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Graduate school can benefit a variety of learners, from recent undergraduates to seasoned professionals looking to further their careers and increase their earning potential. Postbaccalaureate enrollment is projected to increase by 6% from 2020 to 2030, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
If you’re seeking advice on how to apply for grad school and get into the program of your choice, read on.
Admission Requirements for Graduate School
Requirements for graduate school admissions vary by school and program, but there are some general must-haves for all grad school applicants.
First, you must have a bachelor’s degree to apply to a graduate program. Most graduate programs require a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. Many programs also require GRE scores, letters of recommendation and work hours completed in an area related to your field of study.
Master’s vs. Doctoral Admissions
Requirements for doctoral admissions differ from those for a master’s program. To apply for most doctoral programs, applicants must have first earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. Some doctorates do not require a master’s, but all require a bachelor’s.
Doctoral programs are also more likely to require an interview as part of the admissions process, plus hours worked in a field or setting related to your area of study.
Standardized Exams for Graduate School
The graduate record examinations (GRE) is the most common standardized test required by graduate schools for admissions.
Other common tests for graduate school programs include the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), the Medical College Test (MCAT) and the Graduate Admission Management Test (GMAT). These tests are all content-specific and are only required for related subject-specific programs.
GRE
The GRE features sections on verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing. It may also contain an unscored research section. The fee for taking the GRE is $205 each time, so you’ll want to study up and prepare well in advance.
In general, a good GRE score is usually in the 75th percentile or above. This looks like a 157 or higher for verbal reasoning, a 162 or higher for quantitative reasoning and a score of 3.5 to 6.0 for analytical writing.
The allotted time for test-takers is as follows:
- Analytical Writing: 30 minutes per task
- Verbal Reasoning: 30 minutes per section
- Quantitative Reasoning: 35 minutes per section
- Unscored Section: varies
It might be wise to take the GRE early in case you aren’t content with your score and want to retake the exam.
LSAT
The LSAT tests reading comprehension, reasoning and writing. The exam comprises two components: a multiple-choice component and a writing component.
The multiple-choice component features four sections testing reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning. The writing section, administered online, entails an essay response to a prompt.
MCAT
The MCAT contains four test sections:
- Biological and biochemical foundations of living systems
- Chemical and physical foundations of biological systems
- Psychological, social and biological foundations of behavior
- Critical analysis and reasoning skills
The whole exam is multiple-choice and assesses test-takers’ problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills and understanding of the natural, behavioral and social science concepts that are necessary for practicing medicine.
GMAT
The GMAT is used for admission to graduate business programs, such as MBA programs. The GMAT is made up of 80 questions covering quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, integrative reasoning and analytical writing.
The allotted time for the test is three hours and seven minutes. The GMAT costs between $275 and $300 depending on whether you take it in person or online. A GMAT score of 650 or higher is considered strong.
What’s the Best Application Timeline?
You should start preparing your grad school application about six months ahead of your submission deadline. You could theoretically prepare in less time, but planning farther in advance allows ample time for potential standardized test retakes, collecting grad school letters of recommendation and requesting transcripts.
Read on for a detailed grad school application timeline.
At Least Three Months Before Application Deadline
- Take the GRE. The GRE is the most commonly required test for graduate school admissions. You might consider taking it more than three months before your application deadline in case you’re not satisfied with your initial score. You can also choose to send only your best GRE scores to the schools you’re applying to.
- Take the GRE subject tests. Some programs also require GRE subject tests, like mathematics, physics, chemistry and psychology. Check program requirements to be sure.
At Least One Month Before Application Deadline
- Ask for letters of recommendation. Request letters of recommendations from professors, internship supervisors or employers from a field related to your area of study.
- Begin writing a statement of purpose. The statement of purpose allows you to stand out and show your personality. Your grad school essay should include an introduction, your interests, what made you want to pursue this particular program and information about your undergraduate work and current career experience.
- Request official transcripts. You can send electronic transcripts in as little as 24 to 48 hours. However, if your program requires paper transcripts, these can take a week or more to reach your program of choice.
At Least Two Weeks Before Application Deadline
- Gather all application materials. Double-check that you have sent everything your program requires, including GRE scores, official transcripts, letters of recommendation and statement of purpose.
- Finalize your statement of purpose. Review your statement of purpose for spelling errors and typos. Make sure you’ve included all of the information your program is asking for.
Federal Financial Aid for Graduate School
Graduate school can be expensive, but there are financing options available such as loans, scholarships, grants, fellowships and work-study programs. For more information, check out our guide on how to pay for grad school.
Required Materials
To complete the FAFSA to qualify for federal student aid, you’ll need a Federal Student Aid ID, your Social Security number or alien registration number, account balances for checking and savings accounts, information about investment accounts, federal income tax returns and records of untaxed income.
FAFSA Application Deadlines
The FAFSA opens on Oct. 1 each year, and you should keep three deadlines in mind for the application: your school’s, your state’s and the federal application deadline. The federal deadline is always June 30. For each state’s deadline, see the Federal Student Aid website.
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