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The Graduate School

G-1 Communications Building
Box 353770
Seattle, Washington 98195-3770

Phone: 206.543.5900
Fax: 206.685.3234

Grad School Prep Boot Camp

Register nowLaunching your career? Seeking to advance your professional life? Change careers? Graduate school may be exactly what you need.

Learn how to find the right graduate program and school for you and how to apply through a weekend workshop this summer, taught by professors in the University of Washington Graduate School. This two-day, non-credit workshop is a condensed version of the popular two-credit course we offer each quarter.

Workshop One

June 30-July 1, 2012
Communications Building - Room 104, University of Washington campus (map)
Cost: $475 per person*
Maximum enrollment: 50
Register for Workshop One >

Workshop Two

July 28-July 29, 2012
Communications Building - Room 104, University of Washington campus (map)
Cost: $475 per person*
Maximum enrollment: 50
Register for Workshop Two >

*Early-registration special: $450 if you register on or before May 31.

Registration deadline: Students may register up to the morning of the workshop or until that workshop is sold out.

Questions may be sent to gradprep@uw.edu.

Classes begin at 8:00 a.m. and run until 4:30 p.m. Each student is expected to complete a set of readings and assignments prior to the workshop. These assignments will be sent one month in advance of each workshop.

Who Should Enroll?

  • Undergrads who want to pursue professional master’s degrees
  • Undergrads planning careers in academia as researchers and teachers
  • Recent graduates looking to launch their careers with an advanced degree
  • Professionals seeking graduate degrees to bolster or change their careers
  • Anyone interested in graduate school and learning how to apply

What You Will Get

  1. An accurate understanding of the graduate school application process.
  2. A strong sense of your goals and strengths and how to communicate those through your resume and statement of purpose.
  3. A solid draft of your statement of purpose and resume.
  4. A concrete plan of the steps you will take to apply to graduate school.

“I think my biggest concern was GPA and test scores. I thought that was the greater portion of the graduate application, but I learned it's actually the other 80 percent that counts, such as personal statement, letters of recommendation, experience and CVs. The class gave me a lot more confidence in the graduate application process, applying for graduate school and setting high goals and standards for myself.”
- Karina Marie Rivera, former grad school prep student

What You Will Learn

  • Getting to know you.
    Meet your professors and fellow students.
  • The perfect match.
    How to identify the perfect graduate program and school for you.
  • It’s all about you.
    The personal statement. What you should say and how you should say it.
  • Experiential learning.
    How to get the experience you need to prepare for grad school and bolster your application.
  • Making contact.
    The secrets of networking and forging relationships.
  • Putting in a good word.
    Learn the importance of recommendations and how to ask someone to write on your behalf.
  • Image is everything.
    Discover how to use your resume/curriculum vitae to showcase your talent, experience and potential.

Watch some of our past students talk about their experiences with Grad School Boot Camp.

Instructors

Each day of the workshop consists of intense, fast-paced presentations and hands-on, collaborative learning, taught by:

  • Jerry Baldasty, vice provost and dean of the UW Graduate School
  • James Antony, associate dean of the UW Graduate School
  • Rebecca Aanerud, associate dean of the UW Graduate School
  • Katy DeRosier, the UW Graduate School's assistant director for new programs and external funding who specializes in higher education admissions programs
  • Jacob Houston, a master's and doctoral candidate in the UW College of Education's Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Where to Stay, Where to Eat

Housing is not included in the cost, but we recommend a number of options:

Hotel Deca: www.hoteldeca.com

  • $135, flat rate
  • Free parking
  • Free wifi
  • Rates increase to $145 with breakfast
Contact: 206.634.2000, ask for Sean Milligan

Silver Cloud: www.silvercloud.com/university

  • Includes breakfast
  • Free parking
  • Free shuttle service within three miles of hotel
  • $129 for one king bed, Sunday through Tuesday
  • $149 for two king beds, Sunday through Tuesday
  • $137, Wednesday through Thursday
Contact: 206.526.5200, ask for Katie

On-campus housing at the UW.

“The course made me rethink who I am and what I really want out of grad school. I tossed a statement that was really a checklist of items I thought I should include, and ended up writing a personal statement that was truly personal and addressed my interests, how I saw my life path, and how I would contribute to my field. It worked. I was accepted into my first choice program!”
- Susan Oldham, former grad school prep student
The workshop will include catered breakfast and afternoon snacks each day. Participants must bring or buy their own lunches.