Graduate School & Yearlong Fellowships: Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Eligibility
FAQ: Application Process
FAQ: In-depth Interviews
FAQ: Other Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Yearlong Fellowship
1. I am an international student, am I eligible to apply?
All candidates who apply must be authorized to work in the United States. International students are eligible to apply only if they are authorized to work in the United States and do not require any visa assistance.
2. How many years of work experience do I need to be eligible for the Education Pioneers Fellowship?
On average, our Education Pioneers Fellows have 4 years of full time work experience; however, we require all of our candidates to have at least 2 years of full time work experience.
3. I finished graduate schools 4 years ago but I am really excited about your program, am I eligible?
Yes, the Education Pioneers Graduate School Fellowship Program is available for students currently enrolled in a graduate degree program as well as for candidates who already hold a graduate degree.
4. I haven't started graduate school yet, but I am very excited about Education Pioneers.
Great! We love early interest in our program. You are welcome to attend one of our presentations. We will be able to consider you for our program once you begin your graduate school program. We look forward to considering you for our program once you have begun your graduate degree program.
Additionally, we recently launched a new Analyst Fellowship that is for people that have two years of professional experience in a highly analytical role. If this is an option for you, please visit www.educationpioneers.org/become-an-analyst-fellow for more information.
5. I am in a certificate program at a graduate school that is not a formal graduate program; however, I am taking graduate classes. Am I eligible for your program?
The Education Pioneers Fellowship Program, at this time, is only available for students currently enrolled in a graduate degree program or that hold a degree from a graduate program. Students enrolled in certificate programs or graduate classes outside of a graduate degree program are not eligible to participate in the Fellowship Program.
6. Can you please explain your 2012 Fellowship application process?
Our application page contains detailed information about our process. However, at a high level, we have two application deadlines. The priority deadline is December 15, 2011, and our team reviews applications on a rolling basis beginning October 1, 2011. We strongly encourage you to apply during this timeline because a majority of our Fellowship positions will be filled from the priority candidates. Our final deadline is February 1st.
Here are the steps:
a. Register and Apply Online: You will first register on our website by answering a few questions and by uploading your resume. You will then receive an email with a link to the full application. This is also the time when you share your location preference (opportunities in Boston, Chicago, DC Metro, Houston, Los Angeles, New York Metro, and SF Bay Area). Check your spam mailbox for the email if you don't see it within 24 hours.
b. Critical Thinking Exercise: For candidates who are asked to move forward in the process, we will ask you to complete an online written assignment and share information on your skill set. The assignment must be completed within seven days of invitation.
c. On-campus or Phone Interviews: For candidates who progress past the critical thinking exercise, you will be invited to an in-depth interview that will take place on-campus or via phone.
d. Group Interview Day: Candidates who progress past the in-depth interview will be invited to a mandatory Group Interview Day where they will have opportunity to meet other candidates and partake in an evaluated group activity. This is the final step in the application process.
e. Fellowship Offers Extended: After Group Interview Day, Fellowship offers will be extended by the Education Pioneers site team and once the offer is accepted the placement process begins.
7. My resume has changed substantially since I uploaded it, can I re-upload it?
No. However you are more than welcome to bring an updated version of your resume to your interview. We highly encourage all candidates to make sure their resume is the most up-to-date including current club/organization membership, leadership experience, undergraduate GPA, honors and awards, and volunteer work.
8. I registered 2 days ago and still haven't received an email with the application, what should I do?
Our email has likely hit your spam box. Please check your spam and please add recruiting@educationpioneers.org as a contact in your email address book to avoid this happening in the future.
9. I was rejected from Education Pioneers for the 2011 Fellowship; can I apply for again?
If you are still eligible, you are welcome to apply for the 2012 Fellowship. Please keep in mind that candidates, if rejected for 2012, cannot apply for the same Fellowship year.
10. What if I can't attend an on-campus interview?
We always prefer to interview candidates in-person. If this does not work, we will work to set a time to interview you over the phone.
11. Education Pioneers isn't coming to interview at my school and I have a phone interview, will I be at a disadvantage in the process?
No, if we are not coming to you campus we put an equal weight on phone interviews and in-person interviews. We will have an opportunity to meet if you progress to Group Interview Day.
12. What if I can't attend Group Interview Day due to being out of the country?
If you have applied by the first application deadline and are unable to attend, we will ask you to attend the Group Interview after the second application deadline in late March. If you have applied by the second application deadline and will not be available, sites will evaluate the circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
13. What are the city locations that I can choose from for the Graduate School Fellowship?
We have 7 fantastic cities for Graduate School Fellows to choose: Boston, Chicago, DC Metro, Houston, Los Angeles, New York Metro, and San Francisco Bay Area. Please see our website to learn more about our Partner organizations in each city. Our core sites include placements in Baltimore, MD, Dallas, TX, Newark, NJ, and Sacramento, CA.
14. Is this a paid opportunity?
Yes, as an Education Pioneers Graduate School Fellow you will work full time for one of our Partner organizations in a consulting capacity. Your Partner organization will pay you a $7,000 stipend (pre-tax) over the course of your 10 week Fellowship. Graduate School Fellows are also encouraged to apply for public interest funding/matching funds through their schools.
15. What are the ideal qualities of a successful Graduate School Fellow?
- Experience in: finance, strategy, marketing, operations, human resources, curriculum design, professional development, policy analysis, urban education or law
- Strong commitment to Education Pioneers' mission and core values of courage, optimism, collaboration and action
- Track record of excellence and success in academic and professional settings
- Exceptional interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills
- Exceptional project management skills
- High level of self-awareness and keen desire to work with and learn from others with diverse backgrounds and perspectives
- Passion for K-l 2 public education
- Energetic self-starter who takes the initiative to drive results even in ambiguous situations.
16. I will be graduating in May and will be looking for a full-time job, how would Education Pioneers fit into my life given it is a summer program?
Every summer a portion of our Fellows have already graduated and are looking for full-time jobs. In addition to networking and potential job openings at the summer placement, we give our Fellows extensive opportunities to network with our contacts in the education and non-profit field for full-time opportunities. We also work closely with these graduate Fellows to provide them with career guidance over the summer and afterward, as we understand how important it is to find a full-time job. In some cases our Fellows have graduated and have a job starting in September; these Fellows have found the Fellowship is a great compliment to their full-time job.
You may also want to consider applying for the Yearlong Fellowship programs which last one year beginning in June 2012. This is a great opportunity for candidates who are graduating. In 2012 we will offer this opportunity in DC Metro Area, Chicago, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area.
17. I am very interested in becoming an Education Pioneer Fellow. I am only interested in being in one of your sites. Is it possible to make sure I can do the program in a specific site?
Candidates are able to indicate their first and second geographic preferences on the application. We are very often able to honor candidates' geographic preferences.
18. I am very interested in your program and have a specific Partner who I only want to work with. Is there a way to guarantee this through Education Pioneers?
You could express your keen interest in a specific Partner throughout the interview process; however, we cannot guarantee where candidates are going to be placed depending on what projects are available in a particular city and the background and skill sets of the candidates. It is actually of utmost importance that our Fellows are flexible when it comes to their project placement.
19. I am very interested in your program, and would like to speak to some of your Alumni. Is it possible for you to put me in touch with them?
As part of Group Interview we give candidates an opportunity to meet with numerous Alumni which should be helpful to you. We also provide opportunity to learn more about our Alumni on our website.
20. I have no experience in education. Is this a disadvantage to me in your process?
Not at all. Each year close to half of our Fellows have not worked full-time in education prior to their Education Pioneers Graduate School Fellowship.
21. How competitive is it? How many applications did you have last year for how many spots?
The Education Pioneers program is highly selective but very open to a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, degree types, and skill sets. For the 2011 Fellowship we received close to 2,000 applications for 330 Graduate School Fellowship opportunities.
22. Once I receive an offer to join Education Pioneers, when is my placement confirmed?
Once a candidate accepts his/her offer from their Education Pioneer city, the conversations around placement begin. Our Education Pioneers site team strives to work with our Fellows to ensure their skills sets fit the needs of our Partner projects.
23. What should I do if I have questions along the way?
Please email recruiting@educationpioneers.org. We check this email every business day.
24. I'm interested in the Yearlong Fellowship and the Graduate School Fellowship. Can I be considered for both opportunities?
Yes! The online application will provide you with the opportunity to express your interest in the Yearlong Fellowship. If you express interest in the Yearlong Fellowship opportunity, you will be considered for both that as well as the 10-week Graduate School Fellowship; applying for one does not exclude you from the other.
25. Do I need to submit additional essays or application materials if I am interested in the Yearlong Fellowship?
No. The admissions and selection processes will be the same for the two Fellowship opportunities.
26. Everyone talks about the cohort experience being a tremendous asset of the overall Education Pioneers experience. How will that work for the Yearlong Fellows?
All Yearlong Fellows will participate in the same leadership and professional development workshops and activities that the Graduate School Fellows do over the course of the 10-week summer program. Yearlong Fellows will be fully integrated into the cohort in their site.
