Advice for Doctoral Applicants

Testing 123.

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Greeting.

Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and thank you for your interest in our doctoral programs. My name is Arnold for G and I'm joined by my colleague, Christine Lombardi and today we're going to talk to you about the application requirements for the doctoral programs and to also give you some advice on how each component is going to be evaluated as part of our application review process and committee discussions so will begin with the PhD admissions application.

The application form itself is and supporting materials are submitted via the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

Other requirements are the supplemental form statement of purpose resume standardized tests such as the GRE and to full or eilts. If that's applicable to you transcript 3 letters of recommendation. The application fee. And the PhD program has a required interview component, which is by invitation. Only the interviews for this cycle will take place. January 21st through the 24th. So we do advise and you keep those dates as open as you possibly can in case you are invited to an interview.

The application deadline is December 1st.

And to be more specific by 5:00 PM Eastern Time. On December 1st and electronic notification of the admissions decisions will come from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in March of 2020.

The EDLD at admissions application requirements are the application form, which is submitted via at the HTC's website.

There's a short 500 word essay requirement. There is a statement of purpose resume standardized tests again GRE or **** mad or to floor. Eilts transcripts 3 letters of recommendation. The application fee. And there's also a required interview component of the EDLD application. And those are also by invitation. Only the interview dates for EDLD. This cycle will be February 27th and 28th.

And the application deadline is December 15th by 11:59 PM eastern Standard Time.

The admissions dishes the admissions decisions will go out in March of 2020.

So let's talk a little bit about the statement of purpose.

The statement of purpose is part of a holistic admissions process. It gives us an opportunity to get to know you a little bit better learn about how you've arrived where you are today and how that impacted your intellectual or professional goals that you have. We're looking for you to demonstrate why this particular program is the right fit for you and how it's ultimately going to help you achieve your long term goals.

We hope that you will take the time to reflect deeply on high you've arrived to this point, and what you hope to achieve with your degree.

The statement of purpose is not meant to be a repetition of your resume or your transcript. So we're not looking for you to explain any prior academic performance or tell us give us a chronological order of your work history or anything like that. It supposed to supplement all of your additional application materials and in a way tie it all together and tell the story.

So the statement of purpose in the Admissions Committee is also going to look at the statement of purpose as a writing sample as well. So we do, find that those who take the time to really self reflect on why they're passionate about education? What they hope their impact to be and what they hope to accomplish with their degree and how this will help them achieve their objectives. Those statement of purpose is are the most.

Impactful an effective one so we do advise that you take your time with it. The doctoral PhD statement of purpose is 1000 words maximum.

And since this is our research based doctoral program, the biggest focus is going to be on research and so we hope that you'll use a statement of purpose to tell us a little bit about your research interests. Why that particular area requires further research and how it's going to fit within the larger education sector.

And also we'd love to hear about how then this interest ties into your long term goals an what the contribution is going to be to the field of study.

We do advise their students do research on our website to identify faculty that you would like to work with and faculty. They would act as your advisors throughout your PhD program and the statement of purpose would be a great place for you to talk a little bit about why you think that particular faculty or number of faculty are the ones that have the necessary expertise and background that would be helpful to your research.

The EDLD program so this being our practice based doctoral program as you know in the 3rd year of the program. Students complete their residency, so there's a bigger focus on actual work experience and so this is the statement of purpose for the EDLD we'd love to hear sort of what key experiences have contributed to your commitment to education? What you view. Looking back at your professional experience what has been your most significant professional accomplishment.

And on the flip side what has been your most significant professional failure and what are the lessons learned? How do they inform your development an the rest the progression of your career to where you are today?

There is a 1500 words maximum there is no additional bonus points for going over 1500 words. We do hope that that should suffice in you?

Telling us a little bit more about yourself and answering this key questions and we also in a statement of purpose 1, two year by your plans and So what are the issues that you would like to tackle in your career?

Uh on a system level.

Scale and what do you envision yourself?

Affecting significant change in the American Pre K through 12 education sectors. So those are some of the key questions that the admissions committee will find very helpful in evaluating your application.

Now, some general advice on the statement of purpose. Probably the number one would be start early as I mentioned earlier, the most effective statement of purpose is are the ones where people have really taken their time with it really self reflected took a step back and view their career progression. Educational progression very critically and helping tie it all together with how your past experience combined with the education.

And your experience at HGC? How is it ultimately going to impact your career and also the impact that you will have on the field post graduation?

And so it's a great way for us to get to know you and it's very important in the statement of purpose be your voice.

We do.

Think that you will probably go through various different iterations of your statement of purpose and that's entirely normal. We do expect that you'll probably ask your trusted friends or colleagues that will read over your statement of purpose and give you feedback and that's entirely perfectly fine. But you do want to make sure that your final product, even though it will go through several edits that it's still your voice.

At the end of the day, we're trying to get to know you better and we're trying to assess the fit between you and a particular program. You're applying for and there's a clear distinction about.

Uh the statement of purpose versus a college essay right and so we do expect that you will be more clear in your writing as to what your goals are how you got to where you are, and like I mentioned earlier try to tie it all together and don't simply just rehash your resume an focusing on additional areas besides what we mentioned.

So for the idiot the DLD program. There is the additional 500 words short essay and for the short essay. We ask that you describe the strategy from outside your organization or even the field of education entirely that could radically have an impact and improve the American Pre K through 12 education system so that is a very specific topic and we hope that 500 words will suffice and with that I will pass it on to my colleague, Christine to tell us a little bit more about some of the other components of the application.

Great great we're going to talk next about the standardized testing requirements. So we'll start with the jury. We do require a valid. Jiri score from all applicants. There are no exceptions to this rule. Your square must be valid at the time of application. This means if you're applying for follow 2020. Enrollment your scores must be taken. They must be from a testing on or after February, 1st 2015. We recommend that you take the test no later than late November to ensure that the scores arrive in time to be considered with your application.

It does take between 2 to 3 weeks for us to receive your official scores from each yes, so make sure you're voting in enough of a buffer to ensure that your scores arrive in time.

You also want to make sure that you send them to the correct institution code for the PhD send it to code 3. Four five one which is the code for the Graduate School, Virgin Sciences for the Doctor of Education leadership send it to 3428, which is this code for the Graduate School of Education. No Department code is required for the giri, however, keep in mind that we're unable to transfer scores between schools, so again make sure that you're sending it to the proper code.

A few tips for the for the jury our first be familiar with the test instructions and the types of questions that it will ask you.

Make sure that you allow yourself plenty of time to review the concepts being tested and take time practice test.

Also, take advantage of free Jiri Prep Test software on the ETS website www.uts.org.

And one thing I do want to mention is if you are applying for the DOD program in the utility program only, you are able to submit a gmat score instead of the jury again. This is only for you. DLT students, but you'll see that as an option as well. and I think about our standardized testing requirements in general, whether it's the jury if for your PhD radio application or the gmat if you're applying for the DLD do you keep in mind that we review applications holistic Lee so no one piece of your application is the sole determinant of your admissibility. We are looking at.

Everything that you submit to determine how good if it you would be for this particular program.

Depending on your particular circumstances, you may also be required to submit a tofel oraio score.

This is required of individuals if your native language is not English and you do not receive a bachelors degree from an institution where the sole language of instruction was English.

We are not able to exempt you from this requirement. If you received a graduate degree from an institution with the language of instruction in English, it must be your bachelors institution.

Again, you want to make sure your squares are still valid when you're applying for this cycle. It is they've test must be taken on or after February 1st 2018.

Again make sure that you take the test no later than late November to make sure that your scores arrive in time.

The institution codes again for that 04 of the same as they were for the previous slide for the PhD. It's 3. Four five one and for the DOD is 3428, there is no code required for the IL scores.

For the telephone the yotes, unlike the jury. We do have a preferred minimum score for that awful exam. It's a 104 overall with individual section. Scores of at least 26 for the Isles is the 7.5 overall with an individual section score of 7.5.

Again make sure if if you need to take this exam that you're leaving yourself plenty of time to prepare.

Next are the letters of recommendation, we require that 3 letters of recommendation be uploaded to your online application by your recommenders.

And thinking about who you choose to write your letters. You want to consider asking people who know you well and who interact with you in different capabilities. We urge that you think about having at least one person who can talk to your strength in the kind of the classroom in your academic abilities. An one who can talk to your experience as a potential and potential as an educator.

When approaching recommenders you want to think about things like asking them if they have time to write you a strong letter of recommendation. You also don't want to ask recommenders. A few days before the recommendation is do give them plenty of time to work on that.

Much like you would your statement purpose.

You might want to provide the individuals with an overview of your program of interest. You can also give them things like your resume a draft of your statement of purpose and or a program description any of these things might help them better understand why you're applying for your particular program of interest and help them write you a strongest letters.

We have found that the string of letters tend to come from people that know you well and can talk specifically about your interest in the particular program.

You also want to consider whether or not to waive your right to access your letter of recommendation what this means is that if you do decide to waive your right you will not be able to see the letter of recommendation even if you are admitted and choose to enroll if you do not wait here right if you were admitted and choose general your letter of recommendation will become part of your student record and you would be able to view it as an admitted an enrolled student.

And considering which might be right for you, we urge you can discuss this choice with your letter writers.

Finally think carefully and thoughtfully about who you would like to serve as your recommend recommenders before adding them to your application. We cannot make changes once you have listed a recommender to your application so again take your time and make sure that you're choosing people that can represent your candidacy well.

The next component our transcripts for the application process. We require that you upload unofficial transcripts from every post secondary institution that you've attended again for the application process. This can be unofficial copies. It does not have to be official copies. They should however. Show any courses completed grades received the duration of study and any degree or diploma that you receive from the particular institution.

Again, this has to be from every post secondary institution. You attended so that includes things like summer courses transfer credit. Non degree study. All of those transcripts are required and you can upload them directly to your application.

If you studied abroad, you may also be required to upload a separate transcript.

If you studied abroad or you have a transfer credit from a institution where you studied and you were there for one semester or less. And the course names in grade appear on your home institution transcript. You do not need to upload a separate transcript. However, if you studied abroad or have transfer credits from an institution for more than one semester. We do require a separate transcript.

If you are a current student. We ask that you upload a transcript with grades through the preceding term. If you're applying in fall 2019. This would mean that you should upload a transcript that has your grades through the summer of 2019 term.

You do not need to wait for fall grades to become available.

If possible, it can be helpful to have your in progress courses listed on your transcript. But if they're not available at the time that you're applying don't wait on them. Just make sure you upload a transcript with everything through the summer and you should be good to go for the application process.

If your institution calculates GPA in reports GPA make sure that you also list that through the prior semester on your application.

There is no great point average minimum we don't calculate average GPA scores. We were reviewing your Tran Scripps. We're looking at everything from the courses that you took your progress overtime in your grades received so again. We're reviewing the entire transcripts and aren't just looking at your GPA.

If you are admitted an choose to enroll we will require that you provide official transcripts at that time.

So again for the application process unofficial transcripts are fine. But if you are going to be joining us next fall. We will ask that you give us the official transcripts at a later date.

If you have transcripts from outside of the US. There are a couple of additional things that you want to think about if your academic records are not in English, they must be accompanied by a certified translation. This translation has to be literal. So it should be a word for word translation of the original transcript and it must be a complete translation as well, what you want to do in this case is to upload both the original version in whatever language that might be in along with the accompanying translation as 1 document to your application.

Again, if you're admitted joosten role. There are a few at additional steps that you'll have to take at that time, we will ask that you provide your official transcripts for verification through the world. Education services and will reach out with more details about that, after your admitted if you have a less evaluation. Now that you would like to include you're welcome to do so, but it is not required.

To switch gears, a little bit. I want to talk a little bit about the EDM program, referral option. If you are applying to the PhD or the DOD but would be interested in potentially pursuing Masters program at each. Jesse if you're not admitted you'll want to consider this option.

What will happen is that your indicate on your application that you would be interested in pursuing a Masters degree again if you're not admitted to your first choice program and will ask a little more additional information of you if you're applying for the PhD program. You'll indicate your referral interest on the online application and then we will reach out to you after the summer first deadline with a few further instructions.

If you're playing to the DOD you'll again indicate your referral and trust. This will be in the doctoral applicants. Only section tab of the application and will ask you for a little bit more information will ask you for instance, what program you would be interested in and then ask you to provide a short statement about your interest in that particular Masters program.

It is important to note that if you do expressed interest in a possible referral. This will not negatively influence. The decision of the admissions committee about your doctoral program what will happen is your application will be reviewed for the doctoral program that you have chosen and then if and only if you're not admitted to that doctoral program will look to see if you've chosen this option and then pass your application on to the appropriate Masters Committee.

One final note about this process is is that if you do decide to choose to pursue this option. We encourage you to apply for merit based fellowships in financial way that that are available to master students as well.

Finally, there are some supporting materials that you can upload if you choose.

If you wish to include something like maybe a sample of your work or a statement something that you were not able to include anywhere else. On the application. You can upload a document of no more than 10 pages within the additional information section of the online application. This is not a required part of the application and not all applicants choose to do this.

Again, it's kind of a space for if there's something that you want to include that there's not room for anywhere else. You're you're welcome to do that here.

But like everything else in the application and must be submitted as part of the on line application were unable to accept anything in hard copies, so please don't send anything to our office.

Finally, I want to conclude with some resources that are available to you. First, if you haven't done so already we encourage you to explore the program website for detailed information about the program. This includes things like information about the curriculum. Some profiles of our alumni from the programs as well as a student directory.

You can also search search course offerings to get a better sense of what types of classes. You would take as a student here.

You also might want to consider the research centers and projects that would be available to students and see what our faculty in our students are working on now and get a sense of the kinds of projects that are taking place at the school.

We also have our faculty directory on line an available for your use as well, and you can sort that directory by the research area of interest of the faculty members. This can be particularly helpful. If you're applying for the PhD program and thinking about who might make sense for an advisor.

And then again, if you're applying for the PhD program. Make sure that you're looking at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website as well.

And then like this, this recording, we do offer other recordings of student chats on our website at the URL listed below. These chats can give you a sense of what I would like to be a student here and give you some more information about the program.