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Department of Human Development and Family Studies
College of Health and Human Sciences

Admission Assistance Program

The Admission Assistance Program will be active and open to prospective applicants interested in pursuing advanced degree(s) in social, behavioral, human, and health sciences for Fall 2024 admission. Application Deadline: September 15, 2024, at 5 p.m.

Apply now for the AAP

About AAP

We recognize that not all qualified students receive equal support from their networks when applying to graduate school. The Admissions Assistance Program pairs prospective applicants with current Applied Developmental Science graduate students who can offer guidance and answer questions throughout the application process. By engaging key faculty members and graduate student mentors with motivated mentees, we hope undergraduates leave the program with a better understanding of the graduate school application process and are inspired to pursue advanced degrees.

AAP is open to all students, but we particularly encourage those who self-identify with historically underrepresented groups in higher education to use this resource.

Gloria Luong dicusses research with Carla Arrenondo, HEART Lab Manager

Purpose of AAP

AAP is a volunteer-based initiative to help prospective applicants by providing feedback on their application materials and answering questions related to CSU, Fort Collins, and Ph.D. programs in the social, behavioral, human, and health sciences broadly as well as specifically the Applied Developmental Science Ph.D. program.

Prepare and Review

During your meeting with the mentor, you will have an opportunity to have them review and provide feedback on your graduate school application materials, including personal statements, DEI statements, and/or resumes/CVs.

Application Guidance

With regular check-ins with your mentors, you set yourself in a good situation to timely submit your application materials with greater confidence.

Advice from Current Students

You will receive first-hand experience and insight regarding CSU, living in Fort Collins, research with human development and family studies faculty, working in a lab, and what a day in the life looks like for a current Applied Developmental Science Ph.D. student.

Connections

You will experience the building of connections of undergraduate students with graduate students and faculty mentors and have an opportunity to talk with someone who has been through all the processes, which could be instrumentally and psychologically helpful during the application process.

Who We Are

AAP mentors come from diverse backgrounds and career paths, representing labs in HDFS. Each mentor has unique strengths and a commitment to diversity and helping prospective students.

Heidi Tseng

Adviser: Professor Manfred Diehl

  • Research Interests: psychometrics, self-perceptions of aging, and their implications for health across the adult lifespan
  • Why I became a mentor: Having been fortunate enough to receive guidance and assistance from mentors and advisers throughout my academic journey as an international student, I aimed to provide the same level of support and encouragement to and contribute to the success and empowerment of others.
  • What I have to offer incoming students: I understand firsthand the challenges of navigating the complex process of applying to graduate schools. The graduate training has also provided me with a range of assets to contribute to the application materials.
  • My one piece of advice to applicants: To invest time and effort into researching and selecting the right program and adviser.
Headshot of Heidi Tseng in the Behavioral Sciences Building

Kaylyn Van Deusen

Adviser: Professor Deborah Fidler

  • Research Interests: My research interests are in how to promote the development of executive function (EF) in individuals with developmental disabilities. EFs are the thinking and problem-solving skills we use to direct our behavior and achieve goals and we use them daily.
  • Why I became a mentor: I served as a mentor in the ADS Program last year to provide an opportunity for incoming students to hear about the program and share what I know about ADS and CSU.
  • My one piece of advice to applicants: My piece of advice for applicants to Ph.D. programs would be to seek out the match that makes sense for you. The work of a Ph.D. is no small feat and if you enjoy what you are doing and who you are doing it with makes all the difference!
Kaylyn Van Deusen Headshot

Brock Rigsby

Adviser: Associate Professor Rachel Lucas-Thompson

  • Research Interests: Conflict in romantic relationships and its effects on mental health and relationship health/satisfaction.
  • Why I became a mentor: I chose to serve as a mentor in this program because I remember what it’s like to navigate the ins and outs of grad school applications, and I wouldn’t have survived without my undergraduate adviser’s guidance! Everyone who wants to apply deserves to have access to someone who has been through this process already.
  • What I have to offer incoming students: I’m happy to provide information about our program (e.g., courses, department culture), city, and best practices for developing your application materials.
  • My one piece of advice to applicants: As you start the application process, my best advice is don’t do it alone!
Man with dark hair and facial hair wearing glasses

Becoming a Mentee

AAP is open to all students and is dedicated to assisting first-generation, low-income, and other applicants who are historically underrepresented in higher education. Mentees will work with ADS graduate student mentors throughout the fall semester leading up to graduate school application deadlines to learn about graduate school, research in social and behavioral sciences, and becoming competitive graduate school applicants.

Benefits

Mentees will receive assistance from mentors on writing a personal statement, resumes/CVs, and other graduate school application materials. In addition, they are welcome to ask questions about CSU, Fort Collins, and particular research labs in HDFS, as well as the ADS program.

Requirements

Mentees are required to meet with a mentor a minimum of three times in the fall semester. There is no GPA requirement or other academic requirements to join as a mentee.

AAP Application

For consideration, mentees must submit an online application form. Please note that space is limited although it is our intention to enroll as many mentees as possible.

Application Open: July 1, 2024

Application Deadline: September 15, 2024, at 5 p.m.

Notification: Early October 2024

Apply Now for the AAP

FAQs

Is AAP a mandatory part of the CSU ADS or other Ph.D. program(s) application process?

It is not. The Admission Assistance Program is completely voluntary.

If I participate in the AAP, am I required to apply to the ADS program?

No. Although it is our intention that AAP serves as a channel to advertise our ADS Ph.D. program, given the interdisciplinary nature of the graduate training with the Applied Development Science program, AAP will still be beneficial for prospective students who are interested in applying to graduate programs related to education, social work, health and exercise science, occupational therapy, and behavioral, psychological, and prevention sciences.

Should I apply to the AAP? Who is it for?

The goal of AAP is to provide support to applicants who have limited access to resources. AAP is open to anyone but is specifically targeted toward applicants from historically underserved communities and nontraditional academic backgrounds based on racial, ethnic/cultural identities, first-generation status, gender identities, sexual orientation, disability, age, etc.

When should I apply to AAP?

The mentor-mentee assignment will be out in late October. AAP is expected to be active from late October to early December. The timeline is purposely chosen to allow for ample time for important questions about graduate program(s) and to get an extra set of eyes on the application materials before submission.

Will the CSU ADS or other Ph.D. programs’ admissions committee know that I participated in this program?

No, they will not. None of the information regarding your participation in the mentorship will be shared with anyone outside of the AAP, including the admissions committee(s).

I don't plan to apply for graduate school this fall, but I am certain I will in the future. Can I still apply for the AAP during this application cycle?

The AAP program caters to individuals intending to seek admission to graduate program(s) in the fall of 2024, with applications planned for the fall of 2023. If you are currently a junior or have postponed your graduate school application until the subsequent autumn, we recommend staying connected and revisiting our webpage next year.