The Graduate School Application

Applying to graduate school has many similarities with applying to an undergraduate degree program as there is an online application and you will need to provide a variety of materials which demonstrate your academic experiences and preparation to be successful in the degree program. However, there are substantial differences. For example, graduate school applications are reviewed by a committee within each program or department; this is important to keep in mind as your audience for the graduate school application is faculty who are experts in the field of study and who are considering you for their graduate program and research.

The materials you will likely need to submit as part of your graduate school application include: online application; transcripts; curriculum vitae (CV)/resume; GRE scores; letters of recommendation; statement of purpose; and possibly a writing sample and/or portfolio and a personal and/or diversity statement. The focus of this book is on the statement of purpose; however, before we can discuss that essay, we need to have a more complete understanding of all the materials required in the graduate school application.