Preparing for your Application to Postsecondary Education
Most graduate school applications will require you to submit a Curriculum Vitae, Personal Statement, Transcripts, GRE Scores, and Letters of Recommendation.
Overview of applying to Grad School. This website provides assistance choosing a program and applying to graduate school.
Overview of preparation. This website provides an excellent overview and links to multiple useful resources for those interested in going to graduate school.
A Letter to the Graduate Applicant
Preparing your documents
This video is advice from Anandi Ehman regarding how to best complete the required paperwork for graduate school applications presented at the 4th Annual UM Conference on Psychological Science.
Curriculum Vitae (CV):
Writing your CV: CV Writing Guide and Hayes&Hayes, 1989-Writing Your CV
Examples Example 1 and Example 2
Personal Statement:
Advice for writing your personal statement Link 1 and Link 2
Letters of Recommendation:
Asking for Letters of Recommendation. Obtaining strong letters of recommendation will not only make your application stronger, they are essential for setting yourself apart from other applicants. Please see these documents with excellent advice for who and how to ask for letters of recommendation. Here is a link on Information for Students Seeking Letters of Recommendation. You should be prepared to provide your letter writers with at least a month to write the letters. You should also be prepared to provide them with your CV (or Resumé); your unofficial transcript; the list of schools you are applying to, what program you are applying to at each school, deadlines for letters, and how to submit the letter, as well as any other relevant information; and your personal statement. In order to obtain an Unofficial Transcript: 1) Log on to myOleMiss, 2) Select Student, 3) Select Academics, 4) Select Request a Transcript.
Obtaining Transcripts
Preparing for the GRE
The GRE is one of the main metrics upon which your application will be judged for many graduate programs. Thus, you should prepare by studying. The GRE is created and administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). Therefore, I recommend visiting the ETS website to help you get started. I especially recommend you check out their information about the GRE and their tips for how to prepare for it, including free test preparation materials.
- Where can you take the GREs? For locations, see GRE website.
- What tests should you take?
- Every one should take the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections.
- Some graduate programs may also require that you take other exams such as the Psychology GRE. Check with the individual Graduate Programs you apply to.
- How should you prepare for the GREs?
- Study guides can be purchased at book stores.
- Courses (independent of the university) can be enrolled in to help you prepare.
