CHWF

haihai, Do you happen to know approximately how many candidates are invited to the weekend compared to the number of spots available? That is if there are 10 interviewees, is it possible that all could receive an offer? (Assuming each of the candidates is a good fit and have no other offer, of course.) Thanks!

csmith14, Would you care to share any of the questions from your interview? It seems we are different concentrations (I am higher ed—you are learning, teaching & diversity, right?), but any information might be helpful. Are you also going to the interview weekend, or was the phone call in lieu of the in-person interview? Thanks for your input!

I'm with you, whittylin! It seems like it could be anytime this week...fingers crossed for everyone.

Anyone want to venture when we'll hear back about interviews? It seems that's pretty much a requirement for admission to the Ph.D. programs—anyone know something more specific?

Hi, brainman, This information intermittently appears on the VU website: sometimes I can find it, but other times, it's just not there. This is what I know about the Ph.D. program: the recommended cutoff for GRE is 315 on the new scale (again, for Ph.D. candidates only). When I asked how many people apply to LPO, the office replied that about 250 apply to the department, and roughly one third of those applicants seek a concentration in Higher Ed. I haven't seen anything about GPA or expected work experience. If you're asking about M.Ed., I'm afraid I don't know! Maybe someone else can chime in? Good luck!

Hi, Counterpointer—I think hesadork makes a good point: if writing about diversity doesn't speak to you now, can you imagine what your program would be like if diversity were a serious strand of the curriculum? Additionally, I know applying to schools is a serious investment. However, the money you've spent is a sunk cost and should not play any role in whether you continue to apply to that school. Like hesadork, I think diversity is one of the most important topics for education, not only in the USA, but in Canada, too. (Although, considering that's my area of interest, I recognize my bias). Having an international day is good start, but as a one day event, it may not have a lasting impact that promotes diversity. Here's a website I have used while working on a race and ethnicity unit—maybe you can glean a few strategies, too: http://www.eds-resources.com/edmulticult.htm Also, here's another resource you might enjoy. It's the Freakonomics podcast, and this episode is about a program called Pathways to Education, a community-based educational program in Toronto that aims help struggling students graduate from high school: http://freakonomics.com/2014/12/04/how-to-fix-a-broken-high-schooler-in-four-easy-steps-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/ Good luck!

Thanks, whittylin! We all know that GRE scores are only partly necessary and never sufficient for admission. You've got great experience, and that matters just as much, if not more than, a good GRE score. And now...we wait.

Thanks for starting this thread, Happy91. I’m using the same format I saw on the HGSE page. GRE Score: V 169, Q 163, AWA 4.0 GPA: 3.97 (B.A.); 3.62 (Master in Environmental Law & Policy) Work Experience: I have taught at a public school (Teaching Fellows program in Nashville), a boarding school, and one public university as adjunct and program coordinator for first generation college students. Currently, I teach at an all-girls school and am a distance learning faculty member for my graduate alma mater (it’s an online grad class in leadership and advocacy). In the summers, I teach a college class in international relations for high school students. Undergraduate / Graduate Institutions: Public / private law school Research Experience: One year at a policy think tank—but it was environmentally-focused—plus one year as a clean energy lobbyist at a non-profit. I have co-authored and contributed research to book chapters, authored several white papers, and presented at about 10 conferences (most recent are education and the remainder relate to environmental policy). I was a National Endowment for the Humanities summer scholar in Oaxaca, Mexico, this past summer. Applying for PhD or Master’s: Ph.D., 2015F Program: Leadership, Policy and Organization (Higher Ed concentration) What Other Schools Are You Applying To: None—fingers crossed for Peabody! Good luck!