ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN

APPLYING FOR
INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Education USA Jakarta
Adrian Rodgers, Ph.D.
Executive Director, US-Indonesian Teacher Education Consortium
The Ohio State University, USA
usintec@osu.edu
 Resource

• Google:
USINTEC FACEBOOK
www.usintec.org
usintec@osu.edu
 USINTEC As a tool
for access
• US Indonesian Teacher Education Consortium
- Member Organization
- Facilitates two way access between countries
- Helps identify financial supports
- Puts a US University on ‘speed dial’ to support access
- Makes suggestions to ‘open the door’ to travel to or
gain admission to the ‘other’
- places helpful resources on its’ www site
 Today we will:

• Consider a case for admission to my university

program

• Discuss how what we can learn from this case applies

to most programs and places you may apply
 Application as a
genre
• Literary Genres have qualities, characteristics,
attributes – a shared set of expectations by author and
reader

• Applications materials can be viewed as a genre, but

different cultural expectations need to be understood,
so that the writer can meet the genre expectations of
the reader

• We can teach these expectations to support access,

although there is limited incentive to do so
 Challenges for
graduate applicants
• Application Form and fee

• Focus of study: Linguistic Approaches in Indonesia verus

multiple approaches in USA

• English Language Ability: ibt = 79 or ielts 7.0 at a

minimum. For competitive programs ibt of 100.

• Graduate Records Exam (GRE) or GMAT/LSAT/MCAT

• Research Statement

• Reference Letters – ability to address applicant ability

 English language
ability
• Incomplete applications: Missing letters, letters not on
letterhead, missing scores,
Result: NOT READ

• Low Scores: Conditional Admissions

Case of a 78 ibt versus a 79 ibt versus a 95 ibt for
competitive programs
 Focus of study
• Dual Degree with UNNES:
UNNES Course List – “English Department” Linguistics
Approach (Semantics, Syntax…)
OSU Course List: “Literacy”
1. Reading & Literacy in Early/Middle Childhood
2. Language, Education & Society
3. Drama & Arts Literacy
4. Foreign & Second Language Ed
5. Childrens & Young Adult Literacy
6. Adolescent, Post Secondary & Community Literacy
Limited Required Courses – Large Number of Electives
 Research statement
• Indonesians:
- Personal Narrative
- Affirmation of interest in USA
- Refers to their training which can sometimes be
differently organized or outdated causing confusion
- Do not show evidence that they have studied the
organization of the program at the overseas university
• CONCLUSION: 1. Research programs and the people
who teach in them. Review LPDP Funding list.
2. Select a program that ‘fits’ you – not your friend
 Research statement
• At OSU Faculty (“audience”) are looking for:

• The PAST
- What has the applicant done?
- What theorists / authors inform the applicant’s
understanding of literacy?

• The PRESENT
- What does the applicant want to do (eg: pressing
questions, who do they want to study?)
- Who does the applicant want to study with?

• The FUTURE – what will be accomplished on return?

 Reference letters

• Challenges in obtaining letters:

- requesting the letter
- completing the letter
- finding faculty who ‘know’ the applicant
- The part of the process outside the control of the
applicant

• Problematic Indonesian Reference Letters

- Too short
- Too broad – not specific about the applicant
- Sometimes about extracurricular activities
 OSU expectation
• Faculty member who has had the applicant in class for
2 courses
• Letter speaks specifically to work of the applicant:
- A paper written by the applicant
- Quality of the academic work, such as analysis,
theoretical understanding, or mastery of material
- Contributions in class – group leadership, synthesis
- Predictions about the likelihood of success in a
graduate program
- Personal attributes can be addressed – briefly
 Understanding
expectations
• By understanding the cultural or genre expectations
regarding application materials of the overseas
university access can grow.
ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN
APPLYING FOR
INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Adrian Rodgers, PhD
Associate Professor, The Ohio State University
Executive Director, US-Indonesian Teacher Education Consortium
usintec@osu.edu
Rodgers.50@osu.edu