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Application for Admission
RIO VERDE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Office of Admissions DEPARTMENT OF GRADUATE STUDIES |
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• MA PhD PASTORAL COUNSELING • MA PhD BIBLICAL COUNSELING • MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN MENTAL HEALTH • MASTERS OF ARTS CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY • MASTERS OF ARTS SOCIAL WORK • ALL OTHER DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
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RIO VERDE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Office of Admissions-DEPARTMENT OF GRADUATE STUDIES issions@emmaus.edu • Complete the Application for Admission. Please print legibly. • Complete the Autobiographical Section and return with your application. • Upon completion of these forms, mail the application along with a $75.00 (US Dollars) non-refundable application fee and a recent photo of yourself to Rio Verde University using the contact information below. • If you are applying for the Pastoral/Biblical Counseling program(s) Rio Verde University School of Theology requires references from the leader of your spiritual congregation and an educator or youth leader from that congregation. Please distribute the supplied reference forms to the appropriate people, and have them send these forms directly to RVU. Do not have a member of your family complete any of the forms. • Arrange to have your GRE, GMAT, LSAT, OAT or MCAT results (if required for your particular program of study) sent to the Office of Admissions at RVU. RVU may not require these scores if you have at least 48 college credits or if you have been in the military for at least 2 years. • Arrange to have your college transcript(s) (if applicable) sent directly to the Office of Admissions at RVU. Please submit the form at the end of the application to your college. Strengthening Your Application for Graduate Admission to Rio Verde UniversityThe following is a list of suggestions that, if followed closely, will strengthen your application in the competitive field of graduate admissions to any Rio Verde University Graduate School, or any graduate school program. 1. Plan Ahead and Be OrganizedResearch the colleges and universities where you would like to apply. Find out if any of their faculty are doing research in an area that interests you. Call or write the University for application and information materials. Check the deadlines. Some schools have two deadlines; a fellowship deadline, which is earlier, and a general application deadline, which is often later. Make sure you apply before the deadlines. Most programs will not accept late applications. 2. Letter of RecommendationFor graduate study, letters of recommendation are of extreme importance. Letters from faculty are usually preferred by admission committees since they believe only faculty can truly ascertain your true intellectual and graduate student potential. You need three letters of recommendation. Try to get all three from faculty with whom you've had a class, or have done research with. Professors invariably give your class grade in the letter, so use caution in choosing your evaluators. Approach the faculty member and ask her/him if they are able to write a positive letter of recommendation for you. If they say they cannot, or can only write a neutral letter, approach someone else. Provide the evaluators with additional material such as copies of your transcript, resume, your statement of purpose, and a few notes (if necessary) about any pertinent personal history. This can strengthen the letter they write for you. Make sure to give them all the proper letter of recommendation forms, addresses, and deadlines. 3. GRE/GMAT/LSAT/OAT/MCATThe test required for entrance into most graduate schools is the general aptitude (Quantitative, Analytical, and Verbal) component of the GRE. The general GRE exam is offered throughout the year on computer. It is recommended that you take this test by November (at the latest) in order to get test scores to the admissions committee on time. (It takes 10 days for test results to be scored and sent to the department.) The test may be taken more than once. All scores will be reported to admissions committees. Try not to take the test more than two times. It is recommended that you study for the test and take timed practice exams ahead of time. You can buy GRE study guides and actual old exams in book form at any bookstore. Your GRE score will improve if you take the practice examinations in a timed format that mimics real testing conditions. You should definitely order the FREE software and practice tests from ETS to prepare for the computer administered test. Go to www.GRE.com (as an example) to download the free resources. Many students contend that taking the practice exam first on the computer makes a tremendous difference in preparing for the test. Also consider using the Princeton Review to help with test-taking strategies. Note that it's important to take a bit more time for the first few questions of each section of the GRE. This will help you establish a higher starting point on your final score. Don't just randomly guess answers. Make calculated guesses that will narrow your choices. You get docked a quarter-of-a-point for each wrong answer. The Analytical portion of the GRE is now in essay format. You will be asked to write two essays on certain topics. Be as analytical as possible in responding to these, and try to back up what you're "arguing" with logic, analysis, and quotes from references, if you know of any. The Quantitative section of the GRE is considered of greatest importance to admission committees in engineering. The math in this section is primarily at the 10th or 11th grade level. It is expected that as an engineer, you should do well on this section. There is no calculus on this test. Of secondary importance is the Analytical section. (Go to the GRE web site for details.) Less weight is usually given to the Verbal section (for engineers). For students in the humanities, the verbal section is very important. For students in the social sciences, all three sections are important. For Economics students, the math section is also important. The GRE subject test is not required for the majority of those applying to RVU, but it is required for some departments, such as Math, English, and Biology. Make sure you check with the department you're applying to regarding whether it's required. Do NOT take the general and subject tests on the same day-it can be too much test taking in one day. It is STRONGLY recommended that you prepare far ahead for the GRE. Most graduate programs take the exam results very seriously. Also note: that those departments requiring the subject tests will weigh them far more heavily than the general exam. This is done at RVU. 4. Your College GPAThe college GPA is a crucial component of the admissions process. A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required by RVU for admission, although some exceptions can possibly occur depending on circumstances. Many admissions committees will consider upward trends in grades for admissions purposes. However, the better your GPA, the better your chances of getting admitted. Many departments, though not all, look at the GPA for courses after the second year. Careful attention should be made to any courses taken at the undergraduate level which are pertinent to the area considered for graduate study. If you are admitted to the MS program you may, in most cases, be able to continue toward the Ph.D. pending you pass the preliminary examination and have at least a 3.5 graduate GPA. 5. Research/Work ExperienceIf you have the time, either during the academic year or summer vacation, try to gain research experience with professors, summer research programs, or national laboratories (e.g. the RVU soil science, nutrition, neurofeedback labs). This will give you an added edge in the admission process, provide you with some insight about your own future research interests, and augment your research skills. Professors in all disciplines often regard students as highly motivated when they partake in research as undergraduates. 6. Statement of PurposeThe statement of purpose is one of the most important parts of the application process. It is from this essay that the admissions committee will discern the seriousness of your intentions, your experience, and your motivation for graduate school. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with three different parts. The first part is a brief summary of the program you want to study and what particular area of research you want to focus on. The second part should be a summary of your college experiences. Describe what brought about your interest in graduate study (perhaps a bit of pertinent background information), any work experience you might have had, if you put yourself through school, co-op or summer job experiences and research experiences. Here you can clarify the job responsibilities you had. You may be as specific as possible, as it is professors in your discipline who are reading this statement. The third part discusses why you want to go to graduate school, what you would like to study (research), and ideally, whom you would like to study with. Write the department or consult the web for information concerning the professor's research interests, then consult your library for recent publications. When you can mention what you would like to study, and whom you would like to study with, it often indicates to department that you've done your homework and have serious intentions about the pursuit of graduate study. At all times, be sincere and honest. 7. Financial SupportAlso make sure you apply for graduate admission by the university's fellowship (early) deadline. This insures that you will be considered for various university fellowships. Make sure you apply for financial aid (you have to fill out the FAFSA financial aid form by your university's due date for consideration), and any other private, national, or corporate based fellowships for which you may qualify. These programs can provides tuition, a stipend, and a summer job in industry/business/science/medicine/law. The NSF fellowship is awarded to students pursuing a Doctoral degree. If you are pursuing a Ph.D. and wish to apply to this fellowship, you must apply before you complete 30 semester or 45 quarter graduate units. Go to your graduate fellowship offices to find other fellowships for which you might qualify. Students in the social sciences (this is one area we promote to our prospective students) and humanities should check out the “Javits” and “Ford” fellowships (among many others). 8. SuggestionsIf you need to submit a writing sample with your application, make sure it's not only a good paper you've written, but one you've had someone check for grammar, content, etc. Make sure you indicate any hardships or obstacles you may have overcome in the application. We look at this as a sign of perseverance. Let us know if you've worked to support yourself through school. Apply to more than one school to insure your acceptance to a graduate program (some programs are more competitive than others). If time permits, try to visit the campus before you apply in order to allow some of the faculty at that institution an opportunity to get to know you, while also enabling you to get to know the university. Once you are admitted, make sure you visit the campus if possible. Be on time; be organized; prepared; and thorough. No application to any university will be processed unless all materials are in. All application materials are usually available in August. You can apply on-line (the preferred method) in October. (Online students have NO deadlines). Following these guidelines will help strengthen your application to Rio Verde University and/or any other graduate school you may wish to attend. -by Carla Trujillo, PhD (used with permission)MEDICAL FORMS Complete Part I of the Medical Form personally. Have a licensed physician give you a physical examination and complete Part II of the Medical Form. The physician should mail the completed form directly to the Office of Admissions at RVU. This form needs to be submitted before you start classes — it is not part of the acceptance process. Unnecessary if you will be an online-distance learning student only. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS All foreign students (excluding Canadians) must fill out a preliminary application to accompany their application for admission. All forms can be found under the future students section of our website. Foreign students from non-English speaking countries must submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as administered by the Educational Testing Service at TOEFL Services, P. O. Box 6161, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6161. A score of 550 (paper based exam) or 213 (computer based exam) is considered acceptable. A fingerprint card (supplied by your local law enforcement department) is also necessary for all students from countries other than Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Contact your local police/sheriff for fingerprint cards and cost. When do you wish to begin studies at Rio Verde University?
□ Fall CHECKLIST 2009-2010 Application ChecklistTo ensure that your application will be reviewed as quickly as possible, please do the following: Application Materials1. Check the RVU graduate school departments to make sure that you have the correct address and deadline. You may apply to only one program. 2. Send all application materials to your proposed department. Check with your proposed department for supplemental application materials and/or fees. 3. Submit a complete online application (or PDF version or mail in an application) by the department’s deadline. 4. Request official academic records (transcripts) from each school. If you use the Transcript Request Form to order transcripts, be sure to fill in the address for your proposed department. 5. Request letters of recommendation online or send Letter of Recommendation forms to your recommenders. Be sure to allow them enough time to forward the letters to your proposed department by the department’s deadline. Test Registration (if required)6. Register to take any standardized test, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test, the GRE Subject Test, the GMAT, MCAT, OAT, or LSAT, if required by your proposed department, early enough for your test scores to be sent to Rio Verde University and received by the deadline set by your department. 7. If you are required to submit the results of a test of English language proficiency, register to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and have the scores sent to the Rio Verde University 3214 North University Avenue, Mail Drop #435, Provo, Utah 84604-4405. Payment/Waiver Completion8. Send a check or money order (drawn on a U.S. bank) made payable to Rio Verde University for the application fee. If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, submit an application fee of $75 or a Request for Waiver of the Graduate Application Fee and the required supporting documents. All other applicants including foreign students should submit an application fee of $95. The application fee is nonrefundable. (See the “Application Fee” section for details.) To be considered for fellowships, please do the following:To be considered for University Graduate Fellowships, Departmental Block Grant Fellowships, and Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships, U.S. citizens and permanent residents must complete the Domestic Fellowship Application section of the Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To be considered for graduate funding, international applicants must complete the International Fellowship Application section of the Graduate Application for Admission and Fellowships.______ |
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The following items are required before we can evaluate your application. be sure that you have included or have sent the following:_
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$75.00 Application Fee (payable to Rio Verde
University) |
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Personal Information:
Legal
Name: _______________________________ Goes
by:_______________________ |
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Marital Status:
□ Single
*If divorced, list date of divorce and include with this application a
written statement of the circumstances surrounding the divorce. (If
divorced, include with this application a copy of the court decree). |
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It is not necessary to answer this question to complete your application. It is only used for statistical information and remains undisclosed in your student file. If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, please indicate your ethnic origin (optional).
□ Caucasian/White, Non-Hispanic |
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Have you previously applied to RVU either as a graduate or undergraduate student on incoming freshman?
□ Yes -- If Yes, when?
Who/What has
influenced your decision to apply to RVU?
□
Relative:
________________________________________________________________ Religious Information (Required for Pastoral/Biblical Counseling Students Only) What is the name and address of the local worship center where you fellowship?
Name:
_____________________________ City:
_____________________ Denomination/Affiliation: ___________________________________________________ Approximately how many people attend your worship center? _______________________ How many attend(ed) the youth group? ___________________________________________
FAMILY HISTORY Have any immediate family members attended RVU?
□ Yes |
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MARRIED APPLICANTS Name of Spouse: ________________ Maiden name, if applicable: ___________________ Children, if applicable: Name ___________________ Age ___________________ Name ___________________ Age ___________________ Name ___________________ Age ___________________ Single Applicants
Father's Name:
______________________________________________________________________
Current Address: ________________________________________________________________ Occupation: ______________________________________________________________________
Mother's Name:
______________________________________________________________________
Current Address: _______________________________________________________________________ Occupation: ________________________________________________________________________
Are your parents
divorced or separated? If you do not live with your parents, with whom do you live and what is their relationship to you? ______________________________________________________________________________________
Is this person
designated by law as your legal guardian: |
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Enter the names and
ages of your siblings: REFERENCE SUMMARY Dear Student: In order to properly evaluate your application for consideration RVU requires of all incoming new students that three letters of recommendation be included in the completed application file. Please reprint/reproduce this page and give it to three people who have known you for at least 3 (three) years. Have them fill out the form and mail it directly to Rio Verde University. Do not have them give the form back to you to mail to admissions. Would you recommend the applicant for study at Rio Verde University?
□ Recommend Do you have further comments that would help us evaluate this student’s application? Would you like us to contact you to further discuss this applicant?
□ Yes Which graduate program do you plan to enter? ______________________________________ What is your intended course load? ______________________________________ (Students living in the dorms/on-campus must take a minimum of 12 credits.) Reference Information
For those students
applying for the Pastoral/Biblical Counseling graduate programs
please list the persons you are having complete reference forms
provided to. (Name, Mailing Address) All other graduate program
prospective students please give this to your reference contact.
They will forward the form to RVU |
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| Please print and distribute these reference forms to the one or more of the individuals below.
□
Family Friend
□
College Professor Reference form submitted by (Please print): ________ Name of educational institution, business or worship center:______________________________________ Title: ________________________________________ Phone Number: _________________________ E-mail: _____________________ Website: ______________________________________ Street address: ________________________________ City/State/Zip: ______________/_____/_______
To Whom It
May Concern:
Please
return this form to: |
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Employment History:
Please
list your most recent jobs.
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EMPLOYMENT: What is the name and address of your most recent employer to whom we may write for a reference?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ |
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Rio Verde University Application STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: "There is nothing new under the sun." – King Solomon, The Holy Bible 1. In light of the above quotation regarding the use of psychological evaluation as a patient/clinic treatment, please discuss a decision/course of action you have personally made as a psychological adjustment which, in retrospect, has had a profound influence on your present circumstances. In hindsight, would you have made a different decision? Please explain. (500 words minimum; there is no maximum length. Attach a separate page(s) double spaced-typed using Times New Roman or Times Roman 12 point font.) 2. The first part is a brief summary of the program you want to study and what particular area of research you want to focus on. The second part should be a summary of your college experiences. Describe what brought about your interest in graduate study (perhaps a bit of pertinent background information), any work experience you might have had, if you put yourself through school, co-op or summer job experiences and research experiences. Here you can clarify the job responsibilities you had. You may be as specific as possible, as it is professors in your discipline who are reading this statement. The third part discusses why you want to go to graduate school, what you would like to study (research), and ideally, whom you would like to study with. Please give personal details. (This should be a 1,000 word essay typed double-spaced minimum). Writing the Statement of PurposeA) Things to Keep in Mind: 1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student. 2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive, voice. 3. Demonstrate everything by example; don't say directly that you're a persistent person, demonstrate it. 4. You don't want to make excuses, but you can talk about the mistakes you've made as a learning experience. 5. If there is something important that happened (poverty, illness, excessive work, etc.), which affected your grades go ahead and state it, but write it affirmatively, that is, in a way that shows your perseverance. 6. Make sure everything is linked with continuity and focus. 7. The essay should be 1,000 words minimum (1 to 1½ pages) single-space, typed, Times Roman or New Roman, 12pt. font size. B) Writing the Statement of Purpose: Part 1: Introduction This is where you tell them what you want to study. For example, "I wish to pursue an MS degree in Pastoral Counseling with an emphasis in blended-family issues." Part 2: Summarize what you did as an undergraduate a) Important class or classes you took which stimulated your desire for graduate study, such as a specific project for a class. b) Research you did. Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, and the outcome. Write technically; professors are the people who read these statements. c) Work experience, especially if you had any kind of responsibility for testing, designing, or researching a product or apparatus. Part 3: If you graduated and worked for a while and are returning to grad school, indicate what you've been doing while working: company, work/design team, responsibilities, what you learned. You can also indicate here how this helped you focus your graduate studies. Part 4: Here you indicate what you want to study in graduate school in greater detail. This is a greater elaboration of your opening paragraph. a) Indicate area(s) of interest, then state questions you might have which are associated with the topic, i.e. what you might be interested in studying. You should have an area of emphasis selected before you write the statement. Enter the names and ages of your siblings: Names and ages of brothers:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ |
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Names and ages of
sisters: Worship Center (if any) Information What is the name and address of the local center where you fellowship?_____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Worship Center Affiliation: ________________________________________________________ Educational Information: Name of High School: __________________________________________________________ Date of Graduation or GED completion (MM/DD/YY): __________________________________ For those not having previous college credit the following items are required for Pastoral/Biblical Counseling post graduate studies. These can be attached to a theology degree program for those who will be involved in ministerial/pastoral/religious congregation leadership positions. NOTE--(Official final high school transcript or GED certificate is required to finalize your application process.) List the colleges or universities you have attended (even if you did not graduate):
Institution:
__________________________________________________________
Educational Information: Name of High School: __________________________________________________________ Date of Graduation or GED completion (MM/DD/YY): __________________________________ For those not having previous college credit the following items are required for Pastoral/Biblical Counseling post graduate studies. These can be attached to a theology degree program for those who will be involved in ministerial/pastoral/religious congregation leadership positions. NOTE--(Official final high school transcript or GED certificate is required to finalize your application process.) List the colleges or universities you have attended (even if you did not graduate):
Institution:
__________________________________________________________
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No Advanced Placement Test Subject(s): ______________________________________________ Financial Information This section is essential for all students seeking to study at Emmaus, and especially for foreign students seeking to study in the U.S., so please be as specific as possible. What amount of money have you saved for your RVU training? (in U.S. Dollars) If the amount of money you have saved is not sufficient to cover the entire costs, how much do you expect to come from other sources? Please list approximate dollar amounts. From Parents: _________________________________________________________________ Financial Aid (for on campus students please apply at least 4 months prior to the start of the semester-online distance learning please allow at least 30 days): _________________________ Will you be considering a customized financing plan (each plan is tailored to the individual student and his/her needs and current situation).
Employment while at
RVU (for on-campus students only):
Do you have any
financial obligations which will have to be paid while at school? □ No Residence All full-time on-campus single students (under age 21) are required to live in the dorms at RVU. Residence exceptions are made only for those who live with their families in the El Paso/Juarez, Provo/Springville, or Vancouver/Seattle areas.
Are you planning on
living in the student dorm? Married students must find their own housing in the above referenced area. We suggest to all students who will be living on campus or near campus that you arrive in town prior to the beginning of school to arrange for housing. Autobiographical Worksheet Please complete the following section as part of your online application. 1. Comment on your immediate family (relationships, size, background, etc.). (Suggested length: 4-6 paragraphs) 2. For theology majors and those who will be enrolling in the Pastoral/Biblical Counseling Graduate School Programs Describe your involvement in your local worship community and any other religious center in which you have served. (Suggested length: 4-6 paragraphs) -- attach a separate page. Certification: I certify that all the information I have given in this application is complete and true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and understanding ___________________________________________________________________________
Signed by:
______________________________ If the applying student is under 21 years of age (and is being provided financial support for graduate work by a parent/guardian it will be necessary to have the parent(s)/guardian also sign the application as true and correct On, behalf of the student above, as that individuals guaranteeing financial parent(s)/legal guardian I (we) certify that all the information I have given in this application is complete and true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and understanding.
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
PART II (this is required only for full time [12 semester hours or more] on campus students)
TO BE
COMPLETED BY A LICENSED PHYSICIAN CLINICAL EVALUATION Please describe any abnormality. Head, face, neck, scalp or skin:_____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Mouth, Thyroid and tonsils: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Endocrine: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Ears, Hearing:
G.U. system:
Eyes (motility and
reaction):
Neurological:
Chest and lungs:
Heart (murmur,
size, sounds): Please list any significant injuries or surgical procedures.
Injury or surgical
procedure Date (MM/YY):
Injury or surgical
procedure Date (MM/YY):
Injury or surgical
procedure Date (MM/YY):
Any complications
resultant of the above?
□
M.M.R. GENERAL INFORMATION Presently receiving treatment or medication?
□ Yes If yes, please explain: Any chronic conditions?
□ Yes If yes, please explain:
If condition
recurs, what treatment is recommended?
Does the
prospective student have any special weaknesses or limitations? □ No
Do you consider the
applicant’s health adequate for intensive schoolwork?
Physician’s Name
(Please print): _________________________________
This form should
not be returned to the applicant, but should be mailed directly to:
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