When applying for grad school, there are a number of things that you will want to take care of. Figure out what you want to do your graduate studies in, research the schools in your field, and apply for fellowships. One fellowship that you definitely will want to consider is the Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship.

The Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship is a fellowship specifically for applied physical sciences. According to the Hertz foundation website, the term "applied physical sciences" is construed very broadly to mean "fields of endeavor in which one applies, invents, and/or develops results from the basic physical sciences to generate solutions to problems of comparatively near-term, widespread human interest."

The award consists of a cost of education allowance, plus a stipend. The cost of education allowance is accepted by graduate schools to pay costs normally associated with going to school, such as tuition and course fees. The stipend is currently $28,000 per year. According to the Hertz Foundation, "The Foundation's standing policy is that they will be structured to be the most attractive in their class in both material terms and duration of tenure."

Applications for the hertz fellowship are due at the end of October. It is too late to apply this year for a Hertz Fellowship, but now is a good time to start preparing for next year. Try to impress your professors with a desire to learn, and it will be easier to get a good recommendation from them (plus you will probably learn more from your classes, which is always a good thing). Don't just ask your professor for a letter of recommendation; let him or her know everything about you. Be prepared to answer questions, and don't be afraid to volunteer information about yourself.

One thing that will help your application greatly is if you can mention research that you have already done. To do this, find an area of research that you are interested in, and go for it. This will help you in three ways. First, it will directly give you research experience in an area of physical science. Second, you will gain a much better understanding in the field you are researching than you ever could in class. Finally, you will get a chance to work more closely with your professor.

When writing the application essay, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, the people at the Hertz foundation are well versed in their field; b.s. won't cut it. Second, they are reviewing thousands of applications; unless your application stands out in some way, it won't be remembered. Third, the Hertz fellowship isn't necessarily looking for the brightest or the student with the highest grades, it is looking for exceptional creativity. Finally, make sure your essay is well written. Ask your professor to look over it for content. Go to the Broward Reading and Writing center for a literary critique.