Applying to Graduate Programs
It is grad school application season! You may be thinking of applying to graduate school. Whether it be a Master’s or Doctoral programs, most graduate school applications generally ask for the same materials, with some program specific items too. Since I am in the field of Physics, I will approach explaining what you may need based on what my applications asked for. But like I said, some of these things are standard through all graduate applications.
Personal Statement
A personal statement is an opportunity to tell your story. I know some of us might have difficulties thinking about what there is to talk about when it comes to yourself. I know, I did. One way to get started is to brainstorm some of the challenges you may have encountered and how you have overcome them. In my Personal Statement I talked about the difficulties of navigating higher education as a first-generation college student.
Research Statement/Statement of Purpose
In general, a Research Statement and Statement of Purpose are two distinct things. At times, in STEM, they can be used interchangeably. My essay included a summary of all the major research I have been a part of as well as my purpose in pursuing a Physics PhD. Depending on the statement your application asks for, you get to talk about what kind of research you would like to do at the university you are applying for and talk about all the research you have done! It is important to also connect what your overall goal may be with the degree you are pursuing. I would like to continue in the field of academia after I graduate from my PhD, so I talked about how the program and research would help me achieve this goal.
Recommendation Letters
It is important to know how many recommendation letters your application needs from you! This information can be found on the application website of the university you will be applying to. As of right now, you should have or will be asking for recommendation letters from professors/advisors/mentors you may have had a good relationship with. I was lucky to have multiple mentors through the Cal-Bridge program as well as a research advisor that could offer me great recommendation letters. And yes, when asking for recommendation letters try asking if they could write a great one for you because their word can have a significant impact for your application and overall acceptance. If you are planning to apply this Fall, you should definitely be asking for those Letters of Recommendation right now, your letter writers will appreciate the more time you give them to write it.
Test Scores
Not all universities require you to have taken the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) or other entrance exams. But note that there may be different ones that you may need to take if they are being asked for. If there is one being asked for, it is usually the general GRE, which tests you on topics like Math and English. But, there are also GRE Subject Tests like the Physics Subject, Math Subject, or the Psychology Subject GRE Tests that are more specific to the program you may be applying for.
CV
The last item I am going to mention is the Curriculum Vitae (CV). Your CV is a summary of your academic work and scholarly achievements. Here, you will list and summarize research experiences, presentations, teaching experience, education, awards and honors, research interests and service to your field. There is more that can go on your CV, but I am not equipped with the skills to tell you what a good CV looks like. As my fiancé MJ did for me, I recommend you visit the Career Center at your institute for help with your CV.
Of course, your application might ask you for more things, so it is best to open it up as soon as possible to make a list of what the required things are! I will sign off with one thing that helped me through the application process. Finding somewhere to organize my application materials. I personally use Notion, a note taking web application. I used it to keep track of faculty and their research, as well as their email, application due dates, whether an application had a fee waiver, etc.
If you are also looking for other tips on how to design your documents, especially your Resume and CV, I recommend following MJ on Instagram (@__careerconfidence) and her Website https://www.mjcareerconfidence.com/ for all things Career!
And like always, thank you for taking the time to read through my post!
Luis Davila