Non-degree schools on Personal Statement and CV

[snowballed]

Hi,

I am applying to four post-grad programs in the UK and Ireland this month. Currently I am in the process of updating my CV and Personal Statement - Statement of Intent. Last year I had applied to two programs and was unsuccessful, so I have gone through this process somewhat. In the last 6 months, I have taken two upper-level undergraduate courses at a new University (I live in a different city than where I got my other two undergrad degrees). Why did I take these new classes... well I wanted to test my ambition to go back to school, get my mind back in shape (4 years out of school), and also to raise my mark and prove that I am serious about getting into a MSC program.

I am still in the process of completing one class, and will be applying before I actually finish this class. The class I took in summer is on my transcript with an A. My questions:

1. How would I go about listing this new university on my CV.... I have not graduated, so I was thinking about slotting it into Other Academic.

2. Should I reference this school in my personal statement.... Say how I wanted to back to school and have done so and am achieving good marks in my two classes.

My professional experience is great, but my undergrad marks are not so hot - that would be the only thing holding me back.

(On this keyboard I cannot use question marks, sorry about the lack of them in this post)

[anonacademic]

Do you have a separate transcript for these two classes? Actually, now that I write that, I realize you must. I would put that on your C.V., but, as you suggest, under a different heading than the one for your degree-granting institution.

I have a somewhat similar situation - in that I attended another university, although not for credit - and that's what I'm doing. It seems to make the most sense.

I would address these classes in your SOP - because these two classes probably directly influence your feeling toward your field and your desire to pursue graduate study. You probably could get away with as little as a half sentence: "While studying [classes] at X University after my undergraduate degree, I [something positive about your field] and [decided that graduate study was the only way to fulfill my goals]." (You get the idea!) Or, depending on your experience, this may turn into a focal point (i.e., after studying [this specific area], I realized I need to go more in depth with my research. These are the things I learned, and the questions I now have).

Hope this helps!

[snowballed]

Do you have a separate transcript for these two classes? Actually, now that I write that, I realize you must. I would put that on your C.V., but, as you suggest, under a different heading than the one for your degree-granting institution.

I have a somewhat similar situation - in that I attended another university, although not for credit - and that's what I'm doing. It seems to make the most sense.

I would address these classes in your SOP - because these two classes probably directly influence your feeling toward your field and your desire to pursue graduate study. You probably could get away with as little as a half sentence: "While studying [classes] at X University after my undergraduate degree, I [something positive about your field] and [decided that graduate study was the only way to fulfill my goals]." (You get the idea!) Or, depending on your experience, this may turn into a focal point (i.e., after studying [this specific area], I realized I need to go more in depth with my research. These are the things I learned, and the questions I now have).

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the hints, I agree - does not warrant an education entry. However, taking classes on top of working full time as a way of prepping me for Grad school should help my case.

"I am passionate about undertaking a graduate degree and have selected these classes to prepare me, blah blah"