Stand Out With These Internships on Your Grad School Apps

By Francine Fluetsch on December 7, 2016

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

If you are thinking about applying to grad school at some point in the future, you know that you are going to have to fight for your spot, since grad school admission is even tougher than undergrad was, if that’s even possible. So how exactly are you going to wow your dream grad schools?

A great way to help yourself stand out would be to get an internship or two during your undergrad or in your gap year from undergrad to grad. Internships are great resume boosters because they show potential grad schools that you’ve acquired experience; are willing to work hard to make yourself stand out, especially if the internship was unpaid and you were working there just for the experience; and will give you more individuals to choose from to write you a letter of rec, thus strengthening your chances of getting into the grad school of your choosing. Of course, grad schools aren’t going to be impressed by just any old internship.

Your best bet is to get an internship that pertains, in some way, to your field or what you eventually want to end up doing. If you do a random internship just so you can list it on your resume, the grad schools might see it as a waste of time and won’t understand how that could make you stand out in comparison to the other students who are applying as well.

It can be hard to find some of these internships, so use your professors to your advantage. They are in your field, so they are bound to know a few places that are in need of interns. You can also check with your career center to see if any internship fairs are going to be happening soon, which will give you the opportunity to research the companies going and see if any would work for you.

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During my undergrad, I was able to score an internship in the creative writing program, which helped me gain the experience that I wrote about in my cover letters to my grad schools and also really helped me work up the nerve to ask the professors that I was working under for a letter of rec, because that is something that I always find rather awkward. I do honestly believe that my internship is a big factor as to why I was able to get into my grad school of choice.

So, you’ve found some internships in your field, now what do you look for to make sure you get the best one? If you can find one that will let you stay on for at least a year instead of just for summer, it might be a good idea to consider it, since it will stand out more on your resume.

Don’t get me wrong, summer internships are great and you should definitely look into them as well, but getting one that is more long term and that you continue while still in undergrad shows that you are dedicated and can also multitask. Grad school is tough, and the admissions people want to make sure that they are taking on students that they are confident will stick out the whole program, so the more you can show that you can handle, the better off you’ll be.

If you do opt for a summer internship, try getting one abroad. Grad schools love to see what you can contribute to their school, especially when it comes to diversity, so if they see that you have traveled, experienced new cultures, and had to learn to live and work in an environment totally new to you, it will play in your favor. Plus, an internship abroad is bound to give you juicy ideas for your entry essay, which is another vital component to getting into grad school, so kill two birds with one stone and get abroad.

Of course, getting an internship abroad is easier said than done, so if you can’t score that, try and get an internship with someone who is well-known in your field. Maybe it’s an established editor for the New York Times that would be able to give you a wonderful letter of rec, or one of the heads of research on autism that you get to work under. Whoever it is, if they are established, you want to drop their name in your grad app. I know, I know, this feels a little weird at first, but today it’s all about connections. If you worked hard under the established name that you dropped, then there is no shame in it. You are simply using your situation to your advantage.

So what are you waiting for? The sooner you can score that internship, the better. Your grad school applications will thank you for it, and who knows, maybe some job opportunities will open up as well?

Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.

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