{"id":12798,"date":"2023-01-04T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/student-voices\/?p=12798"},"modified":"2023-01-03T15:48:18","modified_gmt":"2023-01-03T15:48:18","slug":"what-i-wish-i-knew-before-applying-for-a-masters-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.york.ac.uk\/student-voices\/2023\/01\/04\/what-i-wish-i-knew-before-applying-for-a-masters-degree\/","title":{"rendered":"What I wish I knew before applying for a Masters degree"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I was thinking about applying for a Masters, I honestly had no idea how to even go about starting an application. It can be daunting and quite stressful, as it was for me. But don\u2019t worry! It\u2019s natural to feel like this. Luckily for you, I have written this blog to help reassure you and provide some helpful advice I wish I knew before I applied.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Campus east on a sunny day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Be prepared and start early<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Usually, when applying for a Masters course, you do so via the university website. The application involves providing an Academic Transcript, Personal Statement, and additional <\/span>supporting documents<\/span><\/a>, such as your CV, evidence of financial support, references, or examples of previously written work.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest mistake I made when I applied is that I left it quite late. For most courses, there isn\u2019t a solid deadline, and you can apply throughout the year up until the course starts. To me, this translated to \u201cyou\u2019ve got plenty of time, don\u2019t worry about it, get other work out the way first\u201d. Whilst it may be tempting to leave the application until later or when you have more time, try not to do so. From my experience, I kept on getting busier and busier, and so I kept delaying and delaying. It got to the point where I was overwhelmed and stressed with the size of the application to do in a short period of time, alongside writing my final dissertation!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To avoid this, I wish I had created a plan. Having everything written down really helps relieve stress as it will take up less mental headspace, especially when applying. In addition, setting deadlines will help make sure it all doesn\u2019t pile up and the workload is evenly spread throughout the year. It will also help you create the best application possible, as you\u2019ll be able to put the right time and dedication into each part, rather than just rushing through (like I did).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take your time on your Personal Statement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When applying, the Personal Statement is your chance to get noticed for the unique talents and experiences you have. This can really make a difference if you want an offer, so you want to put some careful thought into it to give the best possible impression. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, this was the hardest part of my application as I tend to go blank when someone asks me to talk about myself. In addition, I started it quite late, so I didn\u2019t give myself enough time to perfect it! What I wish I did was start early so I could come up with some drafts. This way I could have asked friends and family to check it and give advice on where I could improve.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even so, writing a personal statement is a big task, as it feels like another essay on top of the rest of your work. This can be particularly challenging if essay work isn\u2019t your strong point. I\u2019ve written many essays for my course, but I still found it stressful and confusing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, my advice to deal with these feelings is to make a checklist of things to include. For example: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n