The Nuts and Bolts of
Applying to Graduate School
1
AISES NATIONAL CONFERENCE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
NOVEMBER 10, 2011
KELLIE SZCZEPANIEC, MSW
SERRA HOAGLAND, MESM
THOMAS REED, PHD CANDIDATE
Roadmap for today…
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1. WHY GRADUATE EDUCATION
2. CHOOSING A PROGRAM
3. APPLYING
4. POST APPLICATION
5. ACTIVITY: UNIQUENESS
6. DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS
7. GOALS AND VISION
8. FUNDING
9. CALENDAR
10.RESOURCES
Why Graduate Education
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• What is graduate school?
Masters
Doctoral
2-3 years
4-8 years
Coursework
Coursework
Exams
Exams
Presentations
Presentations
Internships
Dissertation
Written thesis
• Expectations are different
Kellie Szczepaniec
Why Graduate Education
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 URMs represent approximately 25% of total population
 URMs represent 17% of the STEM bachelor’s degrees earned
 URMs represent 6-10% of the STEM graduate degrees earned
 Need for AIAN in STEM
fields and pursuing
graduate education
Kellie Szczepaniec
Source: NSF, 2009
Why Graduate Education
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 Percent of doctorates earned by racial/ethnic
minority U.S. citizens, 1998 & 2008
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
8.7
8.3
6.6
5.1
1998
2008
4.3
0.6
Asian
Kellie Szczepaniec
5.7
Black
Hispanic
0.4
American
Indian
Source: Survey of Earned Doctorates, Summary 2007
Why Graduate Education
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 Percent of AIAN doctoral recipients in specific fields,
2008-2009
.9%
0.80%
.8%
.7%
.6%
.5%
.4%
.3%
.2%
0.50%
0.50%
0.40%
0.40%
0.40%
0.20%
.1%
.0%
Kellie Szczepaniec
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac Issue 2011-2012
Why Graduate Education
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• Is it right for me?!
Yes
No
• Specialize
• Stalling
• Gain skills
• Not ready or don’t
want to work yet
• Contribution to field • Everyone else is
• Want to gain
• Increase earning
experience in
power
industry
• Support family
• Career advancement
Kellie Szczepaniec
Why Graduate Education
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 Half of all STEM workers earned $70,600 in 2007
 Workers with STEM degrees earn more than workers
with comparable levels of education
 Unemployment was 9.7% nationally, but only 5.5%
for STEM workers (9/09)
Kellie Szczepaniec
Source: Science and Engineering Indicators, 2010
Why Graduate Education
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 Average earnings by educational attainment, 2009
116.1
Thousands
100
50
32.2
22.5
30.6
44.8
56.6
40.1
92.1
71.5
51.8
67.2
67.1
0
Women
Men
Kellie Szczepaniec
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac Issue 2011-2012
Choosing a program
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• Choosing a program – creating a vision and goal for
yourself
• Additional things you can do now
 “Research professions that are of interest to you and
determine if a master’s degree is needed for that field.”
 “Many students pursue a graduate degree that is
entirely unrelated to their undergraduate degree.”
Kellie Szczepaniec
Choosing a program
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• Evaluating programs
• What is important to you in a program?
• Cost
• Financial assistance
• Focus of program
• Location
• Support systems
• Faculty to student ratio
• Research or ask questions
• Compile a list of requirements for each school that
makes the cut
Kellie Szczepaniec
Applying
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What you’ll need
• Transcripts
• Admissions test scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Resume
• Statement of purpose
• Interview – some schools
Kellie Szczepaniec
Applying
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Tips
• Apply early
• Seek outside assistance and criticism
• Plan, write, edit, rewrite, and carefully proof your
essays
• List accomplishments, leadership, and community
service
• Create a calendar of due dates and do to by dates
Kellie Szczepaniec
Post-Application
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• Pick top 3 choices
• Make a decision
•
•
•
•
•
If you haven’t heard from your top choice but need to notify other
schools – ask for extension
Notify all schools of this decision
Pay deposit
Research area
Solidify financial aid from school
• Waitlisted?
• Not admitted?
Kellie Szczepaniec
ACTIVITY
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WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE?
You Are Unique
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 Just as a fishing lure, you are exactly what some graduate
department or scholarship office is looking for.
 Know yourself.
Find out how you
stand out among
your peers.
 Look for ways to
improve
yourself in key
categories
Uniqueness Workshop
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 Purpose: To find your traits which few others
possess that will be valuable in your
scholarship search.
 Step 1: My Own Uniqueness

Write 5 words or phrases that describe you
 Example:





Hopi
Electrical Engineer
Tennis
Ukulele
Puns
Uniqueness Workshop (Cont’d)
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 Now let’s compare to our key areas:
 Attending a specific school
 Academic or Exceptional Performance
 Need-based
 Group-related: Ethnic groups, Gender, Veterans
 Major Area of Interest: Computer Science, Biology, Music
 Special Interest: Hobbies, Skills, Interests,
 If you didn’t have any items that fit into this list of
criteria, let’s add at least two more words or phrases
to the list relating to the key areas.
Uniqueness Workshop (Cont’d)
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 Example: Adding to my list
 Seattle, WA
 UCSB
 GPA 3.9
 Parents income $45,864
 Home Video Production
 Step 2: What is most unique about me?
 Rate the phrases you listed about yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 (5
being most unique)
 Identify top phrases (ones that have 4s and 5s)
 Note: Income-- FAFSA
Uniqueness Workshop (Cont’d)
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 Example: Most Unique Traits

Hopi, Elec. Eng. With 3.9 GPA, Puns
 Step 3: My Unique Search

Spend 20 minutes doing a Scholarship Search using your top two or
three unique attributes. (NOT JUST ONLINE!)

O.K. . . .Websites for
scholarship search:
Fastweb.com
MEH…
 Collegeboard.org
> Student > Scholarship
Too General …

Uniqueness Workshop (Cont’d)
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 Step 3: My Unique Search

Use Your Uniqueness


Search Professional Orgs


Network with others
Example: IEEE, AISES, SACNAS
Go to your advisors
Example: BYU Multicultural Advisor – AIS, AISES
 Example: UCSB cultural resource centers have a scholarship booklet
for native students
 Example: Local native listserv – AIM, Chumash Tribe


Google It! (use general search instead…)
Scholarships less picked over
 Your specific search terms will generate more hits (not just $$$
sponsored hits)

What If I’m Not Unique? ‘___’
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 Working smart is always going to be a unique trait.
 Seek to stand out by working hard in school
 Get enrolled in your tribe (if necessary)
 Gain useful skills, attributes, & experiences in your major
 Learn to write/communicate well—scholarship essays and
interviews can be powerful ways to help you stand out.
 Get involved on campus—join clubs, participate in sports, take
on leadership roles, learn as much as you can
Developing your skills
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WHAT ARE THE SECRETS TO GETTING INTO
GRAD SCHOOL AND WINNING
SCHOLARSHIPS?
Developing your skills
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4 step process

Work HARD in school!

Get involved in activities

Get some experience

NETWORK!
Goals/Vision
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Bzzz
Bzzz
Vision is a Buzz Word
Bzzz
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 Future Uncertainty:
 You have options
 No one else can decide your path
 Come up with a vision
 An idea of what you want your life to look like in all its aspects.
 work, family, social, personal, spiritual, community
 Goals, without a vision, is like flying a plane without a
destination
 Make short/long term goals that lead to your vision
 Example: To get a B.S. in Physics you have to start with
Physics 101
Vision Example
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 Creating a vision—how will the future look?
 Educational—I will graduate with a M.S. in Materials Science,
with little or no debt, Summa Cum Laude, job connections.
 Work—I will have a job with flexible hours, good salary, nice
office, doing creative work, with a supportive boss, and retire
someday
 Family—I will have a happy relationship, happy family, 4 kids,
home that provides comfort/safety, respect family
 Social—I will have friends, attend social events
 Personal—I will be healthy, have hobbies, work hard
 Spiritual—I will connect with the Creator, have values
 Community—I will serve the local community, know my
neighbors, serve my Native community
Express Your Vision
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 Essays for Scholarships/Admission should include
parts of your vision.



How will you contribute to society after graduating?
How does your major fit into your vision?
How have your past activities contributed to your vision?
 60 Second Activity:
 Take a moment to write down 3 parts of your vision.
Scholarships
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What type of funding is available?
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Many types!!
1. Scholarships
2. Fellowships
3. Other awards/grants/loans
AI-in-STEM Scholarships
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 AIEF: American Indian Education Foundation
 AIS: American Indian Services
 AIGC: American Indian Graduate Center
 Tribal
 On-Campus Scholarships
 Graduate Research Fellowships
 AISES Scholarships
 Travel Scholarships
 NSF, Ford Foundation Fellowships
There’s more…..
HINT: Write these down!
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











AICC: AI Chamber of Commerce
ITC: Intertribal Timber Council
Industry Awards: Raytheon and Lockheed Diversity Awards
CTD: Catching The Dream
TWS: The Wildlife Society (Native Peoples Working Group Student
Professional Development Grant)
AAIA: Association of American Indian Affairs
MEP/MESA awards
Daughters of the American Revolution
IHS/Tribal Clinic awards
Your local Indian Health Clinic
Local Indian Education chapters (i.e. County Indian Education
Programs)
Additional resources: http://graded.sdsmt.edu/docs/130036.pdf
AI-in-STEM Scholarships
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On-Campus
University Fellowship
Academic Scholarship
Need-Based Scholarship
Financial Aid/FAFSA
University
Departmental
Multicultural/
Fellowship
Diversity
Scholars
AI/Minority
Rare Alumni
Endowed
(Women too)
Scholarships
Fraternal Organizations
Corporate
Ford Foundation
Tribal Scholars
School for Work
Diversity in
BIA Funding
NSF/DoD/DARPA
Industry
AIS
Fellowship
AISES
AIEF
AIGC Fellowship
Your Field
AI-in-STEM Dates/Deadlines
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Scholarship
Who
When
AMOUNT
AISES
Varies
HS students
Varies
Feb 15 (Google)
April 15 (B.N. Santa Fe)
June 15 (ATA/Intel)
<$10,000
~$1,000
<$2,000
AIEF
Varies
April 4 (Grad & Undergrad)
<$2,000
AIS
Undergrads
4 deadlines/yr (2/15; 5/15;
8/15; 11/15)
Varies
CTD
Varies
3 deadlines/yr (3/15; 4/15; 9/15) $500-$5K
AIGC
Grad/Undgrd
June 1
Varies
NSF
All
Proposals due in Nov
Varies
ITC
Nat. Res.
related
March
Varies
In general but not always, eligibility is as follows: ≥¼ blood, minimum GPA (>2.75 or >3.0), require
full-time status and FASFA forms
Questions?
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CLOSING THOUGHTS
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WHY GRADUATE SCHOOL
AIAN IN STEM FIELDS
WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE?
DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS
VISION
A STRONG APPLICATION
FUNDING RESOURCES
Our contact info
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 Kellie Szczepaniec

kszczepaniec@gwbmail.wustl.edu
 Serra Hoagland

serrahoagland@gmail.com
 Thomas Reed

treed314@gmail.com
You can find this presentation here:
buder.wustl.edu
Thanks for coming! Good luck!