Services
Educational Planning & Counseling
All scholars meet with a McNair staff member to complete an individualized Personal Educational Plan (PEP), which will serve as a road map to help you reach your goals and determine in which areas you’ll need assistance from our staff.
Graduate School Preparation
The McNair Scholars Program assists scholars with graduate school preparation, including finding the right graduate school, completing application forms, and researching funding opportunities. Through the McNair Scholars Program, you’ll learn how to navigate the application process, write a statement of purpose, and construct a curriculum vita.
Graduate Application Fee Waiver
Hundreds of schools all over the country offer benefits to McNair scholars, including a Graduate School Application Fee Waiver. When you apply to one of these schools, include in your application materials a “CERTIFICATION OF MCNAIR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND REQUEST FOR ADMISSION APPLICATION FEE WAIVER,” signed by our McNair Program Director (fee waiver form).
Find out which schools offer these (and other) benefits with the Council for Opportunity in Education list of fellowships and application fee waivers
Graduate Record Exam Fee Reduction Waiver
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) fee reduction waivers are available for seniors and will be distributed based on need and eligibility. This exam is required as part of the admissions process by many Masters and Ph.D. granting programs. Since many graduate programs require all application materials to be submitted by December, it would benefit all those applying to graduate schools to take the GRE as soon after the McNair Summer Research Experience as possible.
GRE Preparation
The GRE is primarily a multiple-choice test that graduate schools use for admission of students into their graduate programs. As with any testing situation, last minute cramming is unlikely to help. Instead, it’s useful to begin preparing months ahead.
The following information will help guide you if you decide to devote some time to prepare for the test:
- Familiarize yourself with the test format at least six months before the exam.
- Learn the directions in advance. If you already know what to do for each question type, you won’t have to waste precious test time reading instructions. You’ll be able to jump right in and start answering questions as soon as the test begins. The directions are always the same.
- Test yourself with a practice exam before studying to help you to identify your weaknesses.
- Use the following strategy: study, practice, study, practice, etc. — and during the practices, time yourself.
- Work with the McNair Program staff to develop a plan to take the GRE.
Last updated: 9/20/2021
