The Journey of a Graduate School applicant: Prepping for Applications and Dealing with Rejections.
Aim:
To explore the path of preparing as an applicant, and what it takes to stand against rejections.
Given:
Rejection, applicants, Science, grad school, SOP, CV.
Method:
Expository Essay
Principle:
The story of many applicants goes thus: they set out to apply for graduate school, send missiles of applications and only get misses in return. But like a child who is learning to walk, who falls down several times but gets up, so is the journey of an applicant who seeks to improve his/her life. The science of navigating rejections can be hard, but leveraging on numbers and proper research can move the needle in the haystack. In this article, we will dissect what it takes to deal with rejections, how to face it, what to do after rejections, and how to leverage on numbers to win.
Procedure
You may have heard of this popular parable of a farmer who sets out to plant his crop; some fall on the stony ground, others amidst thorns, and others amidst good grounds.
Such was the story of Kamsi, who from the day she stepped into Calabar's University, under the hot sun as she walked from one class to another, nursed the dream of doing her graduate school abroad. When she had finished the requirements of her course, medical laboratory science, she began the journey of applying for grad school. Her process started in 2022, with the submission of applications for opportunities in the U.S and the UK. That same year all the schools she applied for rejected her, emphasis on ALL. One particular rejection stung; as she made it to the interview stage, she had started spurting the conviction to family and friends that she was going to Oxford, with so much joy in her heart.
“I even went as far as giving my clothes out,” she said.
But in that year, she was also rejected. She mourned like she lost someone; for weeks she cried and bemoaned the opportunity lost, she even felt like a failure. Eventually, Kamsi said to herself: “I’ll try and if I fail, I’ll try again.”
It took another year of applying to several schools before she finally got a yes in 2023/ 2024, where she got accepted into two prestigious universities. In her time of waiting, she went back to the drawing board, took more courses, cried and sulked, but today she learns under the tutelage of professors in the Cambridge University all because she didn't give up.
Individuals like Kamsi have crawled so we could fly. Through their stories, we can take practical lessons to apply.
Leveraging on numbers as an applicant
According to data, about 38,000 students apply for grad school in Oxford and only 5,500 students get a placement in the school. Also, it's shown that about 60,000 people apply for the Chevening scholarship every year, while only 1,500 get in. That means only about 2-3% of applicants are admitted. This shows the sheer multitude who try to get into the school, and the extremely low acceptance ratio. What this means for you as an applicant is you need to diversify. The slogan, “do not put all your eggs in one basket,” must be branded in your mind as you apply for scholarships – be it graduate school or other opportunities. Spread your tentacles and explore several scholarships – both the popular and unpopular ones. Consider the scholarships that involve paying for waiver fees and those that do not. Do not streamline your application to a certain school or a certain location. Kamsi kept a spreadsheet to keep tabs on the lots of schools she applied for; the more schools you apply to, the better your chances are.
But is it enough to leverage on numbers and throw in lots of blind applications? Definitely not, and this is why the next point is important.
Engage in thorough Research
As an applicant trying to get into a scholarship program or land an opportunity, you must conduct thorough research. If this is your first time interacting with the postgraduate application sphere, you must first consider the type of opportunities you want. Are you looking for a fully funded scholarship or a partial one? Once you have made that decision, the next step would be to gather information about the institution you are applying to. Read up about the school, read up about the courses they offer. For instance, if you're applying for a PhD program, conduct research on the professors in the school, go ahead to read their thesis, and consume so much about the school. This is to ensure that if you get to the interview stage, you will be so prepared for it. Also, you want to ensure that you're following instructions stated and highlighted by the school.
Gather the right tools.
A farmer can't go to the farm without his tools, chances are that his journey to the farm will be futile. So if you're an applicant getting ready to apply for opportunities without the proper documents, your cause will be futile. Ensure to gather and get the right documents. These include your academic CV, a valid international passport, your sop, degree certificate and transcript, English language proficiency exams such as Dulingo, TOFEL, IELTS, and recommendation letters must be ready and up to date to get access to scholarships.
Here are some tips to perfect these tools.
Academic Curriculum vitae:
The word "Curriculum vitae" is Latin for “course of life,” so an academic curriculum vitae, or CV, refers to your academic course of life and your professional career.
How to write your academic CV
Use powerful language to quantify your achievements in a chronological format.
Write in a clear section.
Highlight your research interest with compelling sentences.
Mention any awards or grants given to you.
Highlight your education starting with BSc and make sure to add dates.
Add your research experience ( Don't underestimate your undergrad research days)
Add publications regardless of the stage you are at - published, under review or still being written.
Include extra curricular skills and experiences such as volunteering, leadership, etc. Add courses you've taken and highlight your professional development.
How to prepare your SOP
SOP is your statement of purpose and this highlights your strong reasons on your goal, interest and background. It is a letter that represents you and must emphasize your interest in whatever field of study you want to venture into. Your SOP can begin with an anecdote that relates with the course of study you want to do ( it could be what sparked your interest in the course), then you move further into your reason for choosing the course, and the university. Your SOP must be succinct and carefully written.
Tips to writing an outstanding SOP or essay
Start with scanning through and reading lots of SOP and essays online.
You can begin with a story featuring your past, what you've achieved before, your present (your current goals, what you're presently doing), and lastly your future goals
Also as we mentioned above on thorough research, when stating why you chose the school, be specific about why. It could be because of a professor whose research interest aligns with yours or because of a particular course or curriculum, so state that.
Take out quality time to write your SOP, making it very compelling while highlighting your experiences as in relation with the course you're applying for.
Also, send out your SOP for review. You could reach out to mentors and friends, then also you could reach out on LinkedIn and see the alumni of the school and seek for help in reviewing your SOP.
Lastly, keep to instructions and guidelines as stated by the school.
Finally in gathering the right tools, ensure to do these
Reinforce with Extra documents
Another factor that can distinguish you from other applicants is when you reinforce your application documents with other documents. For instance, in some institutions, English proficiency may not be required, but when you apply with it, it sets you apart and makes you a distinguished applicant.
Tailor your documents
Imagine hearing your name from a stranger, it does something to you. You imagine where the person knows you from, you instantly are attracted to whatever the person has to spill. It is the same while applying, for you to reduce the stake of being rejected, it's better to tailor your documents to a particular school. Let your sop be tailored, your Cv and recommendation letters to the school, don't let it be generic.
Apply Early
However, do note that all of these strategies of leveraging on the numbers, making a strong research, gathering the right tools and being on your A game, would be lost if you do not apply early. You want to be an early bird when applying for opportunities and scholarships. This gives you enough time to prepare well for the opportunity, and hopefully get in.
In Dealing with Rejections
Dealing with rejections can be hard, but here is a quote from one of the founders of MedLabConvo that can bolster you.
“One simple thing: I stopped applying for things I do not stand out for. I don’t ask myself if I qualify only. I also ask myself will I stand out among other applicants?”
Gabriel Oke
Here are more tips on dealing with rejections
Express your emotion: In the story highlighted above about Kamisi, she mourned for two weeks after being rejected, so if you don't get an opportunity you applied for, don’t be in a hurry to get over it, feel whatever emotions the rejection might call for and take your time. It is also okay to take a break in between applications.
If you've expended lots of energy and need to take a break, by all means do so.
Review your application process: The next thing to do is to review your documents and your application. Do more research, and see how to stand out. As the quote stated above, become exceptionally good at what you do. Be honest with yourself and see where you may have faltered. Then as the quote stated, skill up. Kamisi our protagonist ensured to take more courses; so, ensure to skill up and stand out.
Don't tie your self-worth with applications: You must understand that a lot of factors determine the success of an application, so don't tie your identity with applications.
Get feedback: You should reach out to people who have gone ahead and ask them to go through your application documents.
Another key thing to do is to reach out to the organizers in charge and ask for a second opinion on your application. ( Keep in mind that this may work and may not work as the person in charge may not be chanced for personalized rejections.)
Be resilient:
Source: X
Another skill you must imbibe is the art of resilience. You must go again and again, and never give up as the image above shows. This person got in after 27 rejections, in her dream country and for her dream course, so be resilient, and that brings me to the last point.
Don't sow on fallow ground:
While it's good to extend your tentacles and spread your application far and wide; it's also important not to apply for opportunities that don't align with your academic goal and career. Don't join the bandwagon because everyone is applying for an opportunity. Apply for opportunities that fit your choice of course.
Recommendation
Get a support system: Staying with like minded individuals who are actively applying for opportunities can keep you pumped up. Hence, it's better to belong to a group where you can be encouraged, it could be with friends, but ensure to have a support system.
Have a mentor: In the similitude of having a support system, it's best to have an academic mentor who can push and prod you to the right direction even when you're dejected and tired.
Lastly, remember that rejection is part of life and part of our success stories. So as you put in several applications, hope for the best and keep trying.
Comment
Source: MedLabConvo
Applying for graduate school is hard and it can be complicated. Having a source you can draw strength from is imperative, therefore in your journey make sure you have a strong support system. MedLabConvo has curated a course to help you stand out as an applicant, to pre-order this course for a subsidized amount, click on this link.
Resources
Link to grad school spreadsheet.
Link to course for graduate school