Even as we shift our focus towards assisting admitted students post the March decision release, let’s not forget about our final application deadline swiftly approaching! April 1 is looming, and if you’re aiming to submit your application by then, it’s time to buckle down and gather all the necessary materials. In this last stretch, we’re committed to processing, reviewing, and releasing decisions promptly to provide candidates with ample time to make informed enrollment decisions. That said, I strongly encourage you to ensure that your application is complete and ready for review upon submiss ..read more

While there’s still a bit of activity around the margins, the incoming class for fall 2023 is taking shape. Matriculating students can expect a regular flow of communications from various Fletcher departments in the coming months about lots of “on-boarding” tasks for the semester. All of that is important and (hopefully) helpful information, but is relatively transactional and may not get at some larger questions incoming students may have about how to prepare for grad school. Around this time of year I like to offer some broader thoughts on getting ready for the fall, both logistically and me ..read more

Mid-to-late March is an exciting time for newly admitted students. Many candidates have several good options in front of them, but after the initial excitement passes it can quickly start to feel overwhelming. There’s a lot to research about different graduate programs, and a lot of financial planning to do. Last week I covered some basics on financial planning, mainly advocating a “portfolio” approach to meet the costs of attendance. For almost everyone, Fletcher scholarships are a major piece of that portfolio, so it’s worth going into a bit more detail about our scholarship process. For sta ..read more

After the March release of decisions, it can feel like “application season” is coming to a close. While more of our attention is indeed directed toward work with admitted students, we still have a final application deadline approaching! April 1 is right around the corner, and if you’re planning on submitting by then it’s time to get serious about gathering all the required materials. For this final round of applications we make a concerted effort to process, review, and release decisions as quickly as possible so candidates have the maximum amount of time to make an enrollment decision, so I u ..read more

As we rocket toward the year-end holidays, many of our applicants are just starting to get serious about putting together their application materials. This seems like a good time to highlight our most recent series of application tips offered by members of the Admissions staff: Application Advice Resume Essays Recommendations Before You Press “Submit” Those of you looking to get SERIOUSLY serious can feel free to raid the archives of this blog, too. In most years I try to be sure to offer some form of application advice, much of which remains relevant even in cases where it’s dated a few years ..read more

Application deadline season moves at a fast clip once it begins, readers. Next up, approaching in just under a month, is the November 10 deadline for early notification consideration for fall 2023 enrollment. Unlike the norm in the undergrad world, early notification in our context is non-binding. We’re fortunate to have a significant chunk of our applicant pool each year that is just rarin’ to go, and the option to submit early and receive an admissions decision by January 1 is a good one for these folks. Applicants admitted early have that much more time to plan, research Fletcher, and atten ..read more

Returning today to our application advice series, Yaritza shares some things to keep in mind as you request letters of recommendation: Recommendation letters are another essential material in your application that provide insight into who you are as a student, employee, and community member. These letters are crucial in helping our Committee understand you and your Fletcher “fit.” Some people choose to ask for recommendations from individuals in their network who are high-ranking in their organizations because they believe it will make a stronger impact in their application. This can certainly ..read more

Today in application advice, John gets into the ins and outs of preparing your essays: The essay is just one piece of your application, but a critical one – since it serves as perhaps your best opportunity to give the admissions committee an answer to the ‘Why?’ behind your journey to Fletcher. Why are you interested in joining the Fletcher community? Why have you selected your specific program? Why now? You can read more about our application requirements, including the essay requirements, on our application checklist webpage. To quickly recap, though, all applicants are required to respond t ..read more

Nick chimes in today in our application advice series with some guidance on preparing your resume: Happy application season! It’s safe to assume that at least a portion of you reading this are planning to apply this year, so we’re here with some application tips to help ease that process. Specifically, I’m going to be writing on your resume, which we ask for in the application, and some pet-peeves and tips for creating a successful resume within the context of a Fletcher application. First, it’s important to know that we use the resume for two things. One, of course, is to get a sense of your ..read more

Continuing our application advice series, today we’ll hear from Alec on the value of proofing. Alec manages our application processing operation (among many other things), and has a keen sense of little hiccups that can delay review of an application: After your application is submitted, it enters a processing stage in which our team ensures that everything necessary for review is present and correct. If things are found to be missing, you will be contacted by our office and asked to revisit your application materials. To help you avoid being held up before your application can be reviewed by ..read more