Portfolio Two

Applying to Graduate School

Portfolio Requirements

• Introduction memo
• Strategy memo
• Research on Programs and field
• Letter of Introduction/Letter of Application
• Curriculum Vitae
• If the Program Application Process asked for these items, do include them in your Portfolio:
  • Official Application
  • Recommendation Letters
  • Writing Sample
  • Test Scores
  • Grade Transcripts

Objectives

• To use multiple sources to find information about graduate programs in your career area
• To become familiar with the writing styles of curriculum vitae
• To become more aware of audience needs
• To analyze design and layout elements
• To practice communicating in a variety of ways with a variety of audiences
• To understand audience expectations within a writing community
• To present information in a concise manner in a professional format

Information Gathering

Using multiple sources, such as Career Services, graduate school guides, university websites, etc, find three (3) graduate programs in your field that require you to write a curriculum vitae and a cover letter (or personal statement). NOTE: often, to apply to the university you may not need these things. But the individual department may require them in addition to the university requirements. Be sure to look at the individual program admission requirements, not just the university admission requirements.

Once you have found the programs, research information about the programs and the university and how to write effective cover letters & vitae in those fields. Look at: 1) specific program & university information, 2) websites with sample vitae/CLs for that career, and 3) general information about expectations for graduate students/careers in that field. Find at least three (3) sources, at least one from each category. Note: the bare minimum is three. Anyone serious about going to graduate school will do much more in-depth research.

Strategy Memorandum

Write a memo in which you explain in detail how you will prepare the documents. Include the following:

• Analyze the audience for your curriculum vitae & cover letter
• Description of the choices and decisions you made to construct the vita
• Description of the strategy used to write the cover letter
• Discuss how you will use the research you did on the university and the field

Curriculum Vitae

• Select the program that most interests you from your research
• Create a CV that you would use to apply for that school

Cover Letter

Write a cover letter to accompany and complement your CV.


Other Materials

• Letters of Recommendation
  • Include only if the program does not require them to be secure (that is, if you are allowed to see them)
• Applications
  • Some programs have Applications as PDF files online that you can download and fill out with a word processor
  • Do so and make two copies (one for the REAL application and one for your Portfolio Two)
• Writing Sample
  • The writing sample is sometimes asked for by programs under the Humanities umbrella
  • Talk with those whom you have asked for letters of recommendation about which of your papers to use and what if anything should be done to make it a more eye catching sample

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