The Increasing Importance of the Graduate Admissions Essay

In today’s increasingly competitive academic world, the graduate admissions essay is becoming more important than ever before. An increasing percentage of the population is graduating from college and going on to graduate school. Whether this is due to a sluggish economy which negatively impacts the number of jobs available right now for college graduates or increased demand for professionals with advanced degrees, many adults are now choosing to go to graduate school. Earn an advanced degree and qualify for a new job. Pursue a promotion by studying towards a graduate degree. Acquiring a master’s degree or a PhD will make you more competitive in the workplace.If you have an undergraduate degree and the industry is looking for employees with advanced degrees to fill positions, the impetus is there to pursue a graduate degree. If your bachelor’s degree is in a field that is in oversupply currently, you might want to consider pursuing a graduate degree in another fi eld.Now that you have made the decision to go back to school or to continue in school, it is time to focus on the graduate admissions essay portion of your application. Writing a graduate school essay may seem to be a daunting task, but, in fact, is easy when you know what should be included in it.Preparing to Write a Great Graduate School EssayBefore starting to write your graduate admissions essay, you should review why you have chosen to pursue this specific field. Think about why you want to earn a graduate degree. Will you be seeking a promotion? Looking to change careers? An inveterate student who likes to keep learning?Once you have chosen the school and the degree program to which you will be applying, you should create an outline of ideas to be included in your graduate school essay. Think about describing your reasons for attending graduate school. Be specific and give details that will allow the admissions committee to understand your motivation. If you plan to change car eers, explain your reasons.The graduate school essay will show the admissions committee why you should be admitted to the program and what your long term plans are, following receipt of the degree. Details are important to personalize your graduate admissions essay. It is not difficult to think about writing the graduate admissions essay when you realize that you are writing from a very personal viewpoint. Who would know better what to include in the increasingly-important graduate admissions essay than you?!