Grad School Application Checklist/Timeline 

This suggested timeline is for students planning to attend graduate school immediately after earning a bachelor’s degree and can be easily adjusted for students planning a post-baccalaureate or gap-year experience or for master’s students applying for doctoral programs. Note that this is a suggested timeline and may not apply to all programs, i.e., medical school or physical therapy school. Use this as a guide to keep you on track but remember to follow up with each program individually for specifics.  

Winter/Spring - Junior Year  

• Meet with career/academic advisors and professors to discuss your interest in graduate study  
• Begin researching institutions/programs and visiting for campus tours  

• Gradschools.com, petersons.com, thegradcafe.com, professors/advisors  

• Attend graduate school fairs (The Career Connections Center hosts one each October)  
• Draft the beginnings of your personal statement  
• Write a resume/CV and have it reviewed in the Career Connections Center  
• Identify individuals for letters of recommendation and continue to develop these relationships  

• Gain experiences needed to diversify your application  

• Part-time work, club involvement, volunteer service, research  

• Register and take appropriate standardized exams (there are many – see what is appropriate for your industry)  

• The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) has a general test component, which is most often required for graduate admission, as well as several GRE Subject Tests that focus on a specific field of study.  

• Free GRE preparation materials may be found on the official GRE Web page and also at www.Number2.com and www.varsitytutors.com/practice-tests.  

• The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System), and PTE (Pearson Test of English) are common English proficiency tests.  

• Take practice exams if desired  

• Kaptest.com, Princetonreview.com  

• Register with appropriate application systems  

• Sometimes you have to apply to both the university’s graduate school in addition to a specific program  

• Complete and submit medical school applications – this process is earlier than other graduate school applications  

Summer – After Junior Year  

• Continue to research/visit schools  
• Network with professors to discuss overlapping research interests and how your skills might contribute  
• Work on your personal statement  

• Visit the Career Connections Center and Writing Center for review  

• Ask individuals for letters of recommendation  

• Provide your resume and other helpful documents to assist them with your letter  

• Continue to gain experiences needed to diversify your application  
• Make a checklist of requirements and schedule for each application  

Fall/Winter – Senior Year  

• Register and take appropriate standardized exams  
• Request copies of official transcript from Registrar’s office  

• See application guidelines for how to submit (with application or sent separately)  

• Finish personal statement  

• Collect letters of recommendation  
• Attend appropriate graduate school information sessions/events  
• Apply for scholarships and awards  
• Complete applications and submit  

• Preferably in advance before deadlines/rolling deadlines  

• Be sure to be intentional and strategic when applying – it is beneficial to apply to more than one program to greater the chances of acceptance  

• Submit financial aid applications  

Spring – Senior Year  

• Interview with institutions that require an interview for program admittance/assistantships  
• Engage with institutions that accept you (campus tours, virtual tours)  

• Contact/talk to students currently enrolled in the program to gain more information  
• Complete FAFSA  

• Consider what will be best for you (scholarship, assistantships, student loans)  

• Submit tuition/housing deposits upon acceptance  
• Notify other institutions that accepted you so they may admit students on their waitlist  

• Send thank you notes to those who wrote your letters of recommendation, and inform them of your success