Continuation from last week........

The Application Process in Brief

Most applications are due by mid December through January. Once you have selected the universities that you intend to apply to, browse the university websites. Check for the requirements of each university and the specific department you are applying to and create your online application accounts.

Pay close attention to the details and the fine print on each application. Some universities require applicants to submit a 'general application' to the university as well as a separate application to the specific department or program.

Gather all the information you need in one place, and create a checklist of the documents that you need to submit to each program. Examples are letters of recommendation, transcripts, test scores, etc.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose (SOP) is one of the most important sections of your application. It is mainly through the SOP and letters of recommendation that the admission committee "sees" the applicant before an actual interview. Therefore it is important that your SOP clearly portrays your passion for the field of study, your future goals, and most importantly, why you think you are a good fit for the specific program. Admissions committees also use the SOP to gauge applicants' writing and communication skills.

It is important to keep in mind that the statement of purpose should be your own creation. During interviews for graduate school, professors tend to ask about certain details mentioned in your SOP, and you should be able to explain these without hesitation; this will not be easy if you were not honest with the facts.

Writing a good SOP is a tedious process. Therefore it is advisable that you start with this early, especially if you are not a good writer! Regardless, the SOP generally needs a few revisions before it is ready to be sent out to universities.

Each program usually requires a SOP and around 2 short essays (150-300 words).

Though the short essays might seem unimportant, admission committees tend to use these to evaluate how the applicant is able to express themselves or an idea succinctly and to the point. n Every school has guidelines for the statement of purpose they wish to see. Listed below is an example for one such university. It is important that you pay attention to what they require and address it in full.

"The Statement of Purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at XXX, your preparation for this field of study, study and research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study"

When writing your SOP,
Brain storm a list of ideas that you would like to include in the SOP; try to relate these ideas with the specific "sub questions" addressed in the SOP
Make your own personal deadlines for the different drafts, while leaving room for revisions (minimum of 3), before the final version is ready for submission

It is important that you have your SOP reviewed or critiqued by a professor
Who is familiar with the program of study that you are applying to. Having a different one comment on your writing style etc is also highly recommended. Leave yourself time to revise the SOP once you receive feedback. Create a timetable like the one below for yourself.

When writing the SOP, always remember that you are addressing a group of individuals who know nothing about you. The main goal is to eventually have a well-written essay that could 'speak' about you and your capabilities.

Pay close attention to the length

Prepare a resume. Focus on your research and specific skills/techniques, which would make you, stand out from the rest of the applicants. Be very concise and the resume should be no longer than a page
References and Recommendations

This is one of the most important parts of the application. Universities normally require at least three letters of reference or recommendations.

It is important that you keep this requirement in mind when you decide on classes during your undergraduate years. Make an effort to get to know the professors; give them a chance to get to know you and your work ethic. Doing so will be extremely helpful when you need them to write letters of recommendation for you.

Make an effort to pick professors who could speak about your academic capabilities, work ethic, as well as others who could relate on extracurricular activities that you were involved during your undergraduate years. This will be helpful since it will indicate that you are/were an all-round student rather than one-dimensional, excelling in only one given area.

Most programs specifically require a letter of recommendation from at least one professor who can speak about your research capabilities - especially for applications in the field of Sciences. This should come from a professor with whom you have worked closely in a research lab.

Once you have selected your recommending professors, inquire from them if they will be willing to write a strong letter of recommendation for you. Do this early on in the application process so that they will have ample time to get around to the task.

n Letters of recommendation could be either mailed or submitted online, though most of the universities prefer them to be submitted online.

List of documents/notes for the referees:

i. A list of universities the universities you are applying to, with short descriptions about the individual programs
ii. The deadline (and submission address if applicable) for each program.
iii. Things that you might want them to highlight about you when writing the letters. Eg: if you were a teaching assistant for a specific class, any specific lab skills that you gained while carrying out a certain project, awards and extracurricular activities
iv. An updated copy of your resume
v. A copy of your personal statement if you have a rough draft by then.
It will not hurt to politely remind the professors about submitting the letters when it is close to the deadline. Also check with the appropriate department or university to make sure that the references have been submitted (particularly if they had to be posted), since it is always the applicant's responsibility to ensure the application is complete with the necessary documents.

Additional Information
Most applications have a section that allows applicants to write about aspects that they didn't have a chance to address in the application. This would be an ideal place for the applicant to mention grades, test scores etc if you feel you didn't perform as well as you could have, giving reasons and building your "case" as to why you are nevertheless a strong candidate.

Submission
Once the applications are complete, make sure to retain copies while submitting. Check with the relevant departments if they have received all the components of the application, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation and, very importantly, the test scores.
If the application was submitted online it will be easier to check the status and to track what is missing.

After the application is complete, the next step is to wait to hear back from the universities and prepare for your interviews!

About the Author
Nimna Ranatunga is a first Year PhD student at the University of Southern
California's department of Molecular and Computational Biology. Nimna graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota last year with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry