10 Things to Think About, Before the GRE

10 Things to Think About, Before the GRE

When preparing for a big exam, it’s easy to get tunnel vision. But applying for graduate school isn’t just about one exam. You’ve got an entire application package to prepare. Here are 10 things you may not have thought about yet—but should!

1) Give yourself time. In order to be certain of your commitment to grad school, wait until you’ve finished a number of advanced level classes in your major. Is your interest still high? Have you got the grades to get in?


2) Know what you need. Some graduate programs expect you to be proficient in certain area before starting, even if it was not a requirement of your undergraduate degree. Before committing to a program, be certain you aren’t expected to speak Latin.

3) Diversity is good. While you may love the way Professor Smith lectures, or ace all of Dr. Green’s courses, it’s important not to take too many classes with one teacher. The reasons are two fold; it narrows the perspective you’ll get for that field, and when it comes time to apply, you’ll need 3 different letters of recommendations, sticking to your favorites will leave you short in the long run.

4) Skip generalist classes. Focus on the harder courses, the seminars, classes that require a thesis, or other specially tailored to your major courses. Doing this will set you apart from other undergraduate applicant as a serious candidate and give you an added edge.

5) Consider references early. Who your letters of recommendation come from is almost as important as what they say. Ideal candidates for letters are tenured faculty who have a (positive) national reputation in their field, and know your work in detail. It can also look suspicious if you are missing a letter of recommendation from a recognized faculty member at your school. As soon as you think grad school may be for you, start working on contacts that will be able to provide strong letters of recommendation when the time comes.

6) Be realistic. Graduate school means the next several years of your life will be spent working hard and going into debt. Be aware that a psychology masters means many more hours analyzing quantitative data, the observing how toddlers develop empathy. Prove you’re serious on your application by showing you understand the hard word ahead of you.

7) Give the right writing sample. Select a piece that has a strong topic, shown methodology, makes quality arguments, and is written at a level that demonstrates your readiness for graduate school. And remember to take that suggested length as a very strong suggestion.

8) Focus your personal statement. This is not an autobiography. Your personal statement should describe a project you would like to take on during your masters, and prove that you have the background and intellect to see this project through. Treat you personal statement as an intellectual plan, not a confession of how studying the affect of micro-lending on Burmese widows has change your life.

9) Score at Least 600 on the GRE. Yes, we have to mention this again. Many schools won’t even consider your application if you’ve scored below this line. For the most prestigious programs, that line moves up to 700.

Not so confident in that 600 yet? How about that 700? Get .