Graduate Admission Blog

Help Me Help You: Tips on Applying for Graduate School

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:42:22 -0500

I've been on a mission over the last seven months to learn the ins and outs of the graduate admission process and I think I have garnered a few golden nuggets of information which may help you navigate Emerson's admission process. Read on for some enlightenment...

1. Creating your application packet

Know what materials (e.g. transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) are required for your specific application and be certain that in advance of submitting your application you have begun the process to obtain these items.

When you submit materials to us online, please make certain that your name is on every page of the application. This limits the chance of items being misplaced (which does not happen very often, but we are human and paper can become misplaced!).

If you choose to send us additional items through the postal service it is not necessary to resubmit everything you already sent us online. Rest assured that if you submitted it online, we will have it! In terms of U.S mail, please make sure that you address your packages to Graduate Admissions and, when possible, have your undergraduate transcript sent directly to you and then include it in your package that is submitted directly us with all of your other materials.

End of Semester Celebration

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:37:15 -0500

Regardless of whether you end up being best friends with the people in your program or merely see them in class, there is a definite bond that develops simply from sharing a similar life experience. While I can not speak for other programs, I know for certain that this is true in Theater Education. Because of the nature of our classes being so active, we get to know each other quite well. We understand each other when we are grappling with issues from Theater and Community or laughing till we cry about from playing games in Drama as Education. My classmates are the individuals who have, and will continue to, challenge me with their wisdom, comfort me with their compassion, and help me to grow by sharing their life experiences. My classmates are my peers, friends, and confidants in this program and help to solidify each day that Emerson is a supportive community; and I am proud to be part of it.

Happy Holidays, friends! Be well.

Essay-schmessay

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0500

For many of you, the administrative process of applying to graduate schools (i.e. obtaining transcripts, recommendation letters) is incredibly simple. Most of it is out of your hands, actually: so much so that, after you contact your recommenders and request your transcripts, you can have a cup of coffee, sit back, and wait for everything to arrive.

If you are at all like me, then you took care of these administrative details right away, but procrastinated on the personal statement part of the process reasoning that "It'll be easy" or "I just need to think about it more" or "I work better off the cuff and will do it the night before." Okay, truth be told, I didn't tell myself any of these things. What I actually said to myself was "Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! How can I compose something with the right amount of wit, charm and confidence so as not to sound desperate, but rather intelligent, self aware and a necessary person to include in their master's program?"

It's already Thanksgiving?

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:38:40 -0500

Where did the time go? It seems like we just started the semester yesterday and already midterms are over and it is time for some much deserved food indulgence with the trimmings of Thanksgiving. This is by far my favorite holiday and it always begins with a few hours in front of the television watching the Macy's Day Parade. (I realize it's technically the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but I've never called it that.) The parade has a way of bridging the gap for me when I am not able to make it home to family, and reminds me of the holiday mornings when we would sit around the TV, eat blueberry muffins, and watch balloons fly down Columbus Ave in NYC.
This year will be no different. Time doesn't permit me to go home for Thanksgiving (the life of a graduate student is busy!), so I've already purchased my blueberry muffin mix and will be nestled on the couch watching the parade come Thanksgiving morning... oh, and probably intermittently reading King Lear as well. (Even on vacation I cannot totally avoid school work!)

Why I am here... and why you may be too...

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:49:23 -0500

Welcome back! Today I am going to share with you why Emerson is the right fit for me. It is my hope that perhaps my experience may resonate, in even a small way, with your own and maybe make the process of finding the right graduate school for you a little easier.

I always knew that I wanted to obtain a master's degree, but I was unsure what area of study I desired to pursue. I resolved to continue living my life until such time that it was revealed to me where I should concentrate my efforts. Eight years later I decided upon Theater Education and with a little bit of research it did not take me long to stumble across Emerson. A Google search yields results, almost exclusively, pertaining to this program and graduates from it.

More than just a planner...

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:48:02 -0500

My name is Julia and I am the Theater Education Ambassador in Graduate Admission. I am excited to share with you my favorite resource for things to do in Boston beyond the traditional Duck Tours and Freedom Trail (though if you have not done either of these things they are very informative and fun). However, in terms of off-the-map, need-to-live-here-to-know-about-it stuff, my absolute favorite resource is the Motion Affair Planner BOSTON. As an Emerson graduate student, you will be given a complimentary copy of the MAP. Once you are lucky enough to get your hands on one of these babies, do not let it go! At first glance it may look like a plain ol' planner, but this is far from the case. The MAP is loaded with restaurants, events, and shopping throughout the city and additionally is so user-friendly that it tells you how to get there as well--a major plus for people who are new to the city. My favorite aspect has to do with the food. I love that each week a different restaurant is featured. Morgan, the author of the planner (and an Emerson grad!), ventured all over the city finding terrific places to share with her readers. It is a blast to not really know what to expect and to end up somewhere I never would have found on my own. My favorite places so far has been The Savant Project, a cute bar in Mission Hill with clever drinks and tasty food. Ask for Maureen and tell her we sent you! Tremont 647 is next on my list--I can't wait!