It is now late winter with spring on the horizon. Like the soon-to-arrive spring, the new application cycle is about to bloom, and the next crop of applicants will begin to busy themselves like bees preparing for the new season. Numerous actions will need to be taken to ensure a successful result. Endless cups of coffee will be consumed in an effort to “beat the GMAT” (or GRE). This is a crucial step for most graduate school programs.
While the clock is indeed ticking, it is not time to panic; there is still plenty of time. Early application deadlines are at least seven months away, and regular decision deadlines will not arrive for around ten months. People often ask, other than test prep, what are the highest-impact actions one can take during this early stage?
Our advice: Research. Research. Research. There is an overabundance of excellent graduate programs not just in the US, but around the world, and as we have discussed before, selecting programs based on rankings alone is unwise. With a dizzying array of top quality programs out there, it is difficult to decide which is the best choice. While many programs appear to offer similar resources, it’s the small nuances and unique resources that can only be understood by going beyond the program websites that really differentiate these options for applicants. Thus, systematic research is necessary to find the programs that really are the best fit for you. This investment in time will pay off exponentially during the later stages of the application process, as the insights uncovered will make it much easier to craft persuasive arguments in essays/SOPs about why the school/program is the ideal choice. Many of our clients are surprised (and delighted) that little bits of seemingly irrelevant information they had gathered while chatting with current students and alumni in the spring turned out to be gold in November during intensive interviews.
Attend Info Sessions
A careful review of the program website and gleaning information from online forums are necessary first steps. But there is no substitute for direct engagement with members of the graduate program you wish to enter. Fortunately, many programs encourage this, offering resume/CV reviews or admissions chats. For example, LBS, HEC Paris, and UT Austin McCombs, and Johns Hopkins.
What is the purpose of these student or admissions chats? On the university side, it is about branding and information sharing–they are there to give you knowledge about the program so as to entice you to become part of the community. On the applicant side, it is about information gathering, as well as personal brand building. The applicant should set a goal to have positive interactions that will make them memorable (build their brand/image). With luck, your interaction may be noted in the admissions file (there is no guarantee of this, but at least it might be imprinted in the admissions officer’s memory).
Be Memorable
This makes sense based on tried and true marketing concepts. In the world of marketing, the well-established “rule of 7” purports that people need to see a brand seven times before they commit it to memory. We are not suggesting that you contact your target schools seven times, but we do encourage you to start building a relationship, and hopefully have them commit you to memory.
Applicants should take advantage of any opportunity to chat with a student ambassador or a member of the admissions team. Some people fret about direct engagement like this early in the application process, worrying that they are unprepared and that notes about a subpar conversation may end up actually being a blemish in their file. When counseling our clients on this we remind them that the interaction should be positive, and that it is not a formal admissions interview that should give them undue stress. Instead of worrying that they will be viewed as a pest for asking lots of questions, we encourage clients to see these as opportunities to start building a relationship Think about it like this guys, if there was a woman that you were romantically interested in, would ignoring her be the way to get her to notice you?
Even if the school does not offer a formal admissions chat or list student ambassadors on the website, don’t hesitate to reach out. All graduate programs provide admissions office contact information on their websites. Contacting the school via email to introduce yourself and ask questions is a way to make a good first impression. During the process, you may request an informal chat with an admissions officer or current student. Not every program will be as responsive as you’d like, but most likely, you’ll be able to generate positive engagement with a few.
Start Today
It’s never too early to be researching and planning for graduate school, and reaching out to real people at one’s target universities are especially valuable ways to learn about curriculum, student life, school values, alumni network, industry connections, and more. While it’s always a good time to reach out to these contacts, doing so early in the application process can help applicants refine target school lists and understand which programs feel like a best fit for their specific career plans. The graduate school application journey truly is a marathon, not a sprint, so starting the process early can give you every potential advantage.