Transcript
0:00:02.489,0:00:05.809
Hello, this is Trish Plutz, I’m an advisor for the
0:00:06.330,0:00:12.169
Online Master of Science in Civil Engineering Program. Thank you for joining us today.
0:00:12.809,0:00:18.499
This webinar is designed to help applicants with the application process and know the qualifications
0:00:18.960,0:00:21.800
And help you guide you through our application.
0:00:22.920,0:00:26.389
Thank you again, for joining us and we will be
0:00:26.910,0:00:32.539
having question and answer at the end. You can also type in your questions as we go through the
0:00:33.149,0:00:35.149
webinar and
0:00:35.280,0:00:39.559
we will go through the questions and answer them in the order they were received.
0:00:42.120,0:00:43.829
So just,
0:00:43.829,0:00:46.519
briefly, we’ll go through who are qualified applicants,
0:00:47.070,0:00:52.939
what documents you will need, and how to submit your application with your fee.
0:00:55.320,0:00:57.320
As far as the online program
0:00:57.750,0:00:59.609
qualifications, well-qualified
0:00:59.609,0:01:05.389
applicants will have a Bachelor of Science and civil engineering from an ABET accredited program, a
0:01:05.759,0:01:09.169
minimum of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
0:01:10.140,0:01:14.869
in a cumulative of undergrad GPA and there are other
0:01:15.810,0:01:20.060
caveats of people who can be accepted to the program which we’ll discuss now.
0:01:22.950,0:01:24.119
Applicants
0:01:24.119,0:01:26.119
who may not have
0:01:26.460,0:01:28.460
Bachelors in Civil Engineering
0:01:28.680,0:01:30.680
can review this
0:01:31.110,0:01:33.110
list of other
0:01:33.210,0:01:40.430
pathways or additional pathways to acceptance. There are a lot of folks to apply to the program who have a
0:01:41.009,0:01:42.360
closely related
0:01:42.360,0:01:44.360
degree background or
0:01:45.000,0:01:46.590
relevant work experience
0:01:46.590,0:01:49.880
and I encourage you to read through these different
0:01:50.579,0:01:53.089
scenarios to see if you may be eligible.
0:01:53.850,0:02:00.019
But what I also encourage you to do is call in and talk with your advisor and we can do
0:02:00.930,0:02:07.699
pre-qualification for you with your resume and transcripts. So if you do feel like you have
0:02:08.880,0:02:15.689
suitable qualifications and a background that maybe make you eligible. Please work with your advisor.
0:02:20.140,0:02:24.449
All right, as far as our application materials it’s fairly simple.
0:02:24.450,0:02:30.780
We would need your transcripts from all the schools you previously attended and that would include community colleges.
0:02:31.810,0:02:33.810
We can
0:02:33.819,0:02:35.650
accept unofficial
0:02:35.650,0:02:40.289
transcripts that you upload yourself, but we would need your official transcripts
0:02:40.840,0:02:45.329
before the end of the first semester in order to register for the second semester.
0:02:45.760,0:02:49.739
So I always encourage students to go ahead and request their
0:02:50.440,0:02:57.599
transcripts and e-transcripts are considered official. They’re usually cheaper and faster and if you go on to
0:02:58.180,0:03:02.129
Google and Google your school name and transcript request
0:03:02.379,0:03:07.499
it’ll pull you up to your school’s page and you can have them sent to us directly
0:03:08.019,0:03:10.019
electronically.
0:03:10.060,0:03:13.530
The resume, it would be an up-to-date resume,
0:03:14.379,0:03:21.479
detailing your work roles and responsibilities. And of course we would want you to highlight
0:03:22.269,0:03:23.829
any
0:03:23.829,0:03:29.819
internships or things that you’ve done, you know as an undergrad in the civil engineering
0:03:31.239,0:03:32.889
category.
0:03:32.889,0:03:36.239
And always do try to send an updated resume.
0:03:36.239,0:03:42.149
I have a lot of applicants who send me resumes without their latest job on there and it’s always
0:03:42.400,0:03:45.329
important to see you know where you’re working currently.
0:03:46.180,0:03:49.739
Your personal statement, will be detailed in a later side.
0:03:49.810,0:03:56.849
But, usually it’s one or two pages and we really want to know a little bit more about your educational and work background.
0:03:57.519,0:04:03.509
What you’re hoping to achieve with your degree and why you think our program is a good fit for you?
0:04:04.510,0:04:05.709
Letters of
0:04:05.709,0:04:09.149
recommendations, can come from professional references.
0:04:09.150,0:04:14.459
They don’t necessarily have to be academic references unless you’ve recently graduated.
0:04:15.760,0:04:19.799
Usually it’s best to have a current or past work supervisor or
0:04:20.229,0:04:25.379
colleague engineers who have worked with you on a team and that would be suitable
0:04:26.810,0:04:30.130
recommendation. What I want to add here regarding recommendations
0:04:30.680,0:04:37.660
is that it is a seamless process when you enter your recommenders names and email addresses in your application .
0:04:38.030,0:04:43.780
They will get sent a request for their letter of recommendation from our graduate college.
0:04:44.120,0:04:47.920
So what you would want to do is tell your recommenders to,
0:04:48.590,0:04:50.890
after you ask them for their letters,
0:04:50.890,0:04:53.140
just tell them they’ll be receiving an
0:04:53.510,0:05:01.510
email and they just click through that email and fill out a short form and add their comments or upload their
0:05:02.480,0:05:10.179
letter there. So it’s really easy for you and for your recommenders and last but not least your application fee is
0:05:10.640,0:05:17.769
$50 and we always ask that you don’t submit your application until you’re certain of the term that you are
0:05:18.380,0:05:23.589
starting. If you’re kind of on the cusp and are not sure just wait to submit your applications so
0:05:23.590,0:05:25.590
you don’t have to change it at the end.
0:05:25.880,0:05:30.339
Which means you have to go through another process, so it’s easier for you
0:05:30.340,0:05:37.510
And then also check on the program code which we will mention later on as well. And here is the link to start your application
0:05:38.240,0:05:40.240
within this presentation.
0:05:42.320,0:05:45.849
Now when you start your application you’re going to be
0:05:47.300,0:05:50.380
selecting from the following,
0:05:54.229,0:06:02.109
pick list and what you do want to pick is a degree seeking applicant
0:06:03.830,0:06:05.830
and
0:06:06.620,0:06:10.750
then when you get into that application you want to make sure
0:06:11.270,0:06:17.740
that you are checking those boxes and I just highlighted this because it is
0:06:18.290,0:06:19.520
really difficult
0:06:19.520,0:06:22.299
to get through the application is very long-winded
0:06:22.610,0:06:27.940
as it were so I just wanted to make sure I highlighted these two areas for you.
0:06:38.010,0:06:39.300
And
0:06:39.300,0:06:43.040
you would be selecting at this point that apply online.
0:06:43.860,0:06:46.910
So that’s the section that you would go to next
0:06:48.120,0:06:55.250
And this is the area when you will be adding your application materials; you’ll upload your resume,
0:06:56.100,0:07:00.529
you will also upload your personal statement of goals, and
0:07:02.160,0:07:06.949
any references that you may have. And if for example
0:07:07.680,0:07:10.729
there’s any issue at all with uploading documents
0:07:11.010,0:07:18.709
please know that I can upload those for you or your advisor can do that. If you’d simply email us your
0:07:18.870,0:07:21.380
documents and we would be able to do that for you.
0:07:23.940,0:07:25.940
As far as your resume again,
0:07:27.000,0:07:29.479
just going through making sure it’s current and up-to-date.
0:07:30.300,0:07:36.020
And it’s just very standard your listing of positions and time frames.
0:07:36.020,0:07:38.660
Make sure you include your education on there.
0:07:39.630,0:07:43.249
Just clear and concise work history. I know we all have
0:07:43.800,0:07:44.960
resumes out there
0:07:44.960,0:07:47.960
But just know that this is something that your professors,
0:07:48.150,0:07:55.070
who are looking at this to accept you into the program, are looking for your work history, the type of work that you’re doing, and
0:07:55.070,0:07:56.280
your capabilities.
0:07:56.280,0:07:58.280
So just think about that when you’re
0:07:59.340,0:08:01.340
revising your resume.
0:08:02.039,0:08:04.549
And then as far as the personal statement,
0:08:04.590,0:08:11.750
here’s some clearer guidelines and it’s just mainly just remembering to put your name at the top of the page. And
0:08:12.240,0:08:14.240
the essay should be two to four pages,
0:08:14.699,0:08:16.699
double-spaced, and
0:08:16.949,0:08:21.499
as we had mentioned before, it should start with an educational section.
0:08:22.289,0:08:27.559
Talking about your undergrad studies and then graduate studies you may have completed.
0:08:28.650,0:08:29.940
This is a
0:08:29.940,0:08:37.640
time if your grades were not fabulous to kind of highlight what may have made things come off the tracks.
0:08:38.010,0:08:42.140
Don’t go into huge detail, but do let us know if there was some extenuating
0:08:43.110,0:08:47.570
circumstances. Also, you should cover your professional work experience
0:08:49.110,0:08:52.099
and if your degree is not in engineering
0:08:53.310,0:08:58.609
just really highlight any areas or aspects of your
0:08:59.370,0:09:05.959
occupation that do relate to engineering. And that would be helpful information for our committee when they’re reviewing your application.
0:09:06.450,0:09:08.340
And then
0:09:08.340,0:09:14.959
just go ahead and talk about your career goals and how you think this program would help you achieve your goals.
0:09:15.570,0:09:20.179
This is where your due diligence and doing research on the programs that are available,
0:09:20.760,0:09:26.000
looking at the different programs that you are considering and making a
0:09:26.430,0:09:31.789
determination, and highlighting here in this section of your goal statement or personal statement.
0:09:31.790,0:09:36.649
Why you think our program is going to be a good fit for you? What competencies you hope to
0:09:37.710,0:09:42.829
achieve from our program and how you think that we’re going to help or strengthen that.
0:09:44.070,0:09:48.079
And then when you’re doing your request for transcripts,
0:09:49.320,0:09:55.759
we do require, as I said, that in the end of your official transcripts, you can upload your
0:09:56.550,0:09:58.729
unofficial transcripts for review purposes
0:09:59.040,0:10:05.480
but if you’re going to go through the application process, you might have might as well request those transcripts at the
0:10:05.790,0:10:09.050
beginning and have them loaded into your applications. So you’re not
0:10:09.630,0:10:12.559
fumbling around and trying to get that done in the eleventh hour
0:10:13.470,0:10:14.520
and
0:10:14.520,0:10:20.389
Then as they say here in a sealed envelope, but in the New Age who are doing everything
0:10:20.940,0:10:24.169
electronically and I strongly recommend you do things electronically
0:10:24.750,0:10:32.239
because it’s quicker and cheaper and it’s seamless. It’s easy for you to do, in just a couple of clicks and
0:10:33.180,0:10:34.350
any
0:10:34.350,0:10:39.200
undergrad community colleges that might appear on your bachelor’s transcripts,
0:10:39.200,0:10:41.200
we would need those. And any relevant
0:10:41.610,0:10:47.389
Graduate studies you’ve done that would be helpful for us to see and for you to list in your application as well
0:10:48.690,0:10:51.919
And then sometimes you can get online and pull up
0:10:52.290,0:10:57.860
academic record or grade report and that’s not considered official and stall out your application.
0:11:00.310,0:11:02.529
When requesting your
0:11:02.930,0:11:10.629
references, as I said before put your name of your recommender, their email address, and an option to attach a
0:11:11.300,0:11:13.249
PDF file
0:11:13.249,0:11:19.689
the request form is emailed to your recommenders when you save and close this page, so this is a really
0:11:20.300,0:11:25.180
important aspect. If you get up to this section, this is usually one of the most time-consuming
0:11:25.999,0:11:27.999
processes of the
0:11:28.610,0:11:30.019
application
0:11:30.019,0:11:36.638
process, so you really want to give your recommenders that deadline as well when you’re talking to them. Ask them
0:11:36.649,0:11:38.649
would you be able to
0:11:38.779,0:11:42.669
submit your recommendation by the fifteenth of the months and if they look
0:11:42.889,0:11:47.498
conflicted and they’re not thinking that they can make it. Just keep going and ask for other
0:11:48.110,0:11:54.939
Recommendations, you know, I’m just using the 15th as an example, but you know, realistically you would want to give them two weeks
0:11:54.939,0:11:55.730
0:11:55.730,0:11:59.920
before the actual deadline, so if they have to push it out a bit, you know
0:11:59.920,0:12:01.920
It’ll it’ll still work out to your advantage
0:12:02.329,0:12:05.378
We need a minimum of two letters of recommendation,
0:12:05.379,0:12:10.688
but we always have you asked for three just for that reason in case one of them get busier can’t
0:12:11.600,0:12:12.920
use
0:12:12.920,0:12:15.009
recommendations because of extenuating
0:12:15.740,0:12:17.740
circumstances.
0:12:18.259,0:12:21.009
So when you get to the final part,
0:12:21.009,0:12:26.799
this is where you double-check the program code and it is listed here the MS
0:12:27.439,0:12:33.9697271
, it’s online civil engineering programs. Just want to make sure you’re using online. And then as far as
0:12:35.149,0:12:40.749
submitting your fee, you’ll be doing that electronically as well, and once your application
0:12:41.269,0:12:45.818
is sent in I get notified and I will help and track this
0:12:46.250,0:12:52.209
throughout the whole application process and stay in close contact with you to make sure you know where you’re at in the process.
0:12:54.860,0:12:56.329So
0:12:56.329,0:13:02.469
please go ahead and email me. I am the Senior Enrollment Advisor for the Civil Engineering Online Program
0:13:02.470,0:13:06.610
And that’s my contact information. You may be working with your own advisor as well,
0:13:06.610,0:13:11.139
but you know as a fallback, please always feel free to contact me if needed.
0:13:11.660,0:13:14.440
And now we’ll go through any questions you might have.
0:13:16.940,0:13:21.100
And I am getting a question about
0:13:25.640,0:13:31.090
the actual deadlines and I’m going to speak in broad terms, since this is a
0:13:31.340,0:13:34.809
webinar we will be using going forward. We have three terms
0:13:34.810,0:13:41.560
we have fall,spring, and summer. The fall semester classes begin at the end of August.
0:13:41.560,0:13:47.049
So you would want to get everything in a month earlier or the end of July?
0:13:47.720,0:13:51.669
The spring semester is the second week of January
0:13:51.770,0:13:59.770
so a month earlier would be the second week of December. And then the fall or I’m sorry, summer semester would be
0:14:00.650,0:14:05.290
the second week of May so you would want to get your documents in the
0:14:05.780,0:14:11.709
second week of April a month prior. And feel free to finish your application earlier than that,
0:14:11.810,0:14:18.310
it’s always a good idea because there is always a rush of the end to submit applications.
0:14:19.400,0:14:26.290
Then as far as any other questions go, please contact your enrollment advisor.
0:14:26.840,0:14:33.399
Contact me. I’m here to help you help you. Help you go through the whole process and work with you on your application.
0:14:33.770,0:14:39.100
Do let me know if there’s anything we can do to help them. Thank you again for joining us today.