A 2006 study by Drew C. Appleby (Indiana University) and Karen Appleby (Idaho State University) reveals 5 Common Graduate School Application Mistakes that will dramatically reduce your chances of being accepted into a graduate program.

1. GradSchools.com
Kiss
of
Death
Grad School
Application

3. These mistakes could give your application the
Kiss
of
Death!
A revealing survey of psychology
graduate admissions committee chairs!

5. Faculty look for
students who are:

6. Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted

7. Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative

8. Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright

9. Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated

10. Faculty look for
students who are:
Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited

11. Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited
• Eager

12. Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited
• Eager
• Pleasant

13. Faculty look for
students who are:
• Gifted
• Creative
• Bright
• Motivated
• Well-suited
• Eager
• Pleasant
• Responsible

14. Kisses
of
Death:

15. Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements

16. Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
2. Harmful letters of recommendation

17. Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
2. Harmful letters of recommendation
3. Lack of program information

18. Kisses
of
Death:
1. Damaging personal statements
2. Harmful letters of recommendation
3. Lack of program information
4. Poor writing skills

19. 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

20. Don’t talk about:

21. Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems

22. Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references

23. Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds

24. Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
Have a reference tell your story!

25. 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.”

26. Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
No being ‘cutesy!’

27. Don’t talk about:
• Mental health problems
• Excessive religious references
• Overcoming odds
No being ‘cutesy!’

28. You should seem like the perfect student!

29. You should seem like the perfect student!
Get letters from:

30. You should seem like the perfect student!
Professors
Educators
Relatives
Employees
Get letters from:

32. Research the program’s focus
FIRST

33. Research the program’s focus
Compare your research interest
with faculty’s activities
THEN
FIRST

34. IMMEDIATE
Kiss
of
Death

35. IMMEDIATE
Kiss
of
Death
Spelling & grammar errors =

36. IMMEDIATE
Kiss
of
Death
Spelling & grammar errors =
Weak & poorly written =

38. • Don’t blame others

39. • Don’t blame others
• Research the program, mentors, and advisors

40. • Don’t blame others
• Research the program, mentors, and advisors
• Be authentic

41. • Don’t blame others
• Research the program, mentors, and advisors
• Name dropping doesn’t work!
• Be authentic

42. • 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.”

43. So how can I
avoid the
Kiss of
Death?!

45. Seek:

46. Seek:
• Mentoring

47. Seek:
• Mentoring
• Academic advising

48. Seek:
• Mentoring
• Academic advising
• Graduate school prep classes

49. Seek:
• Mentoring
• Academic advising
• Graduate school prep classes
Some universities offer for free!

51. • Participate in faculty research

52. • Participate in faculty research
• Make connections

53. • 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”

55. Advisors can help:

56. Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline

57. Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications

58. Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications
• Prepare for exams

59. Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications
• Prepare for exams
• Select a recommender

60. Advisors can help:
• Establish a realistic timeline
• Organize applications
• Prepare for exams
• Select a recommender
One-on-one advising may not be available

62. Academic advising class designed to teach:

63. Academic advising class designed to teach:
‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”

64. Academic advising class designed to teach:
‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”
‐ “How to apply to graduate school”

65. 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 ”

67. Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!

68. Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview

69. Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters

70. Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters
• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants

71. Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters
• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants
• 10 Tips to Ace the Application Process

72. Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!
• GRE Overview
• Rock Star Recommendation Letters
• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants
• 10 Tips to Ace the Application Process

73. 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