Master's application checklist

Five supporting documents to be submitted

Five supporting documents are required for all applicants. Application materials must be received by January 15 for admissions consideration.

Read our five top tips for completing your master's application to get started!

1. Essays

The academic statement of purpose should be a concise essay about your professional and academic goals (500 words). The admissions committee is interested in how this graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. The academic statement is uploaded on page 9 of the application under the section titled "Program-Specific Information."

A personal statement is also required for all applicants (500 words). This statement is meant to convey how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree. The personal statement is uploaded on page 10 of the application under the section titled "Additional Essay and Information."

Both essays provide an opportunity for the applicant to convey to the admissions committee information that cannot be found in transcripts, letters of recommendation, test scores, or resumes. Essays should clearly explain the applicant’s reasons for wanting to pursue a Master of Public Policy, areas and questions of interest, and why the Ford School, in particular, is the best place to pursue these objectives. Applicants should be mindful that the statements are not only an opportunity to demonstrate their strong interest in public policy, but also to demonstrate their ability to communicate succinctly and clearly.

2. GRE test scores or quantitative resume (MPP only)

As part of our holistic approach to admissions, the Ford School requires either GRE scores or a "quantitative resume."

The Ford School curriculum includes rigorous quantitative courses taught in a supportive learning environment. We're looking for applicants with strong potential to grow given our excellent quantitative instruction. We understand that prospective students may feel strongly that their personal, professional, and academic experiences can demonstrate this readiness. Therefore, we offer an opportunity for prospective students to submit a quantitative resume in lieu of standardized test scores.

What should a quantitative resume include?

Quantitatively intensive college-level coursework: The resume should highlight a quantitatively oriented undergraduate major and/or multiple courses taken at the undergraduate or graduate level in statistics, economics, calculus, or social science research methods. List the name of the course, where it was taken, the grade received, and a description of the content covered. Note: A clear description of the content covered is the most important part of this portion of your quantitative resume.

Work experience with a significant quantitative or analytical component: The resume should detail paid or volunteer work experience involving substantial data analysis, such as program evaluation or data-oriented research. Include the duration of this work experience, specific analytical skills learned, proficiency with statistical software, and/or use of data visualization methods. Note: Experiences such as advanced Excel, statistical modeling, using Stata or R for data analysis, experimental design, database management, and optimization techniques are valuable examples to include in this portion of the quantitative resume.

You can review an example of a quantitative resume here. This example demonstrates the amount of detail on your quantitative coursework and/or professional experiences that we expect to be included in the quantitative resume. The formatting, however, is up to you and does not need to match the example.

Which one should I submit, GRE scores or a quantitative resume?

We will only review one demonstration of readiness for graduate quantitative coursework: a GRE score or quantitative resume, so please do not submit both. We encourage you to submit the option that best demonstrates your quantitative aptitude.

If you do not have much academic or work experience with quantitative methods, we highly encourage the submission of GRE scores. In our experience, providing a GRE score is a positive factor in admission as it provides us with important  information about an applicant's readiness for our program. Keep in mind that students often view standardized test scores differently from how admissions committees view them. Stellar scores are NOT necessary to demonstrate readiness for our curriculum.

If you have further questions about the quantitative resume, please view our page here or feel free to contact [email protected]. Our staff are happy to help.

Optional GRE Statement 

The admissions committee will consider GRE scores in the context of the entire application file. We invite applicants to provide information in the additional information section of the application to contextualize their GRE scores.

GRE Fee Reduction Program

Educational Testing Services (ETS, the company that owns the GRE), provides the GRE Fee Reduction Program. This program can reduce the GRE General Test registration fee by 50%, or $100. Additionally, those who register for the General Test will also receive free access to GRE test preparation materials which include two practice tests and a writing practice test. 

U.S. citizens or resident aliens who are college seniors or unenrolled college graduates who meet eligibility requirements, and who plan to take a GRE test in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands may be eligible for the Fee Reduction Program. We encourage students to learn more about the Fee Reduction Program, and to contact ETS with any questions regarding the program. 

3. Resume or curriculum vitae

A current resume or curriculum vitae must be submitted. Applicants who apply online should attach this under the section asking for a resume. The resume is uploaded on page 8 of the application under the section titled "Employment History; Resume and Financial Assistance."

4. Letters of recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required (one academic and one professional) but students may request up to three letters of recommendation as part of the application. Letters of recommendation should reflect the academic and, if relevant, job capabilities and experience of the applicant. We encourage applicants to submit letters of recommendation electronically—please see the online application for instructions. If you have any questions or difficulty submitting your letters of recommendation, please email [email protected].

5. Transcripts

All applicants: Please upload an official or unofficial transcript with your online application in ApplyWeb. You may also upload additional transcripts from any other institution you attended. Please note that if you wish to submit more than one transcript, you will need to combine them into one document to upload.

An official transcript from your undergraduate degree-granting institution must be submitted to Rackham Graduate School only after an offer of admission is made. Visit this link for information on how to submit an official transcript to Rackham Graduate School.

International applicants

International students must submit additional documentation with their application. Please see our International Applicant Materials for full requirements.

Dual degree applicants

Dual degree applicants may need to fill out additional documentation as well. Please see our Dual Degree Applicant page for information.

More information

For prospective students, please use this calendar to schedule appointments with our admissions team or select a time to meet with Tejal, our MPP Graduate Admissions and Office Assistant, and address any questions regarding the Ford School and our masters programs. ​​If these times do not fit your schedule, please feel free to email [email protected] to set up an alternative time with Tejal.