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GradSchools.com
Kiss
of
Death
Grad School
Application
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
These mistakes could give your application the
Kiss
of
Death!
A revealing survey of psychology
graduate admissions committee chairs!
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited
• Eager
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited
• Eager
• Pleasant
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited
• Eager
• Pleasant
• Responsible
Kisses
of
Death:
Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
2. Harmful letters of recommendation
Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
2. Harmful letters of recommendation
3. Lack of program information
Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
2. Harmful letters of recommendation
3. Lack of program information
4. Poor writing skills
Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
2. Harmful letters of recommendation
3. Lack of program information
4. Poor writing skills
5. Misfired attempts to impress
Don’t talk about:
Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
Have a reference tell your story!
Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
Have a reference tell your story!
“Everybody wants to help people.
That’s assumed.
Don’t say the reason you want to
go into clinical psychology is to
help people.”
Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
No being ‘cutesy!’
Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
No being ‘cutesy!’
You should seem like the perfect student!
You should seem like the perfect student!
Get letters from:
You should seem like the perfect student!
Professors
Educators
Relatives
Employees
Get letters from:
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
Research the program’s focus
FIRST
Research the program’s focus
Compare your research interest
with faculty’s activities
THEN
FIRST
IMMEDIATE
Kiss
of
Death
IMMEDIATE
Kiss
of
Death
Spelling & grammar errors =
IMMEDIATE
Kiss
of
Death
Spelling & grammar errors =
Weak & poorly written =
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
• Don’t blame others
• Don’t blame others
• Research the program, mentors, and advisors
• Don’t blame others
• Research the program, mentors, and advisors
• Be authentic
• Don’t blame others
• Research the program, mentors, and advisors
• Name dropping doesn’t work!
• Be authentic
• Don’t blame others
• Research the program, mentors, and advisors
• Name dropping doesn’t work!
• Be authentic
“Admissions committees care
about you, NOT who you know.”
So how can I
avoid the
Kiss of
Death?!
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
Seek:
Seek:
• Mentoring
Seek:
• Mentoring
• Academic advising
Seek:
• Mentoring
• Academic advising
• Graduate school prep classes
Seek:
• Mentoring
• Academic advising
• Graduate school prep classes
Some universities offer for free!
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
• Participate in faculty research
• Participate in faculty research
• Make connections
• Participate in faculty research
• Make connections
“Effective mentoring can help attain
the research and classroom
experiences that facilitate strong
letters of recommendation,
compelling personal statements,
and proficient writing skills”
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
Advisors can help:
Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications
Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications
• Prepare for exams
Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications
• Prepare for exams
• Select a recommender
Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications
• Prepare for exams
• Select a recommender
One-on-one advising may not be available
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
Academic advising class designed to teach:
Academic advising class designed to teach:
‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”
Academic advising class designed to teach:
‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”
‐ “How to apply to graduate school”
Academic advising class designed to teach:
‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”
‐ “How to apply to graduate school”
‐ “The value of letters of ”
Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application
Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters
Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters
• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants
Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters
• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants
• 10 Tips to Ace the Application Process
Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters
• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants
• 10 Tips to Ace the Application Process
Appleby, D. & Appleby, K. (2006) Kisses of
Death in the Graduate School
Application Process. Retrieved from
www.psychology.unl.edu
Slideshow by Sam Bressler of the GradSchools.com team

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Avoid the 5 Kisses of Death in Your Graduate School Application