Application Process

‌Creating a balance between work, life, and school can be challenging. Courses in the Counseling program are offered evenings and weekends, offering you the flexibility to maintain this balance.

Students may be eligible to complete six to seven credit hours before being admitted to this program. Please contact the Coordinator of Graduate Admission for more details.

Applications for this program are accepted for fall and spring start terms with the following deadlines. All materials must be postmarked by the identified dates.

Application Deadline

Fall Term

Application Deadline - February 15
Admission Decision - April 15

Spring Term

Application Deadline - September 1
Admission Decision - November 1

Application materials required for an admission review include:

Application for Admission

Complete and digitally sign our online Application for Admission.

Résumé or Curriculum Vitae

A current professional résumé or curriculum vitae is required. Please include information regarding current and/or past employment history as well as professional development and internships completed.

Essay Requirement

Admission to the Counseling Program has a specific essay requirement.

The essay should be a 5-page, double spaced statement of interest in the counseling profession and should include the following information:

Educational and professional background
Career aspirations with a counseling degree
Experience working with people who are different from you
What do you think is one of the more prominent or pressing issues in the area of counseling? (school/clinical mental health/rehabilitation)

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendations are required. When selecting your references, choose individuals such as professors and employers who can attest to your potential for success in a graduate program.

You will enter the names and email contacts for your two references into the online application. Your references will be contacted electronically with directions for submitting their letters of recommendation on your behalf.

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts from every college or university previously attended are required. Any college credit earned, even while in high school or at a community college, must be accounted for before your application can be reviewed.

Official transcripts are prepared and sent by the institution in question and received by Drake University in a sealed envelope. Transcripts mailed directly to the student, must remain in the sealed envelope or a secured .pdf file to be considered.

Upon the receipt of transcripts, an advisor will complete a transcript evaluation in order to determine any credit or course substitutions/transfers.

Please have official paper transcripts mailed to the address below:

Drake University School of Education
Attn: Coordinator of Graduate Admission
2507 University Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50311-4505