Graduate school admissions is a seasonal event. Although applications typically are due in December or January, applicants begin the steps entailed in applying months and often a year or more beforehand. It is this time of year that many students begin to think about graduate study and wonder what to do with their lives. Many are college juniors, thinking ahead to their senior year and beyond. Some are people in the work force wondering if they should apply to school this fall. If you're one of these potential applicants, wondering if graduate school is for you, take some time to think it though. Then learn about the parts of a graduate school application.

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by Timothy McAdoo

Page 67 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) notes that “writers often use redundant language in an effort to be emphatic.” Instead, the redundant wording can be distracting.

The Manual provides a few examples of commonly used redundancies: “were both alike,” “were exactly the same,” “absolutely essential,” and others.

On Twitter, the APA Style team has had fun coming up with additional examples. Can you think of more?  Post them in the comments below and/or on Twitter with a hashtag of #DoRD (for Department of Redundancy Department)! ... (continued)

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If you're studying for a test and you find it necessary to remember a number that seems a little random and difficult to recall, you can try a method I use often, which I call the "clock face" method.

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At first glance, this seems crazy, no? Spend years earning a masters or doctoral degree just to turn around and go back for another degree? It's more common than you think -- and most returning students seek a very specific graduate degree for very specific reasons. Many wait to re-enter graduate school, until it's clear that a new degree is what they need to enter a new career. Julie Miller Vick and Jennifer S. Furlong write about this phenomenon in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Honestly, I once very very briefly considered going back for another degree. Emphasis on brief! I'm glad I didn't, but that's simply because it wasn't the right choice for me. Now or at some point in the future, a second degree might be right for you.

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Don't wait until you're a senior to think about applying to graduate school - often that's too late! Students who are most likely to be accepted to graduate school amass experiences and develop skills over the college years. Reserve your senior year for preparing your applications, not filling in holes in your experience. If you're about to begin your junior year of college, take some time to learn more about what you can do now to improve your odds of getting into graduate school later.

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Timelines are great visual tools for planning a successful school year. It's a good idea to start plotting a timeline now--one that shows the important events that will require your attention this school year. Be sure to include things that might distract you--like homecoming events and holidays--as well as assignment due dates.

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Would you like to get a peek into a real Ivy League classroom? The Harvard Extension School's Open Learning Initiative is an online portal for free access to select courses and lectures.

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The prospect of studying for master's or doctoral comprehensive exams can be overwhelming. Cramming all there is to know about a field into your mind and being able to discuss it at a professional level is a huge accomplishment. So where do you begin? Here are some guidelines for preparing for comps.

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Can you always tell if a statement is a fact or if it is really an opinion disguised as a fact? This is a skill that becomes more and more important as you progress through the grades and begin to develop research skills. Without the ability to tell fact from opinion, you won't be able to judge your research sources very well.

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Many new graduates with doctoral degrees (and sometimes advanced graduate students) embark on postdoctoral fellowships. A postdoc is a research position in which the fellow becomes part of an established scientist's lab, providing postdocs with the opportunity to gain additional research and publishing experience, build their own research programs, learn new techniques, and get their feet wet at grant writing. A good postdoctoral experience can make a young scientist's career. This Chronicle of Higher Education article by Zoe Smith and Ariana Sutton-Grier offers exceptional advice on making the most of your postdoctoral experience.

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