As graduate school application experts, we’ve seen some glaring errors over the years. We’re also aware of a few issues that come up time and again but seem harmless. These are our red flags—they won’t make or break your application but can really damage your graduate school experience and the grad school application process.
Take a look at these four easily avoidable mistakes before you apply to grad school.
1. Ignoring Financial Aid
“It’s impossible to avoid colossal student debt, right? Besides, applying for financial aid is a hassle, and I didn’t qualify for undergraduate aid. Why bother this time?”
Assumptions like these have no place in your journey towards grad school. Instead, buckle down and concentrate on your options in financing graduate school: fill out the FAFSA. As a graduate student, you’ll be treated as an independent, so instead of filling out your parents’ information, you’ll be filling out your own information.
Too many students make the decision not to pursue financial aid rather than letting the FAFSA results of the FAFSA decide. Even if you don’t qualify for need-based financial aid, you very well might qualify for merit-based financial aid for the university. To be considered for this, you often still need to fill out the FAFSA. Prioritize the time to fill out financial aid forms.
2. Not Attending an Open House/Not Visiting the Campus
Attending a graduate school open house, even virtually, or taking a campus tour are crucial to picking the right place and program for you. You might visit a university with a highly-ranked program in your field but then realize that the advisors you’d be working with aren’t a good fit for you.
You want to give yourself the opportunity to see a program for yourself. Do yourself a favor and attend information sessions and open houses. Meet as many faculty and current graduate students in your prospective program to find out all the backstage information.
If physically stepping foot on campus isn’t realistic, attending virtual information sessions or open houses can do a great job of understanding the program. Take the time in your day to do thorough research and meet the programs you’re interested in.
Here are the admissions events we offer at WVU as an example of what to expect.
3. Considering Only One School
Maybe you’ve had your whole life planned out since you were 10 and have known for years exactly which grad school you want to attend. But isn’t getting a graduate education all about exploring the world and having new experiences? By only applying to one grad school, you could be selling yourself short.
Start your journey of exploration and study before you solidify your decision. If you cast a wide net, you can find out which universities and programs have the research opportunities that interest you, mentors you’d want to work with for years, the resources and the atmosphere to nurture your sense of wonder, or which universities have high success rates for alumni finding desirable jobs post-graduation.
And one more reason to consider more than one program: if you aren’t accepted into your first choice, you have other options to consider.
4. Not Speaking with an Admissions Counselor
Maybe you’re totally on top of everything when it comes to the admissions process. Maybe your GPA is high, you’ve had a fascinating variety of international leadership experiences, you’re an excellent writer, and you have a variety of professional references who are more than delighted to write you recommendations.
But if you’re anything less than an expert, speaking with a graduate counselor can be extremely helpful. If nothing else, they can give you inside information on what admissions officers are really looking for. And even if you know what’s expected of you, admissions counselors can help you execute the impressive vision you have in mind but can’t quite achieve.
A graduate counselor can serve as a second pair of eyes on your personal statement essay or any other written material you submit. They can also give advice on acquiring financial aid or how to keep your cool during an admissions interview.
Applying to WVU Graduate Programs
If you’re thinking about applying to an advanced program at West Virginia University, we hope you’ll download our guide — Everything You Need to Know About Applying to Graduate School at West Virginia University — for an in-depth look into the application process for WVU’s advanced programs.
We have even more tips–and red flags–to keep in mind during your grad school application process.
