Panel Discussion on the Admissions Process and Financial Aid for Graduate School

In this episode of the Idealist.org Podcast, a panel of graduate
admissions representatives talk about the graduate admissions
application process and financial aid. Recorded during the summer
Washington, D.C. Idealist.org Graduate Degree Fair for the Public
Good hosted by the American University School of Public
Affairs.

Hear answers to the following questions (in order):

How do teaching assistantships work?

Should I get a second masters?

What are some of the issues that prospective students be
thinking about?

How do I transition from one area of study to another, eg,
biochemistry to policy?

Do your programs prefer or require professional work
experience in your applicants?

Would volunteer work related to my graduate field of interest
count as experience in the application?

What are some practical tools I should be using right now to
pay for grad school?

If I don't have a 4.0, how does that affect my scholarship
eligibility?

Are the different parts of the application weighed
consistently across schools?

How much time is spent reviewing each application?

On the personal essay, what should I write about?

How should I decide between full-time and part-time?

What do you expect in regards to recommendations for
applicants who have been out of school for more than five years?

What is more important? The name on the recommendation letter
or how closely they have worked with you?

What if you are not working in the specific field that you
want to study at grad school?

Can you talk about a candidate that stood out for you in
positive and negative ways?


This episode is an enhanced podcast file that allows you to skip
ahead to specific questions within the episode.

Find dates and locations of upcoming Graduate Degree Fairs for the
Public Good

Find more information on Grad School at the Public Service and
Graduate Education Resource Center

Check out the original video of the panel discussion.