Graduate/Professional School
Preparation
Dr. Mihaela Serban
Director, Office of Fellowships & Scholarships
mserban@ramapo.edu
Grad school fast facts (2014)
More than 1.7 million graduate
students
Over two million applications for
graduate school
Almost 480,000 incoming, first-time
graduate students enrolled in the fall
semester
Acceptance rates: about 21.9% (doctoral) and
48.0% master’s/other
Hardest to get into: doctoral business and
social and behavioral sciences
Master’s level most competitive acceptance:
mathematics and computer sciences, physical
and earth sciences, arts and humanities,
health sciences, and engineering
Total graduate enrollment still below the peak
(2009), and increased by only 0.4% since
2013
Growth: mathematics and computer sciences,
engineering, and health sciences
Decline: arts and humanities, and social and
behavioral sciences
First time graduate enrollment highest in
business, education, health sciences
Six out of ten graduate students
are in public institutions
International students are
driving much of the growth in
first-time graduate enrollment
Women continue to enroll in larger numbers
than men
Women are underrepresented in science and
engineering fields
Enrollment among underrepresented
minority students remains uneven (growth
for Hispanic/Latino students, Blacks/African
Americans, decline among American
Indians/Alaska Natives)
Law school applications and
enrollment: down, the latter by
27-percent since 2010 historic
high (ABA)
Total JD enrollment: 119,775
(ABA)
Source: Council of Graduate Schools, Graduate Enrollment and Degrees 2004-2014
To go or not to go?
Why grad school?
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Career advancement/change
Personal growth
Money
Knowledge
Research
High level work (projects,
equipment, etc.)
• Community
• Status
• Fun 
Perhaps reconsider …
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Highly competitive
Stressful
Lonely
Long term
Money
Job opportunities/job
market
Factors to Consider
What are your career
goals? What do you
hope to gain from
graduate school?
Can you afford it?
Is financial aid
available?
What type of
experience are you
seeking?
Are there any other
factors to consider?
(e.g. family/other
commitments)
What are the postgraduation job
prospects?
Are you ready to go
back to school?
What type of degree
are you seeking?
Should you study full
time or part time?
Your Search
Decide
Target
• Subject ar ea
(field)
• Type of degr ee:
M aster ’s, Ph.D.,
M .D., etc.
• 20 schools to
r esear ch
• Apply to 6+
(safe, pr obably,
r each)
Application Elements
Official transcripts
Standardized test scores (GRE, LSAT,
GMAT, MCAT)
Essay/personal statement
Recommendations
Work samples/portfolio
Interview (sometimes)
Timeline
Freshman and sophomore
years
Good GPA
Think about graduate school
Research graduate school
information and programs
Consider joining professional
organizations in your major/field
of study
Talk to faculty (advisor, etc.) and
graduate students
Junior year
Become involved in research &
attend conferences
Explore admissions requirements of
fields and schools that you are
interested in
Prepare a resume and a CV
Find out the research interests of
faculty at the schools you would like
to attend
Determine deadlines and start
preparing for required standardizes
test (e.g. GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT)
Save money for graduate school
application fees, resumes, and
transcript costs
Enroll in standardized test prep
course (if possible)
Summer between junior
and senior year
Prepare for your tests and
sign up to take them
Draft statement of purpose
Consider gap year
Timeline (continued)
Fall semester of senior year
Consult faculty members about
graduate programs
Make final list of schools to apply to
Take the test (Aug/Sept)
Request that scores and official
transcripts are sent to all schools -allow ample time!!!
Ask professors to write letters of
recommendation (middle of the
semester)
Send your application -- apply early!
(deadlines may be in Jan, Feb, or
March for Fall Semester)
Spring semester of senior
year
If possible, visit the schools and
sit in on graduate level classes
Obtain info on fellowships,
scholarships, assistantships, loans
Check with all schools before the
deadline to make sure your file is
complete
Expect first choice offers to be
made by April 1
Visit institutions that accept you
Summer after graduation
Send thank-you notes/emails to
people who wrote your
recommendation letters
Make sure your funding is in
place
Opportunity to
stand out from
the other
candidates and
sell yourself
Ask for feedback
(Cahill Center,
faculty advisor,
other faculty,
friends, etc.)
Commonly, 250
to 50 0 words, 23pp. doublespaced
Essay/
Personal
statement
Draft and revise
multiple times
Positive spin
Explain why you
plan to attend
graduate school
Discuss
preparedness
and research
plans
Recommendations
Start thinking early about letter writers, choose faculty who know you well
Give ample time for the letter to be written (at least a couple of months)
Check how many letters you need
Ask two faculty and one other (e.g. employer), depending on the type of
program
Provide letter writers with your resume/CV, transcript, and any other
information that would be useful for writing the letter
Create an e-portfolio, include on your resume/CV under your email contact
info
Research Sources of Funding
Employer
tuition
reimbursement
Federal
financial aid
Federal loans
Grants
Federal workstudy
State grants
Institutional aid
Scholarships
and fellowships
Private loans
Tax credits,
deductions,
waivers
Loan
forgiveness and
loan repayment
Assistantships
(teaching,
research)
■
www.Finaid.org
■
http://www.gograd.org/paying- for- your- masters- degree/