McNair Scholars: Where did you get funded for a PhD?

Graduate School
1

So I am a McNair Scholar who is about halfway through a MPH program. I will begin the application process for PhD programs next fall. Scouring the internet closely, there seems to be a ton of schools willing to waive the application fees for us.

There are also quite a few who reserve Fellowships/Assistantships exclusively for us. However, I was wondering if anybody has been funded at an institution that maybe doesn’t advertise theirs as well or maybe has strong diversity funding (i.e fully funded, multiple spots) that is not necessairily specific to McNair. FWIW, I am Asian/Hispanic (Usually only claim Hispanic) and also LGBT.

A side question I have is how strong was your CV/Resume if you were fully funded? I feel as though I have one of the stronger professional sides of the resumes (been heavily involved in leadership, administration, politics, business, and philanthropy), but have very little research experience (outside of McNair, I did an undergraduate honors thesis but that’s mostly it).

If it matters, my GPA is a 3.7 and my GRE was in the 74% (155, 156, 5.0)

2

I wasn’t a McNair Scholar, but I was in a very similar program. I also know a lot of McNair Scholars and people who completed similar programs while in undergrad. I’m going to assume you’re referring to PhD programs in public health since you didn’t specify.

The short answer is you can find funding opportunities at many programs. For most fellowships and at most schools, the funding you get isn’t predicated upon any special program you did in undergrad per se. However, McNair Scholars are especially well-poised to compete for fellowship funding because they’ve usually done the kinds of things in college that make someone competitive for fellowships/funding (and honestly, just being in the program often signals to graduate admissions committees “here is a talented candidate from a disadvantaged background.”)

My point being - I don’t think you need to do a special search for fellowships that are “reserved” for McNair Scholars and/or for programs that admit a lot of McNair Scholars on fellowship; if you are an average (or, in your words, above-average) McNair Scholar then you should already be competitive for fellowships in most places you want to attend.

However, your problem is going to be the research experience. What do you mean by “very little”? It was my understanding that McNair Scholars usually completed a certain amount of research experience (10-15 hours) in their junior and senior years of college. Have you done any research in your MPH program?

3

@julliet

Thanks for your response! I should have specified the programs to which I’ll be applying vary a bit but all have the central focus around Environmental/Security Studies. This combines my undergraduate interest in policy and (some) of my graduate coursework in Public Health although I admit it is a bit of a shift. I definitely think I can lessen any concerns though if I flesh out my reasoning and accolades in an interest statement.

I appreciate your comment on the funding, it lessens my worries. I’m also being realistic about the schools I put on my interest list (I am thinking I will be apply to about 10).

As for research experience, the McNair usually consists of a two-part research experience. The first part gives you the “scholar” status. The second is optional and where the bulk of the heavy research is conducted. Unfortunately, I was a special case. I was admitted to my MPH as an accelerated undergrad which made me ineligible for the second part. So my research experience is limited to my undergraduate thesis (in Political Science, though very extensive, it was a 2-year endeavor) and the first part of McNair (topic was in public health). I am going to try and see if I can maybe find some research opportunities this year, but I fear halfway through my degree, faculty may be skeptical to let me jump on board. Also, while my university conducts research, I wouldn’t say there are extensive opportunities.

I am also wondering if there might be any benefit to the fact my MPH requires an internship if it is close enough to my PhD interests or if it wouldn’t because the PhD is more research driven and less professional?

4

When PhD admissions committees evaluate your application for your research experience and potential, they also will be looking at the research methods courses that you have taken. Masters students often have a wide selection of methods courses to choose from (both qual and quant) and PhD seeking students should consider which ones might be the most helpful.

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@CheddarcheeseMN
Thanks, I took two different research methodology courses in undergraduate (Poli Sci/Honors). Then I also took the McNair one as well which covered both qual and quant (for graduate coursework). My MPH doesn’t have a research methods, though we had seminars pertaining contained in the “101” course. I may be able to throw one of my electives toward another research methods course that is more science related as well.

6

Excellent numbers to be competitive for a PhD program. But, two big things against you: an MPH is a broad terminal degree and generally offers candidates little room for active research, or even research methods courses, which PhD programs require.

Except very little of that is important to top PhD programs, all of which are funded btw.

And this is the key missing ingredient. If I were you, I’d look to get a job as a research assistant or Lab manager at a top Uni where you can get a couple of years of research under your belt. Then, with your numbers and background, you’d be an extremely competitive candidate to the top PhD programs. (but then, we’ve had this discussion before.)

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@bluebayou It’s one of those things where I get what you are saying and agree with it in large. But at the same time I can’t really see myself devoting 2-3 years additionally to try and get in to a PhD program.

I know I will apply on the timeline I have currently, if I fail to get in to any of them that’s where that option becomes one I have to consider. The nice thing is that there really isn’t any risk involved in putting applications out there (at least no monetary cost with McNair). If it doesn’t work then working towards research, doing a second master’s, or just quitting at the masters and turning towards family orientation all become options.

I’m really going to try and get what little research exp is available to me in my last year and a half. I promise I am listening lol, it just comes down to how much I am willing to compromise and accept deviation from the timeline I want to stay on.

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@bluebayou : You wrote: “Excellent numbers to be competitive for a PhD program.”

Are you referring to the 74% GRE score (155, 156) ?

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seth:

my advice is not based on whether you can get in somewhere, but why settle for (anywhere) when you have a chance for a top program? While fine institutions, the McNair list of ~180 excludes nearly all of the best of the best. By my quick read, Berkeley is the only top 10 uni in Enviro Sci that is a member of McNair. (Altho I might have missed one.)
And IMO, the higher the better for a PhD. Going to a low-ranked school for your PhD will close a LOT of doors. Moreover, the tippy top privates are rolling in dough, which they can spread around to grad students.

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@bluebayou

Not sure what you are referring to with McNair? Are you talking about funding?

Having a McNair program has no effect on whether they have McNair graduate funding or at least not a significant one. The school I attend now for example has a program but no funding( I had to get a regular GA), some are vice-versa.

I prefer program fit to ranking (though funding will be a huge factor and I understand stronger programs are easier for funding), in fact I would say ranking as almost no weight in my decision. That said, my early list contains a few T2 schools (Florida, Penn State, Syracuse) and then some T3/T4 schools as well (Oregon State, Colorado State, UCF).

My picks are also based on having institutes (like climate, federal depts) near them or partnered. Because I don’t think I would be competitive for the top ones unless I went with your plan to take a few years off gaining more exp.

My hope is that by picking a strong though not elite school with good surrounding opportunities, it will give me the qualifications without sacrificing my timeline.

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I still don’t understand what you mean by the “two-part research experience” and an optional second part. McNair is a federally funded TRIO program that has to adhere to certain program characteristics in order for universities to get and maintain their funding. Opportunities for research experience with professors is one of those required components (https://www2.ed.gov/programs/triomcnair/index.html). A mentored research experience with a faculty member is THE core component of the program. The program is concerned with getting underrepresented students into graduate school, and research experience is a key component of doctoral admissions. The faculty-mentored research is quite literally the point, and in my experience with the McNair programs I am familiar with, it is not optional. I also perused the website with the listing of McNair programs. Not all have websites, but of the ones that do I was unable to find a single one that doesn’t require a mentored research experience.

So I’m a little confused when you say you were a McNair Scholar but also didn’t get much research experience. It’s not that I don’t believe you, but rather I’m wondering about the structure and quality of the McNair program you participated in and how they’ve managed to maintain their funding without providing you with a literally required part of the curriculum.

That’s neither here nor there now, though. What exactly did you do for research, and how long? What, exactly, does the “first part” of being a McNair scholar at your institution consist of?

Also, what are your career goals for this PhD? While you are absolutely right to favor program fit over ranking, ranking/reputation should still be a factor in your search. If academia is your goal, note that program reputation within your field has a huge impact on the kind of place you end up at. It’s a general rule of thumb that you can teach at schools 1+ tier(s) below the one where you got your PhD. Even if industry is your goal, the reputation of your program within your (sub)field can matter. That doesn’t mean you have to go to a tippy-top school, but you do want a well-respected one. However, if you are just doing this because you really love school and you want to continue going, then it really doesn’t matter as much.

However, even a T2 or T3 program is going to want to see some research experience. For most research programs an undergraduate thesis alone isn’t sufficient, but if yours was really two years of research done alongside a professor and your thesis is outstanding, that might work out. Simply expressing your genuine interest and reasoning for wanting a PhD isn’t enough on its own; most programs want to know that you know what you’re signing yourself up for for 5-6+ years. They’ll want evidence that you were successful at research before. If your undergraduate thesis was outstanding, then maybe some of the T3/T4 programs will show some interest, but I do think this may be an uphill battle - particularly with borderline GRE scores.

Getting a PhD isn’t really a box you can check on a specific “timeline.” First of all, as I mentioned, program reputation is important for job placement. In most cases, it’s better for a student in the long run if they wait 2-3 years and go to a better-reputed program than it is for them to go to a low-ranked program right away. It’s not just about job placement, either; students at top programs tend to get more funding, more publications, and are more competitive for national fellowships and scholarships. Part of that is selection bias, but part of it is the infrastructure and support that exists at top programs. (That’s not even to mention the fact that PhDs frequently take longer, and sometimes much longer, than people anticipate.)

Can you say more about why it is vital to you to stick to a specific timeline? In the long run, 2 years isn’t very long at all.

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The McNair where I am at consists of a summer program where you develop a research proposal in conjunction with McNair faculty. You also take courses on methodology and GRE prep. You then present your research at a conference as a capstone. This gives you “Scholar status.”

The year long program is where you conduct the research you have proposed with a faculty member you choose. This is the part I was ineligible for.

Career goals is what I’m still unsure of (ik that’s not great for a PhD student). Most likely I want a job in the federal government either in research or administration.

So ranking isn’t big for me. I want to be happy in the location I’m in and have funding. Additional opportunities to gain exp in the surrounding area as well.

As for timing, I really want to be able to focus on family life at some point. And I don’t want to wait until my 30s to do that. So sticking to my timeline is preferable for that purpose. Like I feel like I’ve spent most of college working on Academics too much and not on experiencing life and so I’m ready to finish a PhD and then have a better work/life balance (which is probably asking a bit much).