by Anna Roy
Staff Writer
The Institute for Multicultural Research and Campus Diversity sponsored a trip to California’s 11th Annual Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education at the University of San Diego.
Various ULV students and faculty took part in the event, which was open to all college juniors and seniors. One of the goals of the forum, according to their mission statement is to “accelerate the flow of students from underrepresented groups into advanced-level degree programs.”
“I was impressed with the context in terms of the keynote speaker and certainly in terms of materials provided for graduate school,” said Director of multicultural affairs Daniel Loera, “Also, ULV was there recruiting for the first time.” ULV had a representative from the master’s program for the first time at the forum this year.
In addition to ULV, more than 135 schools from across the nation were represented, which took place April 21. Students attended sessions that informed them on the entire graduate school process. This was the first time that the University has attended the forum.
Loera said that the forum was a tremendous opportunity for students.
“In terms of saving money and time, as well as letting students look around and see that they can do it too,” he said. He mentioned issues of finances and cultural shock issues that students may face when in graduate school, or when making the decision to apply.
“In some cultures, to get an undergraduate degree is significant, but in some ways it’s seen as enough,” Loera said, “To tell a family, ‘Oh I’m going to pursue more schooling,’ that could be a challenge for some.”
Minority representation, and what many members of society refer to as the ‘lack of’ in higher education is a popular topic of discussion. Whether one agrees with affirmative action or not, the decline in minorities applying to and gaining acceptance to graduate schools can be partially attributed to two important decisions that eliminated affirmative action in the state of California. The first decision occurred in 1995 by the Regents of the University of California system to eliminate affirmative action in its admissions policies.
The other was the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996, in which California became the first state in the nation to eliminate affirmative action in education, employment and contracts.
The forum provided different sessions to mainly discuss graduate school and all that it entails. Some sessions featured included, “Financing your Graduate Education” and a “Graduate Records Examination (GRE) Preparation Workshop”. One of the sessions, labeled “How to Select, Apply to, and Prepare for Graduate School” the importance of applying to ‘professors rather than schools’ was stressed. This simply means that when looking into grad school, research should be done on the departments and programs rather than the school itself. The program should be one that fits with a student’s career objectives, life goals, ambitions and interests. It’s also important to look at the required classes students would be taking, as well as the program’s particular emphasis.
To get a feel for a particular program, a person should communicate with the faculty in the program and learn about the research that the faculty members are conducting and the publications that they are producing, as well as express an interest in the particular program. A good method is to visit a school’s website and looking under ‘faculty profiles’. When making final decisions, one should visit the campus if possible and look at the research facilities, laboratories and libraries available at the school. Most candidates apply to more than one school. It is also recommended that applicants keep in communication with the schools applied to and make sure all documents have been received. Each institution has its own application deadline, typically in the months of November or December, with admission beginning the following fall. The actual application process typically includes an application fee, two or three letters of recommendation, transcripts, an essay and/or mission statement, a resume, and a writing sample.
Other aspects schools look at when determining admission are a person’s personal achievements, history, background, triumphs and leadership positions held. Aside from transcripts and GPA, GRE scores are also taken into account. These tests can be taken on a computer as well. The examinations are available on a monthly basis. It is recommended that a person prepare for the GRE, using a preparation book or taking a preparation course. GRE scores remain a part of a person’s academic record. The examination tests a person’s verbal, analytical and quantitative skills. For more information on the GRE’s visit www.gre.org. The session on “Financing Your Graduate Education” informed students that funding depended on the package that a school offers and the fellowships/grants that a person applies for outside of the school.
Typically, a ‘good’ package from the school is one that provides funding for a student’s entire academic career at the institution, as well as one that provides funding from a variety of places. A ‘good package’ might include grants, teaching positions and research positions. A living allowance is also usually provided for. Before a final decision to attend is made, an applicant should compare and contrast all offers and packages made.
A student can also fund their education with the thousands of grants and fellowships that are available throughout the United States. It is a student’s job to research and apply for these opportunities. Two large organizations that offer fellowships are the National Science Foundation and the Ford Foundation. The deadlines for all fellowships and scholarships are different. The web is also a good resource for this information. The following websites are helpful: www.grantsnet.org and www.nsf.gov.
At the session entitled, “The Keys to Success in Graduate School,” graduate students gave their personal perspectives on grad school in general and issues that they face.
Since the forum was geared toward those historically underrepresented, students gave perspectives on what it felt like being the only person of color in a classroom.
Belinda Lum, a student at the University of Southern California said that attending graduate school and being a person of color is “a political act.” Lum also discussed how the grading scale is different and the work more rigorous in grad school.
The topic is also discussed in the essay, “Why Graduate Education?” featured in UC Berkeley’s Diversity and Excellence Graduate Students of Color Handbook. Writer Leah Johnson wrote about the academic rigors in graduate school, “Quite simply, the academic work expected from a graduate student is generally meant to be much more original and comprehensive than that of an undergraduate.” Johnson also wrote on the asset of having a graduate degree. She discussed that it allowed students to pursue their own scholarly interests while being a role model for others.
While in grad school, being a student is the primary responsibility. For this reason students are required to do the work and ‘make the grades.’ A typical week may very well include reading over 1,000 pages. A prevailing opinion though was that the entire process was very rewarding.
“I found it beneficial for myself,” said Housing Services Coordinator Melissa Negrete, a former ULV student, “I knew it was hard to get in (to graduate school) but it (the Forum) clearly outlines the steps you need to take to get in. And the whole financing part was really important too, because a lot of people don’t think about going because of the money.” Negrete is currently working towards getting her teaching credentials, as well as a masters. Her future goals include getting a doctoral degree. Negrete also found the Forum to be beneficial for first generation college students who sometimes do not look into going beyond just an undergraduate degree.
