GRADUATE EDUCATION: Benefits & Opportunities Nura Dualeh Graduate College – Mc. Nair Program Spring 2012
TAKE CHARGE!!!!!
Preparation for Graduate School– Begins with You
Time Matters n Note deadlines n Develop a multiyear plan n Apply to graduate school and national fellowships - Start 1 year early! n Write/Re-Write your personal statement. It’s one of the most important essays you’ll ever write!
Look into a Summer Research Opportunity n n n n Provides an in-depth look at your field Investigate a research question that matters Get to know faculty Learn how to read research literature Design and carry out a research project Learn what is expected in graduate/professional school Increases your confidence when applying to graduate school
UROC: Graduate College’Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium PROGRAM BENEFITS n n n n Faculty Mentoring Summer stipends: $3, 000 -$5000 6 credit hours – free! GRE prep class – free! Graduate Admission Workshops Poster sessions/research conferences Network with faculty/staff graduate recruiters
Think Summer Research in Social Science & Humanities n n UA’s Summer Research Institute: http: //grad. arizona. edu/sri UA’s Mc. Nair Achievement Program: http: //grad. arizona. edu/mcnair UA’s Undergraduate Research Portal: http: //ur. arizona. edu/ University of California, Irvine – the UROP Database: http: //www. urop. uci. edu/frame_opportunities_off_ca mpus. html
Think Summer Research in Social Science & Humanities NSF REU (research experiences for undergraduates): List of REUs by discipline: http: //www. nsf. gov/crssprgm/reu_search. cfm n IBP: Institute for the Broadening of Participation: http: //www. pathwaystoscience. org/ n Office of Undergraduate Research webportal: www. ur. arizona. edu n UA Career Services website: http: //www. career. arizona. edu/Students/default. aspx ? s=1&ss=50 n
Additional Resources n GRE n Applying to Graduate School n Financing Graduate School Master’s, Ph. D, and Professional degrees n Fellowships and beyond n How to find a graduate program
Additional Resources Cont’d n Finding the ‘right’ program n Nationally competitive fellowships n Letters of Recommendation n Curriculum Vita (CV) n The Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) n Begin preparing for the GRE exam your sophomore year – why? n Acceptable scores vary by field n Some fields require a “subject” test n Is a GRE preparation course necessary or affordable? Prepare! n Develop your own prep schedule – use study groups, online programs, cds, etc. n Studying/preparing will improve your scores!
Financing Graduate School Master’s, Ph. D & Professional degrees n n n n Teaching Assistantships Research Assistantships Fellowships Grants Tuition waivers Loans Submit the FAFSA annually n A Ph. D can be cheaper than other degrees
How to find a graduate program? Web search Ask professors and graduate students Brochures, catalogs, professional guide books Contact Graduate College staff Contact the Graduate Advisor (faculty) Contact the Graduate Coordinator (staff) Email professors you are interested in doing research with n Ask if you can talk to grad students in the program n Campus Visits - make appointment first n Apply to 5 -10 universities: 1/3 reach schools, 1/3 very possible, 1/3 sure admission n n n
Graduate School Game Plan n Summer: Write draft statement of purpose (why you want to be admitted to this specific program). Browse directories/websites of graduate programs. n September: Meet with faculty to discuss your statement and possible programs. Ask for letters of recommendation. Sign up for required standardized tests, i. e. , GRE, GMAT. n October: Take standardized tests. Request application materials from programs in which you are interested. Search the Web. Look through Peterson’s Guide, ask your professors and program staff.
Graduate School Game Plan – Cont’d n November: Order transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended. Ask if the Registrar can send a transcript w/your fall term grades in time to meet the deadlines of programs to which you are applying. n December: Complete application forms – most are online (do a draft on a photocopy of the forms first). Give your recommenders the forms to fill out or the addresses to send their letters & copies of your statement of purpose or your response to specific questions asked by the program. Submit applications. Even if deadlines are later, apply early to be considered for funding. n File a FAFSA.
Graduate School Game Plan – Cont’d n January: Contact programs about the possibility of visiting. Make trips if possible. (Be sure to brush up on your interviewing skills – work with Career Services on this. ) March/April: Follow up on your application. Is your file complete? Check on funding opportunities. File the FAFSA for the next academic year. n
Prepare Yourself n Conduct undergraduate research n Provide voluntary service in the field n Join a professional society (student member) n Present & network at conferences/publish in undergraduate journals n Get to know 3 solid faculty who can give you excellent recommendations
Prepare Yourself n Identify awards: self-nominate or ask faculty n Keep up your grades: Transcripts count! n Take standardized tests: If low scores, study some more and take again n Build technical skills for resume or cv. n Keep a file of possible graduate schools and fellowship opportunities
Get Lots of Information! n Meet with your faculty mentors & discuss interests n Read about the interests of the field n Define 1 or more topics of interest n Search & read funding guidelines
Ask for Help!!! From mentors, peers, program staff
What about Funding?
Maintain a Great Attitude n n n Focus your passion Overcome fears Do the worst thing first Be persistent Practice optimism Repeat after me : self-worth has nothing to do with whether or not you receive a grant
Institutional & Extramural Funding n Employment: GA, RA or TA Graduate, Teaching or Research Assistantships Usually offered as part of admission package. Tuition waiver and healthy insurance is usually included. n Tuition scholarships n Institutional Fellowships & Training grants n National Fellowships: Ford, Javits, Mellon, Sloan Fellowships n Federal Fellowships: NSF, Dept. of Education
Teaching Assistantships Payment to teach a discussion section, sometimes a class, and/or grade papers/tests n n n Stipend: $12, 000 - $15, 000 for 9 mos. Tuition (in-state and out-of-state) Health Insurance may be covered Provides teaching experience but does not further one’s research Useful credential for academic positions and practice in public speaking
Research Assistantships Faculty member/department pays you to do research to fulfill a grant awarded to him/her Stipend: $12, 000 - $15, 000+ for 12 mos. Tuition (in-state and out-of-state) Individual Health Insurance Work obligation (assisting professor with research) Often constitutes one’s dissertation research
Scholarships n Usually refers to tuition scholarships, i. e. , free money that pays for your tuition
GET HELP!!! n Form a writing group or get a buddy. n Work with an advisor. Feed “forward. ” n Let others read and critique. n Find student who already got a national fellowship: ask to read his/her application
Develop Basic Building Blocks n n Define research interests Build bibliographies Build technical skills Conduct pilot studies Personal goals n Previous experience n Resume/c. v. n Transcripts on file n
Proposal Writing Resources Guide for Writing a Funding Proposal, S. Joseph Levine, MSU, 2009 http: //www. learnerassociates. net/proposal/ n How to Prepare a Research Proposal: Guidelines for Funding and Dissertations in the Social and Behavioral Sciences, David Krathwohl n NSF Grant Proposal Guide n http: //www. nsf. gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf 09_29/gpg_index. jsp Practical Research Planning and Design, Paul Leedy & Jeanne Ellis Ormrod n Proposal Writing Short Course – Foundation Center - n http: //foundationcenter. org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse/index. html Research Proposals: A Guide to Success, T. Ogden & Israel Goldberg "The Art of Writing Proposals: Some Candid Suggestions for Applicants to Social Science Research Council Competitions“ , Adam Przeworski & Frank Salomon. Social Science Research Council http: //fellowships. ssrc. org/art_of_writing_proposals/ n University of California at Berkeley Grant Writing Resources http: //ls. berkeley. edu/? q=graduate/grant-writing-resources n University of Michigan Proposal Writer’s Guide, Don Thackrey http: //www. research. umich. edu/proposals/pwgcomplete. html n n
What are Your Next Steps? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Questions? UROC Contact Information: Donna Treloar, Graduate College - Summer Research Institute 621 -7808 dtreloar@email. arizona. edu Stephanie Adamson, Assistant Director, Graduate Recruitment 626 -0095 adamsons@email. arizona. edu Nura Dualeh, Mc. Nair Achievement Program 626 -7475 nura@email. arizona. edu Andrew Huerta, Mc. Nair Achievement Program 626 -6961 ahuerta@email. arizona. edu
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