Free Journalism Program for Youth!
Cory
All Expenses Paid Princeton University Summer Journalism Program
- February 5, 2010 deadline -
Program is for high school student journalists from low-income
backgrounds that will take place for 10 days in August on the campus
of Princeton University. The program is entering its ninth year; since
2002, more than 165 students from high schools across the country have
been selected to participate in the program. They were taught by
journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The
Philadelphia Inquirer, The Miami Herald, The New Republic and The New
Yorker; they covered Yankees, Mets, Jets and Liberty games and held a
press conference with New Jersey's secretary of state; they met with
Princeton University's president and dean of admissions; they received
counseling on their college applications from our staff, which
consists of Princeton University alumni and undergraduates; and they
published their own newspaper.
The application process will take place in two parts. For the first
part, students should fill out the application (www.princeton.edu/
sjp), and then email it to sjpappl...@gmail.com as a Microsoft
Word attachment. Before emailing us the application, students should
name the document using the following format: Lastname.Firstname. doc.
So, if the student's name is Mary Jones, the title of the document
will be Jones.Mary.doc. In addition, the student should type his or
her name and high school in the body of the email and put only the
name of the Word document (e.g., Jones.Mary.doc) in the subject line
of the email. We must receive the application by 11:59 p.m. ET on
February 5, 2010.
In the second round of the application process, finalists will be
interviewed by the program directors-either in person or over the
phone-and they will be asked to provide printed copies of the
following items via U.S. mail: an official transcript; the first page
of the 2008 (or 2009, if available) income-tax return form (the 1040
or 1040EZ form) of their custodial parent(s)/guardian( s),
or a signed statement by their parent(s)/guardian(s) saying that their
income is below the level at which they would be required to file
income tax returns; a recommendation letter from a teacher; and clips
from their high school newspaper or other publication (optional).
To be eligible for the program, students must meet the following
qualifications:
- They must currently be juniors in high school.
- They must live in the continental Uni ted States.
- They must have at least an unweighted 3.5 grade point average
(out of 4.0).
- They must have an interest in journalism.
- The combined income of their custodial parent(s)/guardian( s) plus
child support payments, if any, must not exceed $45,000.
Note: This program is for students from low-income backgrounds. If the
combined income of the custodial parent(s)/guardian( s) plus child
support payments, if any, exceeds $45,000 and a student still wishes
to apply, he or she may attach a letter explaining why his or her
family qualifies as financially under-resourced.
If you have questions, the best way to reach us is via email at
s...@princeton.edu. Please note that applications should be sent to
sjpappl...@gmail.com, which is a GMAIL address. Questions should
be sent to s...@princeton.edu, which is a PRINCETON address.
All application materials-as well as additional information about the
program-are available at www.princeton.edu/sjp.
A final word: We know that the process of applying to any selective
program can be stressful, not to mention a lot of work-for students as
well as their teachers. But, over the years, the students we have had
come through our program have told us that, ultimately, the work they
put into their application was worth it.
Thanks,
Cory Miller
SEPC Program Director