Prepare During Your Freshman Year

Self-discovery

• Explore your interests and abilities.
• Talk to and visit your academic support system, including advisors, counselors, professors, and other graduate students.
• Develop effective study habits and time-management skills.
• Attend workshops, tutorials, guest speaker events and campus presentations.
• Establish a GPA of at least 3.0.

Prepare During Your Sophomore Year

Assessing options

• Define and establish your personal, life, and career goals.
• Meet and talk with contacts in your chosen area.
• Identify potential mentoring relationships with professors and other graduate students.
• Conduct independent research with a professor.
• Attend graduate and professional school fairs and research presentations.

Prepare During Your Junior Year

Committing and preparing

• Continue to define and reestablish personal, life, and career goals.
• Strengthen mentoring relationships.
• Discuss your interests with professors, peers, and other individuals in your interest area.
• Explore different types of graduate programs.
• Visit campuses and departments when possible.
• Research standardized tests, test dates and required fees.
• Participate in a summer research internship or other experience opportunity.

Prepare During Your Senior Year

Applying and selecting

• Take standardized tests (GRE, MCAT, LSAT, etc).
• Apply early. Electronic applications are standard for most programs and universities.
• Inquire about deadlines and other important dates.
• Stay organized.
• Applying to graduate programs is time- and labor-intensive: build an organizational system to keep each application together.
• Initiate and maintain funding opportunities, like RAs, TAs, GAs, scholarships, grants, etc.
• Apply for financial aid (FAFSA) and other external funding opportunities.