1 . How are final selections made and when will we be notified?^
Mentors read through the applicants that have indicated interest in their projects. For the top candidates, mentors call the second set of references provided on the application and then talk with the finalists via phone. Students are not offered spaces in the program until selections have been agreed upon between all mentors. All applicants (whether accepted or not) will be notified via e-mail.
If you get an offer for another situation and you need to know your current status sooner, contact Beth Mathews at 
for assistance.
2 . I used the electronic application. Can I e-mail my cover letter? If so, where do I send it?^
Yes, cover letters can be e-mailed. Sending as a Microsoft Word or PDF document works best. E-mail it to:
3 . Should I send my resume?^
4 . Do I need to mail my written application in addition to filling out the electronic form?^
No. However do hold onto your copy until you see that your application has submitted correctly. You can check this at our Received Materials page. If you plan to apply next year as well, keeping a copy is helpful since our application changes very little from year to year .
5 . I mailed my application via overnight / 2nd day mail. Why isn’t it there?^
Mail service to Juneau takes at least one day longer and sometimes considerably more than to cities in the lower 48 states. (Especially when the weather is bad and interferes with the planes.) Once in Juneau, it may take one day more for our mailroom to deliver to the science building. As a rule of thumb, if the due date is less than a week away, save yourself express mail charges and use electronic means of delivery. ( or as a stand in until the snail mail arrives.)
Additionally, though we collect the faxes, mail and e-mail daily, there is a considerable volume to go through. It my take until the next business day for us to post what has come in on the Received Materials page. ( We use the day of arrival for your completion date. )
6 . Do I need to send transcripts from all the colleges I have attended?^
Yes, unless your current college summerized your prior work on its transcript.
7 . Do I need an official transcript, or will an unofficial one do?^
An official transcript is required. However, if the due date is near, an unofficial copy can be mailed or faxed. We will replace the unofficial copy from your file when the official one arrives.
8 . Is there a form my reference needs to fill out in addition to writing a letter?^
No. For the letters of recommendation we are looking for comments on your academic ability, motivation, work habits and potential as a researcher. Our guidelines for the letters are the following:
a) That a signed copy is written on official university letterhead and mailed to us.
b) The letter arrives by the deadline. A faxed or emailed copy is encouraged as back up if there is less than a week left. This can stand in until the mailed copy arrives.
c) The letters are in sealed envelopes for confidentiality if they are mailed with student materials.
It is a nice courtesy to draft a short note to each of your references with the information they need, including links to our website, and reminders if there is anything outstanding that you would like them to include. If your classes are very large sometimes listing the classes and section times help the professor gather their notes and grades for you faster.
9 . Can my professor send his/her letter of reference via e-mail or fax? If so, what e-mail address or phone number should be used?^
A signed, mailed letter on official letterhead is required. If a teacher is close to the deadline a faxed or e-mailed letter can stand in until the mailed one arrives. This is encouraged if there is less than a week left. Our fax number is (907) 796-6447. E-mail attachments can be sent to:
10 . When is your due date? Do you take late applications?^
The deadline for our 2008 REU summer program has been extended to Wednesday, February 27th 2008. All complete applications that have been received at UAS by this date will be considered. If we cannot find the candidates we need in this pool ( which is rare ) we will widen our search to applications with later materials. If our due date is long past, consider applying for the program the following year if you are still eligible (i.e., not a senior). We customarily have updated research descriptions and applications on our web site by December or January.
11 . What if I am interested in just one project?^
You can list just one project if you wish, however listing three choices improves your chances of being accepted..
12 . Why can’t seniors apply?^
The rule to not allow graduating seniors to apply is the National Science Foundation's rule. A primary objective of the NSF/REU program is to encourage undergraduates to stay in or enter the sciences. By the time someone is a senior, their major is not likely to change.
13 . Do students work on one of the projects listed on your website or do they design their own project and work with a faculty mentor?^
Students typically work on an aspect of their mentor's project, and they conduct a special research project within that umbrella.
14 . Are there multiple students working with one mentor on the same or different individual projects?^
One to three students work with each mentor.
15 . When do the research projects start?^
Occationally a project will start in May. ( If so, this will be listed with the description. ) All others will begin early June and end mid August. Exact dates for the 2008 program will be available in Febuary.
16 . My school is on the quarter system and ends after your start date. Can I still apply if I have to arrive late?^
We could most likely accommodate a student arriving a day or two late, but not much more than that. Go ahead and apply. Then proceed with trying to get final exam dates changed if you are accepted.
17 . Can I collect and send my matterials together ( cover letter, references, transcript etc)?^
Provided confidential matterials (eg. the letters of reference and transcript) remain in their sealed envelopes and there is enough time for them to arrive before the deadline this is fine.
