Tag Archives: Grad School

FAQ’s of the Application Process

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Applying to graduate school can be a stressful time. It takes time to gather the materials and information you need to complete your application. I’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the application process.

How do I start my application?

The College of Saint Rose offers this Web-based application in the hope that it will make our application process as easy and convenient as possible for you. You can get started right now and won’t have to wait for us to mail you a packet. Applications submitted electronically receive the same consideration as applications submitted on paper. This application is part of the ApplyYourself Application Network. You will receive a Username and Password so that you can return to work on your application over several sessions, if needed.

What do I need to apply?

Each program has specific application requirements, but each program requires a $40 application fee (waived for Saint Rose alumni), statement of purpose, 2 letters of recommendation, resume, and official transcript.

What’s a statement of purpose?

An effective Statement of Purpose will provide faculty reviewers with an understanding of the applicant’s objectives and motivation for pursuing a graduate degree or certificate. It will also describe how the program of study will meet the candidate’s personal goals for professional development.

Who should I ask for a letter of recommendation?

Choose someone you worked with closely and knows your work ethic, drive, and class performance. Do not choose a family member or family friend. You want to make sure that the college reading your letter will get an understanding of how you benefit the classroom. The letter will be more personal if you have a connection with said professor or mentor. You can always get a letter from an internship adviser or field placement manager.

Why do I need to submit a resume?

Resumes are recommended for all programs, but are required for: Accounting, Business Administration (MBA and all related certificate programs), College Student Services Administration, Communication Sciences & Disorders, Counseling (School & Mental Health), Computer Information Systems, Creative Writing, Educational Technology Specialist, Internet Programming, and School Psychology programs.

Proofread, proofread, proofread! Resumes are meant to show your professional side and grammatical errors show just the opposite. Visit your college’s career center and ask the opinion of an expert. You can never be too safe!

Do I need to submit a writing sample?

Writing samples are not required for every program, but for some. When choosing a writing sample, don’t only choose a good paper, revise it. Edit it again, have a friend read it over, and make changes as needed. No paper is ever perfect the first time through!

What are my options for payment?

Financing your education can be stressful. Graduate school isn’t cheap, but it’s worth the money. Saint Rose offers Graduate Assistantships and Scholarships. Grants and loans are also viable options. Planning ahead will help the process run smoothly.

If you have any questions about graduate school or the admissions process, please call Graduate Admissions at (518) 454-5143 or email grad@strose.edu.

Resume Tips: How to stand out on paper

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Creating your resume can be difficult. It’s especially frustrating when the Microsoft Word templates restrict formatting (or is it just me?). With job markets in the state that they are, it can be stressful searching for a job, but I decided to gather a few tips and tricks to show an employer why you would be their best option. Show them how great you are!

1.) Use buzzwords - Be creative in describing your accomplishments and talents. If you want to go above and beyond for your interview, research the company. If they have a slogan or words that are used more than once on their website, steal them and put them on your resume. It’s not cheating, it’s edging out the competition. It will make the company realize that you’re a great asset to them. Keep it professional and don’t be ridiculous.

Photo Credit to understanding.com

Photo Credit to understanding.com

2.) Add quirky facts or accomplishments – Everyone in your line of work will have similar resumes, similar school backgrounds, jobs, and internship history. Adding an interesting fact – maybe you won a spelling bee. Maybe you won a hot dog eating contest. Maybe you’ve hiked the 46ers or met the mayor. Not only do these diversify your resume, they are great conversation starters. You’ll have something to break the ice and something the interviewer will remember.

3.) Keep all of your jobs – This is a relative statement. If you had 8 different jobs while you worked your way through college or high school, they might not all be necessary. But if you include jobs that are only related to your field, it may be a short resume, and the employer may realize that you have no jobs listed before you were 25. Even silly jobs like babysitting or restaurant jobs say something about you. Seemingly unimportant jobs like these show you’re a hard worker and can deal with a wide variety of people. Just don’t go overboard. There are a lot of articles throughout the internet that tell you the various lengths that your resume should be. There is no right answer. Keep your resume as long as you need it. You don’t want to miss out on a job because you omitted a job from your resume.

4.) Use effective job titles – Employers notice job titles right off the bat. Spice up your titles to make them pop on the page. For example, I had two internships while working on my undergraduate studies that were related to my field. Instead of writing “Internship” as my job title, I said “Assistant Editor” and “Managerial Intern”. Emphasize the importance of your role in past positions. Make your achievements the focus of your resume.You don’t need a long, drawn-out list of what you did every day,but  include your accomplishments. Brag about yourself!

5.) Try alternative resume formats – If you’re a graphic designer or an artist, play with the design of your resume. Refrain from using colorful fonts or colored paper, but make the page visually appealing. Maybe try a video resume. People have been uploading video resumes to YouTube and allowing employers to find them that way. In the age of technology, why not give it a try?

Do Not:

  • Use funny fonts – Comic Sans was only okay when you were using AIM. Stick with Times New Roman, it’s classic and professional.
  • Make jokes – Jokes and sarcasm don’t work well in interviews and they definitely don’t work on paper. You don’t want to risk the chance of sounding offensive or immature.

  • Use colored fonts or paper. This isn’t Legally Blonde. Pink scented paper is unprofessional.
  • Include personal views and opinions. Things such as political views and religious views just shouldn’t be there.
  • Lie. You don’t want to get trapped in a lie. It could potentially lose you the job opportunity and if not, you may get stuck with tasks you’re unable to do.
  • Assume you’re perfect. You need to proofread! Proofread! Proofread! There is nothing worse than handing your interviewer a resume with misspelled words.

Lastly, get your resume critiqued at the Career Center on the 3rd floor of Saint Joe’s. Note that Walk-ins are 15 minute quick meetings for resume, cover letter and quick questions.

Don’t forget to attend Resume Critique Week from  March 25-28th. Get in there and ask how you can make your resume better!

Everything you need to know about a Graduate Assistantship

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Need help paying for your graduate tuition? Saint Rose is here to help. In April, Graduate Assistantship (GA) positions will be posted on the Career Center’s page. There are about 100 positions campus wide. Possible placements include the Career Center, the Community Service Office, and the Office of Alumni Relations. Students can also work as a GA in an academic department, where the nature of the work is heavily dependent on the faculty or Dean’s needs. For example, a GA in Alumni Relations may help develop the alumni newsletter and plan events, whereas a GA in the English department may serve as a research assistant to English faculty members.

Throughout the assistantship, students get to know the inner workings of their department or office throughout the year, gaining work experience and learning new skillsGA. One of the main benefits of working on campus is that supervisors understand students’ responsibilities, so they are usually flexible with scheduling your work hours. Graduate assistantships are also a key form of financial aid. Students who successfully complete their graduate assistantship are awarded a $3,200 tuition grant each semester.

Graduate Assistants will be required to work 150 hours throughout the semester. That adds up to about 10 hours a week.

Before applying for a graduate assistantship, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements:

  • Be unconditionally admitted to a master’s degree program
  • Be enrolled full-time (at least 9 graduate credits)
  • Maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0
  • Not be registered for full-time student teaching, internship, practicum, or field placement during the term of position
  • Not have accepted other institutional aid or tuition benefit (i.e. Scholarships, PEF/CSEA discount, etc.)

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5 ways to ace the GRE

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Taking the GRE can be very stressful. Unlike school exams, the GRE costs money to take and money to prepare for and as an undergraduate student, you probably don’t have a lot of money to keep retaking the test. I’ve researched the best ways to ace the GRE, but unfortunately, you still have to study.

1.) Understand the test

  • Analytical Writing – tests your ability to create and sustain a discussion where you’ll use examples and other evidence to support your ideas. When you’re in the test, map out your plan and make sure you cover your bases.
  • Verbal Reasoning – tests your ability to analyze and draw conclusions, select important points, understand sentence structure and context.
  • Quantitative Reasoning – tests your ability to interpret and analyze quantitative information using arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability.

GRE2.) Know the format

  • The test is 3 hours and 45 minutes long.
  • It includes 6 sections. The first section is always Analytical Writing followed by any combination of the other two.
  • You can skip, edit, change, and return to any question within a section. If you don’t know an answer, skip it and go back to it.

3.) Strategize

  • Answer every question. You don’t lose points for getting an answer wrong. Even if you don’t know an answer guess – it can’t hurt.
  • Since you can return to questions, quickly go through the section at the beginning and answer the easy questions that you’re sure of. Then return to the more difficult questions. It’s easier to gauge how much time you have left when you know the level of difficulty of the questions ahead of you.

4.) Plan ahead

  • Know what you need and gather it in one place ahead of time to avoid further stress on the day of the exam.
  • Photo ID
  • Time of the exam
  • Know where you’re going – Visit the place in advance if you’re unsure of the location and to make sure you aren’t late.
  • If you know you’ll need water, make sure you have it.

5.) Get a support group

  • Studying is always easier when you can bounce ideas off someone else. Other people can offer fresh insight in a stressful time, plus, you will have someone to celebrate with when it’s over!