Contact faculty as early as during your last Div II semester to introduce yourself and talk about your ideas. You can search and read faculty bios to help you learn who is available – or talk to your Div II committee. Don’t hesitate to email if you are not sure how to sign up for office hours. Bring a draft of your Div III proposal – email it ahead of time if you have it.
If you already have a committee, post your contract and make sure it is visible for faculty. They may have feedback and ask for changes or have a specific way they would like you to write it.
If you don’t have specific instructions from a committee about how to write your contract, here is a way to start:
- Write a brief description of the issue(s) you want to explore or that motivate your work (this does not have to be in depth).
- Consider the things you want to get better at. The process of the Division III is as important (or more) than the product. Write your goals about this (maybe it is learning new research methods or improving your artistic production of a particular sort, or joining two different processes you learned in Div II, etc.). If you need help thinking about the kinds of goals one might have, this document might help. It was created by college faculty across the country to describe the many types of changes in students’ thinking and skills as a result of college work.
- Describe the shape of the project – how would you imagine going about answering your questions or meeting your goals? Be as specific as you can at this point in time. Know that it will likely change to get more focused or to include new ideas from conversations with your committee.
- Write your ideas about what you will complete first semester and what you’ll complete 2nd semester – it really helps to have this conversation with your committee, so writing about it make sure that happens!
- Include your ideas for 2 advanced learning activities – these are upper level courses, internships (only one) or TA-ships.
KEEP BREATHIING!!! The contract at this point is an initial set of ideas that you might stick with, or that might change, but you need to put them out there to have the conversation with your committee. Good Luck!!!