Two weeks ago I accepted the offer of admission to Stanford’s MSCS program, which concludes my graduate school application process. I’d like to record some key reflections that I have on this process. The following is based on my experience of applying for Master programs in CS / HCI, but should apply to applications for other degree programs as well.
Rule #1 for fellow Chinese applicants: no agencies whatsoever. I know you probably heard this from everyone, but I’d say it again. If you want to get in a good program, get your own hands dirty, and don’t depend on others. Yes, going through the entire application process can be excruciating, but it’s worth it.
Really know what you want from grad school, and build up your profile and application package accordingly to support your purpose. I’m a big believer of going for what you love, and grad application is no different. If you know exactly why you want to study in a program, you probably have a much better chance than many of your competitors. I’ve seen people who don’t have a dream school. I’ve seen people who apply for a program because everyone else does (they aren’t even motivated enough to read the program’s admission FAQ). I’ve seen people who choose to study abroad because their parents tell them to. How can they convince the admission committee that they are motivated to succeed in the program? How can they possibly tell good stories in the Statement of Purpose?
Research your target programs. Are their any interesting faculty that you might want to work with? What tracks / courses do they offer that interest you? Anything about the university / department / location that attracts you in particular? Again, know what you want from each of your chosen programs (though your rationales are probably similar to one another), and make it clear in your application materials.
Spend solid time on your essays. Vince Gotera said, “The Statement of Purpose required by grad schools is probably the hardest thing you will ever write.” I kind of agree. Nobody is born knowing how to compose good grad school essays. Before you start to prepare the essay, read what others say about it (you can find a lot online). When you are happy with your draft, ask people to read it, especially experienced people. If you are able to find good hands, you don’t need to ask too many people, because one sophisticated reviewer can be more helpful than ten novices. Based on my experience, two types of people might be good helpers here: (successful) former applicants, and professionals who help students apply. I was fortunate to receive help from both these kinds of people: my girlfriend Ivy who got into Stanford Graduate School of Education last year, and Joanne who has many years of experience helping people apply for college. Though undergrad application is quite different from grad application, Joanne’s expertise of SoP critique made a tremendous difference to many aspects of my essay. Now you have the feedback, revise, even rewrite. I made three major revisions before I finally got my SoP in good shape.
These are what I have in mind for now. Graduate school application is really all about how much you want to get in your dream program. If you really want it (and, of course, work really hard for it), chances are that you’ll eventually get it. Where there is a will, there is a way.