Application Tips and Advice

Applying Early

Although we do not have a rolling admissions cycle, applying early is always a good idea. The earlier you apply, the earlier you and we can spot problems. The earlier you submit it the more time you give recommenders to submit their letters for you. The closer to the deadline we get, the more emails and mail we get, making it harder for you to 1) get in contact with us, and 2) check your application status. We receive about 3000 applications every year which come with thousands of packages and email messages, the bulk of them arriving in near the deadline.

Also, it's a good idea to take your GRE and, if applicable, your TOEFL as early as possible. ETS can take up to a month to get the scores to us and are absolutely notorious for messing up names (especially if you have more than two), making it hard for our system to connect the reports to your application. Do not wait until early January to have the scores sent to us simply because our review process starts soon after the January 5 deadline and your application should be complete by then.

Online Application Advice

• Check all email addresses twice before you submit the application, including your own. If you mistype any addresses, it can make difficult to contact you and your recommenders.
• Do not transpose your name (type your last name as your first name and vice-versa). It can slow down processing.

Regarding Mailed Application Materials

The application process is entirely online. Please do not mail us the following:

• Transcripts
• Personal Financial documents such as bank balances
• CVs or Resumes
• Notebooks or diaries
• Overly long publications (if 15+ pages, please send the abstract only and put the document up on the web, if you are able).
• Your Statement of Purpose (we will already have what you submitted online)
• Your Personal History Statement (we will already have what you submitted online)
• CDs of music performances, video games, etc

The best way for the admissions committee to view the items mentioned above is the creation of a homepage with links.

Once You Apply

If it is December or early January, you can count on us being busy with applications. Please keep in mind the following advice: administrative processing is the bureaucratic equivalent of quicksand. The more you thrash around, send letters, make phone calls, the deeper you sink because the people who are supposed to be processing your file spend all their time responding to your inquiries. It's not that it's a bad idea to contact us if you feel there is something wrong; by all means, please do so. But please be patient-towards the end of the year, our office is covered with piles and piles of mail and it can take us some time to respond.

The application review begins soon after the January deadline. If your application materials are not in by that day, we are under no obligation to review them as part of your application. You are solely responsible for getting your materials in on time (preferably early) and you can check your application status using the instructions provided by the Graduate Division for their online application.

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revised 9/6/11

Please see our Career Center's webpages on applying to graduate school.

On writing your Statement of Purpose.

Questions? Please contact EECS Graduate Admissions.