Your application, and all your required application materials, make your case for admission. It’s like applying for a job: you need to convince us with every document that you’re the perfect candidate for the program you’re interested in; it’s also necessary to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of your program’s mission, and USF’s mission as a whole.
- Resume – Place information most relevant toward your program at the top of your resume, whether it’s volunteer work or academic qualifications. You may need to tweak your professional resume so it fits a degree program.
- Letters of recommendation should come from someone who knows you well and can speak to your readiness for a grad program. The person should come from a professional or academic setting, not a family member, therapist, or friend. Ask recommenders if they are willing, and if they feel they know you well enough, to write a good letter (remind them of your past term papers, work ethic etc.). If they seem unsure, ask someone else! And when you do get someone who agrees, let them know they’ll get a system-generated prompt from USF. It will arrive in their email after you submit your application.
- Statement of Intent – This is one of the most important parts of the application. It’s the only way we can actually get to know you and your aspirations. Please do your research before starting this.
- Transcripts – We review the application holistically. If your transcripts do not reflect your best work, let us know why. Then make the rest of your application as strong as possible.
- Test Scores – Keep in mind that certain tests are pass/fail (CBEST and CSET). Passing is required for admission or to enroll (Insider’s Tip: As long as you pass, the university does not see a raw score; we only know that you passed!). Other tests (GRE/MAT for Doctoral Applicants Only) will be viewed as part of the total application. So do your best, but don’t stress.
