annieca

Honestly, this is where I think the coin comes out. Both schools look like they could be places for you. If your heart says B then go with B. But if you really can't decide, flip a coin.

 

I'll be saying this a lot in the next 4 days but, "Flip a coin. Not because it decides it. But for the moment that that coin is in the air, you know exactly what you want."

There's a quote I love that might help you decide.

 

"Flip a coin. Not because it decides anything. But because for that moment the coin is in the air, you know exactly which one you're wishing for." 

 

I am not saying by any means that this is a decision to do by a flip of a coin, but the logic still holds.

Did anyone else feel like there was something academically wrong with them? 

 

Haha, yes. I did! I wondered if it was because of that horrible letter of rec, or my GRE or if I just wasn't capable of high-caliber Public History work. But, it's really just a matter of lots of people being amazing (including ourselves) and not enough spots.

 

And trust me, if you're over the moon about going to Yale, then everything else will fade away.

 

I know I am SO SO jazzed about Maryland right now. I've been researching fun facts about the University and remembering others from my past visits. Like the dairy on campus that has Fear the Turtle ice cream that I will now be exposed to constantly. Thank goodness I'm going to be broke!

 

The only thing hindering my "jazz" about Maryland is the snaffu I've hit with transfer credits from my study abroad place and my home institution. I'm between 2-6 credits short. Thankfully, there's lots of online classes at my local community college so I can take something stupid like History 103 (x2) and have it transfer back to Carroll. 

 

As for the funding thing - I'm going into my MA/MLIS unfunded. But, I've been told Maryland is great about funding people and you just have to pounce on the assistanceships website when they come up sometime during the summer. Looks like I know what website is going to become my new home!

I am happy to say that I have made a decision! Out of respect for my mother who wants me to wait for the magical funding that is suppose to appear in the next 10 days, I'm not saying where. But, it feels so, so good to have decided. There was a little doubt in my mind but then I just said, "No, you know exactly where you want to be."

 

It's funny - when I started this search a long, long time ago I said that school was my favorite. Then other schools claimed first and now, here I am, going to attend that first school in the fall. 

 

I was so exhausted by this process and I just wanted it to be over. It made me wonder if I was just tired of the process or if I didn't want to go to graduate school. Well, I've decided and I am over the moon, can't stop smiling, looking at apartments and so incredibly excited. Verdict: It was the process.

 

Good luck to everyone else in their decision making process. We're almost done!

Got accepted to Maryland today! Woohoo!!! It was a bit of a surprise, but.. woohoo! If I get funding it is a definite contender.

I second the recommendation to look outside of the London area. I've heard great things about Edinburgh's History program. St Andrews as well. I would recommend my study abroad university but only if you're Library Science or InterPol. Since you're neither, I wouldn't suggest Aberystwyth.

 

The UK process is seriously the most straightforward process I've ever seen. Depending on the university it is also remarkably quick. The only problem seems to be funding. UK PhDs are more likely to be funded than MA's, like in the US, but they decide funding really late. I won't know about funding at Aberystwyth until July and that goes the same for PhD candidates.

 

But don't panic for now. You've got time!

Baltimore is a weird city in my experience. It's DC suburbs (seriously!) so it's expensive but not as expensive as DC. It's got quite a few things going for it - the zoo has penguins! - but it also feels very much like the younger brother of DC that tries to live up to the nation's Capital. But... that was just my experience there a bit this summer. 

 

Also, a word to the wise about commuting to DC from Baltimore - depending on where in DC  your partner lives, it can be a *nightmare*. Metro is notorious for being slow. Trains from Baltimore come into Union Station so if you're near there or don't mind walking, then that's all fine and good. If it's a job in Alexandria, Franconia, Springfield or Falls Church I say forget about it. The commute would be, I think, two hours each way. I know it's over an hour from Union Station to Franconia-Springfield, the end of the blue line. I'm not sure about the trains from Baltimore to DC.

 

Just something to think about! I know in the end you'll choose where you're meant to go. As for stipend, the security isn't something to feel bad about. I am choosing Aber because I will only have between $5-10k in debt versus over $50,000.

Congrats everyone on acceptances!

I have, quite crazily, decided where I'm going and the only thing that will change that is a *hell* of a funding package from one of the schools.

I'm going to graduate school! Eeeek!

I don't know which part of me said it was smart to do two reading-intensive classes, my thesis and two of the most prestigious MUN conferences when I knew I would be waiting for decisions. 

 

This has literally been my train of thought this morning:

 

"I should check my South Carolina app...I need to do a little more research on the debt crisis for LiMUN...and I know absolutely nothing about my topics for ScotMUN which means I probably should start that...and oh yeah, I should check when I have a meeting with my diss supervisor although I don't think he remembers me..." 

 

Scatterbrained, much?

 

Don't worry everyone - it should be over soon!

Congrats! As long as you don't *root* for the Trojans, I'm happy for you!

I don't know how I feel about the MA/MS being where you're a "student" still and not training for a job. Maybe that's the case for most MA/MS's but not for my program. I go into my program knowing it is job training and it is THE best job training I can get. Might also be different because it's basically a terminal Master's. It's really, really hard to find a PhD program in Archives.

As I've had more sleep, I have to also say that it's offending to hear "Well, you're doing an MLIS(MLS) so it's not as competitive and therefore you can get in with crap grades." True, library science is easier to get into than a History PhD but that does not make the acceptances any less rewarding.

Congrats on LSU and Northwestern peoples! And regrets and hugs to the Duke rejection.

Got into my favorite today!!! No word on funding though.

I got my reading list for both of my classes this semester and holy cow, am I going to be reading a lot! Well, let me rephrase that. I will be reading a lot to keep my mind off things. The reading isn't required, only *suggested*. But it's a good distraction. Also, as much as I love you guys, staying away from the forums is also helpful. Or at least, staying away from the thread "Is anyone else losing their damn minds?" thread. :/

Good luck everyone! I'll have a proper cuppa and cookies waiting at the finish line!

We all seriously need chill pills. Not that this isn't probably the most important decision that is out of our hands so far but... we all need to calm down. Driving everyone within spitting distance insane too is probably not a good idea.

On the other hand...

My beef right now is with time differences. I'm five hours ahead of my East Coast schools, 6 for Indiana. So when I wake up at 10 on a Monday to check my email and see if anything's changed, well, it's 4 in the morning Central Time. Yeah, I understand midnight, but no decision is going to come in at 4 in the morning.

My South Carolina apps have gone from "Reviewing applications" to "Decision Pending." No idea what that means but I'm just going to go with it. That's all I can do, right?

Congrats on Johns Hopkins!

Everyone, I really did *try* to shift us a month ahead. But the area where the Rift is is under construction (go figure!) so I couldn't manipulate it.

One of my choices is to stay at my study abroad school for another year and do a one year British Master's. My best friends here at Aber know this fact full well and keep poking me with "So, you're staying another year, right?" Even if they don't say it, I know they're thinking it which makes it even worse. Thankfully, that decision SHOULD come within the end of this upcoming week. IF not...

Deep, deep breath!