Eligibility
You are eligible for the program if you will have completed grade 10 or 11 by the summer of 2010 and if you have demonstrated high ability or motivation in science, social science, and/or mathematics.
Application process
To apply to Secondary Student Training Program, you will need to submit 1 essay, 1 current transcript, 2 recommendations and an application.
The application may be submitted hard copy Application (pdf) OR as an online application (http://irm.provost.uiowa.edu/oi/oiapps.asp)
The hard copy Recommendation Forms (pdf) are available here.
The essay should be no more than one typed page. The essay should convey three ideas; your life goals, and your reasons for wanting to participate in our program. In addition you should have a paragraph or two regarding the type of research that you would like to undertake this summer. This last paragraph(s) may be vague (I want to work in Biology) or quite specific (I'm interested in fly model research in neurogenetics) Both approaches have their pros and cons. If you have a very specific interest write it down, if not, it is of no benefit to make one up.
Deadline
All materials must be postmarked by March 1!
Complete the optional financial aid form AFTER you have been
accepted. Financial aid is need based and need is determined relative to
the pool of selected
applicants.
Financial Aid Form (pdf)
Selection process
Placement in the program is competitive, with admission based on an essay,
academic performance, and recommendations. The SSTP staff and cooperating
University faculty members make final admission decisions.
In most cases the mentors themselves review a hand-picked pool of applicants that I send them. They then get back me and if you are first on their list I contact you… if you are second or third on the list, I hold your application until I have an accept or decline of our first offer.
To be fair to the alternates, after the first offer is given students have three days to give us a verbal commitment to attend. Most who are offered positions accept them quickly but occasionally we get an indecisive student who has applied to multiple programs and who wants to wait to hear from everyone before making a decision. Obviously waiting weeks to fill a position is not an option for us. So if we have not heard back in four days we offer the position will go to the alternate. We honestly would rather fill the program with students that consider us their first choice anyway!
Once you verbally accept our offer, we mail you an acceptance packet. This will have information and we will send you additional forms to fill out including:Health forms,Travel forms Enrollment Contracts, and Financial Aid Forms (We allow conditional acceptance dependent on the receipt of aid.)
Financial Aid is need-based not merit-based. The amount of aid we will award cannot be determined until ALL of the students have been accepted into the program and ALL financial aid paperwork has been submitted.
Within one-week of the receiving the forms, you will then return all the forms and the $250 dollar deposit . The deposit represents your binding commitment to attend so the deposit will not be refunded if you decide not to attend after the submission of the money and enrollment contract. For those who submit the deposit dependent on financial aid, the deposit check will be returned if aid is not granted. Deposit checks will not be cashed until June 1.
In Late April all accepted applicants will be sent a bill for program costs. The cost will be determined by the amount of aid you received. If you paid your deposit and did not apply for aid, you will owe $2100 on June 1st. In general the program cost will be determined by the formula 2350 – the deposit – the amount of aid granted. If you paid your deposit and did not apply for aid, you will owe $2100 on June 1st. During the month of June those of you taking the course for credit will also receive a bill for the tuition (projected to be between $800 and $900 dollars at this time) See discussion on credit
For additional information or hard copy of any or all of the forms, contact
Will Swain:
319-335-3876
or email
william-swain@uiowa.edu
SSTP
E203 Seashore Hall
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242
