Although the process for applying to graduate school for philosophy is similar at many schools, you should treat each school as if it's application process were unique.  Don't assume anything.  Get in touch with the school and find out exactly how they would like you to apply.

Of course, all of this assumes you have already decided which programs to apply to. 

Choosing graduate programs to apply to can be very challenging.  In order to help you narrow the field of programs down to a manageable (and realistic) few, you might ask yourself the following questions:

Concerning the school in general:

• What resources does the school have? Workshops and centers? Conferences that offer an opportunity for professional development and publishing?
• Happy graduate students?
• Graduates placed in jobs you might want or respect? Graduate students who graduate?
• Professors working in the fields (or sub-fields) that are of serious interest to you?
• Ask professors at your school whom you respect for the names of good programs and good advisors in the area you want to study.

Concerning the philosophy department:

• What kind of reputation does it enjoy?
• What is the substantive emphasis of the department?
• What is the attrition policy?
• What is the average time to completion of a degree?
• What is the department's placement rate?
• Whatis the emotional quality of the department? Does it seem like a friendly place?
• Does the department offer money for travel to conferences?  Is there fifth- or sixth-year support to complete a dissertation? 
• Does the department offer teaching opportunities?
• What financial support do they offer?
• Are there language requirements? 
• What is the social climate like?

Potential Advisors

Ideally, you will get into a program where there are specific professors with whom you would like to work.  To determine if there is anyone in a particular program with whom you might like to work, ask yourself the following questions:

• Read their publications.  Are they interesting to you? Thought provoking?
• Look at the advisor's own professional development.  Where were they educated? Who are their collaborative colleagues?
• Talk to their graduate students: Are they happy? Are they progressing toward their degrees on schedule? Do you like them?  Is their research progressing? Do they feel their advisors have been helpful? How or why?
• Talk with them over the phone or schedule a visit to campus (which you should anyway, if you can). Ask them to explain some portion of their research. Do you like their pedagogical style?
• Does the professor have tenure? If not, how confident is he or she of getting tenure?  How confident are his or her colleagues?