Info
Applying to grad school can be an extremely stressful experience. Here are some helpful links and tips.
CS Specific
- CS Rankings - Provides a way to filter down on the research you are interested in and find the schools and professors (with links to their websites) that work in those areas.
- CS-SOP - A site where grad students willingly provide their SOP that got them accepted and sometimes their stats and personal websites. This can be a great way to figure out what all goes into a successful application but remember to be cautious when comparing yourself to these applicants (everyone has a different journey). I found this article to be a helpful resource for that Psychology Today Link!
General
- Don’t start your SOP with a story from your childhood. It’s done by many applicants and it’s not relevant to your grad school application.
- The SOP is the most important part of your application that you have full control over. Take time to craft it and ask friends to review it for you. Preferably start months before the due date.
- Does reaching out to professors prior to applying can help your application?
- From what I’ve heard it depends on the program (in some programs the professors have less of a say then others)
- If you are applying to a non-research grad program then it most definitely will not help.
- On the contrary, it can’t really hurt you as long as you put the time into researching the professor and their work before hand and craft a well written email.
- So, yes and no :/
- Letters of recommendation from academic’s that you have researched are going to be better than industry letters or professors you took a class with.
- Publications are a huge plus! They tell the program you already know how to conduct valuable research and if you are currently in undergrad, you know how to manage your time as well! If you have the time try and reach out to research groups in your university who you know publish frequently to see if you can join a project.
- Steer clear of Grad Cafe. It will only make you more anxious. Just submit your applications and move on with life!