Application Guide

Know the Deadline

Applications are typically accepted until early February, so aim to complete and submit your application by February 1.  The application is long.  Give yourself plenty of time to put together a strong application.   (Start on it at least a month before the deadline!)

Getting All the Pieces

It's a good idea to make sure you have the following items before you try to put together an application. This will guide you through all the materials you'll need in order to apply, from easy to the difficult.

Easy

  • Blank CDs & CD Burner
    • Before you can submit your application, you must burn everything in your application package to at least three CDs.
  • Cash
    • Anticipate to spend at least a few dollars to get your application professionally printed.
    • If you don't plan on hand-delivering your application, you must mail it to the appropriate place.
    • If you don't have access to a good scanner, you will need some cash to get every single document scanned at Kinkos (or any copy store).
  • Your Social Security Number
    • If you don't know it, find it and learn it.  This goes on every single page of the application.
  • Official Transcripts

Tricky

  • Resume
    • A resume is required. Your IASP application will not be considered if you do not have a resume.
    • Have a Career Services staff member critique your resume at least once.
    • Take advantage of Career Services Resume resources
    • This resume must sell you to a DoD Human Resources person and a DoD hiring manager. Convince them that you are the best choice for the scholarship.
      • The Human Resources person only cares that you meet minimum requirements for the scholarship (i.e., you have an appropriate major and GPA)
        • Make sure it's easy to find this information!
      • The hiring manager decides whether or not you have information assurance skills that will help the agency. It is imperative that you sell yourself to this person. If you meet the scholarship's minimum requirements, this person decides if you get the scholarship or not.
    • Include an objective statement that makes it very clear that you are applying to IASP.
    • Only include leadership experience and information assurance experience.
      • If you have no experience in information assurance, that's OK: include your technical experiences and skills that seem related.
  • SAT Scores
    • You'll need your SAT scores to fill in part of the application later.  Your best bet is to call your high school. Odds are good that they still have your SAT scores on file.
  • GRE Scores (if applicable)
    • You only need this if you are planning on starting your first year of graduate school next fall. If you're lucky enough so that you didn't need to take the GREs to get accepted to graduate school, then don't worry about this.

Hard! (Time Consuming)

Tackle these items in the following order:
  1. A Statement of Purpose
  2. A Competency Statement
  3. Two Letters of Recommendation
    • These are NOT your run-of-the-mill letters of recommendation.
  4. Cover Letter

Submit Your Application

Make sure you have everything by running through the Application Checklist.

Applicants in the Engineering and Mathematics Disciplines should send the application package to:

Prof. Shambhu Upadhyaya
201 Bell Hall
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York 14260

Applicants in Business Management or Administration, Law, Operations Research and Information Sciences should send the application package to:

Prof. H. Raghav Rao
325 Jacobs Hall
Department of Management Science and Systems
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York 14260

Now What?

Cross your fingers!  You'll find out if your an IASP Scholar in late May!

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