by Glen Berseth
Grad Applications Guide for Computer Science Students
A graduate application comprises several parts, each serving a distinct purpose and targeting a specific audience. Keep in mind that the readers of these applications want to be confident that the applicant has the knowledge and passion to succeed at graduate school.
To increase the chances of success, it often helps to have a short list of schools that best fit the student's profile. For example, this will help find a good match between the student and the professor. Not all schools are this way, but before considering a student, the professor will want to know if the student has skills and interests in the same area as the professor. While professors may accept generally skilled students, all students will likely perform better if they share interests aligned with the professor's planned research direction. Much of this is motivated by the expectations of the PhD program. For example, a PhD is the space where you develop your skills to achieve technical milestones towards a clear topic.
It is with the above in mind that I provide a few tips on how students can design tier applications to help find good pairs between graduates and professors, thereby making the graduate student program more synergistic. Starting with the purpose of each component of the application and what is important to communicate.
Good grades demonstrate that a student can study and learn effectively. Learning is an important skill for graduate school as most of the job will be spent learning, whether in class or generating new knowledge for the research community. Getting good grades is important, but not the most important aspect of the application.
The CV is designed to inform the reader about your accomplishments. Students should ensure they organize this document effectively, placing their best achievements at the top. This should focus on achievements that are not already listed in the transcripts. For example, if the student participated in enjoyable extra-curricular activities, competitions or student groups, what was learned from those experiences.
The proposal should communicate the types of problems the student is interested in working on and why the student is passionate enough to persevere through the challenges during the program. The proposal should avoid repeating information in the transcripts and CV. It should be easier to find that information in those documents. For example, it is not particularly inspiring to say that a student achieved good grades and wants to use ML/AI to detect dark matter. A more helpful item to put in the proposal document is a good story about why you are interested in this research area. Be honest and sincere here. Tell the story at a broad enough scope of research that you will be genuinely interested in that research. And back up the plan for this story with technical details to show you understand the research in this space.
The reference letters are intended to support the content in the rest of the application. They are a third-person account of the student's skills and their assessment of the student's potential. When looking for letter writers, it is good to get a mix of people who know you well and can comment on your work in detail and writers who are stronger in their research field.
Contacting Faculty Before Applying
Students can message professors to ask about open positions and express interest. If students are going to cold-email professors, it will be helpful to include, in the first line or two of the email, why they think the professor is a good match. Additionally, simply stating that the student is a great match may not be effective, as a professor's research direction can change, and it would be presumptuous to assume their research plans.
Practice for Interviews
Suppose you are offered an interview, practice beforehand by researching common interview questions and preparing thoughtful responses. This will help you feel more confident and be more articulate during the interview.