Funding your graduate experience

1
Funding your graduate experience

• Trish Lowney, Ph.D.
• Office of Sponsored Programs
• Aug 5, 2005
• plowney_at_syr.edu

2
So you want to go to grad school.

• Reflections
• Why?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• What makes you younique?

3
Answers will help you.

• Craft responses to grad schools AND grant
  applications
• Determine what kind of sponsor?
• What do you want to accomplish contribute
  (societal impact)?
• What makes you younique?
• Where are you starting from?

4
Finding a sponsor

• OSP.SYR.EDU
• IRIS
• http//iris.library.uiuc.edu/iris/deadlines/grad/
  
• Community of Science
• http//fundingopps.cos.com/
• The Grants Advisor
• http//www.grantadvisor.com/
• Grants.gov

5
More sources

• SU Graduate School
• http//gradsch.syr.edu/student/FinResor.htm
• OSP compendium
• http//osp.syr.edu/forms/GraduateFellowshipandDiss
  ertationSupport.DOC
•   Nationally Coveted College Scholarships,
  Graduate Fellowships and Postdoctoral 
• http//scholarships.fatomei.com/
• Scholarships for Hispanics
• http//www.scholarshipsforhispanics.org/

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Finding a sponsor

• Ask those whove been through it before
• Teachers
• Mentors
• Journal articles ? acknowledgements

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How do you know the opportunity is right for you?

• Compare
• What sponsor wants to fund
• What is the sponsors mission??
• Programs for person, topic, stage of process
  e.g.
• Eligibility ? US Citizen?, have MS already?
  Starting doctoral program, finished course work
• Who you are and what you want to do
• Goals objectives of project

8
Youve found some promising leads.. Now what?

• Get the instructions
• READ them.
• Contact the program officer if the opportunity
  still sounds promising..
• They are busy, have your questions mapped out in
  advance
• Review abstracts of recent awardees (what have
  the funded recently?)
• Get copies of winning proposals

9
Getting started with your application.

• Read the instructions
• Read them again
• Make an outline
• Insert review criteria where appropriate
• Draft

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Pay attention to

• Selection (review) criteria
• If not clear, find out
• A word about GREs
• When you apply, you must respond to the review
  criteria

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Working on your application

• Make a plan ? what do you need by when?
  Transcripts, reference letters, other items??
• Preparing your narrative Get critical feedback
  from others ? Mentors, OSP, teachers etc
• Is your writing clear? Tell a good story? Devoid
  of grammatical errors and typos

12
Reviewing your narrative

• Does the application follow the instructions?
  (font, sections etc)
• Does the application respond to all
  review/selection criteria?
• Does the application flow?

13
Completing your application

• Confirm you have all the necessary
  information/materials
• Send reminders/follow ups to folks who are to
  provide you with references etc
• Order transcripts early and send them to the
  correct address.

14
Take advantage of your efforts

• Apply to multiple sponsors
• Recraft to be specific to sponsor
• Get feedback (verbal good too)

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Summary

• Obtaining support is a multi-step process plan
  accordingly, anticipate the unexpected
• Get outside help and support from sponsor, from
  OSP, from others
• Sell yourself ? your worth the investment!!
• Follow the instructions!!