again, start early!
there are a couple of things you need for your application package:
- resume / cv
- statement of purpose
- personal history statement
- recommendation letters
- supplemental essays (program specific)
resume
this should be relatively easy to put together. add all of your relevant work and research experience. format it nicely. this doesnt have a huge impact on your application but you will probably need it when reaching out to folks for the next pieces of the package
statement of purpose
this will take the most time to write. you need to find an elegant and concise way to describe your passion for pursuing a phd, the specific program, and all of your research accomplishments. I cant stress enough to write a first draft early. it will be rough, and that is totally fine. the sooner you can start to edit and refine, the better the final product will be.
i asked everyone i knew who applied to grad school for any application materials they would be willing to share with me. after reading through many statements of purpose I realized there is a general structure to them. It tends to start with a hook about your passion for neuroscience and why you want to apply to grad school. then the meat of the statement is about research projects. then it wraps up with why the specific program and specific labs are a good fit for you.
the most important thing is to find your voice and make yourself standout. avoid cliches at all cost and be as specific as you can with every sentence. revise, cut, edit, repeat.
I went through over 10 formal versions of my statement after comments and feedback from people. I rewrote my statement entirely from scratch multiple times. this is all normal and part of the process of writing. how to ask for feedback
personal history statement
this can be challenging to write, but it can also be really fun and the place for you to talk about who you are as a human and a scientist. it requires a ton of vulnerability, which is daunting, especially because you have no idea who will read it. many programs have specific guidelines for what they are looking for in this statement so pay attention and tailor the writing with those considerations.
recommendation letters
these may be the single most important part of your application. you want to find people who can speak to your accomplishments and potential as a scientist. i made the mistake of asking for letters way too late. its important to recognize that your letter writers want to write the best letter possible for you and that also takes time and labor. I would recommend asking for letters at least one month before your first deadline but sooner is much better. some people may be writing letters for multiple students and only have so much capacity to write letters.
make the letter writing as effortless as possible for your writers. send them your resume, a draft of your statement of purpose, or anything else you think is important for them. if you are close with the writer, then they may need less from you. It is also not uncommon to be asked for a letter skeleton. this means you’ll essentially be writing the letter for them. Its a weird and comfortable thing to brag about yourself but it also means you can help tailor the letter to speak on specific qualities or aspects about yourself, so use that to your advantage!
you will also need to nag the writers constantly to submit the letters. You can see in the portal if they have submitted it or not. you can even send reminder emails that come from the school (not you) to ask them to submit the letters. keep checking this because sometimes they will miss one or two schools.
🥚 | applying to grad school | ⨳ how to
i feel so lucky to have had so many people give me feedback — labmates, family, friends, mentors. they gave me so much validation and support. thank you!