Taken from Dr. Edelma Huntley, Dean,  Cratis D. Williams Research & Graduate Studies Office, Appalachian State University

Prepare to apply to graduate school long before you actually begin to fill out applications:

• Use the Graduate School Checklist(.pdf) to keep track of your progress.
• Do well in your course work.
• Practice taking the GRE or GMAT or other applicable test, and take the appropriate test at least six months before you need to send in a score.
• Serve apprenticeships or do substantial volunteer work if your undergraduate, major does not have a required internship - sign up to be a faculty member’s instructional assistant; volunteer as a tutor.
• Get research experience with a faculty mentor.
• Grab every opportunity to make conference presentations or to collaborate on publications with a mentor.
• Write an honors thesis if you have the option.
• Research graduate programs to get a sense of what is possible and also to make sure that the undergraduate courses you are taking will prepare you for the graduate programs to which you intend to apply.
• If the premier professional organization in our discipline offers student memberships, join!
• Be active in student organizations - but be selective. And make sure that each activity maximizes your potential for a specific kind of graduate program.
• Find out what the competition looks like. 

When possible, visit the programs on your “A” list just before you send in your application – and make appointments to speak with the program directors and the chairpersons of the admissions committees.

Make sure that your entire application is NEAT. If the application is available online and it is possible to enter your answers online, then do so. If you are completing a paper application, print the information- and if you cannot print well, ask someone else who has great handwriting to fill out the application for you. You must sign the application, but that is the only place where your own signature is crucial.

Even though the application instructions do not require the following, include them anyway: 

• A cover letter introducing yourself and explaining which program should get your application AND thanking the admission office or graduate school for their time in evaluating your application.
• A statement of intent- why you want a graduate degree, what you intend to do with that graduate degree, and why you are interested in a specific program in that specific university. You will-obviously-have to tailor this piece of writing to each program.
• An academic resume which should address your academic training, university service, oriented work experience (library, computer lab, tutoring, etc) and computer programs with which you are familiar. 

Read the graduate catalog before you apply to any program. That way you will not apply to a non-existent program (and look clueless in the process!!). 

Select your references carefully, and give them enough time and information. See Recommendations for more.

Follow all application instructions to the letter. Be aware of deadlines. 

If you are applying to highly competitive programs, your complete application should arrive before the holidays if you want to be admitted for the following autumn term. 

When you are admitted to the program of your choice, accept in writing – send a formal letter thanking the admissions committee and announcing your intention to enter the program and to accept the assistantships and scholarships that they have so kindly offered you. Then write a courteous letter to the other programs that have admitted you – thank them for their time and consideration and explain that you have accepted an offer from another institution. In both cases, send a copy of the letter to the graduate school office.