In an essay, describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your research interests and academic plans, future career goals, and how a graduate degree will help you fulfill those goals.

Discuss how your personal background motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Include any educational, cultural, familial, economic, social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey, including how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field. Please be specific about how a particular lab and/or Professor in the Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences would be a good academic fit for you.

As a key element in evaluating your qualifications and potential for success in the TPSS Graduate Program, the statement of objectives should be prepared carefully and as specifically as possible. Include relevant details such as previous research or work experiences, awards or recognition of your scholarship, or any details that can help strengthen your application. Be sure to mention any communications with TPSS faculty members that you have contacted prior or during this application process, and whether they have agreed to accept you into their lab.

‣ The Statement of Objectives should be :

• A maximum of two pages
• Single-spaced
• 1” margins
• No more than six lines per inch (e.g., Times New Roman 12pt or Arial/Calibri 11pt font)

Please have three letters of recommendation submitted. Writers of recommendation letters may come from different backgrounds (academic or employment), but should include at least two who are qualified to evaluate the quality of your scholastic achievements and academic training as well as your ability to carry out independent research. This is especially important if you have had previous research experience.

One character or personal recommendation is permissible (this may come from someone outside of our academic or work environment). It is helpful to tell your letter writers to address those characteristics that are important to your admission (e.g., the traits that make you a successful student, researcher and colleague). Recommendation letters should be on a professional letterhead unless it comes from outside of your professional or academic environment. All letters must have the signature of the letter writer (electronic signatures are acceptable).

To submit recommendation letters, login to the Graduate Division’s Supplemental Material Upload Website. Once you have entered the site, you will be able to request recommendation letters. Your letter writers will receive an email with an upload link, and the letters that they have uploaded will automatically be connected to your General Application.

Supplemental documents help to build a more rounded application, and we highly encourage that you include them with your application package.

▲ Examples of supplemental documents include:

• CV/resume
• Writing samples (published work, senior thesis, literature review, project report, grants, etc.)
• GRE scores

Upload these documents to Graduate Division’s Supplemental Material Upload Website along with your General Application.

Applications are due on the dates listed below for enrollment the following semester.

▲ Fall enrollment – January 15*
▲ Spring enrollment – August 1*

*Application review begins on these days; however, dates may be extended if space is available.