Lbessmer

I agree with what everyone has said so far in this thread. In addition to honing your research focus and making you more competitive later on, doing a Master's first will help give you some perspective on what you want your career to be. I would actually take it a step further and recommend working for a few years before going back to school. Education is not like other fields where it is expected that you move straight from undergrad into a grad program. Work experience is highly valued, and for a good reason. If you went into a PhD program straight from undergrad, and then worked in a university, you would be in school your whole life. How well can you learn how education works in a larger context if you never leave it? I worked in jobs related to higher Ed for a few years, but outside of the university, and it almost completely changed my perspective. There is no hurry to get the next degree, if it is still what you want to do two, five, or even ten years from now you will make it happen.

Ya! utilities included, it should be about 500 per person. 10 minute walk from alewife station, 10 minutes from grocery and nightlife (albeit not Harvard Square).

Is anyone looking for a cheaper place to live? Some friends are leaving their 2 br apartment in july, which is about a 30 minute walk from Appian way. 1500 a month. My gf and I are looking at living in one room, with either another person or another couple in the other br. PM me if you are interested!

I was at the Higher Ed thing yesterday, and it was pretty casual. The current student were in the clothes they wore to class or to their internships, while the admitted students were slightly more dressed up. Dudes could get away with a nice sweater or polo and either dress pants or dark jeans (a few people wore ties if that is your thing). For girls the range was a lot wider: some wore flats, some wore boots, some were wearing nice classroom clothes, some were dressed a bit more formally. People weren't really paying attention to what you were wearing, so wear what you feel comfortable in!

Hey Cardinal, I would love to meet up tomorrow. I am guessing I met higher Ed yesterday and didn't even know it! If any higher Ed program peeps want to grab a slice of the best pizza in Cambridge, a pint, or go for a walk to tomorrow I would be interested. Just PM me your info!

Well that is one year sooner you get to start working and paying off any loans you have to take out! There is always a bright side, and it sounds like no matter what you will end up at a great program. I have a question for folks: for loan forgiveness for public service, the requirement is that the organization that you work for has to be a 501© 3. Many universities and colleges fall into this category, but are not specifically mentioned in any of the literature I have found. Would it be possible to work in a university for 10 years and then have your remaining debt forgiven?

Woah that is awesome! I had no idea it was different for graduate students. Sounds like a good deal.

Hey Ay, in terms of residency in California, time spent as a student does not count towards gaining residency. You would have to work for a year BEFORE attending school in order to qualify for residency. Source: http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residencefaq.htm Quote: "To establish residence the student must be physically present in California for more than one year and must have come here with the intent to make California his or her home. Physical presence California solely for educational purposes does not constitute the establishment of California residence, regardless of the length of stay." - UCLA registrar

Cambridge Commons has the most varied beer on tap, but if there were more than say, ten or fifteen people trying to meet up it would get crowded quickly. I won't be able to make it sadly, but I am looking forward to seeing you all at the visitation day!

I think you are right Sunshinegirl, at least that is what I take away from the website.

Thank you for bringing up this issue Sonic Youth, I think it is important to address. It isn't hard to find critiques of Ed schools, they prepare practitioners for a job that seems a lot easier than it really is. Everyone has had teachers, and they have seen what they do day after day... or at least they think that they understand the life of a teacher. When people say that our schools aren't doing enough for our children, one of the first places they turn to are the Ed schools. Even our current Secretary of Education has made numerous statements about the failings of our nation's Ed schools, and that we need to raise our standards and improve our teacher education and our Ed research in order to stay relevant. When I had doubts about applying for a M.Ed or a M.A. in education, it was because of this daunting uphill battle, not because I would be making less money than I could in another field. Your info states that you are currently enrolled in a M.Ed, so I imagine that you are getting involved in Education for many of the same reasons that all of us (including myself) are pursuing an advanced degree. It seems that you have two main worries about taking on debt for a degree from Harvard. 1st- that taking on debt to pay for an Ed degree is not comparable to degrees from other graduate schools because we will not have the same earning potential as graduates from other disciplines. 2nd- that "once we get to Cambridge" we will come to see that not all graduate programs are created equal. In response to your first point: I disagree with the underlying premise that the reason to get a degree is to earn more money. I know that I am devoting my time and money to study something that I love, so that I can work in a field that I enjoy. I imagine that those pursuing a degree in medicine, law, business, and the arts and sciences are doing so for similiar reasons. However, if we choose to judge the value of a degree by median income, the case still is not clear cut. In the private sector, there are many alternatives to earning an MBA that will earn more money. There is a glut of people holding MBAs currently, and with the economic downturn, it means less of an advantage in both earnings and job security than was the case a few decades ago. There are also many studies about how there are now too many lawyers and too many doctors... and that many people graduating from these professional schools are unable to pay off their loans for a very long time. Again, I disagree with choosing finances as the sole deciding factor as to the value of a degree, and I think (perhaps unsurprisingly) that education is one of the most valuable things that a person can do with their time and energy. As for your second point, no one is disputing that all grad programs are created equal. If they were, this admissions process would have been very different for all of us. We are excited by the prospect of attending well-regarded Ed schools that produce research that is used not only in the field, but in society as well. Harvard, (among others) is a leader in the field of Education, and its alumni go on to do amazing things. Attending the program is not a golden ticket, and no one thinks it is. We will have to work hard, make the most of the opportunity as we can, and hit the ground running after graduating. If other programs sneer at the Ed school as you seem to imply, so be it. 150 years ago, the field of medicine was not nearly as highly regarded. In 1880, there were only 11 history professors in the more than 800 colleges and unviersities in the US. Education as a field is much younger than either of these professions, and I bet many of the people in this forum will do everything they can to make sure that the field continues to move forward.

I got a little over 16k. In the end, I felt like the fit wasn't right though. I haven't chosen which program I will attend, but I am trying to eliminate schools from the running as fast as I can in the hopes that I can make the process easier for the schools and for prospective students.

Robotinblue good to see another Cantabrigian in here! I just found out that Armando's pizza delivers now, and I am terrified that if I attend, I won't be able to resist it. If you are strapped for cash, I would look for places other than Harvard housing. Especially if they require a meal plan. I pretty much agree with everything that Dan McD and Robotinblue have said already, but I would like to add that there are in fact ratless and roachless apartments to be found, even if Allston has a reputation for being a student wasteland. Seeing everyone so excited is getting me excited! I don't know how I will be able to take more time off work, but I really want to come to the campus visit days.

I will not be there, but they were awesome enough to set me up with three interviews via phone or skype. I am just waiting for those positions to get back to me so I can schedule interviews. I sent in 5 applications, and have interviews with two on my list and one that I did not express interest in. Hope this info helps!

Accepted! Congrats to everyone who got in!