Below are Frequently Asked Questions for the MƒA Fellowship.
For specific questions on the MƒA New York program, visit the MƒA NY Fellowship FAQs, the MƒA NY Early Career Fellowship FAQs or the MƒA NY Master Teacher FAQs. For specific questions on the MƒA San Diego program, review the MƒA SD Fellowship FAQs.
For additional information you can visit the program location pages or access transcripts from our past live online chats with MƒA staff and Fellows.
ELIGIBILITY
APPLICATION PROCESS
CAREER CHANGER
TRAINING
MISCELLANEOUS
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ELIGIBILITY
What are the eligibility requirements?
Candidates must be able to make a five year commitment to the MƒA Fellowship program and must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. In order to meet certification requirements, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with substantial coursework in mathematics by June 2012. A minimum of 21 credits in math courses at the calculus level or higher are required.
What type of person is a good candidate for an MƒA Fellowship?
MƒA seeks individuals who know and love mathematics. We recruit individuals who are mathematically talented and enjoy working with young people and who would like to make a commitment to teaching math. Our Fellows are both recent college graduates and career changers.
I am a career changer. Is there any specific information for me?
Yes. Please read the Career Changer FAQ section for information on special considerations in your application.
Do I have to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident?
All candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents due to the state certification requirements.
If I am certified or have completed certification requirements in another state, can I apply?
The MƒA Fellowship program’s primary focus is to bring mathematically talented people into careers in teaching. We do accept applications from candidates who hold teacher certification but have not yet taught in a classroom.
Can I apply if my undergraduate degree was in both math and math education?
Yes. If you have a math and math education dual degree, then you are eligible to apply.
What if I already have a master's degree in math, science or engineering?
Individuals with master's degrees are welcome to apply for the Fellowship. If you already have a master's, you will receive another degree during the first year of the Fellowship, which leads to state certification to teach.
If I am a substitute teacher, am I still eligible to apply to the program?
Yes. Candidates with substitute teaching experience are eligible to apply.
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APPLICATION PROCESS
How do I apply to the MƒA Fellowship Program?
Visit the Apply page to submit an online application, which includes your resume, official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, classroom scenario, and the mathematics course credits list. In addition, all applicants are required to take the Praxis II Math Content exams. Some sites require additional testing based on state and university requirements; check the site-specific application pages for more information. Information on the exams can be found at www.ets.org.
Do I need to apply to a partner university in addition to the MƒA Fellowship Program?
Each MƒA site has a different process for applying, check the application pages for the sites you are applying to for more information.
What is the Praxis math exam and why do I need to take it?
MƒA is dedicated to ensuring that all Fellows have the mathematics skills needed for success in the secondary school classroom. To determine mathematical ability, the Selection Committee reviews all application materials, including Praxis scores.
How do I sign up for and take the Praxis exams?
Applicants must sign up for the ETS Praxis II Math Content Exams directly through ETS at www.ets.org. You must indicate which test date you will be signing up for on the online application. Your test fees ($160) and registration fee ($50) will be reimbursed for tests taken during this application cycle after you submit a completed MƒA Fellowship online application and your test score report is received by MƒA. The application deadline for the MƒA Fellowship is January 20, 2012. The last date to take the Praxis Exam is January 14, 2012. If you are applying to MƒA San Diego, you can submit your application by April 9, 2012, and take the Praxis Exam on April 28, 2011. The ETS Praxis test dates for the 2011 application cycle are:
9/17/2011
11/12/2011
1/14/2011
Who should write my letters of recommendation?
Your letters of recommendation should come from professors, supervisors, managers, clients or others who know you through your work and professional activities. Choose people who can speak to your potential and interest in becoming a secondary school math teacher. If possible, find at least one person who can write about your mathematical or quantitative abilities. Professors from undergraduate, graduate or continuing education programs are good sources. Letters may not be written by current or former MƒA staff, New Teacher Advisors, or board members.
May I talk to a current Fellow before applying?
During the application period there are several opportunities to talk to current Fellows about the program. Fellows are available for questions at our Information Sessions and during the interviews. Additionally, MƒA Fellows will be available during online chat sessions.
What happens after I submit my application?
When your application is complete, it will be reviewed to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements and then forwarded to members of the Selection Committee for evaluation. The Selection Committee evaluates candidates for mathematical talent and strong potential for teaching. If you are selected as a finalist, you will be contacted about setting up an in-person interview.
When will I be notified about the status of my application?
Finalists will receive notification for an interview in February. You will be notified by late March if selected for the MƒA Fellowship.
Is the application binding? Do I have to accept the Fellowship?
Candidates who are interviewed and offered a Fellowship have the right of refusal. MƒA recognizes that candidates may decide that they are no longer interested in the program.
Can I defer acceptance into the program?
Applicants who are accepted into the program may not defer acceptance. Applicants must reapply for the program the following year.
How can I get more information?
Please review the Math for America website, including the MƒA Fellowship and Apply sections, and these FAQs.. If you have unanswered questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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CAREER CHANGERS
The Fellowship appears to be geared toward younger people - particularly those right out of college. Is this program really appropriate for a career changer?
We strongly encourage career changers to apply for an MƒA Fellowship. Our public schools need teachers with life experience as well as mathematics skills.
The salary seems low in the first year while I am in training. How does this compare to an alternative certification program where I enter the classroom immediately and begin earning a teaching salary?
The first year stipend is similar to what a graduate student might earn as a graduate assistant. During this time, MƒA also pays for your tuition and health care benefits.
What are you looking for in an application from a career changer?
Career changers, like all applicants, must have strong math skills and appropriate coursework at the undergraduate or graduate level. The Selection Committee looks at personal statements and other information to understand the motivation of applicants and seeks evidence that the applicant is prepared to work with young people.
Who should write my letters of recommendation?
If you have been out of college or graduate school for many years, your recommendations should come from supervisors, managers, clients or others who know you through your work and professional activities. Choose people who can speak to your potential and interest in becoming a secondary school math teacher. If possible, find at least one person who can write about your mathematical or quantitative abilities. Professors from undergraduate, graduate or continuing education programs are also good sources. Recommendations may not be written by current or former MƒA staff, New Teacher Advisors, or board members.
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TRAINING
When does the program begin? Can I start later?
The MƒA Fellowship Program begins in late June 2012. There are no exceptions to the start date.
How is my tuition paid?
Your tuition is paid by MƒA and its Partner Universities.
How long is the training?
MƒA Fellows attend a full-time accelerated master's in education program for one year beginning in late June 2012. After successful completion of the program, MƒA Fellows begin teaching in public schools for the remaining four years of the Fellowship.
What colleges and universities does MƒA work with?
MƒA Boston works with Boston University. MƒA LA works with Claremont Graduate University and the University of Southern California. MƒA New York works with the City College of New York, the flagship college of the City University of New York (CUNY). MƒA San Diego is a consortium of three universities: California State University San Marcos, San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. MƒA Utah partners with the University of Utah and Utah State University. MƒA DC partners with American University.
What type of master's degree will I earn?
MƒA Fellows earn a master's degree in secondary mathematics education. Most states require teachers to hold a master's degree within five years of becoming a teacher. This degree allows Fellows to meet requirements for certification.
Why is the commitment five years?
The program by design is a five-year Fellowship, which signals MƒA's dedication to developing highly qualified teachers. In year one, MƒA NY Fellows prepare to become a public secondary school mathematics teacher at the MƒA partner university and during years two through five, MƒA Fellows teach at a public secondary school. During the five years, MƒA invests in its Fellows through a variety of Professional Development opportunities and advising to ensure success.
What is the typical course of study?
The master's programs typically consist of 36 - 59 credits. Course of study includes math content, student teaching and mathematics pedagogy.
Will I do fieldwork and student teaching?
Yes. All Fellows who enter the Fellowship without certification must complete 100 hours of classroom observations and at least 40 days of student teaching at both the middle and high school level.
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MISCELLANEOUS
What happens if I need to leave the program early?
MƒA asks Fellows to make a good faith commitment to remain in the program for the full five years. We recognize that life circumstances change, and a Fellow may need to leave the program early. MƒA reviews each situation on a case-by-case basis. Fellows who leave the program may be asked to pay back some or all of the stipends or tuition they have received.
