Graduate School Application Timeline

Timeline for Applying to Graduate School

1 Year before applying

• Research areas of interest, institutions, and programs

• Get recommendations of programs from your faculty advisors or other professors

• Register and prepare for the appropriate graduate admissions test

• Investigate national scholarships

6 Months before applying

• Take the required admissions test

• Write for application materials (or see if materials are online.)

• Write your personal statement

• If applying for medical, dental, osteopathy, podiatry or law school, you may need to register for the national application or data assembly service.

3 Months before applying

• Obtain letters of recommendation

• Take graduation admissions test, if you have not already

• Send in completed application materials

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• Have the Registrar send your transcripts

*** Check with all institutions before their deadlines to make sure your application is complete and all materials have been received.***

Congratulations! You got accepted! Now …

• Visit institutions that accept you.

• Notify other colleges and universities that accepted you of your decision.

• Send thank you notes to people who wrote recommendation letters.