WaPost: How Harvard set the model for affirmative action in college admissions

BREAKING NEWS (06/23/16): SCOTUS UPHOLDS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM AT U-TEXAS IN FISHER DECISION (NYTIMES) (INSIDE HIGHER ED) (CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION)

I support affirmative action. The Washington Post's Nick Anderson recently wrote an article about how affirmative action in college admissions as we know it has its origins from the Harvard plan, which Bakke upheld as constitutional. With a ruling on Fisher due soon, I hope the U.S. Supreme Court justices take this time to reflect on how their decision on this important issue will affect generations of students. I have witnessed the impact of Proposal 2's ban on affirmative action in Michigan. Since it's passage, there has been dwindling black enrollment and increased incidents of racial and gender bias. Race continues to be a determining factor in wealth accumulation, access to educational opportunities, and career prospects. Race ultimately affects who gets ahead in American society.

Harvard officials reply that their approach is legally sound and has been ratified in repeated court rulings, including the Bakke case and the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Grutter v. Bollinger, which upheld affirmative action procedures at the University of Michigan law school. Race, the court has said, may be considered as one of many factors in a “holistic” review of an individual application. “Holistic,” as college-bound students know, is the way many selective colleges describe their admission process.

Harvard and many other prestigious schools have pushed the court in the Fisher case to leave that process in place. The court essentially acceded to their wishes in the first Fisher decision in 2013, sending the case back to Texas courts for further review. Now the case is back for a second ruling. Higher education leaders have urged the justices not to meddle with a system they say is essential to building a campus community with a robust variety of points of view. It would be folly, they say, to allow colleges to consider every element of an applicant’s background except race or ethnicity at a time when the nation is immersed in debates that touch on numerous racial questions.

7 Criticisms Of Affirmative Action That Have Been Thoroughly Disproved

While the U.S. Supreme Court deliberates over the future of race in college admissions in the second re-hearing of Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, Casey Quinlan of ThinkProgress has published an article that debunks seven myths about affirmative action. Justice Scalia even insinuated that black students would attend "lesser" schools where they may be a better match academically. Unfortunately, his comments promotes misunderstanding of why diversity, particularly access, is an educational benefit. Here is the list below (click on the link for further explanation):

1. Students of color will be treated as undeserving. People will believe they didn’t get admitted on their own merit.
2. Black and Hispanic students can’t succeed at a selective college.
3. Asian students are harmed by affirmative action.
4. Diversity isn’t valuable enough to students to justify upholding the policy.
5. A perfect system would only admit students of color of low socioeconomic status.
6. It’s racial discrimination, because if we were fair, we’d admit students based on their academic strength.
7. We can use affirmative action policies for class to achieve the same results

Higher Education: Career in Admissions

Have you ever wondered what is it like to work in admissions? Whether you gained experience as an ambassador or campus tour guide, there are several things you need to know about a career in admissions. Prospective students talk to admissions counselors to learn more about a college or university's programs and admissions procedures. There are several advantages and disadvantages of working in admissions. (Note: This post is not about careers in financial aid, which has a different set of responsibilities.)

Advantages:

• A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for an entry-level position. (Professional schools like public health and social work may require a master's degree in the field).
• Can advance into higher administrative positions (director roles require a master's degree).
• Positions are available in institutions of all sizes (from community colleges to universities) and types (professional schools, public colleges, private colleges, etc.)
• May enjoy reduced work hours during non-peak recruitment season (summer months).
• Opportunities for professional development are available (both on-campus and conferences).

Disadvantages:

• Some employers require previous experience in admissions.
• Mobility (across schools) is a key factor, though not required, for advancement.
• Low salaries lead to high turnover (The average admissions counselors stays in their position for three years.)
• May require extensive travel (overnight, regional, and cross-country).
• High volume of work requires multi-tasking and flexibility.
• May require long hours of work during peak recruitment season (evenings and weekends).
• Budgetary cutbacks may stagnate funds for hiring and retention of these positions.
• Racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in key segments of admissions.

Are you an aspiring admissions counselor or coordinator?  Check out these links below to see if admissions is the right career path for you.

Hiring in Admissions (August 7, 2009) - Inside Higher Ed

Secret Lives of Admissions Officers (December 8, 2009) - The Daily Beast

Confessions of a College Admissions Officer (February 20, 2009) - BuzzFeed

Getting Into the Admission Office (April 8, 2013) -Inside Higher Ed

Career Paths for Admissions Officers, A Survey Report (July 2014) - National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)

Chronicle of Higher Education: Make Admissions at Elite Colleges ‘Access Aware’

Raynard Kington, the president of Grinnell College, argues that elite, selective institutions with need-blind admissions should become more access-aware to increase the proportion of low-income students among their student enrollment. Here is an excerpt of his commentary from the Chronicle of Higher Education:

Wealthy families, understandably, invest huge amounts of money to ensure that their children receive the best possible education starting at the kindergarten and even preschool levels. Students’ transcripts and college applications are in effect inventories of wealth-related facts: academic rigor of schools attended, grades achieved, course options, extracurricular pursuits, test scores, even involvement in "volunteer work," which admissions officers interpret as evidence of social commitment and leadership potential. Advantages in all of those areas make children from wealthy backgrounds more competitive from the start, without any need for outright consideration of family resources.

Most children from poor families—even households deeply committed to their children’s education—do not have a chance in this competition. Their families cannot make anywhere near the same investments, and it shows in their comparative performance, even when the children in question are every bit as gifted and able as their affluent counterparts.

So, what is the fix? Should we end the use of need-blind policies? In some cases, yes. Wealthy, elite institutions that are unable to admit appropriate numbers of students from poor families through a need-blind policy should instead become "access aware." In the lingo of college admissions, they should give students from poor families a "bump" when assessing their applications. It can clearly be done: Many institutions give comparable advantages to the children of alumni.

HigherEdJobs: How Segregation Contributes to Opportunity Hoarding in Access to Higher Education

Sheryll Cashin is Professor of Law at Georgetown University and Scholar-in-Residence at HigherEdJobs. She writes about race relations, government and inequality in America. Over the next three months, she will focus discussions on placed-based affirmative action and higher education, segregation and opportunity hoarding in higher education as well as how to create and promote multicultural coalitions for fairness and investment in K-16 education. The excerpt below is from her seminal book, Place Not Race: A New Vision of Opportunity in America, in which she argues that race-based and/or class-based affirmative action as currently practiced does little to help students in disadvantaged communities. She offers a new framework for true inclusion that focuses on place-based affirmative action, where colleges should admit students based on the average income level of the community they reside -- giving more consideration to students from low-income neighborhoods and school districts.

...only 42 percent of all Americans now live in a middle-class neighborhood, down from 65 percent in 1970. Because of the increasing separation of the affluent and the highly educated from everyone else, place, where one lives, often determines who has access to high-quality K-12 education and, in turn, selective higher education. Today there are only 17 counties in the United States in which more than half the population are college educated -- counties that selective college recruiters flock to, including Marin County north of San Francisco; Orange County in North Carolina's research triangle; Boulder County, Colorado; and affluent suburbs bordering Washington D.C. and New York City. In the vast majority of U.S. counties, however, college graduates are a small minority. College graduates used to be more evenly distributed, but segregation between them and high school graduates has nearly tripled since 1940.

Highly educated people are drawn to metro centers where other people like themselves live, and within the metropolis they gravitate to neighborhoods of their own kind. This is a phenomenon that transcends race. College graduates living in America's most highly educated metro areas are more residentially isolated than African Americans.

InsideHigherEd: Finding a Job in Student Affairs

Sonja Ardoin wrote an excellent article about how recent graduates and career changers can find a job in higher education and student affairs. Since student affairs does not follow a standard procedure such as law or teaching, the job searching process can be ambiguous and frustrating. She also wrote an article about the interview process in student affairs. Follow these tips, and your chances of landing that dream job will increase!

Although the process of lifelong learning is vital, if you are anything like me, you know there is also practical value in being able to put that learning into practice to assist others in their growth and development (and pay back your student loans and afford to support yourself). The job search process in student affairs can be a time-consuming endeavor full of self-assessment, anxiety, excitement, and a host of other emotional and logistical complexities. It is also a numbers game. For example, in my last job search after my Ph.D. program, I applied for 46 jobs, participated in 12 phone interviews, visited 5 campuses for in-person interviews, and received 3 job offers. I like to think I am a solid candidate; the numbers also show you that I did not receive interviews with half of the places to which I applied. In fact, if you do the math, I was asked to interview with only 23 percent of the institutions to which I applied.

Here are two related articles about finding a job in admissions: Hiring in Admissions (August 7, 2009) - InsideHigherEd AND Getting Into the Admission Office (April 8, 2013) -InsideHigherEd.

U.S. Supreme Court Backs Michigan on Affirmative Action State Ban

In a 6-2 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the state constitutional ban on affirmative action in public institutions in the state of Michigan. This is a loss for the future of racial equality in American higher education.

WASHINGTON — In a fractured decision that revealed deep divisions over what role the judiciary should play in protecting racial and ethnic minorities, the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a Michigan constitutional amendment that bans affirmative action in admissions to the state’s public universities.

The 6-to-2 ruling effectively endorsed similar measures in seven other states. It may also encourage more states to enact measures banning the use of race in admissions or to consider race-neutral alternatives to ensure diversity.

States that forbid affirmative action in higher education, like Florida and California, as well as Michigan, have seen a significant drop in the enrollment of black and Hispanic students in their most selective colleges and universities. Continue reading the main story Related in Opinion

In five separate opinions spanning more than 100 pages, the justices set out starkly conflicting views. The justices in the majority, with varying degrees of vehemence, said that policies affecting minorities that do not involve intentional discrimination should be decided at the ballot box rather than in the courtroom.

For more extensive coverage on this ruling, please browse the links below:

• Colleges Seek New Paths to Diversity After Court Ruling (The New York Times)
• Answers on Affirmative Action Depend on How You Pose the Question (The New York Times)
• The Supreme Court deals a blow to affirmative action (The Washington Post)
• 5 takeaways from affirmative-action ruling (POLITICO)
• Supreme Court Upholds Bans on Racial Preferences in College Admissions (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• How Has Mich.’s Ban on Affirmative Action Affected Minority Enrollment? (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
• U.S. Supreme Court upholds Michigan's ban on affirmative action in college admissions (The Ann Arbor News)
• Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling prompts passionate reaction on both sides of issue (The Ann Arbor News)
• Affirmative action ruling: AG Schuette calls decision 'monumental' and victory for 'citizens of Michigan' (The Ann Arbor News)
• Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling 'blindly ignores biases,' says Detroit congressman (The Ann Arbor News)
• Supreme Court shuts door on affirmative action in Michigan: What's next for U-M? (The Ann Arbor News)
• What we have lost because of Michigan's affirmative action ban (guest column) (The Ann Arbor News)
• Rochelle Riley: High court only deals with one side of race issue in admissions ruling (Detroit Free Press)
• Stephen Henderson: I am affirmative action (Detroit Free Press)
• Editorial: Michigan must forge new path to equal opportunity (Detroit Free Press)
• Schuette: Supreme Court 'made the right call' on affirmative action (Detroit Free Press)
• Nancy Kaffer: After affirmative action ruling, what now? (Detroit Free Press)
• Laura Berman: Affirmative action ruling jeopardizes Michigan's progress against inequality (The Detroit News)
• Affirmative action ruling may push more state votes to limit race considerations (The Detroit News)
• Michigan's college admissions fight far from over (The Detroit News)
• Matthew Gaertner: Next Chapter for Affirmative Action (InsideHigherEd)
• The New York Times Coverage on Affirmative Action

Sign the petition: University of Michigan -- Support Your Black Students

Today, a black alumnus from the University of Michigan launched an online petition to support the Being Black at Michigan (#BBUM) campaign and the Black Student Union's list of demands to improve African American enrollment at the University of Michigan. In November, the BBUM campaign received national attention regarding their personal experiences (positive but mostly negative) at the University of Michigan. The low black enrollment (4.1% as of Fall 2013!) has sparked disappointment and fueled protest. Black students expressed feelings of alienation, marginalization, invisibility, and the need to prove that they deserve to be at U-M even though Proposition 2 (2006) banned the use of race and gender in college admissions and state hiring. IF U-M truly wants to sustain its commitment to diversity, then it must take appropriate actions within the law to address the claims of Michigan's black student population. Sign the petition and share it with your friends and allies! #moveblueforward

My name is Lester Spence. I am an Associate Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1991, and my PhD from the University of Michigan in 2001.

I worked hard for both of those degrees. But contrary to stories of “individual initiative,” I know my degrees didn’t come from my hard work alone. Student protest created the Comprehensive Studies Program that accepted me in 1987. Student protest created the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies where I took many of my classes, where I wrote the undergraduate paper in 1989 that led to my first book 22 years later. Student protest led to the hires of every single letter writer I had for grad school. Black students (and their allies) risked their academic careers. Risked their academic careers so years later people like me could find themselves and their purpose. Risked their careers to force the university to live up to its highest principles and values.

When I saw that black students at Michigan were forced to protest again, forced to issue demands protesters issued almost thirty years ago, I couldn’t stand by silently. We know what they’re risking. We know what they’re fighting for.

Our petition accomplishes two goals: First, the petition tells students they aren’t alone. They have received hate mail and threats. This in addition to the stress they’re already undergoing as students. Second, the university recently named Dr. Mark Schlissel (current Brown University provost) its next President. This petition tells incoming President Schlissel and other university officials that the issue of racial and economic equity are critical concerns they should not ignore.

The University of Michigan, like all prestigious institutions, is sensitive to public pressure. Adding your name will turn up the heat on university leadership and further enable students organizing for a Michigan that truly represents the leaders and best.

Tell the University of Michigan that it’s time they stand up and support student demands for more racial diversity and more economic support for poorer students.

Related Links

• Black Student Union at U-M: Change needs to happen
• U-M to boost racial diversity following social media outpouring
• Online petition urges University of Michigan to act on black students' demands
• Black Student Union, U-M officials meet to talk solutions to students' diversity concerns
• Being Black at Michigan (Michigan Today)

Inside Higher Ed: College Counseling Matters for Gifted and Talented Low-Income Students

A study by Harvard and Stanford researchers revealed the obvious: gifted and talented low-income students often do not apply to selective higher education institutions for a variety of reasons. One factor is the students are often unaware of what colleges and universities exist beyond their region. Another factor is students may also want to live closer to home so that they can provide financial support for their families. From Inside Higher Ed:

A theme of several studies in the last year has been that there are plenty of academically talented low-income students who for some combination of reasons are not applying to competitive colleges to which they would probably be admitted.

A new study along those lines -- this time documenting the impact of intense college counseling -- was released Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The study (abstract available here) found that a nonprofit group that focuses on college counseling in Minneapolis-St. Paul had a significant impact in increasing the rate at which low-income students enrolled in four-year colleges, including competitive institutions.

The study was conducted by Christopher Avery of Harvard University -- co-author (with Caroline Hoxby of Stanford University) of a study released in December that found that most highly talented, low-income students never apply to a single competitive college. That work has set off widespread discussions about what sort of interventions might make a difference.

[UPDATE: January 9, 2014]: Check out this similar article by the New York Times, How to Help College Students Graduate. Sadly, when it comes to degree completion, where you attend college matters a great deal.

The situation is entirely different for most undergraduates, especially poor and minority students. All too often they’re steered to schools where they receive little if any support in mastering tough courses, decoding arcane requirements for a major, sorting out life problems or navigating the maze of institutional requirements. Graduation rates at these so-called dropout factories, especially those in urban areas that largely serve low-income, underprepared minority populations, are as abysmal as 5 percent.

Where a student goes makes all the difference. Consider a Chicago public high school graduate with a grade-point average of 3.5. If she enrolls at Chicago State University, a Washington Monthly investigation shows, the odds against her finishing are high — the school’s six-year graduation rate hovers at 20 percent. Her chances measurably improve if she attends the University of Illinois at Chicago, where the completion rate is 57 percent. And if she goes to Northwestern, just a few miles away, 93 percent of her classmates will graduate.

REPOST: Asians and Whites Against Blacks and Latinos? The Myths and Realities of Affirmative Action and College-Bound High School Students

In March 2013, Rachel Christmas Derrick wrote one of the best essays I have ever read on the merits and benefits of race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions. I provide an excerpt below:

A high school teacher recently gave a student a lower grade than she expected. She told him after class, "I can't get grades like this! I'm not brown. If I was, it wouldn't matter, but since I'm white, I won't get into college with grades like this."

Two close friends were discussing where they were applying. The Asian-American student said to the African-American student, "Of course you’ll get into your first choice—you're black."

A white mother lamented, "I didn't know what to say to my son when he told me that a less academically gifted classmate, who’s Puerto Rican, got into a highly competitive college where my son was wait-listed."

"Most of the white and Asian students I hear talking about affirmative action really dislike it," David Joffe, a history teacher at Hunter College High School, a leading New York City school, says. "They rarely reference the historical or, for that matter, the current socio and political contexts that make race-based affirmative action, in my mind, still necessary. When it's discussed in terms of increasing diversity, many white and Asian students see it as meaning fewer of them in favor of more black and Latino students. So they view it as anti-white and anti-Asian."

These uncomfortable issues, which high schools across New York City and across the country are grappling with, were at the core of a thought-provoking discussion at a Hunter PTA meeting.

How to Enroll in a Social Work Master's Program

Click here if you are searching for my post on how to enroll in a higher education master's program.

Social work is an interdisciplinary field that provides a framework for understanding human behavior, identifying community needs and assets, developing social policies and programs, and empowering communities and disenfranchised groups. Social workers are therapists, community organizers, program managers, and policy analysts. Increasingly, a Master of Social Work (MSW) is becoming the entry-level degree for obtaining clinical, research, and administrative positions.

The Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) monitors the social work curriculum and accredits social work programs. Most MSW programs can be completed full-time in two years (students with a BSW can obtain their MSW in one year under the Advanced Standing track). The foundation curriculum (first-year) teaches students how to apply generalist social work practice knowledge and skills to individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. The advanced curriculum (second-year) prepares students professional social work practice. MSW students can also choose to specialize in either direct practice with individuals, families, and small groups (clinical) or community organization, organizational leadership, and policy practice (macro). The field education component enables students to apply their classroom knowledge (theory) into practice (internship) at agencies, hospitals, schools, government offices, higher education, and other nonprofit organizations.

It is important to select a program that offers courses and internships in your area(s) of interest. The majority of MSW programs offer the clinical or generalist concentration. If your academic interest is macro social work, apply to MSW programs that offer that concentration. It is important to do thorough research before you apply because you do not want to enroll in a program that only trains students for clinical practice if your interests are in macro practice. Larger programs (well-endowed private and public universities) often have the resources to offer macro social work course offerings. For those who are looking for MSW programs that offer well-established macro practice specializations, I recommend (in no specific order) Michigan, Columbia, UChicago,  Maryland-Baltimore, UPenn, Hunter College-CUNY, UNC-Chapel Hill, UI-Chicago, and Boston University.

Once you receive your MSW, all clinical social workers must apply for licensure in the state he or she wishes to work. Some states (such as Michigan) offer licensure to macro-practice social workers. If you want to mentor and supervise social work students in field placement assignments, then it is a good idea to apply for the clinical and/or macro licensure. However, keep in mind that many macro-practice social workers work in settings that do not require licensure. You will also need to take the ASWB social work exam (Master's, Clinical, or Advanced Generalist) and obtain 3000-4000 hours of professional supervision under a licensed social worker. Check your state for specific requirements.

If you have visited the U.S. News Graduate School rankings, the education section includes a ranking of social work programs. Keep in mind these rankings focus on the strength of doctoral programs, which tend to emphasize peer-reviewed research. If this is not your career focus, then look for CSWE-accredited MSW programs within your state or surrounding region. Remember: If you are not seeking a career in social work research and macro practice, then the prestige of the program does not matter. What is more important is gaining relevant, professional experience and connections. In addition, the CSWE-accredited MSW program should have a high success rate in graduating students who pass the licensure exams. This approach will also help you avoid excessive student loan debt.

A master's degree in social work generally requires one (advanced standing) to three years (regular admissions) to complete based on a student's enrollment status. Financing your education typically includes campus (work-study) employment, grants, scholarships, and loans. Some field placements offer a stipend. Most master's programs require three recommendation letters in the admissions process. Only a handful of programs (mostly on the West Coast) require GRE scores. High GPA and/or GRE scores can increase your chances of obtaining merit-based scholarship money. Before you apply, obtain volunteer and paid employment in social services, nonprofits, government, policy, and advocacy relevant to your interests so that you have a competitive application. Admissions committees also look for student leadership experience. Finally, write a clear, concise, and compelling statement of purpose that highlights your academic and professional experiences and explains why you want to pursue a career in social work. I hope these tips will aid you in the graduate school application process.

U.S. Supreme Court to Revisit Ban on Affirmative Action in Michigan

Breaking News! The U.S. Supreme Court has announced that it will revisit the ban on affirmative action in Michigan. The Court will determine whether whether state voter ballot initiatives that barred affirmative action in state colleges and universities, such as Proposition 209 in California and Proposal 2 in Michigan, violate the rights of minority groups to fully participate in the political process. Court proceedings will begin this fall.

From Inside HigherEd:

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear a second case involving affirmative action in higher education -- even before it has issued a ruling on the other case that it has considered this term. The justices agreed to consider whether Michigan voters in 2006 had the legal right to bar the state's public colleges and universities from considering race or ethnicity in admissions. Should the Supreme Court invalidate that vote, bans on the consideration of race by public colleges in other states -- most notably in California -- could also be thrown out.

From University of Michigan:

The nation's high court will hear an appeal filed by state Attorney General Bill Schuette after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Proposal 2, the ballot initiative approved by voters in 2006, was unconstitutional. The court said it would take up the case, known as Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, in the term that begins in October. Proposal 2 amended the Michigan Constitution by adding a provision prohibiting discrimination and preferential treatment based on race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin in public education, public employment, and public contracting. U-M remains in full compliance with Proposal 2. The 6th Circuit concluded that Proposal 2 violated the federal Equal Protection Clause by making it more difficult for minority groups to participate fully and equally in the state's political processes, particularly with respect to the ability to seek changes in university admissions policies. 

Initially, I was shocked by this announcement because the U.S. Supreme Court will therefore hear two consecutive cases on affirmative action (Fisher v. University of Texas) and now state voter initiatives that ban affirmative action. Research has shown that these bans have negatively impacted the enrollment of African American students in flagship state universities. Race-neutral approaches (percentage plans, socioeconomic review, etc.) are not a viable substitute to race. Once these bans are enacted, it is nearly impossible for minority civil rights groups to gather the funding and resources to overturn these laws. This is an unprecedented move, but I have hope that the Court will make the right decision(s).

How to Enroll in a Higher Education Master's Program

Colleges and universities have dual roles in society as a social and cultural institution and as a complex, bureaucratic organization. As more students enroll in college, there is a greater need for professionals who can manage and develop programs that focus on the out-of-classroom (co-curricular) experience. A graduate degree in higher education, student affairs, college student personnel, or career/educational counseling is considered the entry-level degree in this growing field.

The curriculum in higher education master's programs varies immensely. The curriculum can focus on counseling, student affairs, institutional research, or general administration and policy. It is important to select a program that offers courses and internships in your area(s) of interest. If you want to become an academic/career advisor, apply to counseling or student affairs programs. (Some colleges and universities prefer candidates to hold professional counseling licensure for advising positions). If you want to work in academic program management, choose a graduate program that emphasizes administration and policy.

If you have visited the U.S. News Graduate School rankings, the education section includes a ranking of higher education administration programs. Keep in mind these rankings focus on the strength of doctoral programs, which tend to emphasize peer-reviewed research and policy. If this is not your career focus, then browse the NASPA Graduate School directory to find graduate programs in your geographic region. Remember: If you are not seeking a career in higher education research and policy, then the prestige of the program does not matter. What is more important is gaining relevant, professional experience and connections. This approach will also help you avoid excessive student loan debt.

A master's degree in higher-education generally requires one to three years to complete based on a student's enrollment status. Financing your education can include graduate assistantships, internships, grants and scholarships, loans, and tuition reimbursement (if you are employed at a college or university). Most master's programs require three recommendation letters and GRE scores in the admissions process. High GPA and/or GRE scores can increase your chances of obtaining merit-based scholarship money. Before you apply, obtain campus employment in academic and student service (relevant policy and research experience also counts) so that you have a competitive application. Admissions committees also look for student leadership experience. Finally, write a clear, concise, and compelling statement of purpose that highlights your academic and professional experiences and explains why you want to pursue a career in higher education. I hope these tips will aid you in the graduate school application process.

14 Tips Before You Start the Graduate Application Process

Many education and social work programs have priority deadlines around this time of year. The New Social Worker posted 14 tips on how to effectively prepare your graduate application. (This advice is also applicable for admission into education master's programs).

1. Don’t just download applications!

2. Read the application carefully, and follow directions!

3. Attend a pre-admissions meeting or ask to meet with a faculty member to talk about the program and your fit.

4. Give yourself ample time to think, write, revise, edit, get feedback from an impartial reviewer, revise, edit, and submit!

5. If you aren’t confident about your writing skills, during the application process, you might consider taking a writing class or working with an editor to improve your writing skills.

6. If you are applying in your senior year or are a new graduate, keep in mind that the coursework, volunteer experiences, and field practica you completed have increased your knowledge and skills.

7. If you have been out practicing at the bachelor’s level, use your educational and work experience to highlight what you have accomplished, where you are headed professionally, and what you will contribute.

8. Some programs request that a résumé be submitted along with your application.

9. Be honest in your application, your résumé, and your professional statement/essay.

10. Write your professional statement or essay for a specific program.

11. Do you have specialized experience related to a specific part of the program mission?

12. References are always required!

13. Avoid anything that can make your application and or professional statement or essay difficult to read.

14. Carefully review what should be mailed or done online, and by whom.

More General Graduate Admissions Advice

Before you apply to graduate school, ask yourself these seven questions:

1. Why do I want to go to grad school?

2. Why do I want to do this now?

3. What type of academic or professional degree am I seeking?

4. In what geographic region do I want to study?

5. What type of learning and student experience am I seeking?

6. Will significant others, a spouse, or children impact my plans?

7. Should I consider a full-time or part-time program?

Other related articles include four myths debunked and critical steps in finding the right graduate program. InsideHigherEd's GradHacker posted a two-part series: financing and selecting a graduate school program.

Although the links below focus on doctoral programs, I believe the admissions advice is also relevant for master's programs:

• Advice for Graduate Students (Google Sites)
• Advice for Ph.D. Program Applications (Philip J. Guo)
• Graduate School Application Advice (Google Sites)
• Graduate School Tips
• Writing Your Statement of Purpose (GradHacker)

Review: The Thinking Student's Guide to College (2010)

The Thinking Student's Guide to College: 75 Tips for Getting a Better Education (2010), by Andrew Roberts, is a practical college guide book that helps students understand ther rigors of academic life and take charge of their own undergraduate experience. It is the kind of valuable resource that I wished was in existence when I entered college nearly a decade ago. Fortunately, I followed most of his advice and chose to follow my passion. After all, college (whether public or private, large research institution or liberal arts college) is the only time in our lives where we can get a personalized education without restrictions and obligations.

Although Roberts is a political science professor at Northwestern University (my alma mater, woo-hoo!), he offers concrete tips on choosing a college, selecting classes, deciding on a major, interacting with faculty, and applying to graduate school. More importantly, he emphasizes why students should engage with faculty and how these relationships can help students achieve their educational aspirations. He also includes text boxes on hot topics

Michigan-Bound (Again!)

Previously, I was set to pursue my graduate studies at Penn GSE this fall. However, extenuating circumstances have forced me to successfully transfer to the University of Michigan School of Education.

I am a Wolverine student again! (Go Blue!)

There are benefits with the higher education master's program at Michigan. Full-time students generally finish in 2-3 semesters and pursue an internship (up to 20 hours per week) with a 9.0+ credits course load. I am also excited to pursue the new concentration, Diversity and Social Justice, that is being offered for incoming higher education master's students this fall. In Winter 2013, the university will also promote a campus-wide semester theme about Race in America. Talk about perfect timing!

If you consider the U.S. News gradate school rankings in higher education administration, Michigan (#1) is ranked higher than Penn (#9), and Michigan ($30,000, in-state tuition) is cheaper than Penn ($63,000, all students). Although I wanted to experience a new environment, I can always relocate for a job once I finish graduate school in 2013. It's a win-win situation for me: I am saving money and receiving a top-notch education. Ultimately, I want to pursue doctoral study in education hopefully five years from now.

If You Decide to Go to Graduate School

If you are considering graduate school, think about the advantages and disadvantages of more schooling. Make sure the program of study is right for you. Don't go into a field just because it is hot or prestigious. It may be very dismal in a few years from now. For instance, familiarize yourself with the current career prospects of law school graduates.

First, I must praise 100 Reasons Not to GO to Graduate School. Although the blog is targeted towards doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences, some of their advice also pertains to professional students. It makes you seriously consider the pitfalls of graduate life before you apply.

I will list the blog's reasons, other posters' reasons, and my reasons on what you should know before you decide to go to graduate school:

1. Stay out of debt.
   
2. Go to a prestigious school.
   
3. Finish as quickly as possible.
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4. If you are a recent college graduate, give yourself time to adjust in the real world (i.e., get a job, volunteer, or teach abroad) before jumping back into school.
   
5. Treat graduate school like a full-time job.
   
6. Seek advisors who have a successful student placement record.
   
7. Pursue every professional development opportunity you can in graduate school (e.g., internships, co-op programs, writing workshops, and field practicums).
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8. Graduate school is NOT an escape from reality.
   
9. Don't apply for the wrong reasons.
   
10. Pursue graduate school because the career path you want requires it.
    

Accepted to Penn GSE!

I received an acceptance letter from Penn GSE! Woo-hoo! I also earned a merit scholarship award and graduate assistantship to cover a portion of my tuition and fees. I am so excited because this opportunity will give me a chance to expand my knowledge of higher education management at another university. I am still young (mid-20s) to move around and explore my options before I permanently settle down in the near future. Since the program is nine months, I won't incur a lot of student loan debt, and I can return to the workforce with new (and advanced) skills and experiences. Upon graduation, I hope to obtain a mid-level administrative position in the nonprofit and public sectors.

The next step is submitting my enrollment deposit and saving enough money for the move to Philadelphia. This summer, I will also make a trip to the City of Brotherly Love. I'll have more updates about Penn GSE later this year. Happy Black History Month!

Applied to Penn GSE!

It's official -- I applied to the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn GSE). I believe this is the next step in my career development. Penn GSE offers many programs and research centers in different educational practice areas (school counseling, educational psychology, literacy studies, urban education, higher education management, and much more). The school also emphasizes diversity and community engagement, especially in the city of Philadelphia. In summary, I like how Penn GSE emphasizes people and community. In my social work program, I focused my assignments around diversity in higher education. Therefore, the field of education makes perfect sense for my personal and career goals. I also believe we as a society must reduce barriers to educational equity (such as poverty!) among low-income and minority communities. I should receive a decision letter hopefully by February 2012. Look forward to an update next year!