Going for further studies, whether right after an undergrad or after years of working as a professional, is one of the routes to realizing a dream or ambition. Choosing a graduate school may not be that hard, but getting in would present a challenge.
Admissions committee of graduate school require submission of a graduate school essay and send out topics that are generally classified into two forms :the personal graduate school essay and the career or course-specific graduate school essay.
A personal graduate school essay works much like how a college admission essay did for you when you were fresh from high school. However, with a graduate school essay, it’s more than just a peek that they are taking. An individual is bound to have changed after four or so years of undergrad education (and a number of years in the workforce for returning professionals). Cite some significant personal changes and improvements in your graduate school essay. Mention in your graduate school essay how time and experience has shaped you into who you are today.
The career or course-specific graduate school essay on the other hand, is dealt to applicants who are applying for master’s in quantitative fields of study. Though it pays to mention your research experience in your sample graduate essay, you have to write your graduate school essay in a clear, concise and effective manner. A graduate school essay written in such a way that it would be understood even by non-experts is a clear indication of the applicant’s ability to explain well.
Having low GPAs from your undergrad and high school years may raise a few eyebrows from the admissions panel but you can recapture their interest in you by writing an impressive graduate school essay. Explanations for having low GREs and GPAs can be discussed in a graduate school essay.
Tips in writing a graduate school essay
Before proceeding with writing a graduate school essay for submission to the graduate school of your dreams, bear in mind the following :
Regardless of the type of graduate school essay assigned to you, always make sure to answer the topics or questions clearly. It helps to plan an outline for your graduate school essay and ample research regarding the topic will help you go a long way.
Speak about why this program is suitable for you. Have a statement of your purpose in enrolling in a certain institute in your graduate school essay. Whether if its to advance your research on a certain field of study or to fulfill a lifelong dream, address the admissions panel with how getting in could greatly help you.
Of course, graduate schools are also on the look out for talent to add to their roster of academic achievers. Aside from listing down your academic and other credentials, it would be advantageous if you could state in your graduate school essay how much you could contribute to the institution, without sounding too boastful or exaggerated.
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