Resources

Navigating Graduate School

It is never too early to start thinking about graduate school.  If during your high school or undergraduate years you are entertaining the idea of attending graduate school, begin your investigation of programs. The requirements of programs that are of interest should guide your decisions in course selection, research experiences and college selection.

• Navigating the First Year of Graduate School
  A previous student’s perspective on her first year in graduate school.

FAQs

Which is the “best” program?

Yes, there are rankings, however the best graduate program is the program that is best suited for your personal interest and professional goals. It is extremely important for you to conduct research on multiple programs, determine if the professors and ongoing research projects are of interest, visit the campus, and research graduation rates of the program to determine if the program will be a good fit.

Should I apply to a master’s or doctoral degree program?

The answer to this question is based in your personal interest and professional goals. Some students will find that their career aspirations do not require a doctoral degree, some students consider a master’s degree as an intermediate step and can seem more manageable to students juggling a family or job and graduate school. Other students feel pursing a doctoral degree right after completing an undergraduate degree is the best fit or a necessary step to achieve career goals. Again, you will need to conduct research and make personal decisions about your best path.

Can I apply to a graduate program in fields outside of my bachelor’s degree?

The short answer is yes. However, you may need to take additional courses to fulfill minimum requirements for the graduate program to which you plan to apply.

Can I reapply to a graduate program after being rejected?

Yes. However, try to learn from the rejection. If you are certain this is the graduate program for you, contact someone in the program to determine what you might be able to do (improve your personal statement, arrange for a research experience, take or re-take a course, etc) to improve you application package for the next round. Sometimes it is just a matter of too many applicants, however sometimes it might be a signal that a particular program is not a good fit, and you should investigate other programs which might be a better fit.

What should I include in my personal statement/admissions essay?

The essay is a mechanism for an admissions committee to evaluate your writing/communication skills, your knowledge of the research field, any experience you may have in the field and your personality and sincerity. As you are looking for a graduate program which best fits you, the admissions committee is looking for students which best suit their program. Make sure to include a strong statement about your interest in the field and your academic preparation, your capacity to handle graduate level studies and research, and why you intend to dedicate your future to the field.

Can I call the department and talk with someone about the program I’m interested in?

Yes, and it is highly encouraged. Each program has a graduate coordinator who would be glad to speak with you about the program. This is a great opportunity to ask not only technical questions about the program, but also questions which will help you determine if the department culture would be a good fit.

Scholarships/ Financial Aid/ REUs

Talk to someone in each program/institution individually about financial aid, scholarship, fellowship, teaching assistantship and graduate assistantship information in addition to the resources below. Schools may have specific programs that you may apply to in addition to outside grants and scholarships. Applying to programs early offers you a better chance of obtaining one of these packages.

Guides to help find schools or aid

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 
• Find Aid
  If you're exploring options for paying for college, you'll learn about the various kinds of financial aid (loans, grants, and work-study), how to apply, common myths, and more.
• College Board – Pay for college
  Understand all of your options when it comes to paying for college. This web site contains the latest information about college costs, scholarships, financial aid applications, education loans and college financing. 
• FastWeb.com
  Search for scholarships and financial aid for graduate school.
• Graduate Guide
  A directory of Graduate Schools in the U.S. and financial aid.

Scholarship Programs

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM)

This National Science Foundation program makes grants to institutions of higher education to support scholarships for academically talented, financially needy students, enabling them to enter the workforce following completion of an associate; baccalaureate; or graduate-level degree in science and engineering disciplines. Grantee institutions are responsible for selecting scholarship recipients, reporting demographic information about student scholars, and managing the S-STEM project at the institution. The program does not make scholarship awards directly to students; students should contact the institution's Office of Financial Aid for this and other scholarship opportunities.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP)

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

This National Science Foundation program provides educational opportunities for undergraduate students. This program supports institutions, which may provide support to individuals at those institutions. To inquire about opportunities in this program, contact one of the awarded institutions, available by clicking on "Awards" from the website below.
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White House Initiative on Historically Black College and Universities

A list of internships and scholarships
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Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service (SFS)

The Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service (SFS) program seeks to increase the number of qualified students entering the fields of information assurance and computer security, increasing the capacity of the United States higher education enterprise to continue to produce professionals in these fields, meeting the needs of our increasingly technological society.

This program provides educational opportunities for undergraduate students and graduate students. This program supports institutions, which may in turn provide support to individuals students. To inquire about opportunities in this program, contact one of the awarded institutions, available by clicking on the Awards link from the website below.
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Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP)

This program is aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of students successfully completing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) baccalaureate degree programs, and increasing the number of students interested in, academically qualified for, and matriculated into programs of graduate study. LSAMP supports sustained and comprehensive approaches that strive to increase the number of students who earn doctorates in STEM fields, particularly those from populations underrepresented in STEM fields.

Pathways to Science

PathwaysToScience.org is a portal website supporting pathways to the STEM fields: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Particular emphasis is placed on connecting traditionally underrepresented groups with STEM programs and resources, including funding and mentoring opportunities.
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Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) Program

An Academic Competitiveness Grant provides $750 for the first year of study and $1,300 for the second year. Note: The amount of the ACG, when combined with a Pell Grant, may not exceed the student's cost of attendance. In addition, if the number of eligible students is large enough that payment of the full grant amounts would exceed the program appropriation in any fiscal year, then the amount of the grant to each eligible student may be ratably reduced.
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National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) Program

The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant, also known as the National Smart Grant is available during the third and fourth years of undergraduate study (or fifth year of a five-year program) to at least half-time students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering or a critical foreign language, or non-major single liberal arts programs. The student must also maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in course work required for the major. The National SMART Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.

A National SMART Grant will provide up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth years of undergraduate study. The amount of the SMART Grant, when combined with a Pell Grant, may not exceed the student's cost of attendance. In addition, if the number of eligible students is large enough that payment of the full grant amounts would exceed the program appropriation in any fiscal year, then the amount of the grant to each eligible student may be ratably reduced.
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National Institutes of Health, Bridges to the Baccalaureate

The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program provides support to institutions to help students make transitions at a critical stage in their development as scientists. The program is aimed at helping students make the transition from 2-year junior or community colleges to full 4-year baccalaureate programs. The program targets students from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral research enterprise of the nation and/or populations disproportionately affected by health disparities (targeted groups).

The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program promotes institutional partnerships between community colleges or other 2-year post-secondary educational institutions granting the associate degree and colleges or universities that offer the baccalaureate degree. The partnership/consortium must involve at least two colleges or universities but no more than four institutions, including the applicant institution, unless strongly justified. The bachelor's degree-granting institution(s) in the consortium must have a strong science curricula and a track record of enrolling, retaining and graduating students who pursue advanced degrees in biomedical and behavioral research fields. Community colleges and other 2-year post-secondary educational institutions in the consortium must offer associate degree programs with an emphasis on the biomedical and behavioral sciences and must have a high enrollment, as determined by the applicant institution, of students from targeted groups.
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» Bridges to the Baccalaureate Degree Participating Institutions

National Institutes of Health, MARC Undergraduate Student training in Academic Research (U*STAR): MARC U-STAR

MARC U-STAR awards provide support for undergraduate students who are underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences to improve their preparation for high-caliber graduate training at the Ph.D. level. The program also supports efforts to strengthen the science course curricula, pedagogical skills of faculty, and biomedical research training at institutions with significant enrollments of students from underrepresented groups.
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Other Educational Opportunities

Military

Entering the military can offer students a variety of STEM career options:

• Enlisting – Post basic training assignments
• College preparatory – West Point, Annapolis, Air Force Academy, etc.
• Graduate School - Naval Post Graduate School, etc
• Service members Opportunity College
• K-12 outreach: Office of Naval Research (ONR)

Professional Societies

Identify and contact the professional societies representing your particular field of interest – many have scholarship opportunities, internship opportunities, mentoring programs, and overall guidance as to how best to enter the particular field.

• Marine Technology Society - MTS
• American Society of Limnology and Oceanography – ASLO
• Society for the Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science – SACNAS
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - IEEE
• The Oceanography Society - TOS
• MTS Higher Education Guide
  The Guide is a collaboration of the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center and provides prospective students with a listing of all the Marine Science and Technology programs available in the U.S.

NSF REU

The National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program involves students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs specifically designed for the REU program.  Applications are due late winter/early spring for fall research experiences.
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OceanCareers.com

The web site provides users with current information on career opportunities, the knowledge and skills required to enter these careers, where students can gain the necessary education, and employers who hire people to work in these careers, and much more.
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