Medicine & Health
Grad School Applications
Lately, I've been receiving application results from my graduate program applications for my master's programs in bioinformatics and biomedical engineering. I am lucky enough to be admitted into graduate programs at Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University, and ETH Zurich. Here are some key takeaways from the tedious application process, I'll try my best to be less cliche:
1. Keep your application organized. I used a notion table to organize the file, timeline, and checklists for all the programs I applied to so that I can keep my mind clear of the status of my applications. Check out this article for some templates;
2. Leave time for research. The most time-consuming part of the application is actually choosing the best programs and supervisors for you. Start early on navigating through university websites and lab pages for the topics/programs of your interests;
3. Use forums wisely. Forums such as GradCafe and college confidential can be useful in providing some scholarship/program database. But bear in mind every year situation changes and doesn't be obsessed browsing through those forums as it may heighten your anxiety;
4. Logic and Story. For personal statements/SoP, tell a story of clear logic is the strategy I choose for my application. Though it may vary from program to program, showing your professionalism and tailoring your writing to the program generally help. Also, short sentences can be powerful.
I'd love to hear about your stories and tips for applying for grad schools (Masters, Ph.D., MD, etc). We may also have a panel talk on grad school applications in the future. Before that, Laidlaw hosted a panel talk before on this topic, check it out if you're interested.