First year
- Do well in courses
- Establish relationships with faculty (your future recommenders)
- Join and attend meetings of science organizations as well as others; volunteer for anything (almost anything)
- See if you can do research (even on a volunteer basis) with Augsburg faculty
- Talk to faculty about their grad school experiences
- Work on critical thinking and writing skills
- Start compiling work and evidence for future résumés and portfolios
Sophomore year
- Do well in courses
- Continue to develop relationships with faculty
- Assume leadership roles in campus or civic organizations
- Continue volunteer activities
- Apply for summer research or internship experiences
- Read journals in your field
- Work on critical thinking and writing skills
- Meet with career counselors and faculty if having a difficult time choosing major
Junior year
- Do well in courses
- Work as a research assistant or an intern part-time during the school year
- Apply for summer research experiences (off-campus ones if you’ve already done on-campus)
- Talk to people in your field to get a sense of what careers are like
- Continue to read journals
Senior year
June-July-August
- Take GRE Prep course offered at Augsburg or elsewhere or study independently (see GRE Prep webage for resources)
- Begin and complete Summer Research Experience
- Ask for a letter of recommendation from summer research mentor (they don’t write it now, but get the commitment)
- Register for general GRE (take no later than August)
- Generate a list of schools to which you think you will apply
- Begin correspondence with graduate faculty
- Write draft of resume and personal statement – contact urgo@augsburg.edu to set up a meeting
September
- Do well in your courses
- Register and study for the GRE General Test if you haven’t taken it yet
- Register and study for a GRE Subject Test, if required. The November test date will ensure that your scores are back in time for most December deadlines.
- Talk with faculty about your summer research experience, your grad school plans, letters of recommendation, as well as what schools they recommend
- Narrow and finalize your list of schools
- Consider applying for national scholarships/fellowships and check due dates
October
- Prioritize applications by application deadlines.
- Work on national scholarships/fellowships if you are applying
- Begin e-mailing professors at the schools you will be applying to. Typically these would be faculty whose research interests match yours.
- Get feedback from URGO staff and your faculty on your applications
- Give instructions for letters of rec and due dates to your recommenders
November
- Take GRE Subject test if needed (middle of the month)
- Order transcripts
- Have GRE scores sent (if you haven’t already) to schools
- Continue to get feedback from URGO staff and your faculty on your applications
December
- Don’t leave for home until you have requested all needed transcripts, as the college closes between Christmas and New Year’s
- Don’t leave for home until you’ve reminded faculty about letters due over break
- Don’t leave for home until Dixie and/or faculty have checked your applications/personal statements, because Dixie closes between Christmas and New Year’s as well
- Good luck on those finals
January
- Some of you will still be doing more of the same
February-March
- Await news of applications
April
- April 15 is the last day to accept or reject offers