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| Graduate School Checklist |
It is important to start gathering information early in order to be able
to complete your applications on times. Most people should start the
process a full year and a half before their anticipated date of
matriculation. There are, however some exceptions to this rule....
Application deadlines may range from August (before your senior year) to
later Spring/Summer (during your senior year). Most deadlines for the
fall's entering class are between December and March. You should, in all
cases, plan to meet formal deadlines; beyond this, you should be aware
of the fact that many schools with rolling admissions encourage and act
upon early applications.
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Six Months Prior To Applying:
- Research areas of interest, institutions and programs.
- Talk to your advisor and professors about interests and application
requirements.
- Register and prepare for appropriate graduate admission tests.
- Investigate national scholarships.
- If appropriate, obtain letters of recommendations.
- Contact school for application materials
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Three Months Prior To Applying:
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- Take required admissions tests.
- Visit institutions of interest, if possible.
- Write your application essay.
- Check on application deadlines and rolling admission policies.
- Register for the national application or data assembly service most
programs use, if needed for medical, dental, osteopathy, podiatry, or
law school.
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Fall, One Year Before Beginning Your Graduate
Program:
- Obtain letters of recommendation.
- Take graduate admission tests if you have not already done so.
- Send in completed applications.
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January, Before Matriculating in the Fall
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
the CSS Financial Aid PROFILE, if required. Do this as early in January
if possible.
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Spring, Before Matriculating in the Fall:
- Check with all institutions before the deadline to make sure your file is complete.
- Visit the institutions that accept you.
- Send a deposit to your institution of choice.
- Notify other colleges and universities that accepted you of your decision so that they may admit students on their waiting list.
- Send thank-you notes to people who wrote your recommendation letters, informing them of your success.
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Note: You may not be able to adhere
to this timetable if your application deadlines are very early, as is the
case with medical schools, or if you decided to attend graduate school at
the last minute. In any case, keep in mind the various application requirements
and be sure to meet all deadlines. If deadlines are impossible for you to
meet, call the institution to determine if a late application will be considered.
(Adapted from Peterson’s Graduate & Professional Programs: An Overview 1996). |
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