Writing a letter on intent for graduate school can be quite terrifying. You must be very specific about your needs and goals. If you are not, you won’t make it in. In keeping with this logic, I have a few tips for your sample letter. These tips will make it easier for you and make you that much more successful with getting in.

1) Think about the schools you want to apply to. This is of the utmost importance. Your letter of intent has to have a purpose. Along with that purpose, you need to have an end goal. Focusing on those schools which can provide that for you will make life easier. In other words, don’t just apply to any graduate school.

2)Think where your focus lies. What is pushing you to attend graduate school. This is very important. As a college student myself, I am constantly aware of these things. Your letter has to impress upon the school committee what your educational goals are. You can’t just say “because I want to go further.” You have to be specific.

3) Be honest with yourself. Are your reasons for writing this letter to benefit your education. It’s important to benefit your career, but in graduate school education comes first. If your reasons for writing the letter aren’t about education, you need to rethink why you are doing this.

4) Your letter should have an introductory paragraph. It should also include subsequent paragraphs. You also need to include a closing paragraph. This closing statement needs to repeat your goals. Remember, you are selling yourself. Those committees look at this closely. If you are not selling yourself or your educational goals, you won’t make it.

5) You have to be specific about your degree program. You can’t just state that you want something in the psychology category. You have to state clearly which program you are applying for and why.

6) You must state your interest in the program and field. You can’t just say “because it fascinates me.” This will not help you. They will look at this and say, “this doesn’t tell me anything.”

7) Always include information about your undergraduate studies and what you accomplished. The selection committees love to hear about this. They want to hear about any honors you held and clubs you belonged to. I’m talking about active involvement, not an occasional show-up to a group. It has to count.

8) Part of selling yourself involves the skills. You need to showcase your skills as much as possible. Those skills involved the degree program itself. You have to prove you belong in graduate school. You need to prove you are not there to simply pass the time by.

9) Your letter needs to be active and have an active voice. It has to flow. It can’t be choppy. If it’s choppy, the selection committee will read into this. Always command yourself in a high manner. It should be single spaced, typed. It should be in the 12 font type lettering. It should be no more then 2 pages, otherwise you will lose their interest.