Preparing for graduate school is a process filled with many steps and rarely a straight line. The timeline below should serve as a starting point when preparing for this process, but it will need to be adapted to your unique circumstances and goals. It should help provide transparency on what the entirety of the graduate school application process looks like and what is conventionally done at each stage.
Keep in mind this timeline also assumes your graduate applications are due in December of your senior year for a start date in the following August. If your application timeline is different, then you will need to adapt this timeline to fit.
One or Two Years Before Program Starts
Take a close look at the steps that you can take early on during undergrad to help you jump-start this new chapter in your life.
- Survey graduate programs of interest.
- Research any required admissions exams for the schools you are interested in.
- Think about options for who could write your letters of recommendation.
Summer Before Applications Open
This is a crucial time for starting to prepare application materials and finalizing your decision to apply. You should:
- Finalize the schools you plan on applying to and make a spreadsheet of application materials and deadlines for each program
- Prepare for and take any required admissions exams (if not already completed)
- Contact professors of interest (if program requires securing research position prior to applying)
- Determine what application components you will need for the programs you are interested in
- Speak with your recommenders about writing Letters of Recommendation for you
- Begin compiling your application components: Personal Statement, Resume/CV, Transcript and any additional materials
- Research financial aid information
Fall of the Application Year
This is the time of the year when you will be close to wrapping up most of your applications. Let’s look at it through the different months:
September
Most applications open
October
- Finalize list of programs to apply to
- Draft admissions essay(s) and get feedback from CNS Career Coaches, professors and University Writing Center
- Draft Resume/CV and get feedback from CNS Career Coaches
- Request letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors
November
- Tailor admissions essay(s) to each program
- Request official transcript(s) to be sent to the programs you’re applying to
- Complete and submit all applications before individual deadlines
- Contact professors of interest
December
- Confirm transcripts, test scores and recommendation letters were received
- Keep a copy of all application materials for yourself
Spring of Application Year
This is usually the time of the year when you have completed most of the applications and are busy submitting all those applications:
- Receive interview requests (not all programs will require an interview, but it’s common for STEM Ph.D. programs)
- Receive admission and rejection decisions
- Visit schools that accept you to help you make your decision
- Make final decisions on graduate school offers and notify the colleges and universities of your decision
- Complete any required paperwork or pre-graduate school tasks
- Send thank-you notes to people who wrote your recommendation letters and helped you with the process, telling them of your success and future plans