In Part 1 of this article I mentioned the various ways in which family, friends, university professors and career counsellors can help you. Here is a list of more professionals who can provide you with further advice and help you to prepare for admission and scholarship for your graduate studies.
Educational Advisers
Educational advisers will be able to help you find information about universities which offer the programmes in which you are interested. They can also advise you on the steps you need to take in order to begin the application process.
Admissions Officers
Admission officers are the best resource for you in terms of gaining information about the university and programme in which you are interested. Contact the admissions office of each university that you are researching. It is not binding that you go on to apply to that university. But the admissions officers can provide all details you need in order to evaluate whether and to what extent a Master’s programme meets your expectations.
Communicate with admissions representative by email, phone or in person. Education fairs, school presentations, webinars, and open days are all great ways to meet admissions officers, as well as gain and develop personal impressions. This is valuable experience which will help you make a good choice.
Admissions Consultants
Admissions consultants/coaches are professionals who can help you make the most of your application package for admission and scholarships. They will help you prepare the best essays or statement of purpose, CV/Resume, advise you on how to select your referees, and can even drill you for the admissions interview.
If your applications are successful and you gain admission to several programmes, they can also advise you on how to make your final choice and where to enroll. Other people, whom to consult at this stage are of course your family, and your university professors/referees.
Test Prep Instructors
Application to Master’s degree programmes may require that you take an aptitude test such as the GRE or GMAT, in addition to an English-language proficiency test such as IELTS, TOEFL or others. It is most effective if you consult professional test preparation instructors about how to prepare for these tests in the most effective way, depending on your learning style, your budget and the score which you want to achieve. High test scores will often help you to compete for merit based scholarships as well.
So you now have a long list of professionals and personal contacts who can provide you with support for Master’s degree studies. Take advantage of their advice for this important step in your professional development. Your questions and comments are welcome in the box below.
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