Application advice

With the first application deadline approaching – October 10, for January 2023 enrollment – a lot of prospective students will be starting to peck away at their applications in the coming weeks and months. Each year I like to provide a bit of guidance around preparing the different parts of the application, and this year I’m enlisting the help of my Admissions colleagues. Over the next couple weeks we’ll share a load of tips, advice, and pitfalls to avoid as you assemble your application materials.

My Admissions cronies will get into the weeds in specific areas of the application in subsequent posts. For starters, I’ll offer some broad advice that may seem a bit obvious: make sure you understand the degree program to which you are applying! As Fletcher’s offerings have expanded considerably over the years, this matter has become somewhat less straightforward. It’s important to understand the details of degree programs and their specific eligibility criteria. Examples:

• The Master of Global Business (MGA) program requires a minimum of 2 years’ full-time post-graduate professional experience. It’s not the right program for current college seniors or recent graduates.
• The new MIB: Quantitative Methods Track (STEM-certified!) has substantial quantitative prerequisites. MIB: QM applicants should be sure they meet these criteria and understand the heavily quantitative nature of this program.
• The PhD program requires a prior masters consisting of at least 12 semester-long courses. Applicants should also have a research proposal that falls within one of the primary PhD Fields of Study.

By making sure you understand the various features and eligibility criteria of the degree(s) you are considering, you can avoid getting buried in paperwork only to realize later that you’ve gone down the wrong path.