How to Apply to Graduate School?

Applying to graduate school takes a bit of time, but it is not as hard or as scary as you might think.

The first step is to decide on the type of program (Master's or Ph.D.,  see Why Go to Graduate School?).

The second step is deciding on the schools where you will apply. Talk to your advisor or other faculty members or mentors to help you with this part.

Next is the actual application process.

Graduate schools typically require the following items as part of an application:

The standard kind of application form with various details about you:

Where you went to college, what classes you took, your major, etc. This is pretty straightforward.

A "statement of purpose" essay. 

This is a one to two page essay where you are asked to describe your background, your interests, what you hope to get from graduate school, and why you are applying to this particular graduate school. This essay will be read by professors at the school to which you are applying and it is a good idea to take the time to write a thoughtful and cogent essay. It is a great idea to have one or more people read your essay and give you feedback and suggestions—both on the writing itself and the content.

The goal of the statement of purpose will differ slightly between an MS and a Ph.D. application. For a Ph.D., the goal of the statement is threefold: to demonstrate that you understand research, to provide the reader with a picture of your prior research experience, and to give the admissions committee a sense of your research interests. For the MS, the goal is to make clear what your goals are for obtaining a Master's degree and what experience you have that makes you qualified to take on such an endeavor. 

GRE scores.

There are two kinds of GREs (Graduate Record Exams): The "general test" is an exam of basic math, reasoning, and language skills. The CS "subject test" is an exam of specific college-level CS content. Some schools require or recommend one or both of these tests while others leave them entirely optional. You will need to check the websites of the schools that you are considering. The Educational Testing Service has a web page with detailed information on the GRE (http://www.ets.org/gre). The general test can be taken online at a testing site more-or-less when you want to take it (you should register in advance), while the subject test is only offered a few times a year and is taken on paper at a testing site (often at your school). Many students choose to take the general test in the summer between the junior and senior year or in the early fall of the senior year and take the subject test in October or November. Keep in mind that you need to register for the subject test several months before the test date.

How important are GRE scores? As we noted, many graduate schools no longer require them and some do not recommend them. At other schools, they are recommended or required. Even there, GREs will be just one of the many factors used in an admissions decision. Nonetheless, taking a few practice exams to get used to the format of the exams is a good idea. You can find information on practice exams and study guides at the ETS website (http://www.ets.org/gre).

Letters of Recommendation.

Most graduate schools will want three letters of recommendation from professors who know you well, research mentors, or job supervisors. If you are applying to Ph.D. programs, the most useful letters are those that can attest to your creativity and potential to engage in research. If you have done research with someone, that person is an ideal person to write you a letter. If you have done a project in a course, the professor for that course may also be a good person to write you a letter. If there are other professors who know you well enough to write something more than "this student did well in my course," that person can also write a letter for you. If the professor only knows you well enough to say "this student did well in my course," that is not as valuable (since your transcripts will reflect that, too). Finally, if you had a job and a supervisor who got to know you and your work and can attest to your creativity and problem-solving abilities, that person can also write a letter for you. 

How important are letters of recommendation? They are generally important for Master's programs and very important for Ph.D. programs. We recommend that you talk to your advisor or mentor about your options for letter writers. After you have selected your prospective letter-writers, ask them if they would feel comfortable writing for you. If they say "yes," ask them what kinds of materials they would like before writing your letters. They might want a draft of your statement of purpose essay, a copy of your transcripts, etc.

Transcripts

Graduate schools will also ask for your transcripts. There is not much for you to do other than make the appropriate arrangements with your registrar. 

How important are grades? Generally pretty important. Most graduate schools will want to see that you have the abilities and discipline to do well in all of your courses and will be particularly interested in how you did in your CS courses. If you have some "hiccups" in your grades, it is generally not a show-stopper. On the other hand, the most competitive Ph.D. programs can afford to be very selective and take students with uniformly high grades.

Most graduate schools now use online application systems. All of the materials except the transcripts are generally submitted online.