Transcript Writing YOUR Personal Statement

Is Graduate School for You?
Presented by
Maureen Roach
Senior Assistant Director
Illinois State University Career Center
Goals
• First Step: Assess your graduate school needs
and goals
• Learn what is needed to apply
• Brief overview of how to research graduate
programs
• Timeline for graduate school applications
• Brief GRE overview
• Learn what selection committees look for in a
graduate essay
Graduate Degree Options
Master’s Degree (MA, MS, MSW, MSEd. MSN, MBA)
• 2-3 years beyond Bachelor
• 30-38 credit hours
• Research experience
• Comprehensive exam
• Thesis option/Course option
Doctoral Degree (PhD, EdD, MFA)
• 2-4 years beyond Master
• Research and scholarship
• Comprehensive exam
• Dissertation
Professional Degree (MD, JD, AuD)
• Professional competencies
• Certification (Graduate Certificate in Social Aspects of Aging)
Some Numbers
Education
% over age 25
Degrees 2012/13
Bachelor’s
Master’s
Doctorate
30.44%
7.95%
3.00%
1.8 million
750,000
175,000
Unemployment:
HS
Bachelor
Master
Doctorate
Professional
9.4%
4.9%
3.6%
2.5%
2.4%
*Master’s degrees are becoming more common. Doctorates remain rare.
*Women make up about 60% of graduate students.
U.S. Census Bureau 2011
Why Graduate School?
Greater Earnings & Security
HS
Bachelor
Master
Doctorate
Professional
$33,176
$54,756
$65,676
$80,653
$86,580
Some Numbers
An executive summary of the September 2012 Salary Survey report is available
Sociology: Master’s Degree: $43,900 Bachelor’s Degree: $33,000
Is Graduate School the Right Fit For
Me?
What are your reasons?
Is Graduate School the Right Fit
For Me?
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Adds specialization to a broad major
– Applied Community and Economic Development Sequence, Public Sociology,
Religion, Applied Sociology, Development Sociology, Family Specialty, Gender &
Sexuality, Social Justice
Specialties in a specialized field
Master’s degree may be required for certain positions or for career advancement
Advance past an entry-level position to jobs such as executive director or supervisor
Pursue a doctoral degree and transfer to research positions or become professor in higher
education setting
Personal fulfillment
Greater earnings and security
Gap in education or undergraduate education outdated
Change career paths
Make you more marketable
Now or Later?
Start Now
Start Later
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School experience is fresh
Fewer family or financial obligations
More flexible
Longer earning potential
Graduate Assistantship opportunity
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Work experience might be required
May be academically under or
unprepared
Financially more secure
Employer may finance
Financially prepared – if you don’t know
where you’re going, or don’t have the focus
to succeed, school can leave you with a
whole lot of debt
Complete Package
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Undergraduate major
Grades
Course difficulty
Test scores
Relevant experience
Leadership
Recommendations
Accomplishments
General Timeline
Junior Year:
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Research graduate programs
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Call, write or visit schools
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Draft essay; determine graduate admissions tests
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Consult study books and take free practice tests
May-August
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Take required graduate test that you registered for in the spring. If you have not registered for the
test yet, register and prepare for them now
Senior Year:
August-Oct
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Edit essay; consult with writing experts/faculty
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Take required graduate admission test if you have not already done so
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Letters of recommendation
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Research financial aid
Nov-Dec.
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Order official transcript
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Finalize essay and Mail application
Jan-March
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Contact schools to confirm receipt of application; visit schools
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Finalize financial aid paperwork. Fill out FAFSA
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Admission interviews scheduled
April-May
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Discuss acceptances
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Visit accepted school
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Choose a school; notify other schools that accepted you of your decision
Grad School Application Timeline
• Most deadlines for master’s programs tend to hit in January,
February or March – earlier the better
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May - begin researching schools; study/practice GRE
June – take prep course if necessary
July – Request information from schools
August – take GRE test; begin writing statement of purpose
September – finalize list of prospective schools. Contact recommenders
October – Request official transcripts. Make campus visits
November – write personal statement
December – complete and submit all applications; keep copies
January – fill out FAFSA
What You Need to Apply
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Cover Letter and Graduate School Resume (CV)
Personal Statement of Purpose
Transcripts
Letters of Recommendation
Writing Sample
ePortfolio
GRE exam score
Informational Interview
Campus visits
Interview
Choosing a Grad School – The Right Fit for You
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Research and find schools based on reputation, academic quality and
experience (faculty, research, experiential learning experiences, accredited,
location and setting, career assistance, school culture, cost-grants,
assistantships and fellowships)
Develop a targeted list and rank schools
Select a number you can manage (up to 5, 5 or more)
Make sure program is relevant to your interests
Check out admission acceptance ratios http://prpa.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/graduate_databook/ISUGraduateD
atabook12.pdf
Visit schools/programs
Student/faculty ratio-class size
http://www.peterson’sguide.org
http://www.gradschools.com
http://www.princetonreview.com
http://www.gradschools.com
http://www.universities.com/edu/Masters_degrees_in_Sociology.html
GRE Overview
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Graduate Record Exam is a 3.9 hour, multiple choice, required by most graduate schools
Some schools consider it important, some as a formality; ask how important it plays in the
admission decision
$160 – general test; $140 – subject test; offered throughout the year; take only once every 60 days
and no more than 5 times within 12 months
Take in August & September-receive scores early to mid-November
Take in October-receive mid to late November
Take in November-receive early December
Take in December and later-receive 10-15 days
Practice! Free tests. Practice timing
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Multi-stage – computer will use performance on one section to determine the difficulty level of
the next section
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Breakdown of GRE: 3 sections
– Analytical Writing section contains two questions
– Two Verbal Ability (vocabulary and reading sections)
– Two Quantitative Ability (math)
- Verbal and Quantitative Scores: scale of 130-170 in one point increments;
- Analytical Writing section scored on a scale of 0 to 6 in half increments
Purpose of a Personal Statement
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Shows whether you can write a clear, coherent essay that’s logically
and grammatically correct
Opportunity to present the committee with more of a “three
dimensional” portrait of yourself as a deserving candidate than GPA
and GRE can
What you write sends signal about what’s important to you and what
your values are
Explains why you want to pursue grad work
Explains career path
Explain how you have overcome significant obstacles
Awards or recognitions
What you can contribute to grad school community/school/program
Start Writing!
• Start with a draft…(don’t worry about “perfection” with this
first draft!) Write what you want to say about:
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Why you’re pursuing this degree?
What led you to the field you’re interested in?
Who influenced you? How? Why?
Why did you choose this program? This school?
What do you plan to do with this degree once you’re done?
Write in active voice
Demonstrate everything by example
Spend the most time on your introduction; conclusions are crucial
Use transition between paragraphs
Statement Conclusion
• Tie together the various issues that you have
raised in the essay, and reiterate your interest in
this specific program
• Remind the committee of your interest,
qualifications and your future goals as a result of
not only being admitted into the program but
also your plans to apply this advanced education!
Final Tips
• Follow the application directions. Stay within the number of words (AND
the font size) requested—(usually 500 to 1000 words) when finalizing the
essay. Another standard is to write no more than two pages.
• Be sure to review (proof read) your personal statement and have someone
you trust to review your statement
• Be sure to start EARLY
• Be sure to research the school AND the program you are applying to
• Do not create a standard graduate school essay that you copy and send
to every program to which you are applying. Just like your resume,
tailor your personal statement to fit each graduate program for which
you are applying
• Many programs interview candidates, but not all, so know what you
need to say in the written document and what you will have an
opportunity to say in person
If I Decide to Wait, What Should I Do to
Make Myself Competitive?
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Gain relevant experience in the field
Peace Corps
AmeriCorps
JET – Japan Exchange & Teaching Program
Teach for America
City Year
Teach abroad
Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL)
Volunteer/Volunteer abroad
Internship
Deficiency classes
http://www.idealist.org
Swoosh. Flap, flap, flap. I heard the rush of
wings and ducked just in time to avoid the
outstretched talons of a red tailed hawk. It
pounced, then retreated to a branch a few feet
above my head, a squirrel clutched in its
claws. This is a normal occurrence in
Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.  
Making a Difference
That afternoon, this family separated by life’s circumstance
became an inspiration and catalyst for me; in many ways
they helped me find my next passion. Though I knew that
legally, it was wrong for their loved ones to be living and
working on “my side,” I also saw that doing so was making
it possible for their children and even their parents living so
many miles away to eat and have life’s basic necessities. I
realized that despite my inability to improve the economic
situation in Mexico, I could work to improve the lives of the
people who were living here in my country and in my
community.
This commitment was strengthened by the academic
perspective I was developing as a result of my classes that
semester and in those that were to follow.  
Life Story
At age 6, while in primary one (grade school),
my grandmother gave me a goat as a reward
for performing well in class. By primary 7, I
had a herd of goats, and when I excelled
going to high school, she gave me a cow that I
kept on the family farm. Growing up as a
child in Uganda, my dream was one day to
have a big farm, so I could wake up in the
morning and watch my cows from my farm
house on top of the hill. This vision inspired
me to acquire more knowledge in agriculture.

Questions?
Thank You!
Maureen Roach
Senior Assistant Director Career Center
Illinois State University
309-438-5823
[email protected]