Graduate School Timeline

First and Second Years of College

•  Begin considering your interests, abilities, values and goals.  Visit the Career
• Connections office for overall guidance and to take career assessment tests.
•  Explore different academic disciplines and consider your major.
•  Investigate possible careers and graduate school.
•  Get involved in co-curricular activities and internships.

 
Third Year of College

Fall and Spring Semesters

•  Begin a more thorough research of possible careers and graduate schools.
•  Consult with Career Connections and your professors about schools and application requirements.

•  Acquire experience that will be relevant to graduate school in internships and/or campus organizations.

 
Summer

•  Continue to research graduate schools and the programs that you are considering.  
•  Obtain applications and financial aid materials.
•  Begin writing your personal statements.
•  Take graduate school admissions tests.
•  Begin compiling graduate portfolio, if applicable.

 
 
Fourth Year of College 

Fall Semester

•  Request letters of recommendation.  Provide your professors with copies of your graduate application materials.  Be sure to give them ample time (a minimum of three weeks) to complete the recommendations.  Always follow-up with professors before the deadline to ensure that your recommendations will be sent in time.
•  Review your personal statements with Career Connections and/or the Writing Center.
•  Request transcripts.
•  Complete and send your application materials.
•  Contact schools to affirm that your application has been received and is complete.

 
The following timeline is based upon one presented in Peterson’s Guides to Graduate Study and the Macalester College website www.macalester.edu.