Graduate Prospects - May 28, 2008 - (Page 15)

www.prospects.ac.uk Issue 68 · 28 May 2008 · Fortnightly PROSPECTS GRADUATE 15 POSTGRAD BLOGGER ‘The snotty comments, like “You can’t be a student forever”, are hard to get used to.’ GRAHAM FOSTER’S YEAR OF DISCOVERY LET ME IN! IF YOU’RE CONSIDERING THE MASTERS ROUTE, YOU MAY BE WONDERING HOW THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORKS. OUR POSTGRADUATE EXPERTS HAVE THE ANSWERS. BECOME A MASTER OF POSTGRADUATE APPLICATIONS. Write it yourself and use your own words, even if you use examples to get started. Admissions Officers see lots of applications and won’t be impressed by a ‘cut and paste’ statement. What else may be required at application stage? Clear information about your academic record and any employment history is vital. Admissions officers appreciate applications on which they can easily see where and when you did any previous courses, the level and grades of your awards and the main subjects you studied. If you are still studying, say when you expect to finish and give your current grade (or the result you expect to achieve). Also include your work history and a brief description of any jobs relevant to your course. And finally, make sure you follow instructions from the institution you are applying to about supporting documents, such as references and transcripts. Supply them as soon as you can. If something is delayed, tell the admissions officer so they know when to expect it. David George, Postgraduate Courses Administrator, School of Technology, Oxford Brookes University How important is the personal statement? The personal statement is important because it lets you add some personality to the facts and figures of your application. It is a chance to explain why you want to pursue a subject at postgraduate level and why you have applied to a particular university. It is also a good way to explain any aspects of your application that might not otherwise be clear to the person considering it - if your grades in a particular year were poor because you were ill, or if your job is relevant to your proposed studies, for example. What is it that you are trying to convince the admissions officer of? Remember that your application may be one of many that the admissions officer is looking at. A good statement should add to the rest of your application and help persuade them that you have the potential to do well on the course you have applied for. Make sure it is relevant to the course and university you have applied for. Keep it short and to the point. If the important information is lost in amongst waffle, you risk it being missed. downloaded from the website and returned to the Postgraduate Admissions Office directly. When the University of Aberdeen receives a form, an acknowledgement letter is issued and completed applications are passed to an Academic Selector for consideration. A completed application form will consist of the application form itself and an Academic Transcript and/or Degree certificate if available. For international applicants, proof of proficiency in English (IELTS or TOEFL) is also required. One academic reference is also required from applicants who have yet to complete their degree in the UK and from all applicants from outside the UK. Successful applicants will receive either a conditional or unconditional offer. Under the terms of a conditional offer, applicants are requested to obtain or provide evidence of a further or pending qualification that will allow them to satisfy the entry criteria. Along with the offer letter, applicants are sent an Acceptance/Decline and Financial Guarantee Form. Once all of the relevant documentation has been received, applicants will be ‘cleared for admission’ and sent a Certificate of Acceptance which allows overseas applicants to begin arrangements for their student visa. Once an applicant has been ‘cleared for admission’ from June onwards, an Accommodation application form and information on Registration and tuition fees will be sent. How many/what sort of courses interview candidates? For some programmes, an interview forms part of the admission process. If the applicant lives overseas, it is possible for an academic/international officer to interview applicants when he/she is scheduled to visit a country. Interview does not normally form part of the selection process for taught Masters programmes at Aberdeen. Phyllis Muir, Head of Postgraduate Admissions, University of Aberdeen What is the application process? Exactly how applications are made varies from place to place. Applications to the University of Aberdeen can be made online or can be Let me in some more: bursaries, financial status, who to contact, PGDips. INFORMATION AND ADVICE www.prospects.ac.uk/findcourses www.prospects.ac.uk/links/fundstudy LATEST POSTGRAD COURSE OPPORTUNITIES www.prospects.ac.uk/links/latestcourses SEARCH THE POSTGRAD DATABASE POSTGRAD FUNDING FACTS SEND YOUR VIEWS, SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS editorial@prospects.ac.uk http://www.prospects.ac.uk http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2008/PhD_blog__14/p!emlpXdg http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2008/Let_me_in_some_more_/p!epkmecg http://www.prospects.ac.uk/findcourses http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/fundstudy http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/latestcourses

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