Graduate Admissions

Commencement Approaches

dlevasheff — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:02:00 GMT

It's hard to believe that commencement is just around the corner--in just five days. This is what it's all about for our office: to see folks step out of graduate studies into the world with new things to offer and new skills to help them pursue their God-inspired dreams.

To all of the new graduates: We're pulling for you!

Every Contact Matters in the Selection Process

dlevasheff — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:14:00 GMT

I just finished hiring for a position in Grad Admissions. (Our counselor, Calvin Kelch, left us and returned to his old stomping-grounds in Central Cal. We'll miss you, CK!) As we went through communication with our prospects, we were attentive to every interaction we had with them. We noted how they communicated on the phone, what time they arrived, and how comfortable they were with people around the office before the formal interview. Yes, the interview and application were critical, but they weren't the only things--interaction outside of the interview played an important role in my decision-making. Ultimately, every contact mattered in our hiring process.

The same is true when you apply to college or graduate school: every contact with the program is subject to scrutiny. Therefore, when you interact with representatives from the schools you're considering, put your best foot forward, take responsibility for your actions, and treat people the way you would want to be treated. Then, even if you don't shine, you'll make sure you don't stand out like a sore thumb!

To prospective Clinical Psychology grad students for Fall 2008

dlevasheff — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:25:00 GMT

If you completed your application by March 1: Good work getting things in by the Early Decision Deadline. You should expect to hear from the program office within a few weeks to let you know what's next. Many of you will be asked to participate in an interview.

If you have not yet completed your application: There's still time to apply! Work on getting everything together for your application and having it submitted to Vanguard Graduate Admissions by April 1.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Submitting Your Admissions Application

dlevasheff — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:43:00 GMT

Like most admissions offices, we'll accept your application in a number of ways.

Submit it online through Vanguard's website at http://www.vanguard.edu/gradadmissions/index.aspx?id=4889.

Send us a paper copy of your application through the mail.

Fax a copy of your application to our office at 714.966.5471.

Scan your completed application and email the file to us at gradadmissions@vanguard.edu.
Hand deliver a copy to our office on Vanguard's campus.

We usually contact you within 24 hours after we've received your application (or within 48 hours during peak periods).

As you can imagine, we're unable to accept application fees that are faxed, scanned, or emailed.

Last Night's Concert

Emily Boyd (Coordinator) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:46:00 GMT

Hello, and Happy Leap Year (tomorrow)!

I just wanted to tell you all about an amazing benefit of being a student (and a staff member, for this matter) of Vanguard. Last night, Vanguard had Phil Wickham, a Christian music artist, put on a concert here on campus. It was so fun to hang out with other people from this VU community while we waited for the doors to open, and it was a huge blessing to see such an immensely gifted musician for free. Seriously, the guy sounds a lot like Bono but with worshipful lyrics. Awesome.

That's all. I just had to brag a bit. And to encourage anyone considering attending one of Vanguard's Graduate Programs that there's extra perks available here in addition to an outstanding education.

The Admissions Interview

dlevasheff — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:53:00 GMT

Many graduate programs require an admissions interview as part of the application process. For students who are applying to such programs, I offer the following recommendations for the admission interview:

1. Allow for plenty of time to get to the interview site. You don’t want to arrive late or feel hurried because you cut it too close.

2. Review your admissions application, making sure that you remember what you’ve written and that you’re comfortable expressing verbally what you put down on paper.

3. Come prepared with a list of questions about the program. Good questions will help you determine whether the program is for you and will show interviewers that you’ve researched the program and school.

4. If there are any special circumstances that have impacted your academic record, be prepared to talk about them. In particular, if you’ve made mistakes, take responsibility and be prepared to tell interviewers why things will be different in the future.

Follow the Instructions

dlevasheff — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:50:00 GMT

When taking the next step after undergraduate studies, it’s always important to follow the instructions.

This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many prospective students don’t thoroughly read the instructions before submitting their admission application. At very least, failing to do this could delay the application process—especially if you neglect to send all of the necessary items.

Failure to read instructions becomes more serious when applying to a program with strict deadlines. This is obvious—you don’t want to miss out on future opportunities because you didn’t notice an application deadline. But it happens often to people who don’t read what schools send to them.

Neglect of this imperative may also have a significant impact on those applying to competitive programs with a limited number of spaces. Applying to a competitive program is like interviewing for a job: it’s critical to put your best foot forward. As a result, missing an important detail or failing to send an application item could make a difference between getting in and getting left out.

The Countdown Begins...

Emily Boyd (Coordinator) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:36:00 GMT

There are just a couple of weeks remaining before the March 1 Early Decision Deadline for the Graduate Clinical Psychology Program. Just to let you in on the competitive nature of getting accepted to this program - last year we received 92 applications, and only 25 were accepted. So the earlier you get everything in, the better. And if you have everything in by the 1st, you find out if you're in by the 15th of April!

As always, please contact us at 714.966.5499 or gradadmissions@vanguard.edu or stop by our office if you have any questions. And happy Valentine's Day!

Your Taxes and Financial Aid

dlevasheff — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:42:00 GMT

Completing your taxes early is always a good idea.

And it’s an especially good idea for students. That’s because the FAFSA calls for information from your Federal Income Tax Forms. Ultimately, the sooner you get your taxes done, the sooner you can finish your FAFSA, and the sooner you can nail down your financial aid for the 2008-2009 school year.

Of course, if you expect a refund, then the sooner you file, the sooner you’ll get that check in the mail! :)

Getting Good References for Your Graduate Admission Application

dlevasheff — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:59:00 GMT

We all know that references are one of the most important parts of the graduate admissions application. Here are a few suggestions that will help you get quality references for your graduate admissions application:

CHOOSE A GOOD REFERENCE
This may be obvious, but based on what we receive from people I think it warrants mention: you're not just looking for warm body. You need someone who knows you well and can speak of you in the best possible light.

SHOW RESPECT TO YOUR REFERENCE
This may seem obvious, but it's surprising how many people (especially undergraduate students) treat references as though completing one is something owed to them. Remember that completing a reference is a courtesy provided by your professor, employer, minister, or friend, not something you're entitled to.

SECURE REFERENCES WELL IN ADVANCE
Most of the people you're asking for references from have significant demands on their time, and writing a good reference letter can take time. Try to contact them a month or two in advance of your deadline so that they have plenty of time. Such lead time is also helpful in the case that they're unable or unwilling to write one for you.

PROVIDE REFERENCES WITH A COPY OF YOUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
If you've chosen a reference who knows you and respects you, then they'll want to provide you with the best possible reference—and giving them your statement of purpose is an aid to that. Seeing what your goals are and how you are presenting yourself to the colleges you're applying to will help them make the strongest possible case for your acceptance.

MAKE SURE TO THANK AND UPDATE THEM
Expressing gratitude is always the right thing to do, so do it! Furthermore, chances are that you're going to need help from this person again, and you want to make sure to they know you appreciate their efforts on your behalf. And, once you are notified of acceptance, tell them--if they've invested the time to help, they'll want to congratulate you, too.

PROVIDE THEM WITH STAMPED AND ADDRESSED ENVELOPES
They're doing you a favor, so make it easy on them and provide everything needed to submit your reference.

If you follow these instructions, you'll give yourself the best possible chance to get into your desired program while retaining those important relationships with your references. Best wishes as you apply!

MAT versus GMAT. Which is best for you?

Emily Boyd (Coordinator) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:17:00 GMT

In order to apply for the MBA Program, we require that you take either the MAT (Miller Analogies Test) or the GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test). Yesterday, a student asked me about the difference between the two, and my highly intelligent response was "uhhhh...the MAT is an analogies test with word problems, and I think...ummm...the GMAT has to do with numbers?"

How vague of me.

So I figured that while I'm investigating the differences between the two, I'll let you in on my findings:

MAT

Requires the solution of problems stated as analogies.
Measures verbal comprehension and analytical thinking, which are critical for success in grad school and the professional world.
Shows a student's knowledge and ability beyond memorization and repetition of facts.

GMAT

Measures basic verbal, mathematical, and writing skills that you have developed in your education and work.
Consists of three main parts:

Analytical Writing Assessment - You get 30 minutes each for Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument.

Quantitative Section - Multiple choice questions about Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving.

Verbal Section - Multiple choice questions about Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction.

In conclusion, I was right about the MAT, but pretty off about the GMAT. On the plus side, I encouraged the student to research the two tests online before making his choice, so hopefully he'll see that the GMAT doesn't just have to do with numbers. And hopefully this little comparison will help you choose the test that's right for you.

The Infamous Graduate Admissions Statement of Purpose

Emily Boyd (Coordinator) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:16:00 GMT

Recently I've heard several students speak about the difficulty of writing the statement of purpose for their applications. They don't know where to start, how to make it long enough, how to make it short enough - they don't know which details to include in general. Well, to sum up for all four of Vanguard's graduate programs, the statement of purpose is a way for us to get to know you and your future goals better. But let me expand on that and give you some ideas that will hopefully make the writing process a little more enjoyable:

1. Try writing out a list of the points you want to make about yourself in relation to your program of choice. Then use that list as an outline for your essay.
2. You could start by writing about an experience that was important to you and how that relates to your desire to attend grad school.
3. If you're having trouble keeping your essay short and to the point, try writing multiple drafts. Then you can find the themes that are common between your drafts and distinguish them as the most important.
4. Get feedback! Read it out loud so you can better catch mistakes, and ask friends and family to suggest ways to improve it.
5. Be sure to talk about your strengths! Sometimes it's hard to toot your own proverbial horn, but this is really the time to do it, so don't be shy.

These are just a few suggestions, but in the end we really just want to hear your own perspective written in your own style. Happy writing!

Oh, and Happy New Year!

Looking Ahead

dlevasheff — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:11:00 GMT

In the midst of the resting and remembering and celebrating of the season, let me encourage everyone out there who’s planning to start graduate studies in 2008 to take advantage of your Christmas break and plan ahead for the coming year. Look at your applications. Take note of key dates and deadlines. Put together a schedule to help you complete everything on-time. A few minutes of advance planning will provide an excellent return on your investment!

For those of you who are already on a mailing list for one of Vanguard’s graduate programs, we’ll have a checklist in the mail for you at the end of this week. Happy planning!

Videos!

Emily Boyd (Coordinator) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:21:00 GMT

On Monday, I assisted the great film director, Xander, in creating a cinematic masterpiece.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a tiny bit. Xander, a student worker here in the Graduate Admissions Office, is a terrific director; however, I was "assisting" him by holding the microphone while he interviewed Jerre White, Director of the Grad Psych Department. Xander is filming a video that will introduce prospective students to Vanguard's Grad Psych Program. All the fancy equipment - the bulky lights, the fuzzy microphone, the camera in its massive case - fascinated me. Xander has been working on films for each department this entire semester, but I'd never realized just how much work went into it. I was even more fascinated by the fact that we spent an hour with Jerre, and Xander will probably pull about 30 seconds from that meeting. Filmmaking is arduous! Luckily our star was gracious and excited to tell about her program.

Look for that video on the Grad Psych website in the next couple of months!

Only 22 Days ‘Til Christmas

dlevasheff — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:40:00 GMT

Have you started your Christmas shopping? It’s about time for me to get to work. I try to get things done by the middle of December—in enough time to get a good deal done through the mail and to avoid the last minute rush in the stores. I'm not going to delay, because we all know that holding off our Christmas shopping until the last minute costs us time, money, and, often times, our sanity.

The same thing happens to people who wait to the last minute to apply to graduate studies. More time and attention is required for applications and forms when people put them off until days before classes start. Scholarships and financial aid that might have otherwise been available don’t materialize. Decision-making that would have been manageable over months becomes stressful when confined to a few days.

So I’m encouraging everyone who’s looking at graduate school in the year ahead to apply the lessons learned from Christmas shopping and plan ahead as they submit admissions applications. You’ll be glad you did!