How to Increase Your Chances of Being Accepted into Grad School

Mar 09 2021

How to Increase Your Chances of Being Accepted into Grad School

For some people, getting into grad school is a dream of a lifetime, but applying might be a stressful time for many. Some may be wondering if they’ll be able to get into the school or program of their choice. Others may not know if they’ll able to get in at all. This is why you have to do everything you can to make your application as attractive as possible. There are tons of ways that you can do this, thankfully. Let’s take a look at how you can increase your chances of being accepted into grad school.

Join the Right Clubs and Activities

One of the things you should do is seek leadership positions in various organizations in your school. Look for activities and clubs you are truly passionate about. You could serve on the student government, work at the campus’s radio station, or write for the school’s paper. Alternatively, you could seek positions outside of school, like working with non-profits or helping tutor children with learning difficulties after class.

This will be beneficial for a number of reasons. For one, you’ll have tons of great experiences to draw from during the interview process, and going into a field you care about will make them sound more genuine. Your enthusiasm will also be palpable.

You will also get a chance to network through these clubs and make valuable connections. Some of the people you’ve worked with like professors, peers, and club leaders will be able to vouch for you. Not to mention that participation in these clubs or organizations will make a great addition to a cover letter or resume.

Write the Perfect Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement is one of the parts many applicants fear the most, but they shouldn’t. The most important part is understanding that it’s not like your average essay. The personal statement has a very specific goal, and that is to reconcile the program with your academic and professional goals and experience and show why you would be a right fit.

If you don’t know how to write a personal statement for graduate school, SetApp has a great piece you should check out. They lay out the exact components a personal statement letter should have and what differentiates it from other types of essays. It also explains how you should research for it, and a few tips on what you should do before submitting it.

Work on Your Grades and Prepare for Admission Tests

If you’re going to grad school right after college, you will need to pay special attention to your grades. Since you will have no or minimal experience, this is what will hold the most weight on your application. This is why you need to take your classes seriously if you aren’t right now.

You also want to prepare for standardized tests. These will help assess your general aptitudes and whether you have the skills needed to succeed in your program. Some of these include the GRE, the LSAT for law school students, MCAT for medical school, and the Graduate Management Aptitude Test just to name a few.

If you’re going to attend grad school straight out of college, you will most likely have to study for these exams while still attending class. So, you will need to carve out time for this. You may decide to take the test during your summer or winter break. This is why we suggest you look at which semester would be the easiest for you to juggle both.

Choose the Right Classes

You don’t want to pick classes solely so you can get admitted. You also want to take classes that will help you in your program. Make sure that you know what will be the pre-requisites, but also which classes could be useful.

We would also suggest that you look at different schools of thought and authors in your discipline. You might be able to see who you would rather work with and which school of thought certain programs or professors are leaning more towards. This will not only increase your chance of success and getting accepted, but it’ll ensure that you won’t have to step on your integrity at any point during your studies.

Cultivate Closer Relationships with Your Current Teaching Staff

Now is also the time to start cultivating a closer relationship with your teaching staff if you haven’t already. Find the professors you mesh the most with, and start paying them visits more often. Don’t talk to them only when you have a paper due or an exam. Getting closer to professors could open the door to mentoring opportunities which could benefit you for a whole lifetime.

More importantly, someone who knows you will be more willing to write a letter for you. It will sound truthful and genuine and will resonate more with the admission board than some cookie-cutter letter. Also, they might be able to give you more insight into specific schools or programs.

Use Time Off School Wisely

People who are thinking of getting into grad school right after college should also use their off-time wisely and start gaining some experience. Some people will decide to use the summer or winter break to pursue internship gigs. This is a great way to add some feathers to your cap and make your application more attractive. Not only that, but the people you work with will serve as references. If you want to find great internship opportunities, check out your college’s career center.

We also suggest that you use the most out of your time during semesters. If you have opportunities to learn outside of your program, take them. This will all add to your expertise and help you make a good impression.

There are tons of things that you can do to increase your chances of being accepted into graduate school. It all starts with proper preparation, so get ready early so you can get everything you need in order.

Tags: Admission to Graduated School,Grad School