Forbes Advisor Graduate School Application Checklist – Forbes Advisor

Applying to graduate school is not just an achievement. Between application materials, financial aid, funding requests, and interviews with admissions officers, there’s a lot to keep track of in the time leading up to the application deadline. If you’re wondering how early to apply to high school, you’re in the right place.

We’ve put together this comprehensive grad school application checklist to keep you organized. And if you don’t need all the extra information below, you can download our simple printable checklist to help you stay on top of the most important steps.

Save this checklist

Keep track of your most important tasks and application deadlines with the simplified PDF version of this checklist. Save it to your phone or print it for easy reference. (If you print it, don’t forget to select the “fit to paper” scale option!)

Forbes Advisor’s Graduate School Application Checklist

Before you start

First of all, you need an application plan. Start by determining where you will apply. If you’re not entirely sure about a program, try visiting the school’s campus or talking to alumni to get a feel for what the student experience is like. Once you know which applications you plan to submit, write down their deadlines and note what each application requires.

Your checklist

• Know which programs interest you
• Visit all the schools that interest you
• Note all college application deadlines

Three to four months before the application deadline

If you are currently completing your undergraduate degree, we recommend that you take the GRE before starting your final year of undergraduate studies. This gives you enough time to retake the exam in case you are not satisfied with your results. You can retake the GRE every three weeks, up to five times within any one-year period.

If you have an in-depth knowledge of chemistry, math, physics, or psychology, you might also consider taking the GRE subject exam. These tests are offered in September, October and April, up to three times a year.

Your checklist

• Take the GRE
• Sign up for GRE Subject Tests (if needed)
• Sign up for re-enrollment (if needed)

Four to five weeks before the application deadline

Letters of recommendation

Most graduate programs require applicants to submit three letters of recommendation. We recommend asking professors who work in the subject area you plan to study to write these letters for you.

Professors are busy people, and yours may be writing letters of recommendation for multiple students, so it’s best to ask at least a month before your grad school application.

Statement of purpose

Whether it’s called an application essay, personal statement, or statement of purpose, a written statement of some kind is usually required of graduate school applicants. This essay gives you the opportunity to show who you are, what you want to do with your career, and why you want to pursue the subject area you have chosen for your graduate studies.

Most Master’s programs require that your statement of purpose be 500 to 1,000 words and that you respond to a specific prompt (or series of prompts). This essay is your chance to add a personalized wow factor to your application, so we encourage you to start early.

Your checklist

• Ask for letters of recommendation
• Start writing a purpose statement

One month before the application deadline

Most graduate programs require applicants to submit official transcripts. Delivery methods may vary (e.g., by mail or online), and some schools allow students to submit unofficial transcripts online in addition to mailing official transcripts. Request your official transcripts by contacting the Office of the Registrar at your undergraduate institution.

Your checklist

• Request official transcripts

Two weeks before the application deadline

We are in the household! Now is the time to make sure you have all the materials needed for your graduate program applications (eg your academic record, GRE scores, resume, proof of residency, references, etc.). Ask your letter writers to summarize their references so they can be included in your applications.

You’ve probably also been working on your goal statements for at least a few weeks by this point. Now is the time to proofread those essays, proofread them again, and have a trusted friend (or two) give them another proofread. Your final essays should be error-free and easy to read, and should adequately respond to the prompts.

Your checklist

• Get the materials you need
• Collect letters of recommendation
• Polish Declaration of Purpose

In October

Gather all your application materials and make sure they are ready to send. Each graduate program has its own individual application requirements, so make sure you organize the right materials for each respective school.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®)

Remember the FAFSA from the student? Well, this is important for graduate school as well. If you want access to most public (and even some private) forms of financial aid, you must first file the FAFSA.

If you thought you wouldn’t qualify for aid, think again—58 percent of graduate students received some form of financial aid during the 2017-18 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of these learners, 26% received scholarships, 41% received loans, and 3% received assistantships. It never hurts to file a FAFSA for graduate school.

Your checklist

• Gather all the necessary materials
• Submit the FAFSA

October 31 to December 1

Take a deep breath: It’s time to apply. Application deadlines vary between programs, but most fall between October 31st and December 1st. Keep a close eye on your calendar and submit each application before the deadline.

Research is expensive and some programs allow prospective graduate students to request funding consideration at the time of application. If any of your desired programs do this, be sure to ask for funding when you apply.

Your checklist

• Submit applications
• Submit any funding requests

Before, during, and after applying to graduate school

We don’t need to tell you this, but graduate school is a lot to take on. Even after you’ve filed the FAFSA, you should continue to look for any scholarships, grants, and other sources of funding that could ease your financial burden during graduate school.

Your checklist

• Apply for scholarships
• Research funding and grants

Mid January to March

Now we wait. But you can still take action while you wait. If there are still a few campuses you want to see, visit them. If any of your future programs request an interview with you, it will likely take place during this time frame. Prepare accordingly and make sure you bring your own questions to ask – interviews go both ways.

You may even start hearing about some applications during this time, as many schools send out their first rounds of decisions around late February or early March.

Your checklist

• Visit potential graduate schools
• Interview with higher education admissions officers

Until April 15

By mid-April, you should have received an admission decision from each of the programs you have applied for. That means it’s time to make your big decision: Where will you attend grad school? Once you’ve decided, accept the school’s offer and be sure to decline any other offers from schools you don’t plan to attend.

Your checklist

• Accept an offer of admission
• Decline offers of admission from schools you won’t be attending