Competition for spots in graduate programs is often even more intense than for undergraduate admissions.  Graduate programs are looking for the "cream of the crop" - those students who have demonstrated both academic excellence and a strong committment to a specific field of study and/or career path.  Because of the scarcity of graduate spots, graduate programs can be very selective in choosing their enrollees.  Undergraduate programs look for good students who are also good people and who can, therefore, make a positive contribution to the college/university.  Undergraduate admissions officers do care that you can read, write and add, that you have a solid academic record and that you have differentiated yourself with outside activities, sports participation, volunteer work, employment success, and other non-academic activities.  BUt, those officers generally don't care whiat you intend to study, nor do they care if it's nuclear physics or parks and recreation - they want good students who are good people and who will reflect well on the academic institution.  However, graduate programs are different.  Certainly they want to enroll good pepople who have diverse backgrounds and experiences - they same sorts of things that undergraduate admissions officers are keen to.  But graduate programs serve a decidedly different mission - one that is very specific - namely, the pursuit of a specific field of study, at a high level, with the intent of using that newly acquired knowledge to pursue a career in said field - a career the graduate program hopes will lead to success which will reflect well on that specific graduate program.  As one good example, President Barack Obama studied law at Harvard Law School, and went on to teach constitutional law at another prestigious university.  Certainly Harvard enjoys having one of its very successful alumni in a position to reflect well on their law school.

As you look to apply to specific graduate programs, think about these steps to improving your chances:

1.  Academic Experiences:  Summarize your educational experiences related to this field.  Did you study this field as an undergraduate?  Have you taken any additional coursework, participated in any conferences, seminars, etc. in the field?  Capture any and all academic experiences related to this field of study and incorporate those in your application.

2.  Work Experiences:  Have you had work experience in the field?  Many graduate programs insist on this kind of experience prior to admitting an applicant to their program.  But whether it is required or not, being able to intelligently connect your work experiences to the field of study and ultimately, to your future career goals, is essential.

3.  Professional Associations:  Many., if not most, fields have trade groups, associations, or other professional groups which allow professionals (and aspiring professionals) in those fields to network, share knowledge, etc.  If you haven't already, consider joining such a group - it adds valuable bona fides to your application, and signals to the admissions officer that you have a deep interest in the field and are pro-actively building your opportunities.

4.  Recommendations:  These are critical for any graduate or undergraduate application, but they are specifically critical for graduate admissions.  Make sure you include at least one recommendation from someone who is in the field of study that you wish to pursue.  Make sure this person can speak to your credentials in the field, your interest in that career path, the work you've done to pursue that career, etc.  For example, if you wish to get your masters of education, have a former teacher write a recommendtaion on why you would be great in education - this will be better received than a general recommendtaion that "he's great!"  Remember, graduate programs are looking for the cream of the crop - it's not enough to be merely a good person with decent grades - you have to be "star" in their eys - make sure your recpommendations reflect that and come from credible sources in the field.

5.  Why this grad program?  Finally, as with undergraduate applications, you do want the school/program to feel like they are your top choice and that they are the only school for you.  In your essays, tell them why their program is the best and how it will affect your ability to be successful in your career (and life) - tell them why you absolutely have to go to their program!  Be as specific as possible - ergo, it's not enough to say "Harvard is the premier business school and that's why I want to go there."  Try something more specific, like:  "I want to attend Harvard Business School because of the program's unique teaching method, which leverages business case studies in a vigorous discussion environment...