Graduate School and Funding Opportunities

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Graduate School and Funding Opportunities
Jessica Williams Biomedical Engineering Skeletal
Engineering Group
Brian Trease Mechanical Engineering Compliant
Systems Design Lab
University of Toledo Alumni University of
Michigan Graduate Students National Science
Foundation Fellows
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Why are YOU here?
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Considering Graduate School?

• Enjoy doing research
• Desire to continue learning
• Job perspective
• Industry Head of research team, creating your
  own projects from your own ideas
• Academic Career Professor, Researcher

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Deciding on a school

• Location. Take into consideration all of your
  hopes and dreams.
• Decide on a professor, NOT a school.
• Decide on a specific project
• For industry jobs, make sure the prof uses
  cutting edge technology

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Application Requirements

• Application
• Statement of Purpose
• Transcripts
• Letters of Recommendation
• GRE general

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• Application
• Application Deadline is Jan. 15 for Fall 2003
  (UofM). Some are earlier.
• The earlier you get it in, the better.
• Statement of Purpose
• 1-2 pages double spaced
• Your goals for going to grad school
• Research/Internship highlights
• Identify faculty/labs where you might be
  interested
• Explanations, e.g. a bad semester

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• Transcripts
• Order early (in October)
• You can have the school mail it directly to the
  school youre applying to, or you can send it
  with any other material as long as it is in a
  sealed envelope.
• If you are unsure of which schools you will be
  applying to, get multiple copies mailed to you in
  signed, sealed envelopes.
• Letters of Recommendation
• Most schools require 3 letters (at least 2 of the
  3 should be from faculty).
• Ask early
• Provide a cover letter with information about the
  deadline, the address, and any information about
  yourself that might be helpful to them.

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• GRE
• Most schools require the GRE general
• Scores take about 4 weeks to reach schools, so
  plan on taking it with plenty of time before the
  application deadline.
• The GRE changed its form on Oct. 1 to include an
  analytical writing section.
• Study for the GRE. You can download some
  practice tests at www.gre.org

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Financial Aid

• 4 types of financial aid
• Fellowships (departmental scholarships)
• GSI (TA) positions (given by department)
• Research Assistant Positions (given directly by
  faculty)
• Outside Fellowships
• Everyone is considered for departmental financial
  aid when they apply to the program
• Financial Aid is Extremely Competitive

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Outside Fellowships

• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• Hertz
• National Defense Sci and Eng Fellowship
• Department of Defense
• NASA
• GEM Minority
• Ford Foundation Minority
• Bell Labs Fellowship
• Gates Millennium Scholarship

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National Science Foundation Fellowship

• Offers three-year graduate research fellowships
  in science, mathematics, and engineering
• Duration 3 years, usable over 5 year period
• Benefits 30,000 stipend for 12 month tenure
  plus 10,500 tuition allowance

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How to Apply

• Provide the following documents
• Information Form
• Application Form
• Proposed Plan of Research
• Previous Research Experience
• 4 Letter of Recommendation (typically from
  professors and co-op supervisors)
• Submission is done online
• Deadline Early NOVEMBER

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Why you should apply?

• Good Money!!
• Good for resume (prestige)
• Self-confidence
• Academic Freedom
• Good preparation for your academic career
• Keeps your PhD advisor happy

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Tips for a successful application

• Get a good GPA and good letters of recommendation
• Get involved in undergrad research
• Get to know faculty members
• Talk to professors and grad students about
  cutting edge research
• Ask professors for feedback on your essays
• Get a copy of a successful grant from a professor

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Preparation of Critical Documents

• Proposed Plan of Research
• Needs to be specific about a particular project
• Should address long-term goals as well as
  well-planned research activities
• Can be based on (a) technical journals (b)
  seminar talks (c) your own undergrad/grad
  research and (d) a professors successful proposal

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Preparation of Critical Documents

• Previous Research Experience
• Internships
• Co-op experiences
• Undergraduate Research

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Planning your research

• Your research proposal needs to describe
• Research background and technical problems
• Solutions for these problems
• Objectives
• Impacts
• Ask a professor for help

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Summary Timeline

• NOW!!!
• Take the GRE
• Get Research Experience
• Obtain Application Materials
• Research the faculty/areas of interest
• Contact recommenders
• Look at Fellowships

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Timeline cont.

• October
• Work on Application
• Ask for Recommendations
• Do Fellowship Applications
• November/December
• Finish Application
• Early March, decisions from us

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Timeline cont.

• Decisions usually come out in early March

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University of Michigan

• Fall 2005 Admission Applications
• http//www.engin.umich.edu/students/prospective/gr
  aduate/admissions/applying
• .html
• Engineering Departmental Contacts
• http//www.engin.umich.edu/admin/adge/contacts/gra
  dprogcontacts.pdf
• Fall 2005 Recruitment Travel Schedule
• http//www.engin.umich.edu/admin/adge/recruiting/e
  vents/index.html
• Funding Resources
• http//www.engin.umich.edu/students/current/gradua
  te/scholarships/otherfundi
• ngsources.html
• Additional Recruiting Events
• http//www.engin.umich.edu/admin/adge/recruiting/