What Grad School Admissions Is Different Than Undergraduate Admissions?

[Jenn16]

So, my neighbor/friend is freaking out. She is in her sophomore year of college at a local university (around top 50-55 for undergraduate). She's doing well with a 3.8 out of 4.0 GPA with a major in Japanese. She is also in a few school clubs with some leadership positions that are unrelated to her major. However, she did not know that, in order, to get into grad school, she had to do things in her major. She even heard that Japanese Club doesn't even count, because it's extracurricular. So how in the world can you do research or get printed in a publication in/about Japanese? Is there something beyond graduate admissions that she doesn't understand or know about?

[Shiryatsya]

She is in her sophomore year of college at a local university

She should chill out. If she does some research in her field before she graduates she'll be fine.

Or she would be if she was science, I have no idea about language, either way though she should chill out

[socialpsych]

I am guessing it depends on whether she is interested in a PhD or a master's degree. Either way, she should talk to her professors about how to get her CV in shape for grad admissions. We might be able to give advice, but profs can both give (probably better) advice AND write letters of rec down the road, so that is a much more productive way to go.

[AwkwardPants]

I am guessing it depends on whether she is interested in a PhD or a master's degree. Either way, she should talk to her professors about how to get her CV in shape for grad admissions. We might be able to give advice, but profs can both give (probably better) advice AND write letters of rec down the road, so that is a much more productive way to go.

Yeah, this is very sound advice. If she's interested in grad school because she wants to become a professor, she should find a professor whose research she finds interesting and go talk to him/her about what she should be doing with her time in undergrad. Sophomore year is a perfect time to have that conversation, by the way. The prof might even be able to hook her up with the type of opportunities she should be adding to her CV.

[Jae B.]

Definitely start consulting professors now first and foremost, visit the school's career and grad center as a back-up resource (they might have more up-to-date information and student application experiences than professors), and research grad programs to find out what they specifically expect. Look closely at admit profiles if available. There's probably useful information online.

Sophomore year is a great time to start, but junior year probably wouldn't be too late, either, if she doesn't get everything figured out right away -- but has some projects she's proud enough to put on an application.

Good luck!

Edited July 29, 2010 by Jae B.

[lifetimestudent]

The first thing is not to freak out. The second thing is to master as many languages as possible and improve your vocab so when it comes time to take the GRE you'll knock it out of the park. Otherwise it sounds like your friend won't have too many problems.