GradSchools.com

Kissof

Death

Grad School Application

Applying to graduate school?

These mistakes could give your application theApplying to graduate school?

Kissof

Death!A revealing survey of psychology

graduate admissions committee chairs!

Are you the perfect student?

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

• Creative

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

• Creative

• Bright

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

• Creative

• Bright

• Motivated

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

• Creative

• Bright

• Motivated

• Well-suited

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

• Creative

• Bright

• Motivated

• Well-suited

• Eager

Are you the perfect student?

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

• Creative

• Bright

• Motivated

• Well-suited

• Eager

• Pleasant

Faculty look for students who are:

• Gifted

• Creative

• Bright

• Motivated

• Well-suited

• Eager

• Pleasant

• Responsible

Are you the perfect student?

5Kissesof

Death:

5Kissesof

Death:1. Damaging personal

statements

5Kissesof

Death:1. Damaging personal

statements

2. Harmful letters of recommendation

5Kissesof

Death:1. Damaging personal

statements

2. Harmful letters of recommendation

3. Lack of program information

5Kissesof

Death:1. Damaging personal

statements

2. Harmful letters of recommendation

3. Lack of program information

4. Poor writing skills

5Kissesof

Death:1. Damaging personal

statements

2. Harmful letters of recommendation

3. Lack of program information

4. Poor writing skills

5. Misfired attempts to impress

Damaging personal

statements

Don’t talk about:

Damaging personal

statements

Don’t talk about:

• Mental health problems

Damaging personal

statements

Don’t talk about:

• Mental health problems

• Excessive religious references

Damaging personal statements

Don’t talk about:

• Mental health problems

• Excessive religious references

• Overcoming odds

Damaging personal statements

Don’t talk about:

• Mental health problems

• Excessive religious references

• Overcoming odds

Have a reference tell your story!

Don’t talk about:

• Mental health problems

• Excessive religious references

• Overcoming odds

Damaging personal

statements

Have a reference tell your story!

“Everybody wants to help people. That’s assumed.

Don’t say the reason you want to go into clinical psychology is to help people.”

Don’t talk about:

• Mental health problems

• Excessive religious references

• Overcoming odds

Damaging personal

statements

No being ‘cutesy!’

Don’t talk about:

• Mental health problems

• Excessive religious references

• Overcoming odds

Damaging personal

statements No being ‘cutesy!’

You should seem like the perfect student!

Harmful recommendations

You should seem like the perfect student!

Harmful recommendations

Get letters from:

You should seem like the perfect student!

Harmful recommendations

Professors

Educators

Relatives

Employees

Get letters from:

Lack of program info

Lack of program info

Research the program’s focus

FIRST

Lack of program info

Research the program’s focus

Compare your research interestwith faculty’s activities

THEN

FIRST

Poor writing

skills

IMMEDIATE

Kissof

Death

Poor writing

skills

IMMEDIATE

Kissof

Death

Spelling & grammar

errors =

Poor writing

skills

IMMEDIATE

Kissof

Death

Spelling & grammar

errors =

Weak & poorly written =

Misfired attempts to impress

• Don’t blame others

Misfired attempts to impress

• Don’t blame others

• Research the program, mentors, and advisors

Misfired attempts to impress

• Don’t blame others

• Research the program, mentors, and advisors

Misfired attempts to impress

• Be authentic

• Don’t blame others

• Research the program, mentors, and advisors

• Name dropping doesn’t work!

Misfired attempts to impress

• Be authentic

• Don’t blame others

• Research the program, mentors, and advisors

• Name dropping doesn’t work!

Misfired attempts to impress

• Be authentic

“Admissions committees care about you, NOT who you know.”

So how can I avoid

the Kiss of

Death?!

Get

help!

Seek:

Get

help!

Seek:

• Mentoring

Get

help!

Seek:

• Mentoring

• Academic advising

Get

help!

Seek:

• Mentoring

• Academic advising

• Graduate school prep classes

Get

help!

Seek:

• Mentoring

• Academic advising

• Graduate school prep classes

Get

help!

Some universities offer for free!

Find a mentor

• Participate in faculty research

Find a mentor

• Participate in faculty research

• Make connections

Find a mentor

• Participate in faculty research

• Make connections

Find a mentor

“Effective mentoring can help attain the research and classroom experiences that facilitate strong letters of recommendation, compelling personal statements, and proficient writing skills”

Get

advised

Advisors can help:

Get

advised

Advisors can help:

• Establish a realistic timeline

Get

advised

Advisors can help:

• Establish a realistic timeline

• Organize applications

Get

advised

Advisors can help:

• Establish a realistic timeline

• Organize applications

• Prepare for exams

Get

advised

Advisors can help:

• Establish a realistic timeline

• Organize applications

• Prepare for exams

• Select a recommender

Get

advised

Advisors can help:

• Establish a realistic timeline

• Organize applications

• Prepare for exams

• Select a recommender

Get

advised

One-on-one advising may not be available

Take a

Professional Seminar

Academic advising class designed to teach:

Take a

Professional Seminar

Academic advising class designed to teach:

‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”

Take a

Professional Seminar

Academic advising class designed to teach:

‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”

‐ “How to apply to graduate school”

Take a

Professional Seminar

Academic advising class designed to teach:

‐ “The info needed to apply to graduate programs”

‐ “How to apply to graduate school”

‐ “The value of letters of recommendation”

Take a

Professional Seminar

Want more

info?

Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!

Want more

info?

Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!

• GRE Overview

Want more

info?

Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!

• GRE Overview

• Rock Star Recommendation Letters

Want more

info?

Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!

• GRE Overview

• Rock Star Recommendation Letters

• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants

Want more

info?

Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!

• GRE Overview

• Rock Star Recommendation Letters

• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants

• 10 Tips to Ace the Application Process

Want more

info?

Check out GradSchools.com’s resources!

• GRE Overview

• Rock Star Recommendation Letters

• 7 Deadly Sins for Applicants

• 10 Tips to Ace the Application Process

Want more

info?

And remember to see what your university offers!

References

Appleby, D. & Appleby, K. (2006) Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process. Retrieved from www.psychology.unl.edu

Slideshow by Sam Bressler of the GradSchools.com team