Resources for current McNair scholars

Research paper guides

• Introduction [PDF]
• Hypothesis/Research Question [PDF]
• Statement of the Problem [PDF]
• Significance of the Study [PDF]
• Citation Styles [PDF]
• Methodology [PDF]
• Results [PDF]
• Discussion/Implications [PDF]
• Publishing process: Publish with the U of M Libraries and Copyright Basics

Self-awareness tools

• StrengthsQuest Assessment
• SCARF Assessment
  SCARF stands for Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness. The results of your assessment show you the order in which the SCARF elements matter to you. Understanding which of these five domains are key drivers for you helps you understand why you react so strongly in certain situations and why others don't seem to bother you so much. It will also help to explain the reaction of those around you!

Professional online profile

• Tips for LinkedIn [PDF]

Words of wisdom

• Neil deGrasse Tyson: Be Yourself
• TED Talk - Caroline McHugh: The art of being yourself

• Decision making - TED Talk - Ruth Chang: How to make hard choices
• Communication - TED Talk - Nancy Duarte: The secret structure of great talks
• Leadership - TED Talk - Drew Dudley: Everyday leadership

Skill awareness and development

• Career & Internship Services Skills Inventory
• Student Academic Success Services

Academic career planning

• U of M Graduate School - Academic & Career Support
• Academic Job Market

Academic job sites

• Academe This Week
• Academic Careers
• Academic Job Sites
• Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC)
• Higher Ed Jobs
• Humanities & Social Sciences
• Nation Job Network
• Next Wave Science Careers
• Science
• University Jobs

Research programs

• Research schools and programs you are interested in and visit petersons.com and/or gradschools.com.
• Check schools and programs websites for information on how they support students from diverse backgrounds.

• Determine what application materials are needed and look at program handbooks if available.
• Go to graduate school fairs (but never pay to go to a fair).
• If possible, visit the school. Sometimes, schools will pay for your visit, especially through diversity/outreach efforts.
• Find out about specific courses offered.
• Learn about specific research interests of individual faculty members.
• Find out how long it takes to complete the program, and the program's attrition rate (how many students left the program and why).
• Prepare for interviews (if applicable).
• Prepare your resume or curriculum vitae [PDF] and personal statement [PDF].

Talk to people

• Discuss your options with professors, advisors, current graduate students, or alumni of graduate programs to see how they found a good fit and what they wish they would have known about searching for graduate programs.
• Ask them to recommend programs that may fit your needs (location, funding, faculty research).
• Make contact with current students to find out what their experience has been like.

Research financial aid and funding

• Learn about financial aid resources available from the school and program, specifically if teaching or research assistantships are available to incoming students, as well as fellowships (scholarships) or grants.
• Fill out the FAFSA to see what you qualify for in loans.
• What will you accomplish in the future with this degree?
• U of M Resources
• If you are applying to a U of M graduate program, fill out the McNair graduate application fee waiver on the U of M McNair resources website.
• Apply for a graduate assistantship.
• McNair Scholars/DOVE Fellowship
• Additional financial resources

As you gather information on programs, create a list of potential schools to organize and rank schools based on your potential for being accepted (Safety, Good chance, Reach). Don't discard schools simply because you feel your changes of acceptance are slim.