At Poynter, we keep our classes small (most consist of only 16 participants) to encourage lively discussions and to allow faculty members to give lots of focused attention to individual participants. Here are some helpful hints to assist you in applying for a Poynter seminar.

Are you eligible? Generally, participants for Poynter seminars and conferences should be full-time employees of a print, broadcast, or online news organization, or journalism educators. Freelancers, however, are welcome to apply. For additional information, check the "Who will benefit" section for each course in the Poynter catalog or visit the seminar sites at www.poynter.org. If you’re still not sure if you’re eligible, telephone or e-mail the contact person listed for each seminar.

Don’t procrastinate! Allow yourself sufficient time to develop a package of informative application materials. Send the entire package all at once, and be sure you get it to Poynter by the deadline date.

Information please! Complete ALL questions on the application form - front and back. We encourage the application of women, minorities, persons attending a Poynter seminar for the first time, organizations nominating a staff member for the first time, and individuals who have applied for previous seminars but were not accepted.

Generally, we accept only one participant from a newsroom (except for conferences and seminars designated for teams), however more than one candidate from an organization may apply. We're also sensitive to how many participants we accept from a single ownership group. We try to create a seminar group that reflects a rich mix of people and consider the factors of experience, race, gender, ethnicity, circulation/market size, and geography.

Polish up your resume! Be sure it presents your experience and accomplishments in their best light.

Introduce yourself! Write a brief professional biography (about 100 words) for us to include in the seminar syllabus. This is not the same as (or in place of) your resume.

The boss’s letter counts! Your boss's recommendation letter is every bit as important as the other pieces of your application package. The letter should provide details about your strengths, your value to your newsroom, and your commitment to journalism.

Now it’s your turn! Develop a terrific 250-500 word essay describing your daily duties, how this seminar is relevant to your job, your goals for the seminar, and how you will apply your training when you get back to your newsroom. Tell us about your journalistic passions and how you'll take back what you learn to your colleagues.

And don’t forget! Some seminars require you to include samples of your work. If so, take the time to put together examples of your best work that meet the requirements of the seminar.