US grad school app tips from Jon Frank -P7--TEST SCORES VS. ESSAY–WHICH IS MORE

JonFrank

The simple answer: No, unless you’re already working in the field you want to go into.

If you’re not already working in your desired field, the best thing to do is to study your butt off, do amazingly well in your classes, work hard to win scholarships and grants, build great relationships with professors and network with other students. Make being a student your full time job.

Grad school coursework is notoriously difficult, and the atmosphere is competitive. Students who do not work while studying obviously have a leg up over other students who take time out of their study schedule to work. The more time and energy you can devote to your studies, the better you will do, academically and networking-wise.

The more complicated answer: It depends. What are you studying?

If you’re studying something with a great deal of post-degree job security (such as finance or engineering) then you will most likely have a relatively secure future. If you’re in a program that does not guarantee you a job after graduating (most fields in the humanities and arts), it may be a good idea to work while you’re studying, so that post-grad life isn’t all about scraping by to pay off loans.

The next question is: do you need the money right now?

If you have some savings and don’t need to work immediately to feed and clothe yourself, then it’s best not to work, or to work as little as possible. Or hopefully you’re either being funded by the university, or are working as a TA and being funded that way. For some people, though, there really isn’t a choice. If your university isn’t funding you and you don’t have much savings or access to funds, then obviously you need to work.

If this is the case, look first for jobs that are student-friendly, that will make you money but will be more convenient or less draining:

Weekend jobs
Jobs on campus
Jobs with flexible hours
Jobs that require little brain-power

Jobs that you don’t have to “take home with you”
If you need to find work, visit your school’s career center. There are many students in the same boat, and the career advisors there will be familiar with the work other students in your program tend to look for, and will be able to help you figure out the right course of action for you.

Jon Frank
HBS 2005

啸啸

thx！

gly122

Great, so helpful. I am struggling for the recommendation sometimes, worried my instructor will feel disturbed. Anyway thanks

JonFrank

You’ve written a killer personal essay, you have a sparkling resume full of extra-curriculars and community service, and your transcripts and test scores are all in order.

But you’ve still got to get those letters of recommendation!

What’s the big deal?

Some schools ask for just one, some ask for two or three. Recommendation letters are almost always required, so it’s best to start thinking early on in the application process about whom to ask to write one for you.

Recommendation letters help an admissions committee get to know you on a more personal level than the basic application allows – they get an outside perspective on your character. Because of this, it’s important to have recommenders who know you well, and who will definitely say positive things about you.

How to pick the right recommender(s)?

BAD CHOICES

Bad choices are people who would obviously be biased, who aren’t credible, who won’t write great stuff about you, or whose praise won’t seem genuine.

Examples of bad choices include: your parents, friends, a teacher whose class you frequently skip, a teacher you don’t know very well, a teacher you don’t like, your hamster or goldfish.

GOOD CHOICES

Good choices are people who know you well, who can speak with confidence about your strengths, skills, passions, and your integrity.

Examples of good choices: a teacher who you like and have a good relationship with, who can speak about your strengths and talents; employers who know how responsible you are; club advisors or coaches who can speak about your abilities. (A plus if any of these people attended the school you’re applying for!)

So sit down early on in the application process, make a list of people to ask, and narrow it down to your top three.

--GO GET THEM

Jon Frank

JonFrank

There will most likely be two types of personal statements you’ll need to address: a general statement that allows you a great deal of freedom; and a statement which asks you to respond to a specific prompt (sometimes you may need to do up to three or more of these).

The most important, must-do first step BEFORE you start writing in response to a prompt:

MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE ESSAY PROMPT

If the essay question on your med school application asked you to write about an experience in your past that made you want to become a doctor and you spent the whole essay talking about your plans for future medical research, what have you done? Maybe you wrote something fascinating and brilliant about your plan to cure cancer, but you’re showing the admissions committee that you don’t pay attention to detail and you can’t follow directions. Not good. Cutting and pasting is lazy, and communicates to a school that you feel lazy about their application. Also not good. But if you respond directly to the essay prompt, you’re showing the school that you SERIOUSLY CARE about getting in.

So how do you avoid this kind of misstep?

“UNPACK” THE ESSAY QUESTION(S)

Imagine that you have a suitcase with clothes stuffed in every which way. Everything is all crumpled up and disorganized and you don’t know where anything is. So you need to unpack the suitcase, examine its contents, and then re-pack it in a more organized way in order to be more efficient.

This is a good way to approach a personal statement question. Take each word in the question, and think about the meaning of that word. Rephrase the question into your own words to make sure you understand what is being asked of you.

For example:

Why are you a good fit for this school?

Looks pretty obvious, right? Well, first let’s dissect this baby to make sure.

WHY: SPECIFIC reasons, qualities, qualifications, experiences

ARE YOU: Duh, you, and NO ONE ELSE.

A GOOD FIT: What specifically is right for you; why specifically are you right; what appeals to you; why would you appeal to the school.

FOR THIS SCHOOL: Only this particular school that you are applying for, no other school.

So you’re going to want to do a TON of research about this school to show them that you’ve really done your homework. If your reasons for wanting to attend are generic and lazy (“you have a great medical program,” “a diverse student body,” etc), then you come off as generic and lazy. If instead you refer to specific professors whose work you admire and whom you would get to take classes with, or to a specific academic track that they offer that other schools don’t, then you’re showing them you really want to be there.

Or how about this one:

Write about a person who has influenced your pursuit of (insert discipline here).

A PERSON: someone you know, a family member, someone you worked with, a professor, an employer, a writer, a thinker, someone in the field whose work you admire, who you can write about in a specific and personal way.

WHO HAS INFLUENCED: had a HUGE, MAJOR role (not a minor role, not just a little encouragement along the way)

YOUR PURSUIT OF ______: the reason you want to study __________ in order to _______ in the future.

The questions are relatively straightforward, but you want to get to the heart of it so that when it comes time to start writing, you have a clear direction.

And with that… you’re ready to begin.

Jon Frank

JonFrank

At Admissionado, we like to think we’re pretty well-versed in the rules of attraction. We know what you need to do to catch that special school’s attention. We take great pride in the thousands of successful matches we’ve helped make.

It’s time we address another, extracurricular, form of courtship: dating in America and, more specifically, dating while in school.

A common stereotype of Americans—with the possible exception of New Yorkers—is that we’re friendly. We smile at strangers, say hello to neighbors, and are eager to make new friends. While the extent to which this may be true is open to debate, there’s no denying that our culture is an informal one. We are, after all, the proud pioneers of “casual Fridays.”

So…whatever you’re looking for: soul mate/the occasional romantic encounter/activity partner or something else entirely, school’s a great place to find it; in fact, one in five people meet their match at school or work. Either scenario is not without its hazards: you’d best think twice before putting the moves on your classmate on the first day of the semester—you’ll likely be seeing them daily for the next two years.

Romance in the U.S. is all about that famous American institution: the date.  Dates come in all shapes and sizes: a cup of coffee at the local café, a skydiving trip, or the classic combo or a dinner and a movie. A date will not necessarily involve intimacy. More than one date may be promising, but is by no means an indicator of commitment.

The first question, of course, is how to get a date in the first place? These days, there are two possible routes to take: ask someone out in person or set up an online dating profile. Each has its pros and cons: real-world asking out is more direct, and you know for sure that you are at least initially attracted to the person. But, of course, it’s not always easy to meet people you find attractive, and some people aren’t so good at turning on the charm when it’s needed. Worse still, your opening may fall on deaf—or disinterested—ears. Online dating has the advantage of relative anonymity —and a message not replied to is easier on the ego. You can browse hundreds of profiles, choose a few that seem promising, send a well-crafted message and wait (hopefully) for a reply. After a few messages, you and the prospective object of your affections set up a date, and wait for the magic to happen. There are numerous sites, some of them free, and others subscription-based, whose algorithms promise to help you find what you’re looking for. But browser beware: the anonymity encourages embellishment, more on that here.

Once you do set up a date with someone who seems promising, there are a few ground rules to keep in mind. First, the age-old question: who pays for the date? Despite it being 2012, people still tend to be old-fashioned about this, and the person doing the asking-out is generally expected to… if not definitely pay, at least to offer to (and maybe have to be talked out of doing so). At least on the first date. After that, “going Dutch” is common—that is, splitting the cost of the date.

If things go well, and things get romantic, you might end up “hooking up”—a term that can encompass ALL KINDS OF …hmmm, contact … you should keep in mind that, as someone once said, “a kiss is not a contract.” Even after this, things might well still remain casual and open-ended. Communication is key here, and it helps to keep your expectations flexible. Actually, that’s really the no.1 rule in all of this business: keep the channels of communication open and realize that there are many different ways to date. In America, the cliché is actually quite true: anything goes.

Keep it real my friends

Jon Frank

JonFrank

If you’re reading this, chances are that you’ve researched universities in the United States before. If that’s the case, you’ve also likely come across rankings of national universities. US News & World Report, Newsweek, and Princeton Review are just some of the most prominent publications that rank “the best schools in the country.” The criteria they use may be different, but their basic philosophy – that there is a way to quantifiably determine the quality of a school by looking at certain characteristic – has taken over the conversation about higher education in the United States.

The rankings are relatively predictable: at the top of the list, you’ll find schools like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, and so forth. All of the publications also recognize smaller liberal arts colleges that have developed similarly elite reputations, so that schools like Williams and Macalester also figure highly in these sorts of lists. In general, though, they tend to suggest that there exists an elite group of universities that provide much better education than the rest.9 r6 ]5 O8 o9 F, e% z/ v- o2 s4 ]

What do the rankings consist of?
There’s no one system of ranking schools; every publication weighs categories differently, which explains why rankings are sometimes radically different. US News, the pioneer in this industry , explains that it differentiates between schools (national universities; liberal arts colleges; and schools that specialize in master’s degrees) before it determines its parameters of academic quality.

In general, however, it looks at undergraduate academic reputation,rates of retention ,faculty resources ,student selectivity ,financial resources , graduation rate performance,and alumni giving rate .
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Should I care?' {/ E+ x! D% |4 D9 a7 N% W) f2 H
Everyone’s experience is different, but the rule of thumb is that you should look at the rankings and not depend on them. There are many great schools in the United States, and if your school isn’t arbitrarily determined to be in the top 100 it doesn’t mean you won’t get a quality education. It’s best to look for the schools that you’ll feel most comfortable in – if it’s Harvard, fine, but it certainly doesn’t have to be – because that’s where you’re most likely to excel.

The school you attend won’t make you a better student; that’s on you. While going to nationally prestigious schools might make networking easier, which will facilitate finding a job after you graduate from college, you should be thinking about where you’ll be able to grow productively. If you’re a hard worker, and if you do well in school, companies will recognize that. Tailor your search to schools that best fit your criteria, not publications’ opinions.
 ~: m2 ~  J/ h$ t4 ~
US News doesn’t know what’s best for you. Read the rankings, but consult school counselors, family, and friends to complement that knowledge, because it may just be that the top ranked schools aren’t right for you, and that’s alright

Jon Frank

JonFrank

Adding a major or a minor can give you a competitive edge in the job market, or when applying for internships.

Here’s what an employer sees about you:

You are hardworking.
You take initiative and can take on difficult tasks.
You are very knowledgeable and well rounded.
You are adaptable to different kinds of thinking.
You’re intellectually curious.
You manage your time well.
You’re focused, responsible, and goal-oriented.
The best way to go about picking your double major is to imagine yourself in your future career. What skills will you use on a daily basis? What skills will an employer want to know that you possess? Talk to some people who are working in the field you want to work in, and get their advice.

Some popular pairings: foreign language and economics, performing arts and business, journalism and political scienc.  And those are just a few.

The downside to double-majoring? Less time for electives. Your schedule will be pretty tight, and you won’t have a lot of room for flexibility in terms of classes because you have to make sure you can fit in all your requirements. The other possible downside to double majoring is that you may not be able to study abroad. Certain double majors don’t work with study abroad programs because required classes for one or both of the majors may not be offered in the study abroad programs. Check with advisors and academic departments to find out if their majors are compatible with study abroad programs.

Come back next week to get a crash course in finding an internship!


Jon Frank

JonFrank

Question:

I’m planning on going for a Masters in Accounting and I’ve kept a great GPA throughout college, but my GMAT score was only average. I retook the GMAT, but didn’t really improve my score that much. What are my chances, and should I retake the test again?

Answer:

There’s actually lots to talk about here, dude, and most of it comes from what you haven’t told us.

To start, the biggest question I’d have is about your GPA. Accounting programs are interested in your overall GPA, sure, and having a great overall GPA is ALWAYS a strength. But what about your major GPA? How did you do in your core accounting courses in college? Accounting programs are going to be MUCH more interested in knowing that you’re a solid performer in the given field. If you’ve got a high major GPA, even better.

Now, that said, a less-than-spectacular GMAT score could be an issue for you, but that depends on MANY other factors. Have you worked in any accounting or finance-related internships? How about extra-curricular activities? Did your school have a Finance Club? Were you the Treasurer for any clubs or teams? Did you take a leadership role in any of your activities? Did you FOUND an Accounting Club? All of these are things that Accounting programs look for because they show that you live and breathe this stuff. That you’re invested (pun intended) in your career goals.

Which brings us to the other big variable in the equation. What ARE your post-grad plans? Going for a CPA? Does it match up to what you’ve done so far? Can you demonstrate that you’ve got the background and the know-how to make it happen? If all of these things fall into place, an average GMAT won’t be AS much of an issue.

So, all this said, should you retake the GMAT? Well, if you do some effective test prep (study guides, prep classes, etc.), you should almost definitely improve your score. That prep stuff really focuses on improving you as a test taker, not just in covering the GMAT material. But, the thing to keep in mind is that it’s not JUST about your GPA or your GMAT numbers. It’s about being a really well-rounded, solid candidate. Somebody who’s involved, focused, driven, and has a plan.

– Jon Frank

grehan

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-- by 会员 Karmalot (2012/6/6 15:13:40)