When you write an application essay or statement of purpose, you’re trying to accomplish several goals at once: (a) You need to prove your worthiness to be accepted to your target school, while (b) also showing the adcom that you have desirable character traits that your program...

Accomplishments constitute the bread and butter of personal statements and application essays. That may sound straightforward, however, a fascinating brainstorming session of Accepted admissions consultants reveals that applicants don’t always know what an accomplishment is. What goes into this application staple? And how can you analyze your own...

You want to write about all your fantastic non-school and non-work endeavors so that you really stand out from your competition, but when you start to think about it…you draw a blank. There must be SOMETHING you can show for how you use your free time,...

Whether you’re applying to b-school, law school, med school, grad school, or college, this checklist will be the same. Don’t hit that “submit” button until you’ve completed the following 5 steps: 1.  You’ve made sure that your application presents a holistic, multi-dimensional picture of you. Each section of your application should not just present you as a strong candidate on its own,...

Applying to graduate school and overwhelmed by your options? Don’t know how to find the right program for you? Or have you already found your dream program, and need guidance for applying successfully? For the past few years, Linda Abraham has been interviewing the director of admissions at top graduate...

While not all PhD programs require interviews, some do (including many overseas). If you’re invited to interview, take full advantage of the opportunity you’ve been given by preparing effectively—review your research on the department, prepare to talk about your PhD research goals, etc. (a mock...

Schools are looking for applicants who can show that they have strong leadership qualities and experiences, and demonstrate that they will actively contribute to their student/alumni communities, not to mention to the greater community and society. Yet grandiose, declarative statements and promises to be a superlative...

For some, the new year is a time for hearing good admissions news; but for others, 2017 may be off to a grim start. If you’ve received a rejection letter from your target school (or – sigh – from all your target schools), then you...

Applicants preparing for the GRE have a lot of options – from self-study using books and practice tests, to in-person courses, to private tutoring. Today I’m reviewing one test prep option: Magoosh’s online GRE prep course. What is it? It’s a comprehensive, flexible online GRE prep course,...

I just want to take this time to wish you a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year. I think that as the year draws to a close, it’s important to reflect on the good that has come one’s way in the preceding year and...