GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLAPPLICATION PROCESSStart gathering information early to be able to complete your applications on time. Most people should start the process afull year and a half before their anticipated date of matriculation. There are, however, some exceptions to this rule. Thistime frame may be different if you are applying for national scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, etc. You may have tobegin the process two years before your date of matriculation in order to take your graduate admission test and arrange forletters of recommendation early enough to meet deadlines.Application deadlines may range from August (a year prior to matriculation) for early decision programs at medical schoolsusing the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) to late spring or summer (when beginning graduate schoolin the fall) for a few programs with rolling admissions. Most deadlines for entry in the fall are between January and March.You should plan to meet formal deadlines. However, you should also be aware of the fact that many schools with rollingadmissions encourage and act upon early applications. Applying early to a school with rolling admissions in usuallyadvantageous, as it shows your enthusiasm for the program and gives admissions committees more time to evaluate yourapplication. Applicants are not rejected early unless they are clearly below an institution’s standards.TYPICAL APPLICATION TIMETABLESIX MONTHS PRIOR TO APPLYINGResearch areas of interest, institutions, and programs.Talk to advisers about application requirements.Register and prepare for appropriate graduate admission tests.Investigate national scholarships.THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO APPLYINGTake required graduate admission tests.Write your application essay.Check on application deadlines and rolling admissions policies.For medical, dental, osteopathy, podiatry, or law school, youmay need to register for the national application or dataassembly service most programs use.FALL - A YEAR BEFORE MATRICULATINGObtain letters of recommendation.Take graduate admission tests in you haven’t already.Send in completed applications.WINTER - BEFORE MATRICULATING IN THE FALLComplete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)and College Scholarship Service (CSS) profiles, if required.SPRING - BEFORE MATRICULATING IN THE FALLCheck with all institutions before their deadlines to make sure your application is complete.Visit institutions that accept you.Send a deposit to your institution of choice.Notify other colleges and universities that accepted you of your decision so that they can admit students on their waiting list.Send “Thank You” notes to people who wrote your recommendation letters, informing them of your success.You may not be able to adhere to this timetable if your application deadlines are very early, as is the casewith medical schools, or if you decide to attend graduate school at the last minute. Keep in mind the variousapplication requirements and be sure to meet all deadlines. If deadlines are impossible to meet, call theinstitution to see if a late application will be considered.55
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