After deciding to go back to school and choosing a program, it was time to actually apply to my master’s program. There were a few things I needed to do before getting started though.
Before Applying:
- Check program requirements
- Check necessary documents for application
- Check the due date
1. Check Program Requirements
First, I needed to check the requirements for the program itself. Since I would be studying abroad, I had the additional step of dealing with a different grading scale in the U.K. so I had to check the equivalent qualifications on the University website to see if my grades matched up to the academic requirements.
Photo by Jacqueline Kelly on Unsplash
2. Check necessary documents for application
Academics
I needed copies of transcripts and my degree which meant having to pay for new official copies from my University. Luckily, my University offered pdf transcripts that I could upload so I didn’t have to wait to receive them in the mail. Unluckily, I still had to pay for a hard copy, which would ship to my parents’ house, to access the pdf copy.
Makes perfect sense, how else would they squeeze more money out of me?
CV
I was not very familiar with CVs as we usually use resumes in America, so first I had to figure out what the differences between these were. Basically, this came down to CVs being longer and more detailed, in that they showed all your skills. But I was also advised for my application to try and keep it short. So, still like a resume, I guess? At least in terms of length. I reached out to program alumni for some clarification/advice on how to organize my CV and what they gave priority in theirs. Based on their advice, I tried to tailor my CV to the program and put the more relevant animal experience first with my other experience in a separate section.
Personal Statement
What are they looking for in applicants’ personal statements?
( Motivation and Experience)
What do I want/need to tell them that they can’t get from my CV/transcripts?
(Uhhh, how passionate I am and what a great student I’d be?)
How do I distinguish myself from other applicants in my storytelling?
(Make a Lion King reference? (I did really do this by the way))
Writing my personal statement was rough, but I gave myself plenty of time to work on it and had my family read over it to give me some feedback.
Reference Letters
I needed 2 references, preferably academic but one professional would also work if relevant. Luckily I had a few professors and supervisors friended on Facebook so they were easy to contact. I had also had multiple classes or worked for an extended period with them so they were familiar with my work. I gave them copies of my CV and personal statement and had no problems getting my letters.
3. Check the deadline!
I was planning on applying early and deferring for a year, but I still wanted to get my application in well before the cutoff. Or at least, plan it that way so that if I ran into any trouble I would be on time instead of late. The only problem was, there was no date listed for international applicants. After contacting the department to clarify, I was basically told that they would keep applications open for international students for a balanced cohort but submitting earlier was best.
First, I made a list of everything I needed and worked my way down it, checking things off as I went. I tried to get the easy things taken care of first, like starting the online application form and submitting a transcript request. The CV also wasn’t too hard as my previous resume was already animal-focused since I had used it for my internship. I just needed to update it and rearrange it a little. The personal statement was the hardest, and after many outlines and drafts, I was finally able to complete it after about a month and 10 or so drafts. Then I could forward it to my reference writers. Once I had all my materials finished and uploaded (including my reference letters) I did one last check over everything and hit submit.
Once everything was submitted I could relax a little before waiting and hoping to hear back that I was accepted. About a month later I got an email that a decision had been made on my application. I had been accepted to the program. I was super stoked to hear I had gotten in and after giving myself a couple of weeks to relax I had to turn my attention to the next major hurdle: searching for funding.
