You’ll want to take the GRE (yuck, I know– but it’s required in most programs). Visit several programs and talk with the professors and the students to get a feel for the atmosphere. You might even want to sit in on a few classes or take a couple of courses before you commit to a program.

You did not mention if you’ve already finished your bachelor’s program. If you’re still finishing up, talk to a professor in one of your current classes about working on a research paper to polish up to include in your application. Preferably, the paper will be on a topic of interest that you’ll plan to pursue more in graduate school. Since you aren’t sure which type of program, choose a broad topic that can be discussed im various fields of study. For example, I once wrote a paper in a communications course on presidential debates. I submitted the paper to both a political science program and a history program. I ended up in the history program.

Good luck to you and I hope this helps!

you have have been given the only instructor rec, so because it is powerful. See if the college will settle for one expert rec, and additionally see if a PhD who’s working at between the digs the place you have volunteered, and who knows you extremely nicely, could be keen to jot down a recc. i don’t accept as true with the different poster, who mentioned that that’s on your income to have extra expert reccs. that’s not, if the college grew to become into particular in asking for academic reccs. some colleges are rather particular in this element, and that they recommend it. in case you will selection from their standards, you may desire to ask them if that’s ok. in case you’re able to get yet another instructor recc – if the college says you’re able to – then you fairly’ll might desire to touch an previous professor who you loved, and who used to love your paintings. they could not bear in mind you, yet it is okay, because of the fact you will ask in case you may deliver them your resume (and a photo, as a tickler), plus, in case you have it, some previous classwork, and/or a write up of what you probably did in college lower back then, and why your prof, on the time, had mentioned it grew to become into particular. this might paintings, and the prof can write a recc in keeping with this.