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APPLICATION TIPS
Although the tips below are geared
towards application to our Environmental Sciences
program they are also broadly applicable to
application to other science graduate programs.
Statement |
Letters of Recommendation
| Standardized
Tests |
Transcripts
Personal
Statement
Graduate programs often require a
written statement as part of the application.
Our program is no different in that we require a
personal statement as well as a curriculum vitae.
The terminology for this written statement varies
from program to program and some require very
specific information as ours does. Our program
admissions committee uses the personal statement to
assess the applicants reasons for pursuing a
graduate degree in environmental science, their
areas of interest, and potential for success.
The importance of the statement varies from school
to school and from field to field. For the
Graduate Program in Environmental Sciences the
personal statement is central to the application
process.
The purpose
of your statement
What you're usually trying to do with
the statement is persuade the committee that you are
an applicant that should be considered for the
program. You may wish to show that you have
ability and motivation to succeed in your field or
to show that, on the basis of your experience, that
you will be successful in the program and will do
well in your chosen field. Whatever your goals
for the statement be clear and concise and stay on
message.
- Pay attention to the purpose
throughout the statement so that extraneous material
is left out
- Pay attention to the audience (committee)
throughout the statement. Remember that your
audience is made up of professionals in their field,
and you are not going to tell them how they should
act or what they should be. You are the
amateur.
The Content
of your statement
Be sure answer all questions fully. Analyze
the questions or guidance statements for the essay
completely and answer all parts, Usually
graduate schools are interested in the following
things, although the form of the question(s) and the
responses may vary:
- Your purpose in graduate study. This means you
must have thought this through before you try to
answer the question.
- Your area of specialization. You need to know the
field well enough to make a decision and be able to
state your preferences using the language of the
field.
- Your intended future use of your graduate degree.
Include your career goals and plans for the future.
- Your special preparedness and fitness for study in
the field. This is an opportunity to clearly
explain your experience and how this makes you a
qualified, if not ideal, candidate for the program.
- Problems or inconsistencies in your records,
scores such as a bad semester. Be sure to
explain in a positive manner and justify the
explanation. This is a rebuttal argument so
follow it with a positive statement of your
abilities.
Know what your transcript says about you!
- Any special conditions not revealed elsewhere in
the application such as a significant workload (> 35
hours) outside of full time classes. This too
should be followed by a positive statement about
yourself and your future.
- Why are you applying to the specific program?
This requires that you've done your homework about
the institution and the program and know what is
special about it and why it appeals to you.
- Above all, this statement should contain
information about you as a person. The committee
likely knows nothing about you. This is your only
venue to tell them about yourself. YOU are the
subject of the statement.
The style of
your statement
First there is no such thing as the perfect style.
You should definitely avoid some things though such
as:
- "what I did with my life" approach
- I've always wanted to be a ..." approach
- A laundry list or catalog of achievements.
For our program you must also submit a CV which will
have these accomplishments listed.
- Lecturing the reader. This is a major
mistake. Don't tell the committee what they
already know to be true about their field.
Here are some things the statement
should do:
- it should be objective yet self-revelatory.
Write directly and in a straightforward manner.
Don't use jargon!
- It should form conclusions that explain the value
and meaning of your experience. Draw your
conclusions from the evidence your life provides.
- Be specific. Document conclusions with
specific evidence.
- Should be an example of persuasive writing.
Your college or university career center counselors
can assist you with this.
- It should get to the point early and hold the
reader's attention....don't be "cute" though
- Watch the length limit. Do NOT exceed or be
under the specific page or word limit.
Words and
phrases to Avoid
| significant |
appealing to
me |
meaningful |
interesting |
| appealing
aspect |
helping
people |
challenging |
I like it |
| I like
helping people or animals |
satisfying/satisfaction |
it's important |
remarkable |
| appreciate |
I can
contribute |
rewarding |
invaluable |
| meant a lot
to me |
useful |
invaluable |
stimulating |
| valuable |
enjoyable/excietd |
incredible |
helpful |
| feel good |
happy |
gratifying |
fascinating |
Letters
of Recommendation
How important are letters of recommendation?
How many letters of recommendation do I need?
Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation?
How do I approach potential letter writers?
When should I approach letter writers?
What if I plan to take some time off before I go to
graduate school?
How can I go about getting good letters of
recommendation?
What information do my letter writers need to write
good letters?
My graduate teaching assistant really knows me; can
I use her letter?
Do graduate schools care if letters are confidential
or not?
How important are letters of recommendation?
Letters of recommendation are
required for almost every graduate school
application and are a very important part of the
application process. Usually grades and test scores
factor heavily; however, your letters of
recommendation could be the deciding factor in the
admission process. Strong letters of recommendation
can strengthen your application and if there are
deficiencies in your application, they can help to
outweigh them.
How many letters of recommendation do I need?
Each institution will let you know
how many letters it requires. Our program requires 3
letters of recommendation. We recommend that you
send only the amount of letters requested. DO NOT
send extra letters as they will not help your case
and will show that you can't or won't follow
directions.
Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation?
The best letter writers are those
that know you well and can provide an evaluation of
your ability to perform and succeed at the graduate
level. Take every opportunity to get to know and
talk with your professors: go to office hours, ask
questions in class, seek advice about your career,
do independent research or study with a professor
whose recommendation you may want.
In our experience the following
make the best letter writers.
- Someone who knows you well
- Someone with the title of
“Professor”
- Someone who is a professor at
the school granting your baccalaureate degree
- Someone who has earned the
degree which you are seeking in your graduate
work
- Someone with an advanced
degree who has supervised you in a job or
internship aligned with the graduate program you
are pursuing
- Someone who has academically
evaluated you in an upper-division class
Note: letters from family friends, political
figures, and the like usually are discouraged
and may, in fact, be detrimental.
How do I approach potential letter writers?
First, make a list of professors
and/or supervisors who will be your best advocates.
Then, set up an appointment to discuss your request
in person. Do not make the request via email. Be
prepared to articulate your interest and reasons for
attending graduate school and for applying to a
particular program.
Letters of recommendation are
written strictly on a voluntary basis; a faculty
member or employer may decline to write them. The
best approach is to ask potential letter writers if
they are willing to write you a strong letter. If
you sense reluctance or the answer is no, ask
someone else.
When should I approach letter writers and what if
I plan to take some time off before I go to graduate
school?
Professors and supervisors want to
help you and are pleased to write on your behalf;
however, they are usually involved in many
activities. Faculty are especially busy during the
months of November and December. Be considerate and
courteous of your letter writers’ time and workload,
and approach them at least two months in advance of
your request.
A good time to approach letter
writers is early fall of your senior year if you
plan to attend graduate school immediately following
graduation. If you ask for letters before this time,
ask during the school year; sometimes professors are
hard to find in summer.
If you plan to take some time off
before going to graduate school, don’t wait until
you want to apply to graduate school to ask for
letters. Your professors could be on sabbatical, or
you may not be fresh in their minds anymore. So, ask
professors for a “general” letter of recommendation
before you leave and place their letters in a safe
place. When you are ready to apply to graduate
school, contact professors again, and ask them to
update your letters.
How can I go about getting good letters of
recommendation?
Since your best letters will come
from those who know you well, make an effort to get
to know your professors and/or supervisors. A few
ways you can do this are to speak up in class,
select courses with small class sizes, take more
than one class from a professor, do research for a
professor, take on optional projects (e.g., write an
honor thesis or start an outreach program at work),
and regularly attend office hours.
The best strategy you can use to
get a good letter of recommendation, particularly if
a professor does not have a long acquaintance with
you, is to provide your letter writer with ample
information about you. This way, you will get a
letter that includes concrete details about you,
instead of a letter that contains only your grade or
class rank, which is of limited value.
What information do my letter writers need to
write good letters?
You can help your letter writers
write enlightening letters by giving each of them a
portfolio that includes:
A cover note that includes:
- Information on how to get in
touch with you in case they need to reach you
- What you would like
emphasized in each letter
- A list of schools to which
you are applying, and due dates, with the
earliest due date at the top
- Any other information that is
relevant
- Open and close your note with
thanks and acknowledgement that the letter
writer’s time is valuable and that this letter
is important to your professional future.
Recommendation forms – make it
easy for letter writer to complete forms in a timely
manner, complete the following:
- Applicant information typed
in Recommender’s name, title, contact info
(telephone, fax, address etc) typed in
- Your unofficial transcripts
(note courses you took with them)
- A draft of your statement
- A copy of your best work in
the course with instructors comments on it, lab
reports, papers etc.
- Your resume
- Stamped and addressed
envelopes to send the letters and forms directly
to the schools of your choice
My graduate teaching assistant really knows me;
can I use her letter?
Yes, you can, but as a general
rule, it is better to have letters written by
professors rather than graduate students. The reason
for the "more senior, the better" stance is that by
virtue of experience the older person may be in a
better position to evaluate the student and to
compare the applicant to current and previous
classes of students. Graduate students often write
fine letters and frequently write parts or all of
letters which professors sign or co-sign. Having a
graduate student’s letter co-signed by a professor
adds to its strength, especially if the professor
can add useful comments.
It is better to have a strong
letter from a graduate student than a letter from a
professor that says little or nothing. But, the
temptation to feel that since it often is easier to
get to know a graduate student than a professor so
it is perfectly acceptable to settle for graduate
student letters should be resisted. Some graduate
schools specifically state that they will only
accept letters from professors, not lecturers or
graduate students. In our program we strongly
discourage letters of recommendation from graduate
students.
Do graduate schools care if letters are
confidential or not?
In general, graduate programs
prefer confidential letters. Admissions officials
say that it displays more confidence on the part of
the applicant if letters are “confidential” (meaning
you, the applicant cannot see the letter). You
should only request letters of evaluation from
individuals you are confident will give insight into
you and your abilities and will be an advocate for
you.
Standardized Tests
Most graduate schools require test
scores for admission. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
General and Subject tests are required by many
academic programs (Masters and Doctoral degrees).
The TOEFL English proficiency test for international
students.
Our program requires the GRE general examination
and, for international students, the TOEFL
examination.
It is very important to prepare for and take these
tests early. We recommend that you take these tests
at the end of your junior year, so that you can
submit your application materials early and have
ample time to retake the test if necessary. Be sure
to consult admissions deadlines, etc. to determine
your optimal test date.
Sign up early to ensure that you
can take the test on your desired date. There are no
registration deadlines for computer based tests (GRE
General and Written Assessment), but registration is
first come, first serve. The registration deadlines
for GRE Subject Tests are approximately six weeks
prior to the exam dates. Late registration is
available for some tests for an additional fee.
Special accommodation for students with disabilities
can be arranged with ample prior notice. Check with
each testing organization to verify their policies.
Check each school's admission
requirements to determine which tests you need to
take. Currently, GRE Subject Tests are only
available for Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular
Biology, Literature in English, Biology,
Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science,
and Psychology.
Subject Tests are only offered three times a year-in
April, November, and December. You must sign up for
Subject Tests approximately six weeks in advance.
Not all Subject Tests are available on every date,
so check the GRE
website for test availability well in advance.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) - The official site
for the GRE. Includes answers to frequently asked
questions and information on registration and
testing sites.
Special accommodations are
available for students with disabilities.
Transcripts
A great deal of information about you
is on your transcript. It shows if you've
struggled with subjects, over-come obstacles etc.
It also shows if you're the type of student who is
"afraid" of subjects such as mathematics. An
example is a student who graduates with a BS in
Chemistry with a 4.0. Not an easy task.
But in reviewing the transcript we can see that he
never took more than 12 hours in any given semester,
withdrew from Calculus I several times before
completing it at a community college and never took
more than 1 lab course per semester. What does
that say about this individual?
Know what your transcript says about you.
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