Advice to New Students

You're embarking on a new endeavor in life . . . graduate school. To assist you in this venture, we've put together some recommendations that might help you navigate more easily through the process of graduate studies. (We've included a reference sheet of resources and their corresponding Web site addresses.)

Familiarize yourself with university and city resources.

One of the greatest benefits of being at UT is having access to its rich resources. Austin also has a great deal to offer. Learning about such resources as the university counseling center, Office of Graduate Studies, informal computer classes, local Austin attractions and so forth will greatly assist your transition into graduate school.

Conduct an honest, thorough self-assessment regarding your expectations, goals and purpose of pursuing a Ph.D.

Knowing what you may want to pursue academically or professionally is not necessary, understanding why and what you expect is important. Also, realize you've entered a new educational experience. . .graduate school. Grading is different from undergraduate days and learning is the key. Writing is very important. If you're not a strong writer, help is available through the Graduate School or other sources. One source of help will be your fellow classmates; read each others material and give honest feedback.

Seek out discussion and support of faculty members and fellow students that share your interests or with whom you are comfortable interacting.

Developing positive relationships with faculty and peers will become increasingly important to your academic and professional efforts. These individuals may be key in helping you find employment. Go visit with the faculty during their office hours. You don't have to have questions related to the class, the Higher Education Administration faculty are all very experienced and may provide you with information about your particular area of interest. They have been instrumental in helping students get involved with other professionals on campus. Peers will support you through the tough times (and there will be some) and the good times. Academically, professionally, and personally, this is one of the key factors of doctoral student success.

Learn about and participate in professional associations and access the resources available through them.

The socialization process, networking and individual contacts you will make through professional associations will be invaluable to your career. Attending conferences can be costly, but often times financial and other assistance goes untouched because students do not take advantage of scholarships or other assistance available through the association. If you're presenting a paper, you have the opportunity to apply for travel support from the Department of Educational Administration. If you're not certain which professional associations are most relevant to your area of interest, ask the faculty and your fellow students for suggestions.

Learn the bus/shuttle route and times when lots have "open" parking.

There's not much parking at UT with 48,000 students and thousands of administration, faculty and staff members looking for parking as well. Before you park, be sure to read the signs to make sure you're in an open parking space.

Pace yourself.

If you feel you must proceed at such a pace that burnout is at hand, re-assess your goals and purpose. Talk to students who have been in the program for a longer period of time to gain their ideas about courses to take and the speed at which your degree may be completed.

Learn the informal structures of the department and the institution.

Knowing where the program fits in is important. The Higher Education Administration is one of three programs within the Department of Educational Administration. The other two programs are the Public School Executive Leadership Program (for K-12 administrators) and the Community College Leadership Program (for two year colleges). Knowing such things as whom to go to for different kinds of information will help you through the bureaucratic maze. Be sure to get to know the Educational Administrative staff members. Sarah Cale is the Executive Assistant in the Department of Educational Administration. And, you should get to know Hortensia Palomares, the Graduate Coordinator; she will be of great assistance in your time as a student. Also, it would be good to make an appointment with the Graduate Advisor, Dr. Martha Ovando, during your first semester in the program. She may have some good advice for your studies.

Think ahead and plan backwards

Developing a plan for getting through the program will help you in choosing classes. Your faculty advisor and fellow students will be instrumental in this process.

Don't be afraid to take some risks

Risk-taking will help push the boundaries of your own potential and experience. Participate in open forums, examine diverse viewpoints, experiment with new approaches, and learn from your mistakes in an environment where you're provided support from faculty and fellow students.

Take advantage of possible avenues of financial aid

Take the initiative to seek out various types of financial aid; filling out the financial forms may be tedious, but could prove to be lucrative. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the most basic form to fill out when seeking financial aid. It is the form that most institutions of higher education use in matching students with financial aid packages. The FAFSA is available every year on January 1st; the financial aid office has a link and helpful advice to this form. Also, check in January to see if any aid is available through the Office of Financial Aid, Office of Graduate Studies, and the Dean's Office in the College of Education. You may be surprised where you'll find financial assistance.

Ask for advice when registering for courses

Your advisor will be helpful in planning a program of study. Your peers will also have valuable insight into specific course requirements and faculty foibles.

One helpful tip: During the summer, no higher education administration courses are offered. Therefore, if you're wanting to take summer school, it's best to save core, research, or cognate courses for the summer time. This may also be a good time for an internship or research apprenticeship.

One more helpful tip: If you're a doctoral student, you may not want to wait and take all your cognate courses at the end of your program of study. Those who have done this have found that they become disconnected with fellow higher ed. students and the program in general.

 

University/City Resources

UT Homepage - www.utexas.edu
Allows you to search the directory to locate students, faculty and staff; offers a comprehensive listing of university offices

Department of Educational Administration - edadmin.edb.utexas.edu
Find out more about the 3 programs and the faculty within the department

Office of Graduate Studies - www.utexas.edu/ogs/
Information about professional development courses, links to important information for graduate students

Registrar - www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/
Provides links to the course schedule and graduate catalogue, allows you to check your grades electronically and register online

UT Libraries Online - www.lib.utexas.edu/
Offers links to UTNetCAT, the online library catalogue of UT library resources, links to reference works, electronic books, services to renew books online

Office of Financial Aid - www.utexas.edu/student/finaid/
Provides information about financial aid, contains a link to the FAFSA, contains forms for filling out financial assistance

Computing Web - www.utexas.edu/computer/
Offers information about free computer classes (including Microsoft Office applications, statistics programs, graphics and Web design)

Employment Resource Page - www.utexas.edu/employment/
Contains links to available UT jobs, career services, Internet job searches for Austin and beyond

Office of Human Resources - www.utexas.edu/admin/ohr/
Gives a comprehensive listing of jobs available and benefits, electronic access to earning statements and timesheets