Letters of recommendation

You will usually need three letters of recommendation with your application. These letters can be from professors who know you well, supervisors, academic or student group advisors, or anyone else that is qualified to comment upon your ability and potential. You should choose people who know you well enough to make an informed recommendation and who have a good opinion of you; the last thing you want in your application packet is a negative letter of reference! The people you select should also understand the field you are planning to study and be able to compare you to other students with similar goals and interests.

Even if you don't plan to start graduate school right away, it's a good idea to get your letters of reference while your experience with the recommender is fairly recent. You can always ask for an updated letter at a later date, if needed.
· The first step in getting a letter of recommendation is asking the person if they are willing, able, and comfortable writing a letter for you. It's important that the person writing the letter feel that they have enough experience with you to make a solid recommendation. You should not ask for a letter if the person indicates that what they have to say about you is negative.
· Once the person has agreed to write a letter for you, you may want to make an appointment with them to go over your goals and reasons for wanting to go to graduate school. You should be able to explain this clearly at this point!
· If a form for letters of reference was provided with your application materials, be sure to give one to the recommender. Based on the school, the letter may need to be returned to you or mailed directly to the school. Either way, provide an envelope for the letter (stamped if it is to mailed to the school). The form will usually ask whether you are willing to waive your right to read the letter; make sure you fill in any necessary information and sign the form, if needed, prior to giving the form to the recommender.
· With the form, you can also provide a copy of your statement of purpose, a copy of your transcript, your resume, or any other information that will help them write a detailed and accurate letter. If the recommender is a professor, you may want to include a copy of a paper or project that you did particularly well on. This will help the professor remember your work more clearly.
· Make sure the person knows the date by which the letter has be mailed or returned to you. You may have to politely and tactfully remind them before the date.
· Send a note thanking them for the letter. Send another one after you have been accepted, to keep them informed of your progress.
· Do NOT wait until the last minute to ask. Be considerate and plan ahead - yours may be one of many letters that person has to write.
3. Standardized tests
Many graduate schools require standardized test scores as part of your application. The most frequently requested scores are from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Other tests you may be asked to take are:
DAT - Dental Admission Test

GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Test (Business)

LSAT - Law School Admission Test

MCAT - Medical College Admission Test

OCAT - Optometry College Admission Test

PCAT - Pharmacy College Admission Test

VAT - Veterinary Aptitude Test

Some schools also require a GRE subject matter test. The application will clearly state which test you need to take.

Schools will vary in how heavily they weight your test scores. Some schools will not consider candidates below a certain range, while others view test scores as part of your overall application packet.

A note for international students
Many graduate schools require that you demonstrate competency in English. You may need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam.

About the GRE
The GRE is the most commonly requested standardized test for graduate school admissions. It consists of three sections, one each on verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills.

The verbal section has questions regarding reading comprehension, antonyms, analogies, and sentence completion. The quantitative section tests your problem-solving and reasoning ability. Typical questions use arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. The analytical section has questions regarding analytical and logical reasoning and pattern identification.

At the end of the test, you can select which schools you wish to send your results to. Results can be sent to four schools free of charge; there is a fee for sending additional results. You can then view your results immediately. You can't change your mind about sending your test results after you view them, however.

More information about the test is available through the MSU Testing Office (online at www.couns.msu.edu/testing/). The GRE is only offered electronically. While this means that there is more flexibility with test dates and locations, online tests can also be intimidating to some people. If you are not comfortable taking tests on a computer, you should plan to take at least one practice test before your scheduled test date. Plan to take the GRE by November of the year before you plan to enter graduate school.

Preparing for the GRE (and other standardized tests)
It's a good idea to prepare for the GRE, even if you test well. The more familiar you are with the format of the test and types of questions asked, the better you are likely to do. Practice tests are available from the Educational Testing Service (the company that administers the test). There are also many preparation books and courses available. How you decide to prepare depends on your personal learning style.

Testing booklets for each of these admission exams are available at the Counseling Center Testing Office (207 Student Services). These booklets include the examination registration form, fee information, examination dates and registration deadlines. Pre-professional advisors are also available to assist in preparing for the medical exams. They may be reached at 355-7166, 103 Natural Science Building.