Kate Hodgson is an Honors Art History major and Anthropology minor from Bentonville, Arkansas. She was recently accepted into a Ph.D. program in Art History, Oxford University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. After graduation, she’ll earn an MA in History of Art with a focused on the art of the late medieval and Northern Renaissance period. As Kate begins her next educational journey, she offers takeaways from her experience to those planning to apply to grad school.
Applying for graduate school can seem like a daunting process, but I promise, with patience and tenacity, you can compile a strong application. Below I have outlined five key steps that I made before and during the application process that gave my applications a competitive edge.
1. Start thinking about recommendations early: This might seem premature, but it is useful to start thinking about which professors you want as recommenders as early as your sophomore or junior years. Making connections with faculty members, ideally professors in a field you would like to pursue in grad school, is a great way to develop mentorships. As a result, you will have strong letters of recommendation. Ask to meet with professors to discuss your goals for graduate school, try to take multiple classes with them, and most importantly, make an effort to be strong students in their classes. I developed a close working relationship with several of my professors in the Art History department here at the University of Arkansas. My research mentor, professor Lynn Jacobs, was instrumental in supporting and guiding me throughout the graduate school application process.
2. Ask for help: Great feats are rarely undertaken alone, and the same is true for any strong graduate school application. Your professors are your greatest allies and assets during the application process. One of the most important parts of any grad school application is the letter of intent and in most cases, your writing sample. Ask your professors if they would be willing to read your letters and proof-read your writing samples and CV. Ask for their advice on connecting with faculty members at the grad programs you’re applying to. If you’ve made those connections with professors early on, they will want to help you and see you succeed!
3. Proofread, proofread, and proofread again: I know–You’re tired, and you don’t want to look at your letter of intent or writing sample ever again. However, make sure to read through all your materials one last time and out loud to yourself. Typos and grammatical errors are killers on any application, and you’ll thank me when you find that one pesky typo. Although I had several professors read through my letters of intent and had proofread them myself at least five times, I forced myself to read through each letter one more time before submitting my applications to several PhD programs. And there it was: I had misspelled the word “such.”
A Psalter produced in Rouen, France, for King Henry VI of England. This folio represents a portrait of the young King Henry VI praying before the Virgin and Child. My honors thesis, “A Poor Third? A Re-examination of Manuscript and Print Markets in Rouen,” investigated the intersection of manuscript and print markets in fifteenth-century Rouen.
4. Got the interview? Here’s what to do: Congrats! You got an interview. This means the program is very interested in you. Several days before the interview, start preparing your answers to questions like “What kind of questions/problems/concepts interest you in X field?” “Which scholars have you read, and did you enjoy their approach?” Be sure to read through the program’s website and prospectus, so you know the structure, resources, and goals of the program. Be polite, dress professionality, and of course, ALWAYS come to the interview prepared to ask questions.
5. Be patient and authentic: I rewrote my letter of intent seven times before I had a final draft to submit to grad schools. The first draft I sent to my professor was quite bad (I admit, I had no idea how to write a letter of intent), and it took me six more rewrites to get it in shape. Yes, it was discouraging at times, but with patience and trust in the process, the result was a strong letter of intent that reflected my accomplishments, how I think about problems in my field, and my goals for the future. Applying for grad school is a process that often takes several months to compile your materials and ensure they are ready to send off to programs. However, with tenacity, patience, and the support of your professors and colleagues, you will submit your applications with pride.
Applying for grad school takes time, demands patience and requires tenacity. While your academic performance and professional experience as an undergraduate are vital to having a strong application for any grad school, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of professors and colleagues who can support you on your journey. If you know that grad school might be in the stars for you, start forging connections with professors, mentors or colleagues early on and ask them to help advise you through the application process. While composing your letters and compiling your materials, treat the applications with great care. Don’t be afraid to rewrite and proofread your letters several times and acknowledge that this is a learning process. And most importantly, trust yourself. You got this!
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