The tools required to gain admission to the graduate school of your choice will generally not come to you.

They must be sought, purposefully and strategically, with the ultimate receipt of a doctoral degree always borne in mind. Meetings with university administrators, officers in student organizations and faculty members who perform research in your area of interest should be a part of your academic plan. If you simply sit back and hope that you will one day run into the right person, that hope may go unfulfilled. Because the university environment is so much larger than high school, there is increased competition for resources.

To ensure that you are in a position to reap the most benefit, you should assume a proactive posture and make the most of every encounter. Success in proactivity requires discipline, preparation and a network of friends, colleagues and mentors who support you in times of need.