How quickly can someone be admitted into a grad program?

[Rural_America]

OK, second question after joining yesterday evening ...

Is there such a thing as a graduate program that is constantly admitting students each semester for graduate study? Is it possible to apply to a graduate program today and start courses later this spring or in August? I have been pondering the idea of going to grad school ever since finishing undergrad and now that I'm unemployed, that time is now. I live in the middle of nowhere, so regardless if I find a job (have sent out probably close to ~1000 resumes/apps with no luck) or find a grad program, I'll be moving, so location of programs means nothing to me.

My undergrad was Environment, and my goals for career/future study involve sustainable urban planning or sustainable engineering.

[jferreir]

To gain admittance into a graduate program, you need to submit a completed application around early January. Each school/department has their own specific application deadlines. The 'application package' usually consist of an online application (vital information & fee payment), and a written application, which includes a statement of purpose (SOP), two or three academic letters of reference (LOR), a writing sample (15-25pp), official transcripts, GRE scores, and (if applicable) TOEFL scores.

Applicants who are admitted between April and August are usually pulled from a waiting list. A waiting list is a secondary pool of applicants that a university will pull from when one successful applicant decides to decline their offer of admission (for whatever reason). While some programs admit students in the winter or summer semesters, most programs limit their incoming students to the fall semester only (i.e. September). Either way, to be considered for admission for the following academic year, you need to have submitted your completed application in early January.

Applying to graduate school is no joke - you have to invest a lot of time, effort, and resources into developing a strong application. Moreover, you should also be realistic about your motivation for pursuing graduate study. Generally speaking, a graduate degree does not guarantee you financial stability in the future, nor does it necessarily improve job prospects (especially in the humanities). In fact, pursuing a graduate degree involves some serious risk (both financial and personal), and it is a decision that should not be taken lightly.

I'm not passing judgment on your particular circumstance - I have no idea who you are - but you should keep all of this in mind while you plan your future path. Best of luck!

[socialpsych]

There are some master's programs with rolling admission, I believe. I don't know of any off the top of my head (and it would depend on your field) but you could check into that.

I've heard of people bypassing the normal admissions process and getting in to PhD programs at the last minute, but those cases have always been applications solicited by profs at the program whose personal friends (usually outside the US) have a particularly brilliant student, or situations like that, so if you are not an undergrad right now I don't think there is any way that will be an option for you.

[Rural_America]

I'm not passing judgment on your particular circumstance - I have no idea who you are - but you should keep all of this in mind while you plan your future path. Best of luck!

Thanks.

I've done a bit of research today and have discovered that several "regional state universities" offer rolling admissions up to 6 weeks before the start of a semester for grad programs. Going to grad school is something that I have wanted to do ever since finishing undergrad. I'm not one to look at grad school as an easy way to make "big bucks." I look at it as an opportunity to further my knowledge. I'd much rather have to live the rest of my life making minimum wage as an engineer, than make triple the minimum wage doing a mindless job.

[Tobson]

Thanks.

I've done a bit of research today and have discovered that several "regional state universities" offer rolling admissions up to 6 weeks before the start of a semester for grad programs. Going to grad school is something that I have wanted to do ever since finishing undergrad. I'm not one to look at grad school as an easy way to make "big bucks." I look at it as an opportunity to further my knowledge. I'd much rather have to live the rest of my life making minimum wage as an engineer, than make triple the minimum wage doing a mindless job.

well I do not know what you mean by "regional state universities" but there are quite a few universities with late deadlines. Ohio State(1.June), SUNY at Buffalo(15.May), Syracuse(1.July) just to name a few (depending on the departement). But the thing is, I don't know how good chances are to apply that late. Sure there won't be any funding, but how the chance of admission is, I don't know either.

[stigMPA]

well I do not know what you mean by "regional state universities" but there are quite a few universities with late deadlines. Ohio State(1.June), SUNY at Buffalo(15.May), Syracuse(1.July) just to name a few (depending on the departement). But the thing is, I don't know how good chances are to apply that late. Sure there won't be any funding, but how the chance of admission is, I don't know either.

I don't know about the others, but I know my Masters program at Syracuse already has a full cohort (or at least close to it based on size of years past).

I have a feeling of lot of "rolling admissions" schools are just nominally that. As you pointed out there is almost certain to be no funding left and even odds for admission could be damaged quite a bit. For example, if you want to study public finance and the school has already met the quota for that specialty you could find yourself caught out even with a competitive application packet. My honest recommendation would be to apply on the regular schedule.

[Rural_America]

well I do not know what you mean by "regional state universities" but there are quite a few universities with late deadlines. Ohio State(1.June), SUNY at Buffalo(15.May), Syracuse(1.July) just to name a few (depending on the departement). But the thing is, I don't know how good chances are to apply that late. Sure there won't be any funding, but how the chance of admission is, I don't know either.

Thanks for the reply. I had previously come across Ohio State as having a late deadline, I'll look into the others you mentioned. I honestly don't know how realistic it is to be admitted at an institution this fall.

It's also highly impractical for me to consider applying during the "typical deadline season" which would mean starting a program in fall of 2010, some 17 months away!

[Tobson]

Thanks for the reply. I had previously come across Ohio State as having a late deadline, I'll look into the others you mentioned. I honestly don't know how realistic it is to be admitted at an institution this fall.

It's also highly impractical for me to consider applying during the "typical deadline season" which would mean starting a program in fall of 2010, some 17 months away!

University of Rhode Island also has a July deadline. I seriously would call the addmission people and talk to them, maybe it is possible to enroll as a non-degree seeking first (first semester) and switchto degree seeking, that might enhance your initial chance.

e: oh I forgot, spring addmission is not recommend by most school, but very often possible.

[cardnav]

oh I forgot, spring addmission is not recommend by most school, but very often possible.

I graduated in December and considered doing the spring admission for a Masters, but ended up not doing it. When I visited the program they told me not to apply. Even though I didn't require funding, they said if I applied for spring I wouldn't get merit aid (ended up applying for the fall and got a lot of money). Also they admit far fewer applicants -- most Masters admit 8 times as many in the Fall.

You are better off applying for the Fall but submitting your application very early -- I was able to submit my part of the application by August and had the entire application (transcripts, recs, etc.) in by the end of October and got my first acceptance literally 5 days after I got an email saying my file was complete.