This document provides advice for applying to graduate school. It discusses understanding fit with a program, allowing time for self-reflection, evaluating departments and programs, common application requirements like transcripts and letters of recommendation, preparing for entrance exams, writing a strong personal statement, obtaining a detailed letter of recommendation, gaining relevant research experience, and ensuring all program-specific requirements are met. The overall message is to learn what graduate programs expect, make your application competitive, and put your best effort into each application.

1. Applying to Graduate School
Eliminate the guessing game and put your best
foot forward
Loren Bass, Assistant Director
Graduate Admissions
1

2. RPI Graduate Admissions 2
Why this presentation is relevant to YOU!
• Learn what graduate schools expect to see in a serious
application
• Understand how to make your application competitive

3. 3
Complete the link for an application fee
waiver:

4. 4
Understanding Fit:
Getting into a funded PhD program is subjective, like getting a scholarship.
• Tip 1: Reach out to faculty and graduate students before applying for feedback on the
institution atmosphere and whether your faculty member of interest is taking on new
students.
• Tip 2: A personal statement is your narrative about who you and your purpose. It can fill
in any gaps your test scores, GPA, and references may not have covered. Use it to your
advantage.
• Tip 3: Don’t put all of your eggs in 1 basket when applying to institutions, but put your
best effort in every application you complete.

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Allow time for self-reflection!
• What are your interests?
• How solid is your foundation?
Course grades
Research experience
Presentation skills
Critical thinking skills
Writing skills
• Who can write a detailed letter of recommendation for
you?

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Evaluate the department/program
• Areas of specialization
• Research compatibility
• Student and advisor pairings
• Interdisciplinary study/research
Essentially, what do they have to offer
you?

7. 7
Time to apply….
What are the graduate school
expectations???

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• Grade Point Average
• Curriculum
Transcripts from each institution attended
• Standardized test scores
• Personal Statements
• Letters of recommendation
• Research Experience
***It’s about the holistic package***

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Degree Levels
M.Eng.: usually for industry professionals
M.S.: research-focused
• Takes 1-2 years (on average)
PhD: usually for a future in Research and Development and
academia
• Research Intensive
Work closely with your advisor (a professor) and other
graduate students
• Takes 4+ years to complete
• More specialization than a Masters

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Timeline
Juniors
• Research school offerings and requirements
• Study for and take required entrance exam(s)
• Gain research experience and/or tutoring experience
• Visit schools of interest
• Research external funding
Seniors
• DEADLINES, DEADLINES, DEADLINES
• Obtain letters of recommendation
• Write and re-write your Statement/Essay – make it succinct
• Retake entrance exams, if necessary
• Complete the application and send in all required credentials
• Apply for external funding

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GRE Scores
Scores are good for up to five years
Key questions to ask each institution
• What are the average scores for accepted
students?
• Will you accept new scores after a deadline?
• Are there things you can do to offset a low test
score?

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Preparing for the GRE
Start early!
The basics:
• Verbal Reasoning score reported on a 130–170 score scale, in 1-point
increments
• Quantitative Reasoning score reported on a 130–170 score scale, in
1-point increments
• Analytical Writing score reported on a 0–6 score scale, in half-point
increment
FREE practice tests
• ETS, Princeton Review, Kaplan

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Personal Statement
Questions to ask yourself…
• How did you come to be involved in your current area of
research?
• What is most interesting or exciting about this research?
• What has been your biggest research achievement thus
far? How did you achieve those results?
• What is your career goal?
• How has diversity impacted you?

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Good example of a Personal Statement
“My diversity status, as an Haitian-African-American
engineering student attending a top tier institution and
studying Chinese language, has given me a unique
perspective and appreciation for diversity, inclusion, and
service that fuels my commitment to designing and
researching to improve the lives of those less fortunate. My
Haitian background, and my Quaker schooling have instilled
a strong desire to pursue graduate research that benefits
people in various environments through design and
creativity.”
-PhD applicant in Architecture, Built Ecologies

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Poor examples of Personal Statements
“I am interested in attending the University of Mississippi or
the University of Albany for graduate school; however, I have
not decided on where else I will look.”
- PhD applicant in Chemistry (for RPI)
Note: This particular letter was unclear, had the wrong institution listed,
discussed classes taken in high school and ACT scores, and rambled
from start to finish (very indirect and not intentional at all). The applicant
even states, “Science was not my favorite subject; however it is the only
subject other than math that has my full attention.”

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Requirements for your Personal
Statement
• No more than 1-1.5 pages single spaced
• Be interesting
• Be intentional
• Spell/Grammar check
• Use a personal story to highlight your strengths
• Follow directions

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Imagine this…
This is a conversation where you are telling the
department why they should select you, not a plea to
be selected.
Don’t be general, this is an intentional message to
address what you bring to the table and why your
skills can aid the department as well as what your
expectations are of the institution.

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Letter of Recommendation
• It is wise to obtain a letter from someone who holds the
degree type you seek
• The letter should be specific and mention your critical
thinking/analytical reasoning/writing skills
• The letter should come from someone you have built a
relationship with who can speak on your character.
• No family members should write your letter of
recommendation

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Poor Recommendation Examples
“She completed her finance degree at the University. I was her professor for two
of her upper division finance courses. She earned a B in the Investments course
and an A in the Corporate Finance course.
Her overall course grades in the full Finance curriculum were not outstanding, but
she did participate in class and always appeared interested in learning the
material. She has also made an effort in terms of internships and work
opportunities to learn more about business and finance.
I believe a MS in Quantitative Finance and Risk Analytics would greatly deepen
her understanding of financial markets and practical skills to manage financial
aspects of a corporation.”
-Professor of Finance

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Strong Recommendation Letters
• Jennifer Lopez is one of the brightest and most
motivated students I have had a chance to work with
in my 25 years as a research. I would not hesitate to
sign her immediately to my group.
• Steph Curry has great talent and skills on biomedical
engineering. He is bright, focused, competitive, and
honest. He is able to work independently as well as in
a group.
• Beyonce’s observation on various computer science
topics can often reach a depth rarely met in an
undergraduate student. When she speaks, there is
always something meaningful and important to say.
Her work has been without error.

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Research Experience
• If you want to go to graduate school, you should start getting
involved in research as an undergraduate.
• Research experience allows institutions to know that you
understand the environment of working in a lab and are comfortable
with that setting.
• It is not significant to explain your research results. There is no
need to attempt a project that's too big.
• It is expected that you fail, but this enhances your learning
experiences.

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Program Requirements
It is imperative that you not only review the
institutional guidelines for general applications but
also review and understand the department’s
additional program requirements.
Examples:
• Writing samples, if required by department.
• Portfolio, if required by department.
• IT Background Evaluation form
• Supplemental Questions for Business applicants

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Questions???

24. RPI Graduate Admissions 24
Contact Me
bassl@rpi.edu
518-276-6140
Complete the link for an application fee
waiver: