1. Preparing Students for the Expectations of Graduate Education
Dr. Betty Mei
Special Assistant to the Associate Provost for Graduate Academic Affairs
West Virginia University

2. Introductions Me You WVASPA members? WVTRIO members?
Any job duties related to grad. ed.

3. How Often Does the Topic Come up?

4. Outline of this session
Why pursue graduate degrees
Expectations of graduate school
How you can help in preparing your students for the expectations of graduate school
Bonuses:
Personal statements
Preparing for the GRE
Finding funding

5. Reasons why it does not?
Lack of knowledge of post-baccalaureate degrees
Lack of funding/Fear of owing more loans
Don’t have the grades
Fear of overqualified

6. Bad Reasons for Pursuing Grad. Ed.
Group Activity
Don’t have to look for a job
Defer federal loan payments
Don’t like your current job
Don’t know what to do with your life
Want to relocate
Peer or family pressure

8. Why Pursue a Master’s? Most frequently cited reasons:
To support professional aspirations
(to improve skills and knowledge)
To increase opportunities for promotion, advancement, and/or pay
To learn more about something of interest

9. Why Pursue a Ph.D.? Drive for research Becoming an expert in your area
Enjoying the academic environment
Available opportunity
Developing important transferrable skills

10. My Advise: Skills Development Writing Research Data Analysis
Statistics

11. How Can You Help? Help your students
find the right reason to go to grad. school
identify their passion
find the perfect program
Example of Adam: wanted to go to Law school b/c that was the only thing mom knew.

12. What Graduate Schools Look For
Strong academic record
Good references from faculty
Well-written personal statements
Test scores
Previous research/internship experience
Essential Attributes: motivation, maturity, critical/analytical thinking skills
Experience being mentored as an undergraduate

13. Hard Data Soft Data Grades Test scores References
Personal attributes (motivation, self-discipline, people skills)
Research skills
Personal statements (short-term and long-term goals; match)

14. Group Activity
Things/activities you are doing or can do to help
Things/activities you feel you will need help developing

15. Suggestions:
Work with Writing Center to help students with research papers, personal statements, etc.
Work with faculty/administrators to develop research opportunities for students
Helping students to apply to summer research internships
Helping students to find funding opportunities

16. Personal Statement Research Interest PERFECT MATCH
Study carefully the essay directions
Questions being asked
Page or word limit
Answer each questions being asked
PERFECT MATCH
Research Interest

17. Example: Grad School Application
Write an essay that addresses the following two objectives – please be sure to cover all questions listed inside each objective: (1) The specific research area and questions you would like to pursue in graduate school. Why are these questions important and why are they of interest to you? How does this line of research fit with specific faculty members' or research groups' work at Drexel? What skills and experiences of yours will facilitate your graduate work? (2) Tell us how our program will specifically lead to the next step in your career. *Your essay cannot exceed 9,000 characters (approximately 1,500 words).

18. WVU REU Application
In your short essay ( words), you should state your motivation in applying to the REU program (i.e., Professionally speaking, what do you hope to get out of/learn from the program? How can you contribute to research ongoing at WVU? What do you bring to the table? What area(s) of research are of interest to you and why are you interested in those specific areas and, more generally, in scientific research? Why should you be awarded a REU appointment this summer?).

19. If no question specified, then state -
History of interest in discipline and graduate school
Short and long-term goals
Highlight special accomplishments
[Explain black marks on your record, only if needed]
Why this school and graduate program
[why should they let you into the school?]
[mention profs. and their research]

20. PROOFREAD
Pay special attention to names of school/program/faculty
Draft early

21. GRE For Institutions For Test Takers
For Test Takers

22. Funding for Graduate School
Scholarships and Fellowships
Assistantships – Research/Teaching/Service
Tuition Waiver
Loans – Non-subsidized
Start early
Don’t miss deadlines

23. - within the university External - outside the university
Funding Your Graduate Education
Internal
- within the university
External
- outside the university

24. External Funding Prestigious Foundation & Industry
Fellowships, Scholarships, Loans
Prestigious
Foundation & Industry
General Scholarship Databases
Loans - FAFSA - Do It!

25. Prestigious Funding Opportunities: Fellowship and Scholarships
Rhodes:
Mitchell:
Goldwater:
Marshall:
Truman:
Udall:
Mellon:
Fulbright:
Gates:

26. Sample Websites: Ford Foundation Fellowship Program

27. Summary:
Share knowledge
Encourage
Mentor

28. What Do These Countries Have in Common?
South Korea
Sweden
Singapore
Germany
Switzerland
Japan
Finland
Denmark
France
Israel
Top 10 Most Innovative Nations in the World