Even before you decide on an area of graduate study, there are things you can do during your undergraduate studies to become a more successful, competitive candidate for any graduate program. 在一般情况下, graduate programs look at the following factors when making decisions between candidates:

• Undergraduate grade point average (GPA)
•研究经验
• Experience in the field (internships, practica, volunteer and work experience)
• Test scores on graduate entrance exams, e.g.， GRE, LSAT, MCAT等.
• Extra- or Co-curricular experiences, e.g., study abroad, leadership in student organizations, athletics, 等.
•推荐信
•适当的课程

本科平均绩点: 在一些研究领域的项目, 比如医疗领域, 竞争非常激烈, 而其他人则没有那么有竞争力. 很明显, making sure that your GPA is high enough to make you attractive to many programs is important. If you are experiencing difficulty in any course, make sure to talk with the professor and seek out resources such as tutoring or group study as early in the course as possible. (See the Academic Success page on our website for more resources.)

研究经历: 一些研究生课程，尤其是博士课程.D. programs, place considerable emphasis on research experience. GVSU offers many ways to become involved with research. Depending on the field you decide to pursue, 志愿服务 to work with a faculty member on a research project, becoming involved in a 499 Independent Research course, presenting your research at regional or national professional conferences, and having research published in a peer-reviewed journal may all be possibilities. You can check on the department website to find out the research interests of individual faculty members to see who you might want to work with. 学生的研究

现场经验: Graduate programs in some areas such as Physical 的rapy, Medicine and Social Work want to know that you understand what the field is really like, to see that you are interested enough in the field to dedicate time to that field, and to know that you can handle a schedule that includes job-shadowing, 志愿服务, 实习或实习, 还有你的学术研究.

研究生入学考试成绩: Not all graduate programs require entrance examinations. Others place such significant value on entrance exams scores that they establish firm cut-off values and will not even look at your other application materials if the minimum score is not met. Also, to do well on some tests, students will need to invest time to prepare effectively.
研究生和专业学校考试
准备GRE考试

课外或课外经历: Well-rounded people who have knowledge of the world around them, an understanding of many different cultural perspectives, and have taken on leadership roles in organizations are prized by many types of graduate programs. 除了, becoming involved in on- and off-campus activities during college enriches your college experience and is a good thing to do whether or not you pursue a graduate degree. Letters of Recommendation: Every graduate program application requires letters of recommendation. You'll also need letters of recommendation if you decide to seek employment after completing your bachelor's degree. So, 不管你未来的计划是什么, cultivating relationships with faculty members is beneficial. 写一封有效的推荐信, faculty members need to know you as a person, 不仅仅是作为一个学生. Take time to talk with your faculty advisor and your instructors outside of class. Share your interests and goals with them. Being able to share ideas with faculty can be one of the most rewarding and enlightening experiences during college, 对你和老师都有好处.

适当的课程: 的re are two things to keep in mind about coursework when you want a graduate degree. 一个, some graduate programs require specific courses as prerequisites or a certain amount of credit hours within an academic field. 两个, even when specific courses are not required, graduate schools look for a pattern of taking meaningful and increasingly more challenging coursework. It can be a mistake to take "easy" or "fluff" courses during your senior year. Once you have decided on a field of study: A particular graduate field or program may not place the same emphasis on each of the above factors, or may not find all of these factors important. 例如Ph值.D. programs in clinical psychology do not tend to value field experience as highly as masters of social work programs do. 正因为如此, it is crucial to work closely with a faculty member from your field of interest as soon as you have begun to consider graduate study.

Writing Tips 的 GVSU Fred Meijer Center for Writing offers many services that can assist you in the graduate school process. 写作中心服务 电子邮件礼仪 校对

研究生入学准备指南 A list of things you can do throughout your undergraduate program to help you decide about graduate study and to become a competitive applicant.
研究生院准备时间线 Suggestions for each year of your undergraduate program.
研究生院资源 Web and print resources for undergraduate research, 选择项目, 写个人陈述, 面试, 等. 

 

的 学术咨询中心 can provide information regarding the requirements of a wide range of graduate programs as well as, 在很多情况下, a list of resources that will inform and guide you in your preparation.