Blog
TEM #014: Is graduate school even right for you?
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, is graduate school right for you?, action steps for the next week, 3,000 year old fingers 👇
Is Graduate School Right for You? A Comprehensive Guide to Help You Decide
Going back to graduate school is a big step and exciting commitment when you - and your career - are ready. After working at a university for several years and identifying leaders I aspired to be like one day, I realized that a doctorate was a necessity to reach my career goals. These are the steps I took to ensure that going back to graduate school was the best opportunity for both me and my career before making the decision to apply.
TEM #013: Get credit… for your credits.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, a guide to credit transfer, action steps for the next week, why 3 Musketeers are chocolate flavored 🍫
Fast Track the Graduate School Experience: A Guide to Credit Transfer
Did you know there’s a chance that some of your college credits might transfer and count toward your intended graduate degree? (Example: Your undergraduate business classes might count toward your intended MBA at certain universities.) Credit transfer eligibility ultimately saves time and tuition dollars, which are major factors in graduating sooner and with less debt. As someone who graduated a YEAR early due to graduate credit transfer, it’s my moral duty to help others ask the same questions that saved me time and money.
TEM #012: From cubicle to cap and gown.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, reasons why employees go back to school, action steps for the next week, extreme ironing as a sport ⛰
TEM #011: The story of my gap years.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, my gap years before graduate school with AmeriCorps, action steps for the next week, Eiffel Tower growth spurts 🗼
TEM #010: The right person + the right time.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, how to ask faculty for a letter of recommendation, action steps for the next week, Australia and the moon 🌕
How to Ask Faculty for a Letter of Recommendation
Asking for a letter of recommendation can be one of the most nerve-wracking aspects of the graduate school application process. Getting a good letter of recommendation is as much about strategy as it is about your relationship with the faculty member. If you ask the right person, at the right time, and give them the right information, chances are you will end up with a great letter for your application.
TEM #009: It’s (actually) not about you.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, your personal statement is (surprisingly) not about you, action steps for the next week, GRE updates and discount code ✍️
Your Personal Statement for Graduate School Is Not About You
It's a wild concept for those applying to graduate school. Even though the details of your personal statement are about you, for the admissions committee, it's ultimately about how you will benefit the program. Reviewers want to know whether you will:
1. Add value in class and to your cohort.
2. Complete the degree with minimal bumps along the way.
3. Be a strong representative of the program as an alum in your career pursuits.
Basically, your personal statement is about them. Knowing this, you're in the best position to write a persuasive case for why you deserve a spot.
TEM #008: The actual costs of applying 💸
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, 5 costs of applying to graduate school, action steps for the next week, strawberry shortcake 🍰
The 5 Actual Costs of Applying to Graduate School
You may have started researching programs and are getting an idea of what the annual cost may be between tuition and student fees. You’re thinking ahead about a new budget, potential loans, and even tuition assistance through your employer. But before your first tuition statement, you need to apply… which isn’t usually free. This list goes over the highest costs you can expect from the graduate school application process.
TEM #007: It started with a tomato timer.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, 3 productivity tips for your life (and application process), action steps for the next week, #EldestDaughterSyndrome
3 Productivity Hacks to Balance Work and Graduate School Applications
Applying to graduate school while working full time is a great primer for being back in school. On top of work and a social life, suddenly there is another pull for your time. These are the 3 productivity hacks that got me through the application process and then graduate school while working full time.
TEM #006: Have a heart of gold?
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, 5 secrets to get an outstanding letter of recommendation, action steps for the next week and The Golden Hour 🐕
TEM #005: Strike that, reverse it.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, 5 strategies for applying to graduate school after working full time, action steps for the next week, and reframing stress to be… positive?
5 Secrets to Get an Outstanding Letter of Recommendation
As someone who has written 100+ letters of recommendation (and read 20x that), I know exactly how powerful a well-written letter is to someone’s application for graduate school. Once you’ve decided to apply, do these 5 things well in advance of requesting a letter of recommendation to guarantee you’ll receive one that sings your praises.
TEM #004: Let’s get existential.
This week’s highlights: Your education affirmation, 3 tools to amplify your personal statement, action items for the next week, thoughts on Threads 🧵
Personal Statements: 3 Tools to Describe Yourself Better
“Tell me about yourself.” That common interview question takes on new life when you write a personal statement for graduate school. After 10 years of reading 1000s of applications, I can share that the best essays and statements have one thing in common: strong self awareness. To boost how you express this self-awareness, outsource the language you use to describe yourself. These 3 tools will help.
TEM #003: How a simple request gets complicated.
This week’s highlights: today’s affirmation, how to request transcripts for graduate school, application action steps, plus Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss 🌍