VI. The Application Process

Admission to graduate schools is competitive and in some fields, even harder than medical school. Minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements mean “barely enough to be considered”; they do not mean that everyone who has the minimum is admitted. Usually, students who are admitted have GPAs well above the minimum.

Even if you are a strong candidate academically, mishandling the application process may result in your not being admitted. Completing the application process successfully is, in a sense, your first test.

Applying

There are four principle parts to an application for graduate school:

1. Application and fee;
2. Official transcripts;
3. Statement of objectives, or essay; and
4. Letters of recommendation.

Additional areas of the application process include:

• Follow-up
• The Admissions Decision
• Timing of offers

Note: Entrance exams and financial aid are essential parts of the application process but are handled by agencies other than the admissions office.

Unlike undergraduate applications, where admission is determined by the college or campus, admission at the graduate level is determined by individual programs. Most schools have a two-step process: a campus application to a central graduate admissions office; and a secondary or supplemental application to the individual program. Schools that do not use a secondary or supplemental application usually forward the campus application to the program for the final decision.

It is critical to know what materials to send and where to send them, because there are significant differences between programs in the process, documents, and deadlines. It can be complicated.

Get organized!

First, create a master calendar (paper calendars, spreadsheets, and scheduling software all work) that includes:

• Application deadline for every graduate school to which you are applying.
  
  
• Application deadline for every program to which you are applying (if separate from the graduate school’s).
  
  
• Application deadline for financial aid.
  
  
• Exam dates, score reporting dates (be sure the scores arrive at least a month before the application deadlines!), and the dates when you will confirm the scores have been received. Leave enough time, 2-3 weeks, to request the scores be re-sent, in case they were not received the first time.
  
  
• Registration deadlines for exams.
  
  
• Dates for requesting transcripts and, a couple weeks later, for confirming they have been received by the schools. Leave enough time, 2-3 weeks, to request your transcripts be re-sent, in case they were not received the first time.
  
  
• Timeline for writing a statement of objectives: plan on the writing and revising taking at least a month.
  
  
• Dates for requesting letters of recommendation: plan on at least a month for referees to write and send their letters.
  
  
• Dates for confirming that letters of recommendation have been received by the schools. Leave enough time, 3-4 weeks, to follow up with referees if their letters were not received the first time.
  
  

Second, create a file (real or virtual) for each individual program to hold copies of everything you receive and everything you send.

Third, take care in completing the application form.

• Print or copy an extra form to use as a rough draft and complete it before filling out the real one.
• Review everything twice before you click “submit.
• Send everything at least a month ahead of the deadline.
• Don’t forget to include the application fee!

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Request transcripts from all schools you have ever attended.

• List all schools on your application; not only those schools where you received a degree.
  
  
• Send a transcript even for schools you attended only one term and made poor grades. This is important because, until all of your transcripts have been received, your application incomplete and will not be processed.
  
  
• Do not think you can simply avoid mentioning a school you attended, because any transcript showing your degree will have a record of your other schools.
  
  
• Request transcripts well in advance of deadlines: some schools take a long time to issue transcripts.
  
  
• Most colleges and universities now allow you request transcripts online.
  
  
• If you do not already have a copy of your transcripts, be sure to request a copy for your personal files. Your copy is for your own use only and cannot substitute for an official transcript, which must be sent directly from your old school to your prospective school.

Note: If you are applying to a UHM program you do not need to send transcripts for any courses you took in the UH system, as the UHM graduate division can access your records electronically.

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A strong Statement of Objectives is crucial. Graduate programs are looking for students who fit into their specializations. You should have determined your specialization and goals well ahead of applying, but writing your statement will help you solidify and articulate them. The Statement of Objectives will be the only way you have to convince graduate programs that you do fit and that they should admit you.

How do you write a good statement?

• Write a general rough draft to highlight your personal interests and qualifications. Be sure to mention your specialization.
  
  
• Next, write a rough draft for each individual program (not for the campus—it is the program that makes the decision about admission).
  
  
• Then ask someone who knows you well academically to review your drafts, and revise accordingly.
  
  
• Finally, tailor each Statement to its program, being very clear to specify why you think your area of focus makes you a good fit with their program.

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Usually, you will need three letters of recommendation from faculty who are familiar with your academic work.

• Provide each of your referees with some background on you:


• A copy of your general Statement of Objectives. This will help “jog” their memories about what you want to do and will ensure that what they say about you will be consistent with what you have said.
• A copy of your resume (coursework, relevant activities, jobs, etc.).
• Copies of work (papers, exams) you did in their classes.
• A summary of salient points about the program(s) to which you are applying, so they can explain why you are such a great fit. Be sure to include a list of the faculty.
• Finally, if your referees are willing, take the time to talk to them about your goals and your reasons for applying.


• Do not use generic reference services, which could hurt your chances of admission. Ask your referees to write letters to each program.


• Programs can recognize “form letters” and such letters do not speak strongly in your favor.
• If your referees are supportive, they will tailor their letters to mention specific points relevant to the individual programs.
• Remember that it’s a small world: your referees may actually know someone in the program to which you are applying and can “personalize” the letter to their colleague or friend.


• Always waive your right to review the letters; if you do not, admissions committees may discount them.

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• It is your responsibility to follow up with the admission offices and to confirm that they have received everything. When following up, it is imperative that you be friendly and polite with everyone.
  
  
*When applying to UHM, you should receive an e-mail message confirming receipt and will tell you what, if any, documents are missing. Not all schools will do this!

*If you do not hear from the Admissions Office within a month of submitting the application plus fee, contact them directly.

*Send neat, heartfelt thank you notes to each and every referee who wrote you a letter of recommendation.

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What determines admission?

These factors are under your control:

• Your grades – good grades will not guarantee admission, but bad grades will almost certainly keep you out. Graduate admission is very competitive.
  
  
• An accurate, complete application plus fee. If you have missing or incomplete application materials, your chances of admission drop to zero.
  
  
• The quality of your Statement of Objectives.
  
  
• Letters from supportive faculty. Three strong letters are simply the minimum; a bad or even lukewarm recommendation can hurt your application. Only exceptional, glowing recommendations or those written to a colleague are likely to have a positive impact.
  
  
• Strong test scores.

These factors are not under your control:

• Faculty perception of your “fit” with their needs and directions. These might have changed or be undergoing change, for a variety of reasons.
  
  
• Available resources.


• Sometimes, the faculty in your area of interest will be overloaded, retiring, or leaving, so there will be no one who can supervise your work.
• Sometimes the program will be overloaded with students and there are no seats available.
• There may have been budget cuts, reducing the program’s ability to accept new students.


• The competition.


• Sometimes the program will be swamped with applications the year you apply.
• Depending on who else applies, your GPA and other attributes, however strong, may not be competitive.

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Many programs conduct what is called “rolling admissions.” They first make offers to top applicants, usually within a month of their deadline. After hearing from the first group, they then make a second round of offers, and sometimes even a third. The timing of these subsequent offers is hard to predict, and you may have to respond to one offer before you have heard from all the schools.

• Prioritize your acceptance of offers; know ahead of time which programs you prefer. Most programs will give you a reasonable deadline by which to decide, but don’t wait too long or you risk losing the offer.
  
  
• If you get an offer from a program lower in priority, contact the programs higher on your list and ask them about your status. If they plan to make you an offer, they will want to know that you have been accepted elsewhere.
  
  
• You can ask for more time if you need it, but schools are not obligated to grant it. Requesting further information may keep the dialogue open longer.

If accepted, get it in writing.

• If you are offered financial support, getting the offer in writing is doubly important.
  
  
• Be sure to submit the required deposit and/or statement of intent by the deadline. Failure to do so may mean losing the offer of acceptance.

What should I do if I am rejected?

• Try to find out why you were rejected and improve the areas under your control. Some programs will not reveal the reason for denial. Do not pressure them for an answer, as you have nothing to gain by annoying them.
  
  
• Appeal if you think there was something that was overlooked, but it is rare for appeals to succeed. You almost always have to have a faculty “champion” for this to succeed.
  
  
• Discuss your application with an academic advisor. Ask for a frank evaluation of your case and how to improve your chances of being accepted.
  
  
• Re-examine your Statement of Objectives; ask others for feedback and then revise.
  
  
• Take additional courses to improve your grades. You can do this as a Post Baccalaureate Unclassified student. At UHM, students with 12 credits beyond a Bachelor degree are admissible if their GPA for those credits is 3.0 or higher. Some post-baccalaureate credits can be applied towards the advanced degree.
  
  
• Try applying again next year, perhaps at more or different programs.
  
  
• Do more research to find programs with a better “fit.”
  
  
• Get more experience, if that is desirable in your field.
  
  
• Refocus on a different specialization or consider other programs related to your interests.

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