Using Your I.S
Using Your I.S
Skills Gained Through Independent Study
- Time Management Strategies
- Decision Making Capabilities
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Organizational Experience
- Research Techniques
- Presentation Skills
- Writing Skills
- Creativity
- Stress Management
Utilizing Independent Study as an Example of your Work
- Personal Statement: You can mention Independent Study in your application for
admission as a reason why you are interested in continuing your studies in specific areas.
- Formal and Informal Interviews: In conversations with professors at graduate programs of interest, it can be helpful to discuss your Independent Study project and the extent of involvement required of Wooster students to complete this requirement.
Tips for Explaining Your Independent Study to Others
- For people who are not familiar with Independent Study they might be surprised at the scope of this academic requirement.
- Explain your project in a logical fashion: start at the beginning and explain your activities sequentially. Emphasize specific skills gained and results found during the process.
For example:
Independent Study is required of all seniors at The College of Wooster for graduation. I chose _____________ as my topic of study and proposed my ideas to faculty members for approval. Realizing I needed funding to complete this study, I wrote a grant proposal explaining my interests and was awarded $______ toward my efforts. I then utilized _______ to conduct research relevant to this topic and designed a series of experiments to test my hypothesis. I conducted the experiments and recorded the results. In analyzing my findings, I noted that ______________ and I wrote a ____ page thesis describing my Independent Study and presented the results to the department. I’ve also been asked to present my study at __________________ conference and/or submit an abstract for publication to ____________ journal.