On September 28, six DKU students and Professors Stephanie Anderson and Joseph Giacomelli gathered over pizza and drinks to share advice and suggestions for graduate school applications. Prof. Anderson began the session by asking each student their post-graduation plans. Students shared a wide range of future possibilities, from PhD to MFA programs to “gap years” and other plans.
Prof. Anderson then led the students in a piece-by-piece discussion of the components of graduate applications in humanistic fields, covering statements of purpose, writing samples, CVs, and more. Students asked many questions, with several focusing on if and how they should modify and revise their application materials for programs in different disciplines.
Throughout the session, Prof. Anderson and Prof. Giacomelli added personal anecdotes about their own graduate school applications while also sharing their experiences writing recommendation letters over the years. Students departed the session having enjoyed some pizza and, hopefully, having a bit less anxiety and uncertainty about the grad school application process.