Applying to Graduate School

Get Organized And Stay Organized

Applying to graduate school while at the same time taking a full course load, trying to complete the requirements of your college major(s), and trying to write a senior thesis or complete a senior project can be a very challenging undertaking. Obviously, staying abreast of your individual application deadlines, keeping track of essays and other application materials, and distributing and tracking your recommendations are all critical tasks. As always, organization makes the difference between a smooth and relatively stress-free application process and a process that is wrought with chaos. Consider the following strategies to help you stay organized as you apply to graduate school.

Compile a Spreadsheet or Table of Schools, Application Components, and Deadlines

As soon as you have either downloaded or received applications from the schools on your list, compile a spreadsheet or table collecting all the necessary components of each application, with their deadlines, in one place. Keep this master list in a safe place. As you complete the various components of a particular application, check them off on this master list, such that you will always know at a glance exactly where you stand in your journey through the application process. The figure here is an example of a spreadsheet for an individual school.

Choose a System to Keep School-Specific Materials Organized

Once you have your overview organizational system in place, you will still need a system to keep track of the materials for each school. For that, I recommend the system I used: I had a different file folder for each school; I taped the spreadsheet of that school's individual requirements and due dates to the inside of the folder and stored all school-specific documents inside that folder. So, for example, when I completed essays for that school, they went right into the folder, both for safekeeping and to ensure that the right essay went to the right school. In the blizzard of paper that characterizes the graduate school application process, it is easy to mix things up accidentally. Having a clear organizational system in place for each school can be very helpful.

Follow Up With Recommenders And The Admissions Office

Remember that almost everyone these days has a busy life, so it is more essential now than ever before that you follow up on every piece of your application. Once you have chosen your recommenders (and given them plenty of time to complete your recommendations), be sure to follow up with them about a month ahead of your deadline to make sure they haven't forgotten you. A simple reminder call is all that is required to keep you on schedule.

The same is true when you submit your application materials. Always do so two weeks before the deadline, to ensure that loose ends or missing pieces can be taken care of in advance of any "drop dead" date. Take nothing for granted. Admissions staffs do an amazing job tracking and documenting the incredible volume of information they deal with each year"but mistakes do occasionally happen. Call the admissions office of each school about ten days after it should have received your information to ensure that the office deems both your application materials and your financial aid materials complete.

There is a lot of important and specific advice to convey about applying to graduate school. We recommend that you consult one of the resources referenced at the end of the article to guide you further.

Additional Resources

Miller, Robert H., and Koegler, Katherine. Business School Confidential. New York: St. Martin's/Griffin, 2004.

Miller, Robert H. Law School Confidential (Revised Edition). New York: St. Martin's/Griffin, 2004.

Miller, Robert H., and Bissell, Dan. Med School Confidential. New York: St. Martin's/Griffin, 2006.

Peters, Robert.Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. (Revised Edition). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997.