WHAT ADMISSIONS
OFFICERS REALLY WANT By Tim Rodgers
Most admissions staff hope to see applicants that are able to contribute to the program through their personal experiences and backgrounds. Whilst academic credentials are undoubtedly the most important factor in the admissions process for most grad schools, never discount your own personal circumstances – what makes you unique has direct relevance to the contribution you might make on a masters or PhD program.
Randy Vener, director of admissions at the American University of Paris (AUP), sees hundreds of international graduate applications every year for the eight Masters programs available at the Paris- based university and is clear on why applicants are successful. “Good applications are three dimensional – they combine their academic record with their personal story and their experiences. They make it clear why they want to study a specific program and how their key skills are directly relevant to success on the Masters. Applicants are confident, clear and direct – if they have a particular experience that makes them a better candidate, then they address this in their application.”
You should always ensure that your application material is focused on a particular grad school, or individual
program, and reflects the actual reasons for applying. Admissions staff will want to read an application that makes it clear why you should be accepted at their institution and no other, and why you will be a good “fit” for their program. To this end, the investment you have to make is considerable – if you’re applying to two or three grad schools, you need to prepare each of these applications individually. Tailor all of your material to the strengths and uniqueness of the program you are actually applying to and match your ambitions and aspirations to elements of the institution or the program. Without this, your application will be weaker and open to a negative decision.
Professional ambition and experience can also make you
stand out from the crowd. Gail Hupper, director of LLM and International Programs at Boston College in the USA, views these elements as important when considering international graduate applications. “We tend to look for people who have some work experience following their basic law degree, but this is not an absolute requirement. We do insist on high academic performance in students’ prior studies, strong English skills, and a sense that the person will make a real contribution to the legal profession after graduation.”
Most importantly, knowing what a grad school wants from you comes from your initial research. Establishing a “typical” profile of candidates on the Masters or PhD program of your choice will
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