Getting Into Grad School

If you haven’t yet answered the central question of “Should I go to grad school,” STOP. DO NOT PASS GO. Go back to Step One.

If you’ve fully made the assessment that you are PASSIONATE about the field you want to go into, you NEED the graduate degree to advance your career, and you’re COMMITTED to seeing it through from start to finish, then you’re in the right place. It’s time to move on to the second step in the Your Grad School Coach process – GETTING INTO GRADUATE SCHOOL.

Make no mistake – getting into grad school is actually pretty competitive. There are tons of other applicants, some of which have just as good or maybe better academic background or credentials as yourself. So how do you earn your golden ticket to your choice of graduate programs?

First let’s talk about the common elements you need in place BEFORE you start applying to grad school – no matter what kind of program you’re interested in?

The Checklist

  • Grade Point Average
  • Standardized test scores (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc.)
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement/statement of purpose
  • Research/practical work experience*

What are my chances of really getting in?

This is a *major* source of anxiety for most applicants. And the honest truth is that there are no guarantees. You can have a high GPA, blow all of your admissions tests out of the water with amazingly high scores, submit everything the admissions committee ask for, and still not earn an acceptance letter. Conversely, you can also have some major flaws (remember that semester you struggled to pass your classes?) and *still* get into grad school.

So what makes the difference?

I’m not going to give away all of my trade secrets, but let’s say that I know from experience. Part of my life story is the three attempts it took for me to get into a Ph.D. program, and not only that, but to get multiple acceptance letters! Most people freak out about the objective criteria . You know… stuff like this:

“OMG should I take the GRE again? If only I can score an additional 100 points” or “If my GPA was 0.2 points higher!”

When in actuality, with a solid strategy, proper positioning, and polished application package in place, perhaps your first choice of graduate programs will take you as you are. Right now.

This is where the art of grad school coaching comes into play. And this is where I can help. I offer one-on-one coaching sessions to answer questions, work through issues that are keeping you “stuck” in the grad school admissions process, and get you moving forward to earning an acceptance letter. Find out how my coaching sessions can help here.

I just need help with one itty bitty thing – my admissions essay

If you’re struggling with that darned admissions essay (also called a personal statement or statement of purpose), then I can also help you. Lots of applicants get to this step and get stuck. Frozen. Then avoid and procrastinate their time away until the deadline. Maybe you’re not sure what to write or you have something written, but you’re not sure if it’s saying everything that it *could* or *needs* to.

If writing your admissions essay has turned you into a Master of Procrastination, RUN, DON’T WALK, and follow these helpful steps:

  • STEP ONE: Learn WHY the admissions essay is the most overlooked and perhaps the most important element in tipping the admissions committee in your favor.
  • STEP TWO: Check out this AWESOME TESTIMONIAL of how the Admissions Essay Review and Critique service helped one of my clients get into grad school!

Our mission together: Adding polish and perfection so that your essay CLEARLY spells out your brilliance, why you belong in grad school, why now, and why any program would be insane to pass up such an amazing applicant.