FAQ for Graduate Student Applicants

Will the Lifelong Kindergarten group be accepting new graduate students for fall 2010?
Yes, we expect to accept one or two new students.

How do I apply to the group?
Students are admitted through the Media Arts and Sciences academic program. Application information is available online.

When is the deadline for application materials?
December 15

What’s the best way to learn more about the Lifelong Kindergarten group?
Read through the project descriptions and research papers on the Lifelong Kindergarten website. Also, you are invited to come to an Open House for Lifelong Kindergarten applicants on Monday, November 9, 2009, from noon to 3:00pm (lunch included), at the MIT Media Lab. If you would like to come, please RSVP to llkcontact@media.mit.edu

What types of students is the Lifelong Kindergarten group looking for?
We look for applicants with playful, creative, curious minds; experience in developing new technologies; interest in studying how people learn; commitment to improving the lives of children; desire and ability to collaborate with a diverse community of people. Our research projects draw on ideas from many different disciplines, including computer science, design, psychology, and education. We look for graduate students with expertise in at least one of these areas, and interest to learn more about all of them.

I’m interested in creative uses of technology in education, but I don’t have much experience in computer programming or technology development. Do I have a chance of being admitted as a graduate student?
It is an advantage, but not a requirement, to have experience in technology development. It is important to have enough technical background so you can participate actively in discussions about technology development and contribute knowledgeably to research projects in which young people are learning to program.

What information is most important to include in the application?
When we look at applications, we want to find out what types of projects you have worked on and what types of ideas you are interested in.

Do you require a portfolio? What should it include?
Lifelong Kindergarten does not require a portfolio submission, but we're always interested to see examples of projects that you've worked on. The best way to share examples of your work is to include relevant URLs in your application.

What projects and themes will the Lifelong Kindergarten group be working on over the next few years?
We expect to focus a lot of our efforts on further development and studies related to Scratch. For example:
* extending the technology (e.g., integrating Scratch into the cloud)
* reaching new audiences (e.g., versions of Scratch for younger students)
* studying the Scratch community (e.g., ethnographic studies of online activities)
* providing better support for Scratchers (e.g., online tutorials and mentoring)
* connecting Scratch to the physical world (e.g., new types of robotics projects)

What careers do Lifelong Kindergarten graduates usually pursue?
Lifelong Kindergarten alums have gone on to many different careers. Some have become professors at universities (in computer science, communications, or education departments), some have worked at large companies (including Google and Microsoft), others have started their own companies. Believe it or not, one Lifelong Kindergarten alum won the Apprentice reality-TV show!