Analyst Fellowship: Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: Eligibility
FAQ: Admissions Process
FAQ: Group Interviews
FAQ: Fellowship Term
FAQ: Other Frequently Asked Questions
1. I am an international candidate, am I eligible to apply?
All candidates who apply must be authorized to work in the United States. International candidates 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 Analyst Fellowship?
While it's not a requirement, we prefer that Analyst Fellows have at least two years of full-time work experience by the start of the Fellowship program.
3. My background is in the public sector, am I still eligible to apply?
Yes, candidates with experience in the public sector are eligible to apply! The Analyst Fellowship targets candidates who have work experience in highly analytical roles; however, this is not exclusive to the private sector. We are always looking for talented candidates from diverse backgrounds with the expertise to track, analyze, and optimize results and who want to use those skills to improve student outcomes.
4. Can I apply and be considered this year for the 2014-15 Analyst Fellowship cohort?
Yes, we have a deferral process and you may apply in advance for the following year's cohort. If you received an offer, your placement would be deferred to the 2014-15 Analyst Fellowship cohort timeline.
5. Can you please explain your 2013-2014 Analyst Fellowship admissions process?
Our application page contains detailed information about our process. However, at a high level, we have two application round deadlines. The priority round deadline is February 15th, 2013. Our final round deadline is April 10th, 2013.
The Analyst Fellowship admissions process is as follows:
a. Online Application: Candidates first complete an online application and upload a resume. This is the stage at which candidates indicate their top location preferences. We do encourage all candidates to be geographically flexible. The online application will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
b. Quantitative Exercise: Candidates who move forward in the process will be invited to complete a 90-minute online quantitative exercise. The exercise must be completed within seven days of the invitation. The Quantitative Exercise is a screening tool to ensure that the Analyst Fellows we select have the technical skills necessary to successfully complete high-impact work at our Partner organizations. The tasks included in this exercise focus specifically on assessing candidates' proficiency with a variety of Excel functions, ranging from sort and filter to pivot tables and lookup functions to Macros. While most of our Analyst Fellows use Excel in their day-to-day work, there is significant variation in the technical skills required for different placements. We do not expect all Fellows to be proficient in all the Excel features included in the quantitative exercise. At the end of the exercise, we ask you to reflect on your performance and share additional comments on your analytic skills and experience.
c. Group Interview Day: All candidates will receive an email notification about next steps on February 27 (Priority Round) or April 24 (Final Round). Candidates who progress past the quantitative exercise will be invited to a mandatory Group Interview Day where they will have an opportunity to meet other candidates and partake in an evaluated group activity. Travel may be required. For candidates who live more than 250 miles away from any of the Group Interview Day locations, we will provide reimbursement for mileage and, in extreme cases, for up to $200 in flight costs. More detailed information about and instructions for reimbursement are provided when candidates advance to the Group Interview Day stage. Please visit our website for a list of GID dates and locations. In most cases, candidates are invited to the GID session closest to where they live.
d. In-depth Interview: All candidates will receive an email notification within one week of their GID session with information about next steps. Candidates who advance past Group Interview Day will be invited to a one-on-one in-depth interview, which will take place by phone. The in-depth interview is the final step in the admissions process.
e. Fellowship Offers Extended: After in-depth interviews, all candidates will be notified by phone of final admissions decisions by May 8 (Priority Round) or June 17 (Final Round). Candidates will receive either an offer, conditional offer, or be declined from the program. Candidates who receive a conditional offer have met all admissions criteria but may not be able to match with a project due to current partner needs and/or their skill sets/interests/location preference(s). Candidates who receive a conditional offer will be admitted if and when Education Pioneers is able to secure a project that suits their skill sets and interests.
6. My resume has changed substantially since I uploaded it, can I re-upload it?
No, this will compromise your application. However, you are more than welcome to email your updated resume to afrecruiting@edcuationpioneers.org. We highly encourage all candidates to make sure their resumes are the most up-to-date, including current club/organization membership, leadership experience, undergraduate GPA, honors and awards, and volunteer work.
7. I was rejected from Education Pioneers for the 2012-2013 Analyst Fellowship; can I apply to the 2013-2014 program?
If you are eligible and meet the requirements, you are welcome to apply for the 2013-2014 Analyst Fellowship. Please keep in mind that candidates, if rejected for 2013-2014 Priority Round, cannot apply again for the Final Round in 2013-2014.
8. What is the term for the 2013-2014 Analyst Fellowship? When does the fellowship begin in September?
The 2013-2014 Analyst Fellowship is on a 10-month term, September 2013 thru July 2014. The official start date is September 9th, 2013.
9. What if I can't attend Group Interview Day due to an extenuating circumstance?
If you have applied during the priority round and are unable to attend, we will ask you to attend a final round Group Interview Day in May. If you have applied during the final round and will not be available, we will evaluate the circumstances on a case-by-case basis. If you are currently living outside the United States, contact afrecruiting@educationpioneers.org to discuss Group Interview Day options.
10. Does Education Pioneers cover expenses for traveling to a Group Interview Day location?
We do offer reimbursement for candidates that live more than 250 miles away from their nearest Group Interview Day location, which can cover up to $200 of their expenses.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
11. What are the city locations that I can choose from for the Analyst Fellowship?
In 2013-2014, Education Pioneers will place Analyst Fellows with Partner organizations in the following locations:
- Austin, TX
- Greater Boston Area (includes Lawrence and Lowell)
- Bridgeport, CT
- Chicago, IL
- Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
- DC Metro Area (includes Baltimore)
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Houston, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Memphis, TN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York Metro Area (includes locations in New Jersey)
- Sacramento, CA
- San Francisco Bay Area (includes San Jose)
- Seattle, WA
While each site offers unique projects and partnerships, the high quality of the Analyst Fellowship and professional development curriculum remain consistent.
We encourage all candidates to be geographically flexible so we are able to place you on the project that best matches your background and experiences with our Partners' needs. If you are entirely geographically flexible, please select the National location option in your application. With the National option, you will be considered for ALL city locations.
12. Is this a paid opportunity?
Yes. As an Education Pioneer Analyst Fellow, you will work full-time for one of our Partner organizations in a consultant-like capacity. Your Partner organization will pay you $45,000 (pre-tax) plus benefits for 10 months ($4,500 per month, $54,000 annualized).
13. What are the ideal qualities of a successful Analyst Fellow?
Applicants for the Analyst Fellowship must have:
• A bachelor's degree with a demonstrated track record of academic excellence and leadership
• Proficient or advanced in Microsoft Excel
• Experience in a highly analytical role, preferably: as a Consultant or Analyst in finance, data, strategy, marketing or operations
• Energetic self-starter who drives to results
• Ability to commit to the 10-month program, including participating in all mandatory events and Analyst Fellowship Convenings
• Authorization to work in the United States (international candidates are eligible only if visa assistance is not required)
In addition to the eligibility requirements, we are looking for applicants with the following characteristics:
• Two years (by September 2013) of full-time professional work experience (excluding undergraduate summer work) is preferred.
• Exceptional problem solving and analytical abilities
• Proven project management skills, including demonstrated achievement of project outcomes
• A strong commitment to Education Pioneers' mission and core values of courage, optimism, collaboration, and action
14. I am very interested in becoming an Education Pioneers Fellow, and 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 top three geographic preferences on their application. We do our best to honor preferences but do ask that candidates be as geographically flexible as possible.
15. I have no experience in education. Is this a disadvantage to me in your process?
Not at all. Last year, close to the majority of our Fellows have not worked full-time in education prior to their Education Pioneers Analyst Fellowship.
16. How competitive is it? How many applications did you have last year for how many spots?
The Education Pioneers programs are highly selective but very open to a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, degree types, and skill sets. For the 2012-2013 Analyst Fellowship, we received over 1,600 applications for 60 Fellowship positions. We have 110 open positions for the 2013-2014 Analyst Fellowship cohort.
17. Once I receive an offer to join Education Pioneers, when is my placement confirmed?
The Analyst Fellowship placement process begins in July, and placements are confirmed in August. During the placement process, Education Pioneers staff review Fellow and Partner information to identify matches based on skillsets and experiences. We then recommend the placement that we think will be the best fit, and give the Fellow and Partner an opportunity to connect with each other and confirm that the opportunity is a good match.
18. What should I do if I have questions along the way?
Please email afrecruiting@educationpioneers.org. We check this email every business day.You may also reach us by phone at (617) 482-1532.
