Last week, I had the opportunity to go to Kentucky and spend a week with my fellow Scholars at a Graduate School Preparation Camp. There were other McNair Groups from other schools, and it was interesting to see how we are alike and different. Throughout camp, we had the opportunity to listen to speakers who earned their doctoral degrees and were willing to share the journey they had. I have to admit I was overwhelmed with the flow of information, and when the seminars were finally complete, I was relieved. It took a few days for it to sink in, but I am thankful for the head start I now have on the application process!
The two areas that I most focused on were the personal statement and the interview process. First, the personal statement can be the real ticket into getting your application viewed and making it to the next level. When I left camp, I had not made any progress with writing, but I did have ideas floating in my mind. It wasn't until a few days ago when I really made a jumpstart - but that is another blog post! Second, although I am comfortable in interview settings, I often struggle with showing my enthusiasm to others even though inside I am excited! Learning tips from administrators who actually conduct interviews was a huge asset. It was helpful with a phone interview I had a few days ago - which was a huge deal! Again, that is a future post!
Apart from learning about graduate school, my favorite part of the trip was getting to know all my fellow scholars on a more personal level. Each one of us has a unique gift to offer! Playing in the game room Friday night, I laughed more than I have in a long time. It was desperately needed after an exhausting week. Overall, camp was an amazing learning experience and a great time for bonding with everyone - cannot wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store for us now!
No comments:
Post a Comment