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Maknig an Application Schedule
Law School

Making an Application Schedule
 
There is an important truth that all applicants to graduate school need to comprehend at the start of the admission process: It takes a long time to apply to graduate school. Most people don't leave themselves sufficient time and end up doing a rush job on their applications. Mailing your tax return an April 15 may work just fine, but mailing your applications right before the deadline is foolish, because it can hurt your chances of getting in, will increase the likelyhood of making errors, and you will lose your opportunity to maximize the amount of financial aid for which you are are eligible.
 
Follow this application schedule starting the year before you plan to enter school. This will make the admissions and financial aid process less stressful and more successful for you.

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Admission and Financial Aid Schedule for Fall Enrollment
 
Late Summer
  • Right about now you should be deciding that grad school is the right choice for you and thinking about the quelities that you need in a graduate degree program. Do your online research to learn more about the schools you are considering at PrincetonReview.com.
  • At this point you should have done some real work in this field in terms of internships, jobs, research, or assisting professors. These experiences are not only good fodder for personal statements but also helpful to ensure you are making the right decision in going back to school
  • Med school applicants take the MCAT either in April or in August.
  • Begin your personal statement, also called a statement of purpose or essay. Whatever it's called, its usually a requirement for graduate school applications.
  • Start thinking about the appropriate standardized test you have to take and enroll in a test prep course now.

Fall

  • Continue your online research by going to PrincetonReview.com and to the school's own websites.
  • Start talking to professionals in your field to learn more about what it's really like to do this type of work and what the long-term opportunities are for you.
  • Finalize your choice of target schools. Grad school application fees can be quite expensive; keep this in mind when you are creating your list.
  • We reccommend that yaou complete your application online--figure out which applications are available on PrincetonReview.com and which ones are only on the schools' websites. Either way, it's much easier to complete your applications onlinethan it is to mail away for them and use a typewriter.
  • If you are visiting schools and interviewing, make sure to ask about financial aid at the same time and meet with financial aid officers.
  • Startr talking to professors who might reccommend you; let them know that you are serious about attending graduate school.
  • Look into merit-based grants and fellowships as possible ways to help finance your education. You can search for these on PrincetonReview.com's Online Financial Center.
  • Have someone knowledgeable in your field critique your statement of purpose and then start revising.
  • Graduate, law, and business students should take their standardized tests (if necessary) in no later than mid-October.
  • Request transcripts from the registrar's office at your college, or have them sent directly to schools.
  • Have your test scores sent to all the schools to which you are applying. If you're not happy with your scores, register to take the test again.
  • Deliver reccommendation froms to reccommenders. Make sure they know what they have to do and when they have to do it.
  • Start filling out your grad school applications. This will take longer than you think, so allow yourself plenty of time.
  • Take note of financial aid deadlines at the schools to which you are applying.
  • Check in with your reccommenders. Make sure they have all the information they need.
  • Print out two copies of every part of every application for your records.
  • Submit electronically or mail all the original parts: application forms, essays, transcripts, the works.
  • Verify that your reccommendations have been sent.
  • Calculate your Expected Family Contributionusing free tools found on PrincetonReview.com's Online Financial Center. This way. you can start figuring out how much money you can expect in financial aid vs. how much you will need to supply "out of pocket" or get in private loans.

Winter

  • To qualify for financial aid, you will need to fill out the FAFSA as after January 1 as you can. You can use PrincetonReview.com's free online FAFSA Worksheet to help you understand how best to answer every question so you can get the most money in aid and complete this complicated form correctly the first time.
  • For most of you, this is the waiting game. Your applications have been submitted, and this will most likely be the most relaxing time you'll have for the next several years. Enjoy it while you can.

Spring

  • Use PrincetonReview.com's online Aid Comparison Calculator to compare aid packages that the schools give you. But be careful-the one with the highest number is not always the best deal for you.
  • You might want to look into appealing the aid package if the amount of money does not meet your needs.
  • Investigate applying for alternative loans if the financial aid package still doesn't meet your needs. You can learn more about alternative loans by visiting PrincetonReview.com.
  • Get ready for the exciting challenges of grad school!

For example, if my algebra class is just starting to work with word problems, I might include tips on how to approach the next problem set. Or if they're working on a writing project, I could include some hints on how to construct a paragraph, a topic sentence, or a short essay.

General Study Tips

In this area I might include some tips and guidelines that students should keep in mind regardless of the week's specific assignment, such as:

When writing, never forget who your audience is. The written word is meant to be read, but it won't always be read by the same audience. Tailor your writing style to suit the people who will be reading your work.