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This is for those who are applying to graduate schools right now or plan to in the future. Graduate school means a Master's or a PhD, or a combination in some cases. What I'm saying below may be relevant to only some fields, particularly the humanities and social sciences.
I'll share information/hints on the Personal Statement in another thread, but for now, this is just for how to select the school that best fits you and your interests.
1. Make sure that you start your research long before you start your applications. I'd suggest, from personal experiences, something like perhaps 3-4 months in advance. This means you should contact the departments of the schools you're interested in, contact the faculty (if their research/academic interests aren't available on their website, email them and ask them what they do), tell them what YOUR interests are and ask them to refer you to someone in that school who does what you wanna do. It's okay if you email more than necessary -- that way, when they get your application, they won't go, "Hm, who's this person?" (Chances are, if they recognize your name, they might give your application more time.)
2. Remember that you don't have to apply directly to the department through which you'd like your degree in. For instance, if you wanna do something like Islamic Studies, you don't necessarily have to apply to the Religious Studies department of all schools; you might find that the Arabic Studies department is stronger and has a better faculty who meets your research needs, OR maybe the Anthropology Department is even better. You'd just have to explain it very, very clearly what exactly you want your degree in so that they get the connection between your department/degree and research pursuits.
3. Not all schools (rather, barely any) require a Master's for PhD candidates. So if you don't have an MA/MS and don't want one, know that you MAY not need one, although it depends on the school you're applying to. In rare cases, even a school that has made it clear to all potential candidates that you MUST have a Master's will make exceptions if you're an exceptional student.
4. Some schools offer a combination of a Master's and PhD in some departments -- in the exact same amount of time as a regular PhD would take (~ 5 years). If you're interested in getting two degrees through one application and in one go, check with your potential school.
5. Be sure to let your recommenders know WAY ahead of time that they'll be writing your recommendation letters (I mean, ask them, of course, not tell them; it's more polite and appreciated). Set deadlines for yourself. The deadline for most PhD applications are on or around Dec. 15th of each year. IMPORTANT: Some schools have this policy that your recommenders won't be able to write/submit your letter until AFTER you have submitted your application! This can be dangerous, especially if you wait till the last minute to submit your application. So be sure to let your recommenders know if this is the case with any of the schools you're applying to, and discuss with them your timing so that they can have ample time to write your letter.
6. You choose your school not for its name/prestige but for at least ONE person who can work with you there. You have to have a certain research topic (although not necessarily determined at the time you're applying), and you NEED to choose a school that has the resources to help you pursue that particular topic. If the school doesn't have the faculty to meet your interests/needs, then you are not going to get accepted, even if your application receives the highest ranking.
Umm... I believe that's all that I can think of for now. More tips may come to mind later.
I'll share information/hints on the Personal Statement in another thread, but for now, this is just for how to select the school that best fits you and your interests.
1. Make sure that you start your research long before you start your applications. I'd suggest, from personal experiences, something like perhaps 3-4 months in advance. This means you should contact the departments of the schools you're interested in, contact the faculty (if their research/academic interests aren't available on their website, email them and ask them what they do), tell them what YOUR interests are and ask them to refer you to someone in that school who does what you wanna do. It's okay if you email more than necessary -- that way, when they get your application, they won't go, "Hm, who's this person?" (Chances are, if they recognize your name, they might give your application more time.)
2. Remember that you don't have to apply directly to the department through which you'd like your degree in. For instance, if you wanna do something like Islamic Studies, you don't necessarily have to apply to the Religious Studies department of all schools; you might find that the Arabic Studies department is stronger and has a better faculty who meets your research needs, OR maybe the Anthropology Department is even better. You'd just have to explain it very, very clearly what exactly you want your degree in so that they get the connection between your department/degree and research pursuits.
3. Not all schools (rather, barely any) require a Master's for PhD candidates. So if you don't have an MA/MS and don't want one, know that you MAY not need one, although it depends on the school you're applying to. In rare cases, even a school that has made it clear to all potential candidates that you MUST have a Master's will make exceptions if you're an exceptional student.
4. Some schools offer a combination of a Master's and PhD in some departments -- in the exact same amount of time as a regular PhD would take (~ 5 years). If you're interested in getting two degrees through one application and in one go, check with your potential school.
5. Be sure to let your recommenders know WAY ahead of time that they'll be writing your recommendation letters (I mean, ask them, of course, not tell them; it's more polite and appreciated). Set deadlines for yourself. The deadline for most PhD applications are on or around Dec. 15th of each year. IMPORTANT: Some schools have this policy that your recommenders won't be able to write/submit your letter until AFTER you have submitted your application! This can be dangerous, especially if you wait till the last minute to submit your application. So be sure to let your recommenders know if this is the case with any of the schools you're applying to, and discuss with them your timing so that they can have ample time to write your letter.
6. You choose your school not for its name/prestige but for at least ONE person who can work with you there. You have to have a certain research topic (although not necessarily determined at the time you're applying), and you NEED to choose a school that has the resources to help you pursue that particular topic. If the school doesn't have the faculty to meet your interests/needs, then you are not going to get accepted, even if your application receives the highest ranking.
Umm... I believe that's all that I can think of for now. More tips may come to mind later.
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