Tips on Turning in Your Grad School Application On time

If you plan on attending a graduate school in the fall, you must complete all of the paperwork necessary during the previous spring semester. Administrators have a lot of applications to sort through in a short amount of time so it is imperative that what you turn in is done quickly, thoroughly and accurately. Your graduate school application process will include providing your previous grade point average, taking an aptitude test, turning in a resume with cover letter, letter of purpose and of course proof of financial ability including a completed free application for federal student aid should you decide to use federal student loans during your schooling. The first step is contacting the financial aid office and the office of academic affairs to find out when the formal application deadline is.

First, gather a current transcript from the school where you earned your bachelors degree. For a nominal fee have 2 copies of your official transcript sent to you. One is for your own viewing and records while the other one needs to remain sealed in the original envelope. The sealed transcripts will be turned in to the academic affairs department along with your application. Then, contact the academic affairs department to find out what type of entrance exam you need to have passed as part of the application process. Schedule the test a few weeks once you find out exactly which one they plan to administer, you can then pick up a study guide available at the any local bookstore.

Next, as you are studying for your entrance exam, you will need to put together a statement of purpose. This statement should include the reasoning for your interest in an MBA degree. This is the 1 to 2 page document where you will need to detail descriptions of your past successes and failures in the professional work environment. You should also mention what you learned from those experiences and what you think you can learn in the graduate program that their school offers.

Finally, if you plan on using the federally backed Stafford loans to fund all or part of your degree, fill out that information as soon as possible as well. Being proactive on this aspect will only help your cause of acceptance by showing you think and plan ahead. On the application website, fill out the following years free application for federal student aid and then present the printed page proving completion with your application when you turn it in.

Remember, you are in competition with others who are probably equally as skilled and experienced as you are. Do yourself a favor and set yourself apart, beginning with the application process. Be sure to get second opinions on letters paying special attention to spelling and grammar. Further, by turning in the needed information as quickly as possible you increase your chances of having the admissions board spend more time on your individual application which if done right, is a good thing!!

by Michael Chasen

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