This piece of advice means that undergraduates will not have the undesirable type of recommendation letter that starts with the phrase, "I have had this student in one class and so have known her/him for four months . . . ."
2. There are various ways to interact with professors over two or more years: taking more than one class from the same professor; becoming a voluntary research assistant; helping the professors with their service activities at the university of or in the community; assisting professors with their teaching, e.g., as a junior or senior, tutoring a freshman.
3. Many departments (at UH these include economics, the business school, psychology, communication/information systems, and others) have non-credit seminars that undergraduate students can attend. These usually have faculty and graduate students as the more frequent seminar attendees. If they participate, undergraduates get to meet professors and also learn about the activities of graduate students. Undergraduates often feel uncomfortable attending these seminars because they feel overwhelmed by the graduate students. We recommend that undergraduates realize that this discomfort is common, and that if they continue to attend five or six times, they will become more comfortable.
4. Graduate schools known as "selective" accept about one of five complete applications for graduate study (many times, the selection ratio of those accepted to those who apply is even smaller). One way to distinguish oneself is to have research experience as an undergraduate. This can be done through a number of ways: research assistant to a professor (point 2, above); participation in a universityıs undergraduate honors program and the completion of a senior thesis; taking "directed readings/research" credit from a professor and completing a research project; and in some professional fields, an internship.
5. Selective schools often require a statement of research and career interests. Applicants are advised to do identify the current research interests of faculty at different graduate schools and to link their research interests to those of the faculty. This step is made easier today because of the internet. Further advice is to not make the mistake of discussing professorsı past research for which they may have become well known. This past research may not reflect the professorsı current interests and work.
6. Undergraduates can identify research areas in which they have a special interest and can read the current journals. This knowledge of current research, and knowledge of key journals, will be reflected in the undergraduatesı application materials and will be appreciated by the selection committees of various graduate schools.
7. Selection committee members for graduate admissions examine at least four types of Information: grades, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and a "portfolio" containing descriptions of past research activities and research/career interests for the future. If grades and/or standardized test scores are a little on the low side, this often can be countered with good letters of recommendation (following point 1, above; and research experience and well-thought out future plans (points 4 and 5, above).
8. Many graduate fields have areas which most students find difficult. Sometimes courses and comprehensives in these areas are used as screening devices. For example, one such area in the social sciences is often statistics. Taking courses as an undergraduate in such areas can indicate to admission committees that there is a strong likelihood that the applicant will pass the similar graduate requirements.