Grad School Application Essays

[sarabandeness]

I don't even know where to begin on these things.  I've always been relatively good at writing, but I don't really enjoy it, and I particularly hate writing about why I'm wonderful and should be a welcome addition to a Master's Degree program.  It just feels so egotistical.  Plus, I am notsure enough of what I want to do with my future to write a

Comments

[spiritonparole]

I do not, however, have a clear cut view of what I want to get out of grad school professionally

I'm going to play Captain Obvious here and ask why you're even applying to grad school at this point in time if you don't know what you want to get out of it. That screams "mistake" to me. It seems as though you would benefit much more from a couple of years' professional experience and some serious time to think. Might put you in a better situation financially as well. Grad school should be an enjoyable way to extend your career skills, not a series of flaming hoops to jump through before you can enter the "real" world.

[sarabandeness]

I do know that I want to continue to improve my cello technique, and I'm pretty sure that if I took time off from school and worked, I wouldn't have enough time to practice, nor enough money to pay for lessons. If, however, I get an assistantship or scholarship for grad school, which is the only way I can afford to attend, I will be able to finance my life and at the same time become a better musician. In terms of "time to think:" I feel like I've spent my entire undergrad thinking, and this is the closest I've ever gotten to a conclusion, so I think I should go with it. I guess I just don't feel like this situation makes a very good essay...

[spiritonparole]

*nods* Those all seem like fair points, certainly, though I think you might still do well to consider working in a field where you could combine your personal interests with your professional ones (e.g. assistant-teaching music classes and working with the main instructor on your technique, or some such.) With regard to your essay, I'd talk specifically about your technique, the strengths and weaknesses that you perceive there, and how you wish to build on this knowledge through technical work as a graduate student.

[ariestar]

One thing I can say is that honesty does in fact lead to application death, even if it's accidental with good intentions.

Pretend for a moment that you want nothing more than to spend the next three years of your life being judged and berated in an attempt to further your technique. Then, write the essay. If you decide in a month that you would rather run screaming, do so, and you're only out an application fee. But, for now, pretend that you're absolutely sure.

I do wish to echo the thoughts above that grad school is only for people who are sure, and if it takes a few years to be sure, then do it. Perhaps these next few years are where you build on your cello experience, and, after that, you have a quirky addition to your med school application. One thing I've learned in the last year is that there is plenty of life left for us, and plenty of time to do what we want to do. Sure, everyone thinks that the 17-year-old grad student is super-smart and super-cool, but he's also super-miserable.

[upsidown]

You don't have to give them THE life plan, you just have to give them ONE life plan. As long as it's a possibility, it's fair game to talk about. So tell them about the possibilities that they want to hear.