Preparing for graduate school

Graduate school is a significant investment and commitment requiring time, work, and money. With this in mind, many students visit our office as they consider whether to pursue graduate school immediately following graduation or in the future. 

• Reflect on your reasons for attending graduate school and speak with a trusted advisor or mentor for feedback. 
• Identify programs in your chosen field and learn more about the quality of the programs and the qualifications of their typical candidates.
• Investigate how much time your program will require and sources of funding. 
• Develop an understanding of the application process, including required entrance exams, essays, letters of recommendation, and other supporting documents. 

Our team offers advising for students considering or applying to graduate school at any stage of the process. Schedule an "Applying to grad school" appointment in Handshake to connect with us one-on-one.

You may begin preparing for graduate school earlier, but the following timeline will help you tackle the process step-by-step and on time. 

THIRD YEAR SUMMER

• Research potential schools and identify deadlines and application requirements from specific schools you are interested in attending.
• Prepare for required entrance exams.
• Take entrance exams now or in fall.
• Begin drafting application essays and your Statement of Purpose.
• Consider which faculty members to ask for letters of recommendation.

FOURTH YEAR FALL

August-early September

• Finalize your list of prospective schools.
• Familiarize yourself with the professors who share your research interests at each school.
• Consider visiting schools and meeting with school representatives.
• Ask faculty members for letters of recommendation.
• Research sources of financial aid.
• Take entrance exams if you did not during the summer

October-early November

• Check and record the due date for each application.
• Have application essays critiqued (by your faculty, grad students you’ve worked closely with, the Writing Center, and/or career counselors).
• Practice answering admissions interview questions, if applicable. 
• Research scholarship, fellowship and assistantship opportunities; complete financial aid documents.
• Submit materials for early decision if applicable.
• Arrange for your official transcript to be sent to each program you apply to and request that the Registrar hold your transcript until the Fall Semester grades are in (unless application is due earlier in December).

December-January

• Submit all application materials to schools.
• Keep copies of every section for your records.
• Verify that letters of recommendation have been sent.
• Many schools will send a message upon receipt of each application – track yours.

FOURTH YEAR SPRING

• Continue visiting schools if possible.
• Ensure your application is submitted by the appropriate school deadlines.
• Depending on your field, start planning for the admissions interview.
• Visit schools you’ve been accepted to and discuss acceptances and rejections with a faculty member, your mentor, or career counselor at UVA.
• Respond to all offers – both accepts and turn downs. Turning an offer down politely could help you if you interact with those from other schools later as colleagues.
   

One major component of the graduate school application is the Statement of Purpose essay. The statement is usually a one to two page document which outlines your motiviations for attending graduating school, relevant experiences, and plans for the future. You'll write about your research and professional interests, how your background qualifies you, and what interests you in the program.

Get started on your first draft by brainstorming answers to these basic questions. Once you've completed your first draft, have it reviewed by a trusted faculty member, graduate student, mentor, or career advisor. 

Tips for writing your statement

How to Write a Statement of Purpose: Know what grad schools are really asking

9 Steps to Write a Great Statement of Purpose for Grad School

Statement of Purpose: Do & Don't

As you prepare for graduate school, review these resources and meet with a career advisor if you have any questions.

Should I go to grad school?:
A Guide for Potential Grad Students
5 Questions to Make Sure It's the Right Move

Identifying programs of interest:
GradSchools.com
Peterson's Guide
How to choose a school

Asking for letters of recommendation:
How to ask for one
Dos and Don'ts for requesting a recommendation letter

How to contact prospective faculty advisors:
Contacting Potential PhD Advisors
Advice for Prospective Research Students

Graduate school funding:

Funding options

Accelerate your time to completion of a non-thesis Master’s degree by getting started now!

Current UVA undergraduate students can apply to a Master of Engineering (M.E.), Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.), or Master of Materials Science and Engineering (M.M.S.E.) degree program in the third year of your undergraduate studies. These programs require 30 credits of course work as part of an approved plan of study, and with the right planning you may be able to get a head start on taking graduate-level courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree. Save time and money by accelerating your time to completion of a master’s degree!

How it works

Interested UVA undergraduate students should apply to UVAccelerate by March 1 of your third year. Admissions decisions are released by April 1, and students admitted through the UVAccelerate program will be offered academic advising from graduate program faculty to identify the fastest path to your master’s degree. While applying in your third year of undergraduate studies may seem early, getting an early admissions decision and personalized advising allows you to minimize your time to degree by taking advantage of things like advanced placement credit and undergraduate electives. Some students who participate in UVAccelerate are able to earn a master’s degree in as little as one additional semester beyond their bachelor’s degree.

Benefits to you 

By earning your master’s degree in engineering, you have access to more interesting and challenging job opportunities, accelerated career advancement, and higher earning potential throughout your career. UVA Engineering graduate students report an average starting salary $30,000 higher than bachelor’s graduates in their first job after finishing their degree. UVAccelerate can help you get there as quickly as possible!

How to apply

Complete a graduate application through our ONLINE APPLICATION SYSTEM. On the Program page of the online application, be sure to check the box indicating that you’re applying through the UVAccelerate program. We’ve also made it easier for you to apply by waiving two of the three required letters of recommendation, making the GRE test optional, and waiving the $85 application fee for UVA undergraduates who apply to UVAccelerate!

Degree Programs and Contacts:

• BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (M.E.) | JONATHAN ROSEN
• CHEMICAL ENGINEERING (M.E.) | GARY KOENIG
• CIVIL ENGINEERING (M.E.) |  JOSE GOMEZ
• COMPUTER ENGINEERING (M.E.) | BARRY JOHNSON
• COMPUTER SCIENCE (M.C.S.) | FELIX LIN
• ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING (M.E.) | ZONGLI LIN
• MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (M.M.S.E.) |  LEO ZHIGILEI
• MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING (M.E.) | MATT PANZER
• SYSTEMS ENGINEERING (M.E.) | ROBERT RIGGS