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Guide to Grad School Application: Enhancing Your Chance for Success

This workshop explores strategies for successful graduate studies applications, including crafting a compelling statement of purpose and selecting suitable academic references. It covers how to align your current program with future studies, detailing research projects, and impressing evaluators with polished samples of work. Key insights aim to enhance your application's quality and boost your chances of securing scholarships and assistantships. The workshop emphasizes careful preparation, clear communication, and professional presentation to make a strong impression on admissions committees.

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Guide to Grad School Application: Enhancing Your Chance for Success

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  1. Graduate Studies Workshop no2 Social Welfare and Social Development 2014 By NJB/CDT/Litalien/Patriquin/Kataoka/Chen

  2. MA/scholarship applications are due early autumn. • Decide what you want to apply to during the summer following your third year of undergraduate studies.

  3. Pre-application Statement of purpose/letter of intent (1 to 2 pages) • Research: • Faculty of Graduate Studies • Program Admissions Committee • Same application typically used for university and program financial awards/placements

  4. What graduate studies do you want to pursue? • How do your current program and possible graduate studies (and personal experiences) relate to each other? • Different programs may ask specifically for additional components. Consider:

  5. Format adopted for the statement: research proposal (see the graduate scholarship application NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) • Usually mandatory to have statement of purpose approved by potential program advisor before online submission • Describe your intended research project: • previous research or experience, the proposed topic, preferred methods, and potential contributions • demonstrate your personality and communication skills • Be informative, scholarly, professional, and persuasive. • This may be the most important part of your application package Sources: University of Manitoba; Wiki How; SSHRC

  6. Points to include: • Why you are interested in this program and not other competitors • Your credentials and accomplishments • Why they should consider you for this university/program (do not overdo this section) • Reasons you find the program appealing • How your strengths and interests make the program “match” with you • PROOFREAD BEFORE SUBMITTING!

  7. Your references should be: • Academic (almost always) • Tailored to the program to which you are applying, and tailored to you • Professors who know you and your academic work well • You need to provide your referees with: • Information on the program • Your transcripts • Your statement of purpose • A sample of work created in the referee’s class • Time: at least two weeks to prepare a letter. (More time is better!)

  8. Choose carefully! Show your interests and ability to write: make sure it is clearly written! Evaluators will use this to look into your past efforts Choose recent work (as much as possible)

  9. Choose completed work (nothing in progress) • Show what you are really capable of, what you are worth • First impressions count. Your sample is not the only one the evaluator will be reading! • Questions? Call the Admissions office, your potential supervisor, Graduate Studies office, etc. • Don’t hesitate!

  10. Like we said….. First impressions count. Your sample is not the only one the evaluator will be reading!

  11. Brush it up a little before submitting it. • Did your professor make recommendations for improvement? • You must feel confident and comfortable with sharing this piece. • Think about your reader when you select your work. • Should be as relevant as possible

  12. Think carefully about your sample’s content • Don’t assume the reader will know your area in detail • Revise your piece for general understanding • Consider the sample’s length (too long does not mean better: on the contrary!) • Better to explain that you sent only a portion than to submit something too lengthy • Be sure you’re familiar with the topic • Your potential supervisor might ask you questions about it

  13. Arrange for all materials to arrive before the deadline • Send the required number of copies • Keep a copy of non-confidential materials • Be sure your application looks professional • Include your e-mail address and phone number • Keep it neat, simple and consistent • Have headers/footers with page numbers and your name • Don’t have a cover letter (unless specifically requested)

  14. Application form(s) • Scholarship/financial aid forms • Résumé or C.V. • Transcripts (official, not photocopies) • order well in advance of the application deadline

  15. Statement of Purpose • Sample of written work • Letters of reference (usually sent in directly by your professors) • Additional test scores, if necessary (e.g. GRE, TOEFL)

  16. Ontario Graduate Scholarships Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) University & Program Scholarships Teaching Assistantships Research Assistantships

  17. References http://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/academic-programs/legal-writing-scholarship/writing-center/upload/writingsample.pdf http://www.mcgill.ca/study/2014-2015/university_regulations_and_resources/graduate/gps_gi_grad_admissions_and_application_procedures#topic_0C372AED486A4E09B508C308F6B4B294 http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/home-accueil-eng.aspx http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Letter-of-Intent-for-Graduate-Program http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/environment/departments/geography/graduate/Application%20Information.html http://blog.creative-capital.org/2012/06/tips-tools-choosing-work-samples-for-your-applications/

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