Guides to applying to graduate school abound. How do you choose among the array of guides? Check out our list of top picks and narrow your choices.
1. Graduate School : Winning Strategies for Getting in
How to gain acceptance even if your gpa is closer to 3.0 than 4.0. Provides a clear overview of the nature of graduate study, what schools look for, the components of an application, how to choose programs, improving the odds of acceptance, enhancing letters of recommendation, understanding the personal statement, performing well on interviews, and going beyond minimum requirements for admission.
2. The Grad School Handbook
Chapters examine why one would consider graduate study, how to locate information/make decisions, financing graduate study, tips on completing application forms and writing essays, how to get good recommendations, and a brief overview of admissions tests. Chapters on what to do if you're not accepted and information for returning students are especially helpful and make this text stand out.3. Real Life Guide to Graduate & Professional School
Breaks the process of researching graduate schools into concrete steps, making it easier to manage. Section 1 examines where to start. Section 2 examines the application process, deciding where to apply, components of an application, timelines, and positioning yourself for acceptance. Section 3 examines the grad school experience: stress, socializing, financial aid, job options, and resources.4. The Real Guide to Grad School
Provides information specific to students in the humanities and social sciences. The first section examines the basics: what it means to be a research scholar, admissions, and financial aid. The chapters in the second section examine graduate school admissions and reality for a variety of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.5. Kaplan/Newsweek Graduate School Admissions Advisor
The first chapter provides an introduction to graduate study (what to expect). Subsequent chapters examine specific disciplines. Chapters cover: getting and evaluating information, admissions requirements, preparing your application, personal statement, after you apply, and specialized information for re-entry students, African American students, disabled students, and international students.