Your personal statement should explain your interest in the program, how it will help you reach your career goals, and any additional context you would like to provide in support of the other application materials. For example, you may wish to explain some inconsistencies in your undergraduate or professional career. Ensure that your essay is thorough, well-organized, persuasive, and clear as we also assess the quality of writing in your personal statement.

Two letters of recommendations are required. If you completed your undergraduate degree within the past three years, at least one letter must be from a professor at your undergraduate institution. For those who completed an undergraduate degree over three years ago, you may opt for professional references from a recent supervisor or colleague. Character references or letters from relatives or friends are not acceptable.

Your recommenders should know your interests in our program and how they fit with your career path and goals. If possible, we suggest you give them at least three weeks advance notice to complete your recommendation. When they receive the recommendation link, they will be asked to rate you on a few competencies that are important to our program, such as work ethic, integrity, problem-solving, writing skills, etc. We also list a few attributes we want them to discuss in their letters. We suggest selecting recommenders that are able to attest to these qualities about you.

Should you waive the right to see your Letters of Recommendation?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) gives you the right of access to the contents of any recommendation letters, unless you specifically waive that right. The option to waive or not to waive your right is on our form, so your recommenders will know what you request.

That said, many graduate schools prefer confidential letters, which means you’ve waived the right to read the recommendations. These evaluations are considered more candid and accurate. It is up to you to consider the pros and cons of keeping or waiving your right, but you should make the same decision for both recommendations.

We will assess your undergraduate transcripts, professor recommendations (if required), and GRE/GMAT scores (if your cumulative GPA is below 3.0). We recognize that not everyone has the same advantages that foster success in the undergraduate classroom. In this case, your personal essay should reflect on your academic career to help us understand why you would perform well as a graduate student in light of your previous academic performance. Professor and professional recommenders should also shed light on your ability to succeed in our master’s degree program.

For those who are required to take an entrance exam, do not let the GRE/GMAT be a barrier to your application. These are not scored and evaluated the same as the SAT and ACT, since only top students heading to master’s and doctoral programs take these exams. We look at this score as just one more piece to the puzzle.

Successful applicants who enter our program several years post-college come from many fields and experiences. What unifies them is a desire to grow intellectually and professionally, with a goal to improve their skill set or to transition to new careers and/or leadership positions. Your résumé will be a critical component to your evaluation process, especially if you have been out of college for several years.

If you have any questions about the application process, do not hesitate to contact Graduate Director, Dr. Mark Rademacher at mrademac@butler.edu.