How to Stand Out in Your Application!

The field of academia is a very challenging area to break into, especially for recent graduates. Academic job openings declined from 68% in 2020 to 27% in 2024 revealing the increasing difficulty of obtaining one of these positions. This is partially related to the decline in academic funding over the past few years which has caused lots of turmoil within the research community (DeAngelis, 2025). In addition, getting into a graduate program proves to be a time-consuming process with many barriers to entry. Applicants need to write personal statements, submit resumes, and obtain letters of recommendation before even starting the interview or visit day portion. Oftentimes, these programs only take a small cohort during each cycle resulting in many applicants needing to spend many cycles fine-tuning their application before they get a spot.

When applying to graduate school, you want to make sure that programs take a second look at your application rather than just throwing it back in the pile. Standing out with your name, achievements, and writing is very important in making a good impression. There are many important things to consider when curating your application, but one piece of advice that may help you even more may happen before application season begins.

1. Reach Out! Networking is an amazing way to get your name out there. Career Services at U Penn discusses this strategy. Professors may recognize your name in the pile if you already reached out to them or maybe even scheduled an informational interview. Figure out which professors are taking students and reach out to them. Although this can be a useful strategy, make sure that cold emails are welcome before sending them out. Not every program/professor wants to receive hundreds of emails from possible students.

I reached out to many students and professors before the application process began, and I do believe that it helped me not only stand out, but explore my interests. Another part of the application process that proves to be quite important doesn’t even come from you.

2. Stellar Letters of Recommendation. Letters of Rec should come from professors that can speak highly of both your character and your academic achievements. The Warner School of Education recommends that you send your application materials (personal statement, CV, Resume, etc.) to all professors in a timely manner. If they know what you are writing about, they will be able to provide a tailored letter of recommendation that will stand out to possible advisors.

My letters of recommendation were from faculty members that I had known for the majority of my time at USD. They had all seen me grow as a student, person, and researcher, so they were able to deliver high-quality letters that supplemented the rest of my materials. The next tip I have is more so related to the interview process.

3. You know yourself better than anyone else. You understand your accomplishments, research, and aspirations. Interviews are stressful, but you have done the work to make it to this point and you deserve to be there. Don’t let anyone or anything make you doubt yourself. Take a deep breath and be yourself! 

Being yourself is what will lead you to the right program. Program fit goes both ways! You don’t want to force yourself to be another person just so you can fit into a specific program. Although application season has many challenges, it is a wonderful experience that helps you grow in your interpersonal skills.