Graduate Application Boot Camp coming in January

The free and virtual Graduate Application Boot Camp will take place in January 2022 and is designed to provide 12 sessions for grad-school bound students to get insider information and personalized coaching on their applications from graduate admissions professionals.

The program was conceived by Assistant Director of Graduate Studies Christine Clay upon discovering the gap between how many applicants start a graduate application to Oswego versus how many finish. 

"On average, only 45 percent of applications make it to a review committee,” Clay noted. “Closing that gap has been a guiding principle for the Division of Graduate Studies in the past year."   

The virtual program, a combination of group sessions and individual coaching, is open to anyone who feels it could improve their graduate school application process. Current registrants include Oswego undergrads, alumni, members of the greater Syracuse area and even international students.  

Although Oswego doesn't offer graduate degrees in every discipline, the programming is designed to be useful to anyone continuing their education including pre-law, pre-med or Ph.D.-seeking students.

Dean of Graduate Studies Kristen Eichhorn highlights the need to "demystify the application experience" for applicants. Sessions will be devoted to common graduate application elements such as writing successful personal statements, building effective resumes, and practicing mock interviews with additional opportunities to meet with faculty and Oswego alumni.

"We want to be as flexible and inclusive as possible," Clay said of the program, which starts on Jan. 3. "The recorded sessions are all virtual and scheduled either in the evening or at mutually convenient times for our participants.  You don't have to commit to all 12 sessions; just pick the program elements that work for you.  It's open to anyone and it's free."

Clay and Eichhorn anticipate this program running twice per year to reach as many prospective students as possible. With helpful and engaged institutional partners from Career Services and Alumni Relations in addition to dedicated Oswego faculty members they are confident they have the right mix to assist aspiring graduate students to pursue their academic dreams. 

Those interested in learning more and signing up are encouraged to visit the SUNY Oswego Graduate Studies website, oswego.edu/graduate.