1. Getting the Money Lynn Curry McNair Director and Grad School Coach
Central Michigan University

2. MEANINGFUL CONTACT

3. Seriously. Meaningful Contact = Money
So how you do suppose you go about doing this?
Seriously. Meaningful Contact = Money

4. ACTION STEPS Start by emailing prospective faculty advisors
Introduce yourself and your interest in their work and program; ask if they are taking on new graduate students next fall
Talk to the departmental secretary and find out how many students are typically accepted, how many are funded and what the average stipend is
Find out if the school has a McNair fellowship or other incentives for McNair scholars
Contact the graduate coordinator in the department to express your interest in the program and the possibility of a campus visit

5. Figure out your current situation AND your ideal situation.
Meaning how much debt will you have for undergrad, how much are you willing to accrue for grad school and what kinds of locations are you considering.

6. What kind of money will you get?
Teaching and research assistantships
Apply early!
Secret: look for assistantships in other departments
Fellowships
University level and national level
Tuition waivers
Scholarships
To supplement
Travel grants
To conduct research and present at conferences
Loans

7. SUBMIT YOUR FAFSA IN JANUARY
You need to apply and get accepted in order to find out how much this gig will cost.
SUBMIT YOUR FAFSA IN JANUARY

8. Skinny on the numbers
So the deal is that most *competitive candidates* (read: McNair scholars) will receive some kind of assistantship that will include tuition and hopefully health insurance
Stipend ranges are from $10,500 - $30,000
You should all be in the sciences – joking! But not really.
Ideally, you want the offer for five years, but not all institutions will do this
Ex. CMU’s clinical psychology program

9. Master’s (if you need to do this first)
It’s best and most efficient to go directly into a fully funded Ph.D. program (there’s just more money there)
This won’t be possible in all disciplines, so the *SECRET* is this:
Make friends with the faculty even though you won’t necessarily be looking for a faculty advisor
If your program is practitioner-oriented, remember that you have research experience and see if there are a *limited* number of research assistantships available – there usually are!
Ex. Social Work (MSW)
Look for *administrative* assistantships in other places on campus
Diversity office
McNair
Residence Life (this is a great place for RA-types!)
Student Life

10. CMU McNair Scholar Case Studies
FROM THE SOURCE
CMU McNair Scholar Case Studies

11. ULTRA IMPORTANT! You need to get your funding offer in writing
REPEAT: You need to get your funding offer in writing
Ex. Colorado State
Typically, you are admitted first, then you get your funding package…

12. BIG * BIG * MONEY
Big money – like Ford, NSF and Truman – to the tune of $30,000 per year + tuition – can be applied to any graduate program
Highly competitive – a lot of work!
Caitlin’s experience at Portland

13. Search engines for fellowships

14. Proposal Writing Tips Applicant requirements Budget limitations
Time factors – make time to search and write!
Tailor your proposal to granting agency interests - know your audience!
Read successful proposals (university fellowship offices; McNair office)
Format appropriately
Keep to the word limit
Define the unfamiliar
Use granting agency forms, if provided

15. Proposal Writing Tips
Narrow your focus -- find a question that follows logically from an existing line of inquiry
Make sure you have a hypothesis … or more than one. Boil down your research goal to a specific question
Demonstrate understanding
Convey need - “hot” area of discipline
Establish regional/national/global significance (e.g., further social goals, have policy implications)
Justify why the problem should be of interest to the funding source.

16. Proposal Writing Tips
“Doable” scope on a dissertation time scale and with the resources available
Write and rewrite
Ferret out typos and any unclear or underdeveloped sections of your proposal
Ask professors in your field to serve as readers
Prep your recommenders usually required

17. Supplemental money (read: loans)
Chances are, even if you receive a pretty decent funding package, you may need/want to take out some loans (especially if you came out of undergrad debt free)
Several kinds of loans
Perkins – low interest (5%), doesn’t accrue interest until you’re done, can get up to $8000/year, these are THE BEST!
Subsidized Stafford – low interest (7%), doesn’t accrue interest until you’re done, can get up to $8500/year
Unsubsidized Stafford – low interest (7%), DOES accrue interest while you’re in school, can get up to $20,500/year
Grad Plus – bit higher interest (9%), can get the remainder of what you need, requires a credit check!

18. Be sure you’re building good credit!
If you don’t have a credit card, get one!
Don’t abuse it
Don’t be late with payments
Good credit is needed for loans that are not government sponsored

19. BE GOOD WITH YOUR MONEY
There are a ton of resources out there – find one or two and use them!
McNair will be more deliberate in this area
My personal favorites:
I love SUZY
Motley Fool
Talk to Chuck (this always makes me laugh!)
The Money Ride
Dave Ramsey

20. Pretty decent site with baseline info on grad school.
Grad School Heaven
Pretty decent site with baseline info on grad school.

21. Other key sites for program searching and money searching

22.
Big City ~ College Town ~ Rural What will it be? Consider the differences.

23. McNair: You Are Special.
McNair Fellowships & Fee Waivers

24. MEANINGFUL CONTACT

25. YOU ARE MCNAIR
YOU ARE EXTRAORDINARY.
Go out and work it!