Introduction to Grad School Applications

Dec 21, 2013 | Gowri N Kishore

PLAN YOUR MASTERS: 2014

Jan - March

• Prepare for the GRE

• Research your

target

schools/programs

Apr - Jun

• Take the test & get

your target score

• Reach out to

admissions offices

and alumni

• Prepare for the

TOEFL

Jul - Aug

• Reach out to your

college/university

for transcripts

• Get in touch with

recommenders and

prep them

• Take the TOEFL

Sep - Oct

• Work on your

personal statements

for diff

schools/programs

• Recommendation

letters

• Resume

Nov - Jan

• Application

submission

• Arrange for finances

WHAT DO SCHOOLS LOOK FOR?

Academic Potential

GRE Score

Undergrad GPA/Academic proficiency awards

Pedigree of undergrad university

Papers/conferences/ technical organizations/patents

Work Experience (if any)

Pedigree of company

Nature of work

Performance @ work

Leadership & Diversity

Activities over and beyond the call of duty

Goal Clarity

Why this program? Why now?

What will you do after graduation?

AVG. GRE SCORES FOR TOP SCHOOLS

School Verbal Score Quant Score Overall

Yale 161 166 327

Stanford 161 166 325

Princeton 161 163 324

MIT 159 164 323

NYU 156 153 319

Duke 157 162 319

Columbia 154 163 317

UCLA 154 163 317

Harvard 157 160 317

UC Berkeley 154 161 315

PERSONAL STATEMENT/STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Who are you?

Your academic potential

Relevant professional experience

Personal qualities

Goal Clarity

Which course?

Why?

What will you do afterwards?

School?

Why this school?

Why now?

CASE STUDY

Mohan Gupta

B.Tech ComSci from CMR-IT Bangalore

Work experience: 2 years 4 months with TCS

Worked with 4 major international Banking clients

Applying for a Masters in Financial Engineering

STEP 1: INTROSPECTION

What are your reasons for undertaking graduate study in the field of computational finance/financial engg?

Please describe your future career plans – short and long term

Highlight any mathematical background that you have – courses taken, projects done etc; Other courses:

finance, programming (C++, Java, Matlab), economics

Do you have an in-depth interest and knowledge in any one area? This gets more marks than superficial

knowledge of many areas

Why this particular university – course structure, electives, opportunities, projects, location, alumni?

STEP 2: OUTLINE

An interesting way of presenting your interest in this field – how it developed and was honed

Career plans – short term and long term

Talk about your background – engineering, fin, math – and what your knowledge/experience is.

Mention what you need to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be

How does the specific program help to fill this gap? What are the things that attracted you to this school and this

course - course structure, electives, opportunities, projects, location, alumni?

Close with how you will be the right fit for this school and this program

STEP 3: WRITING

One of the reasons why I wish to pursue an MS in Financial Mathematics at this time is that I am looking for a

career change. I want to enter the world of finance as I feel that I am best suited for a job in this area.

Being vague about your goals

I want to join school X because it has a great reputation internationally, world-class infrastructure, excellent

faculty and a diverse classroom, all of which will help to hone my skills and enhance my knowledge.

Giving a generic answer to the question “Why school X?”

STEP 3: WRITING (CONTD.)

MAPLE WEALTH MANAGEMENT (Aug 10 – Aug 12) Managed the investment portfolios worth millions of many clients Achieved tremendously high returns for the client’s portfolio

Not quantifying your achievements

MAPLE WEALTH MANAGEMENT (Aug 10 – Aug 12)

Managed the portfolio of 12 clients with notional value more than INR12 million

Achieved annual return of 40% on client’s portfolio as compared to Nifty’s return of -25% in 2011

BOTTOM LINE

A Good Application Should Contain…

A clear statement of goals

Your expectations from the program and from the particular school

A compelling story about what defines & differentiates you from other applicants