Program Suggestions and Thoughts

[Imbasel]

Hi everyone. I am currently a junior in college. It is my second year here and I had very little in the way of AP credit transfer over. However, I worked hard and will continue to do so. As a result I am preparing for grad school. Specifically I am looking into getting a Masters in Higher Education Administration, preferably with a focus in Student Affairs Residential Life. I wanted to post some of my information to see how I stand into getting into grad school as long as my grades stay up. I plan on applying this fall 

 

GPA: 3.64

Major GPA (Speech Communication): 3.90 

Minor GPA (History): 3.5

GRE: Not needed for the colleges I am looking at.

 

Work Experience at College

This will reflect my work experience as the jobs I have are guaranteed for me until I graduate.

 

Office: Computer and Technology Services

Network Technician; 3 years

 Duties involved maintenance, as well as creation of new network and phone lines. This job enables me a lot of my own freedom. I commonly use a campus database that is updated and have been given permission to do so on my own accord. When on jobs I make most of the executive decisions for how it is done, unless my supervisor says otherwise.

 

 

Office: Residential Life

Academic Mentor; 1 year

This is a live in position where I am paired off with an RA. My duties involved providing academic support to the students, helping them create and organize their schedules as well as building community. I also organized several building programs, submitted weekly reports, and went to staff meetings This position is unique as it is only for an all freshmen building. In more detail academic support was offered by having study sessions, as well as arranging for students to have meetings with professors if needed. I also held floor meetings along with my RA to discuss any issues as they arose.

 

Office: Residential Life

Resident Assistant FYE; 1 year 

This is a live in position on campus. Duties include, but by no means limited to holding floor meetings, disciplining the floor and building, going on call for no less than 80 hours per semester. This position also involved the submission of incident reports in the form of documentations, going to staff meetings, submitting weekly reports and organizing several building wide programs. I also will have all the duties and responsibilities of an Academic Mentor.

 

Wellness Advocate: 1 semester of training 1 semester as a Wellness Advocate. This is much like an RA as I am on call. Students call to talk to someone or someone calls at their bequests. Discussions range from anything from light discussions to having to talk about suicide and suicide prevention. We are also trained in QPR which is question persuade and refer which teaches how to deal with someone who is suicidal. 

 

Significant Extracurricular Achievements:

 

Vice President for Colleges Against Cancer: I am currently the VP for Colleges Against Cancer on my campus. I work with the President, the club and the American Cancer Society to organize a Relay for Life. Last year over 700 people attended and over 30,000 dollars were donated. This year the number of attendance is expected to be even higher as are the donations. Part of my duties also include chairing a committee (Survivorship and Advocacy), having meetings with various officials throughout campus, and running meetings when the President is not able. Currently the club has around 30 active members. I was recently re-elected for a second year.

 

Committee Member for Food and Hospitality: I am currently  a committee member for the Food and Hospitality Committee, which helps organize the Relay for Life above and beyond what I do as VP for Colleges against cancer. The role includes talking to various groups, organizations, and individuals to donate gifts or food for Relay for Life, to be given out during the Relay for Life.

 

Sociology Club Member now President: I have been a Sociology Club member for a year and a half now. Recently, however I gave a speech in front of more than 150 people concerning rights that we as Americans have. I was asked to speak as the speech occurred after a musical composition made in response to the Kent State shootings. The theme of the speech was how we have certain rights and that we have a duty to make a change in the world, not matter how disheartened we may become. The audience reacted very well to it with a request for it to be put online by an audience member.

 

Training Committee for Residence Life 2 semesters: I am currently involved in my campuses training committee. I am part of two committee in-service training as well as facilities and presenter. I am currently in charge of creating and facilitating surveys and focus groups in order to start in service training again on campus. I am also responsible for helping to arrange facilities and presenters come to training.

 

So what do you guys think about my undergraduate career as it stands? I should have about a 3.7 overall average by the time I graduate and between a 3.8-3.95 in Speech Communication.

 

Here are the schools I'm interested in.

Indiana State University 

University of Pittsburgh School of Education

Rochester University Warner College

Kent State

University of Connecticut

Colorado State University

Florida International University

Buffalo State

University at Buffalo

Michigan State University

 

None of the schools require GRE's and what schools do you think are good for the program and that I have a good chance of getting into? 

Edited April 22, 2013 by Imbasel

[JBums1028]

I know MSU offers quite a few assistantships in ResLife since they have a very large on campus housing program (I did my undergrad there and I have a friend who is an assistant community director there). Since most of their Student Affairs MA students do assistantships in ResLife, it might be a good fit for you if you are wanting to focus in that area. I'm also considering this program for my master's, however I don't want to focus in ResLife. I've met with some of the directors and it's still a generalist program, so the curriculum doesn't necessarily focus on it. But you will most likely be surrounded by a lot of people with similar interests.

 

Let me know if you have other questions about MSU in general or about their ResLife program in particular (I was an RA for a year, so I can try my best to answer your questions)