Do You Measure Up?, Grad School Article

Dave Burrell had the good grades, letters of recommendation, test scores and related work experience that is often needed to get into a graduate program. But his first time applying for graduate school, he got denied. Three times, in fact. The following year, he applied again to different schools-same grades, same work experiences-and this time he received six acceptances. Why the difference? Just making the grade may not be enough to get accepted into graduate school. Some students might have the impression--like Burrell once did--that their high grade point average and test scores may be enough. And while that does often catch the attention of admissions' departments, says Steven Centola, interim dean of graduate studies at Millersville University, it's not always a shoo-in for "acceptance" verses "denied" on an application. Burrell, author of "Getting in: An Applicants Guide to Graduate School Admissions" (Graduate Group, 1999), says that in the second time around he had more knowledge about the graduate admission process--for example, he focused on writing a stellar personal statement that highlighted his goals and what he wanted to get out of the program. Student applicants need to do a careful self-evaluation before applying, says Lois Beecham, assistant dean for graduate admissions in the Office of Academic Services at University of Wisconsin at Madison. For example, why do you want to go to graduate school in the first place? After determining that, she advises students to hone in on specifics to the program's specifics--what do you want to do with the program? What are your goals? What do you hope to ultimately achieve? "This is a commitment you're making and make sure you are not doing it just because you can't figure out what else to do," Beecham says. "Students need to do a certain amount of self-analysis and thoughtfulness before taking the plunge." So taking an inventory of your own strengths and weaknesses, experts say, may help you find a program that would set you on your way to achieving your career goals. To do that, experts recommend taking the following steps: Do some soul searching. First, make a list of the areas that you excel in--such as courses you've done well in or subjects that interest you. After that, list your weaknesses--the subjects or tasks you struggle with. To help in this process, Bethany Fullen, director of graduate recruiting and retention at Radford University, says she encourages students to consult with their undergraduate professors and ask them to identify the student's skills and strengths as well as ask their professional opinion on what route to take in graduate school. "Use professors to analyze academic and communication skills," Fullen advises. "If they've had you in a class or two, they should be able to help you do that." Then, students should objectively weigh their strengths and weaknesses in past courses to the field they want to pursue, Centola says. For example, if you want to pursue a master's in business administration--mostly because you want to earn the big bucks--but you struggled in your accounting courses, an MBA may not be the best choice. "Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses," Centola says. "The more love and passion you have for a discipline, the more that will serve as a real motivation for you." Do your homework. In helping to determine whether a program is a good match for your skills, research the university's faculty and program because often times a good fit with graduate programs is not about the institution, but the faculty in a program, Beecham says. "With the Web, now you don't have to wait for graduate programs to send you their glossy brochures, you can pretty much go mining on your own," Beecham says. Web sites from the university's homepage can link you to faculty research interests, Fullen adds, and help you discover whether they align with your goals. Lending a hand in this, Millersville University holds a graduate study open house where graduate program coordinators are on-hand to meet with potential students to talk with them about the programs, since they can differ so greatly from school to school. Many programs also offer fact sheets to help you weigh your background against the program requirements, such as course or test score requirements as well as