jaejae88

Major- Asian studies, Chinese studies (4.0 in major), MA in linguistics- 3.89 GPA, TESOL Certificate, Strategic Languages Certificate, GRE score- 5.5 on writing (can't honestly remember the other two!) publications 3- work experience- tutoring. recommendations from people top in the field of sociolinguistics and anthropology, part of a competitive government grant funded language program as an undergraduate. To which schools/programs you applied: accepted into university of Arizona for a PhD in anthropology with an emphasis in sociolinguistics- told them forget it after visiting. What your interests/focuses would be.: English language in communities of practice in China focusing on marketing and branding of products. [Optional] Update when you hear back from the schools- I heard back and decided no (this was back a few years ago). Why? The school had very little funding and all the students I spoke to were in massive debt with no end in sight to ever graduating. One professor said I should expect to be there for 8 years. It was really absurd and I felt like people were just being milked for money.

I'm going to be brutally honest- you can get into MANY programs with those stats. BUT TESOL and Applied Linguistics at the graduate level are absolutely useless in the USA. I graduated from a program in 2012 (very reputable in my area). My classmates are all struggling and have multiple jobs just to make ends meet trying to teach at the college level and their contracts are not guaranteed to ever be renewed. They have no job stability and little to no benefits. Several of them moved back home to their country of origin if they were foreigners. The major is really hyped up as a gateway to an interesting career but there is no career to be had. I live in an area with dozens of community colleges and adult education and nothing is honestly out there that is stable. There are no positions in language documentation left, and you cannot get a tenure track job without a PhD. PhD's are a dime a dozen so the competition is brutal and your chance of being hired even with a PhD into a tenured track position is less than 1%.

Does anyone have experience with either? I've been working in public service now for 6 years- but unfortunately my degrees are in another field and I am unable to advance. I dont want to be spending an insane amount of money but I also want flexibility and a school with a decent reputation. I live in CA.

There is a local program in my area for an MPA that has a healthcare emphasis. while I know it is not an MPH- does anyone else have that type of MPA and was it useful?!

did you get into U of Arizona???? I got in there and I think their TA's make less than other places....I've been debating it for a while!