Thank you for your interest in the ASE Program! If you have submitted a preliminary application, you are eligible to submit a “Final Application.”
Selecting Three Positions of Interest
The list of ASE Position Descriptions (click on the links to the left) shows the positions available thus far for summer 2008. The following paragraphs give details about choosing ASE positions and submitting your application.
Locations and Commuting:
The ASE Program does not provide housing or travel to and from the work place. Therefore, you should only apply for positions for which you can arrange your own housing and transportation.
*You can apply for positions that are within 30 miles of your home without submitting any sort of plan to ASE.
*You can apply for positions that are between 30 and 50 miles from your home, but you will be asked to verify that you have permission from your guardian to commute that far each day.
*For positions that are more than 50 miles from your home, please only apply for them if you plan to live in that community for the summer. ASE will ask you where you plan to stay and with whom, (for example, if you live in Portland and your grandparents live within commuting distance to Newport and have said you can stay with them for the summer, you can apply for a position in Newport, as long as ASE has your guardians’ permission and the name and address of your grandparents). In your essay for such a position you should describe for the mentor what those arrangements will be; otherwise, the mentor may think you have made a mistake in applying for his/her position.
Disciplines:
ASE positions will fall under one of the following general disciplines: Archaeology, Biology, Biomedical, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, and Social Science.
We have done our best to categorize each position. However, many positions are inter-disciplinary and involve knowledge of many subjects. We suggest that you scan through all position descriptions before deciding on the three to which you will apply. You may discover that a specific position in a category that you might not otherwise have considered appeals to you.
Prerequisites:
Within each position description, notice specific background, skills and course work that are either suggested or recommended. If something is required it will be noted at the end of the description, under the heading “prerequisites.” If a particular course or group of courses is required, that means those courses must be successfully completed by the end of the 2007-2008 school year. If age or grade requirements are listed, you must be of that age or have completed that grade before the apprenticeship begins. Don't decrease your chances of getting an apprenticeship by applying to positions for which you do not meet the qualifications. Most of the positions have suggestions or recommendations, rather than requirements. Mentors will expect you to learn both content and skills while in the apprenticeship. If a course or other background is suggested or recommended, the mentor may still choose you based on your other qualities even if you don’t have all of the suggested or recommended attributes.
Technical Language in Descriptions:
Don’t be intimidated by technical language in descriptions. Technical professionals generally describe their work in technical language. If you are selected as an apprentice, you will know what the language means by the end of the summer. If you’re really curious, we recommend you do an online search of the words/phrases to gain a basic understanding.
Use of Animals in Research:
Some positions involve using animals as research subjects. We have tried to indicate where that is the case, but if the mentor did not tell us, we’re not in a position to know. If you are applying for a position that sounds as if animals might be used as research subjects and you are opposed to using animals in research, you should state that in your essay for that position. Any apprentice accepting a position in which animals are used as research subjects should support animal research for moral, educational, humanitarian and medical reasons.
Stipends
As you look through the 2008 Position Descriptions, you’ll notice that not all positions offer a stipend. Please note that if you are eligible for free or reduced cost school lunch and you are accepted for an ASE Position, you will receive a $1,000 stipend regardless of the position, even if the position says that no stipend is provided. ASE wants all students who are selected to be able to participate in the program, regardless of family finances.
Writing the Position Specific Essays
Write an essay (1 page in length, single-spaced, typed, 11 pt font, using either MS Word or Adobe PDF) for each of the three positions, describing to the mentor why you are interested in and well-suited for the particular position the mentor is offering. On each essay, type the position number, position title and organization for the position to which you are applying, your name, and your school in the top right-hand corner of each page. When you save your file, title it with your full name and the position number. For example, if your name is Joe A. Smith and you are applying for position 1 your file title would be: JoeASmithASE1.
Your essay should be brief. Address your reasons for being interested in that particular position, and describe how your skills, background and interests match what the mentor is looking for as indicated in the position description. In 2007, several applicants wrote a general “I want this job” essay and all went unselected. This essay, unlike those in the Preliminary Application, should address the mentor’s specific concerns as described in the 2008 Position Descriptions. Be honest and straightforward. For example, if you haven’t had a burning desire to be an engineer since you were in third grade, don’t say that you have.
Because a mentor may want to interview you, your essay should specifically state when and how s/he can get in touch with you. Indicate when you are available after school and during Spring Break (include dates), what time of day is best for you to receive calls or messages, and any other information that will help the mentor contact you. Keep in mind that most mentors will want to contact you during reasonable business hours – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you have a particular free period in your school schedule that can be used to return a mentor’s call, your essay should give the time of day for that free period. Remember: a mentor doesn’t know what “3rd Period” means.
If you have definite plans established for any time during the summer, mention this in your essay. For some positions it may not matter if during one week you will be gone for a family vacation, camp or any other event. But for other positions this may matter a great deal. If you do know the exact dates you will be missing, please be sure to talk these plans over during a personal interview or phone interview with the mentor. It is best to be up front about your time commitment. If you cannot meet the time requirements of 8 weeks, the equivalent of “full-time,” and both conferences, please do not apply for ASE this year.
If you indicate in your essay that email is the best way to contact you, be sure to check your email frequently in March and April, and make sure your email address is professional. Addresses like “hotbabe” or “hotdude” can give mentors the wrong impression.
The Generic Essay
You may increase your chances of getting a position by writing and submitting a generic essay. If mentors join the program after February 20th , we select applications from students that match the requirements for the new position and submit generic essays to the mentor. In other words, if you submit a generic essay, you may be considered for more than the three positions you applied for. The essay should include types of positions you would be interested in as well as your academic strengths, special skills, previous work experience, activities, or personality. For example, if you are interested in computer science, include the programs and computer languages you know, classes you have taken, etc. In the online Final Application you will have a chance to indicate which disciplines you’re interested in so that ASE may match newly arrived mentors with your interests. When you check the boxes on the form, please check only those disciplines that match up with what you wrote in your generic essay. For example, only check “biology” if your essay mentions an interest in and experience with biology.