Transcript:
Official copy of transcript(s) should be submitted to the Graduate School.
All application materials should be uploaded electronically to the Graduate School’s online application (ADMIT). Follow Graduate School guidelines in assembling your application materials.
Personal Statement:
A statement of intent tells the faculty in your desired program what you intend to accomplish as a graduate student, and how you intend to do so. It should demonstrate self-motivation in two ways: First, in what you have accomplished in life so far: have you thought specifically and clearly about your career goals? Have you been taking advantage of undergraduate opportunities that position you well towards achieving those goals? Second, in your vision for the future: do you have a clear idea about how you will progress towards your goals as a graduate student in the department to which you are applying? Have you gone so far as to not only identify a faculty member or members who fit well with those goals, but also communicated with them? You should begin that process by sending them your curriculum vitae (an academic résumé), communicating your research ideas with them, and opening a discussion with them about how your research interests might also fits with theirs.
Recommendation Letter:
Three letters of recommendation. It is best to request letters of reference from faculty members from whom you have taken courses in which you have done well, and ideally, whom you have gotten to know outside the classroom. That is, they don’t just know you as a name and a grade. They should have first hand knowledge of your capabilities and can speak to them in a reference letter. Think ahead: if you know you will apply to graduate school in the coming months, make an effort to meet with professors from whom you plan to request letters of reference and talk with them about your plans and allow them to get to know you. Letters of reference from non-academic sources, such as friends or non-academic employers, tend to hold much less weight than academic references.
Writing Sample:
Writing Sample such as an academic paper, a summary of a research project, or a short chapter of a thesis. This should be no more than 15 pages and should relate to your area of research.