regardless of whether you end up volunteering for a professor, ultimately the point is that your professors meet you and pay attention to your performance if you’re in their class.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Our program no longer requires the GRE, but there are still graduate programs out there that do. And since this is me giving you general advice, I would be remiss if I did not mention it. It’s hard to study for the verbal section of the GRE because there are few methods you can use to compensate for a limited vocabulary. Most people end up memorizing lists of words like they’re studying for a spelling bee. The solution is simple, learn Latin. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, read widely, read often, read outside of your discipline, start now. Newspapers don’t count because they’re written at a grade 6 level (at best).

The application process

I have noticed in recent years that there has been an increase in the number of students e-mailing me about accepting them as a graduate student. Aside from the fact that these e-mails usually wind up in my spam folder because they contain unsolicited attachments (e.g., CVs, resumes, transcripts, etc.), such e-mails also demonstrate a lack of familiarity with my institution’s application process. As with many Canadian universities, individual professors, like myself, do not accept students into the program. There is an application process that involves all the professors in the program collectively evaluating each application, and any acceptances of potential students require multiple levels of approval from the Department, the Faculty in which the Department resides, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies. As such, it is unnecessary and inadvisable to send a professor all your application matierials. It tends to convey a lack of basic background preparation given that all of the requirements and steps in the application process are contained on the University’s website. I do not mean to discourage you from contacting potential supervisors if you have questions that are not readily avalible on public websites, but recognize that a detailed consideration of your qualifications outside of the formal application process is unlikely. Attaching CVs/resumes and transcripts could also be construed as presumptuous given the amount of time it takes to review such materials. Acquaint yourself with the application process of any program you are interested in before contacting a professor. Professors are also notoriously bad with administrative details, so do not bother asking them about program requirements; such questions should be directed to the program’s adminstrative staff or Graduate Studies. And, as with ALL e-mail communication with people you are not acquainted with, be as brief as possible.

Other tips and strategies

Consistent with most of my advice, this list is somewhat random and subject to change over time. They are not required; they are only suggestions. The admissions criteria differ between universities. Investigate them now. If you wait until your final semester, you might realize too late that you’re missing a recommended course, failed to take the GRE, etc. Set aside time for volunteer work in the community. Try to join a professor’s lab or research project. Take at least 2 statistics classes and a research methods course. The people writing your recommendation letters will probably have to fill out an evaluation form. Familiarize yourself with the form to make sure that the letter-writer can make an informed evaluation of most of the skills and abilities (e.g., writing ability, industriousness, research ability). Approach potential letter writers at least a month before your applications is due. Writing is very important in grad school. Make sure your Statement of Interest is grammatical. Do an undergraduate thesis. Know why you want to go to graduate school. Know as much as you can about professors with whom you want to work. Many have an internet presence. If not a personal web-page, they might be on LinkedIn, or they gave a talk somewhere and the proceedings are published. At the very least, all of our publications are available in the library.