Graduate School: Winning Strategies for Getting in With or Without Excellent Grades
Graduate school application can be a foreboding task. Many undergraduate students are unfamiliar with the review procedures and selection criteria that are used by the various graduate schools. Consequently, students often fail to present their applications in a manner that will make them most attractive to their chosen school. It is imperative that applicants prepare themselves by becoming familiar with the requirements and expectations of their chosen school. This is a task that students should undertake as early in their undergraduate career as possible.In order to avoid the frustration of rejection, any undergraduate applicant should do three things: 1) Consult with an Academic Advisor at the undergraduate institution (as early as possible). 2) Find out as much as possible about the available graduate programs in your chosen field of study, and consult with potential graduate supervisors in the appropriate graduate schools. 3) Read "Graduate School : Winning Strategies for Getting in With or Without Excellent Grades".This book is an excellent orientation to the process of graduate school application. Dr. Mumby provides a very clear and easy-to-read analysis of what you should know when you select a program, how you should prepare an application for that program, and how you should follow up that application in an appropriate and timely fashion. This book will make the application process less daunting, and will help students overcome some of the pitfalls that may otherwise handicap their application. Dr. Mumby also makes some specific recommendations that will enhance students' applications. These suggestions range from finer points of style, to major tasks such as involvement in graduate-style academic activities at the undergraduate level. The book is a must-read for anyone considering application to graduate school. Undergraduate Advisors will also find that it is a useful tool in their academic advising activities with prospective graduate students.--Darragh P. Devine, Ph.D. University of FloridaI have read the excerpts... The parts I read have a lot of very useful information in it that will help prospective students understand the process. This is a good thing, that will indirectly also help supervisors looking for students--Norman White, Ph.D. McGill UniversityThis book made a significant contribution in helping me maximize the impact of each of the components required toward creating an effective application package. Mumby s writing style is very personable, easy to understand and offers a thorough account of the practical steps needed to convey your unique qualifications in the best possible light, thus creating a more favorable impact on a schools selection committee. As a member of such admissions committees himself, Mumby offers invaluable insights concerning what they are looking for when assessing a students application.The sections of the book I most benefited from were on how to go about obtaining quality letters of recommendation, the importance of cultivating pre-application contact with prospective supervisors, and writing a personal statement that stands out from the crowd. What was also especially useful was a step-by-step timetable plan that gives you the big picture of what needs to be done and by when. I d often refer back to it to make sure I wasn t forgetting some of the crucial details the book recommends.Following this books suggestions means in some cases doing prep work way in advance of application time, but if you read the book early enough you ll be well prepared to do those things that can make a huge difference in the depth, scope and quality of your presenting materials. In my experience, implementing this books recommendations required a substantial amount of effort and time, but with so much riding on the outcome, I found it well worth the extra care taken.If you desire to create a presentation that sets you apart from the typical applicant, thereby greatly improving your chances of getting accepted into grad school, then I most heartily recommend this book.--Lorne Ouellet, MA, Counselling, McGill University