Minnesota asked me out!

[mishranishi]

Hello,

I have been recommended by the program admission committee for an admission to MS Geographic Information Sciences,Dept of Geography, Uni of Minnesota,Minneapolis..........finally...my 1st admit(though the decision is still contingent upon grad school)

BUT the program does not offer any formal financial aid
i can apply to other dept's for assistantships etc.

Now can u guys tell me, shud i simply ask the prof's in the dept who have an interest in GIS about any openings for TA,RA etc? or shud i tell them that i m "reallyyy" interested in their topic n wud like to work with them?
Since my program doesn't offer any formal financial aid i m sure they'll b getting mails from many admitted students, how do i put forward my request?

Nishi

[fdtd]

You should try anyway, I won't hurt even they ignore you, right? To be honest, most prof. won't reply your email, they will just delete it without reading it.

[ritwik]

For RA -
What is important that you demostrate the you have RESEARCH CAPABILITY. This can be demostrated by recommendations, research experience and most importantly by papers. Now if you have some publication then you can approach a professor with same taste in research ask him out about RAship and say that you have demonstrated your potential by publishing XYZ in ABC. certain information on your perspective of his current work may be included.

For TA -
Take and score well in TSE. If you have prior teaching experience then that is a BIG plus. But I think TA is generally employed by dept and not individual prof (?) so this may be a little tricky.

[on_dope]

Just drop a formal kind of mail in their inbox stating that you’ve got blah blah interests in GIS field and show them that your training work ( or some experience ) is in direct line with their interests and attach an updated copy of your resume. Make sure that you remain humble and to the point(relevant to their interests). Well as FdTd mentioned chances are that they wont even open your mail but “you never know what surprises lie for you "

btw one can always apply to other departments as well (if their interests matches with your expertise) Cheers

[on_dope]

To add a line more, what i did was i simply mention" I will need substantial financial aid to fund my education through work-study programs .... I've got blah blah experiance in blah blah field and .. then wrote down some of my
achievements and if you've got some publications or you've worked with some prominent orgranizations DO MENTION THE NAMES, then in the end say you've attached an updated resume for your reference. ( make sure your email doesnt go haywire)

[awhig]

Originally Posted by on_dope

To add a line more, what i did was i simply mention" I will need substantial financial aid to fund my education through work-study programs .... I've got blah blah experiance in blah blah field and .. then wrote down some of my
achievements and if you've got some publications or you've worked with some prominent orgranizations DO MENTION THE NAMES, then in the end say you've attached an updated resume for your reference. ( make sure your email doesnt go haywire)

But don't you think our SOP speaks for our achievements and interests??

[awhig]

Main problem is how to start. Should one start like this :

"Sir/Mam, I came to know about the Univ. decisions for not considering me for RAship."
[It is very heartening to know and feeling angry........]

[Moonlight]

Originally Posted by awhig

Main problem is how to start. Should one start like this :
"Sir/Mam, I came to know about the Univ. decisions for not considering me for RAship." [It is very heartening to know and feeling angry........]

Awhig, don't start like that man.......
It is understood when you write to prof for RA that you have not been offered any RAship or TAship......but definitely you were considered.....

what I can suggest is:

Dear Prof. XYZ,

(intro.) I am ABC an international student being admitted to so and so program for fall 2005 "without and aid" (this is optional, i wont write in my mail, they (profs) need people who are capable of pushing their research work ahead.........not people who need funding to support their studies)........i have __ degree from xyz university with __ GPA or __%/class. with __ years of experience in __field/topic. I am

(main para)
being at university or job for __ years has given me experience in .......(elaborate, your work experience but this shouldn't exceed more than 3-4 lines)......then mention how his/her research is related with your studies at graduate program or how it connects with your previous experience.........try to substantiate your claim with papers, communications, presentations, seminars whatever you can show.......

then conclude by saying you are interested in joining his/her lab as RA and are forwarding your CV for consideration........

Sincerely,
ABC

i think this should do........
all the best!!

[Moonlight]

Originally Posted by awhig

But don't you think our SOP speaks for our achievements and interests??

Not all faculty members are in admission committee, so most them have not seen your application file and don't know what your SOP reads.......but please, don't use the same words, you don't know who all are there in the committee........re-pharse your SOP lines which read about your achievements and interests.....

[on_dope]

I simply agree with Moonlight , re-phrase your mail everytime coz you never know who all would be in the selection committee. SOP is read only by the graduate selection commitee(graduate school selection committe is different from selection committe of individual departments) or it may also be read by the interviewer ( who may be from your department )initially to know abt you and take your interview. anyway
starting format of such request letter can be like

"I am really delighted at being offered admission to the Masters in ABC program at your esteemed University.
HoweverI will need substantial financial aid to fund my education through work-study programs.I have over abcdef months of full time work experience in the Computers & IT field - in a rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive
business environment that .................................................. "

just make a paragraph about what all you have that you can give to them & then in the later sections of para do mention that you have worked with such such orgranizations( its repetetive coz you'd b attaching your resume still its always wise to mention it coz if by chance their eyes catches a glimpse of the names & eventually out of curiousity they may open your resume too )