Applying to (Harvard) Graduate School
In 2013, during my Masters’ year at Cambridge University, I applied to five graduate schools in the US for entry to Chemistry PhD programmes. I was successful in gaining a place at Harvard. I found that applying to schools in the States can be quite different to the UK process, both in terms of what they are looking for, and how the different programmes work. Further to this, the American mindset contrasts quite perceptibly to the British. Your fellow applicants will mostly be American and will not be worried about holding back or about coming across as arrogant in their application. Thus, do not do yourself a disservice by being too modest. This for me was probably the most important factor when I was forming my application, along with a willingness to create a narrative – who are you and why should they choose you – as well as deciding on the most suitable college, subject and degree. Below I outline what I learned about applying to grad school in the US in general, and then some advice specific to Harvard. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or feel that I could help you in any way with your application!
In general:
Give yourself plenty of time. You should be starting to plan your application over a year before your starting date. This is particularly important for registering for the GRE, particularly subject-specific tests.
Understand exactly what they are looking for. This includes:
Academic achievements – it is a good idea to stress the point that undergraduate grading systems work very differently in the States and the UK. Although you may think that the people assessing your application would be clued into this they may well not be. So, find somewhere in the application (often in additional information) to explain your degree and grades. For example, if you got a 1st class degree, with a 71%, BE SURE to stress that this is a top grade in UK schools. American colleges work very differently and most kids there would be embarrassed with a 71.
Specific application essays – be sure to understand what they are looking for. One of these for me was a diversity essay. I also wrote about my own mental health. Do not be scared to write about difficult things as they are likely to appreciate this. And sell your story.
Do not hold back! I can’t stress this enough. Sell yourself much more than you would usually feel comfortable doing, without lying or sounding objectively arrogant. If you were placed near the top of the class in an exam, make a point of that. If you won a prize, let them know, and do not be modest.
Be sure that you are applying to the right place and for the right course. Remember that PhD and Masters programmes in the states can be quite different to the UK.
What makes you different? Tell a story. Imagine yourself in a Hollywood movie, one with a really intense, emotional soundtrack, and write your personal story on top of that (without being cheesy). How did your academic and research interests come about and how would you pursue them if accepted to your school?
You will need to sit the GRE – most likely you will have to sit the general test, and you may need to sit a subject-specific test depending on what you are applying for. The subject-specific tests are often optional – I did not sit the chemistry test (because I had missed the deadline). Be sure to look up the tests at least a year in advance. Buy the GRE book and study. Do not underestimate how much time American students will be putting into preparing for the GRE. Many of them will have personal tutors. It may not be a bad idea to have some time with a tutor or somebody who has previously sat the test. How much your score will affect your chances of getting an offer will depend on the course and college you are applying for, but it is an ‘objective’ measure and therefore well worth doing as well as you possibly can on. You can definitely prepare for the GRE.
References – really stress to your referees that you are applying to the US and a top school. Two of my referees let me look over what they had written. On some of the forms there were specific questions which they had to answer – i.e. “X is one of the best students I have ever taught”. Without sounding cheeky, remind them that many other applicants will have convinced their referee to paint a particularly shiny picture since they understand the US system. I think, unfortunately, that references to US colleges probably need to be doubly complimentary compared to the UK.
Talk to someone who has been through the process before! Particularly, if possible, somebody who was successful in gaining entry to the college you are applying to, and ideally the same course.
They are unlikely to interview you, so you really need to make your application strong on paper.
Think carefully about which professors you would be most interested in working with (particularly if you are applying for a PhD). US schools work quite differently to the UK (particularly for the sciences since you are accepted to the school and then over the course of your first year find yourself a professor for whom you will work).
If you do get a place, take up their offer of attending an open day in the spring – they will most likely pay for your travel and accommodation. This will give you a chance to meet some professors, current students and to imagine yourself at home at your new school.
Specific to Harvard:
Be sure that it is the right place for you. The fact that it is an academically rigorous environment goes without saying. One of its great advantages was its location, in Cambridge, just outside of Boston, where you will meet an endless stream of interesting intellectuals.
If you are applying for a PhD in the sciences, remember that you will not actually join a professor’s lab until towards the end of your first year. Thus, you should have an idea of several profs whose work interests you.
For a PhD, you will be expected to teach undergraduate (and potentially graduate) classes as a teaching assistant. If this is something you think you would enjoy, explain this in your personal statement!
Be excited! You are applying to one of the greatest academic institutions in the world. Let this excitement spill over into your application.
If you have any questions about this piece, or about graduate application process, please email us at support@doxa.co.uk
Author: Jeremy - Harvard
MA Chemistry
I spent four years at Cambridge University studying Natural Sciences. I then continued on to Harvard where I was also a teaching assistant. I am currently on the graduate entry medicine course at Oxford, having been awarded distinctions in both my first and second year.
