|
 he area that I'm interested in is fairly new. "Disability Studies" is an emerging discipline and the first thing that I discovered was that there weren't many programs in existence. Searching for that specific title yielded a total of two programs, one in Syracuse, and one in Chicago.
Attending McNair conferences was a real blessing for me. The panel discussions in particular helped me focus on what was important for me in choosing a graduate program. At one conference, there was a panel of graduate students who talked about how they made their choices, and what they would do differently if they could. One student chose the "top ranked" school in her field. She was excited when she got accepted and looked forward to starting her program. What she didn't consider was that the school was located in a small northern town when she was used to big city life in the south. From her discussion I learned how important it is to consider the surroundings when you're looking, not just the academics. You will be choosing a lifestyle in addition to school, so make sure you'll be happy outside of class. Graduate school will provide plenty of challenges; environment does not have to be one of them.
I happened to stumble on a program that is now at the top of my list of considerations. While studying for a test in a freshman level sociology course, I came across a reference to a study on children and television. From this one line in a textbook, I looked in the index for the full citation, and started my search. What I found was that the author was a professor at the University of Delaware. Next, I arranged to attend a McNair conference at that school, and not only met that professor; I was able to present my research project in front of her. This connection has proven to be invaluable. At her suggestion, I have now been accepted into the Masters program at
UDel, in Mass Communications. I would never have considered a Mass Communication major, and UDel was not on my radar screen because they didn't have a "Disability Studies" program.
I believe that one of the most important things that you can do to solidify your choices is to really look at the professors in the program. Most websites list their research interests, a personal vita, or list of publications. Surrounding yourself with people who have similar interests is a great way to ensure success.
|
