StudyMom

Stevie, I'm heading to UF. They are very focused on turning out PhD's who want a career in teaching, which is what I want to do. Now, if they would only confirm funding I would be really really happy! Still, I expect to get funded and I'll be horribly disappointed if I don't -- my family has a map of Gainesville with potential houses marked on it on the kitchen island! I think it will be a little strange being (cough cough slightly over 40!) amidst all those younger cohorts but I feel very confident and sure of what I want from my degree. I also think it will be invigorating to be around fresh ideas and energy -- after a while in the field things can get a little boring and it's easy to slide into the usual way of doing things rather than trying new things. UF has a good track record at placing their grads and they have a wonderful research focus and faculty. Who knows -- we may end up after the same teaching positions in three or four years! Best, StudyMom

I finally decided to contact my advisor and left a voice message. I was pleasantly surprised that she returned my call within a day or so long distance. We chatted about job availability once I had the PhD and her summer schedule. I followed up with a thank you e-mail. The call gave me a good feeling about the school.

Hi, You might want to see "Accepted but Waiting for Funding" under the BANK section. I'm still waiting...

Thanks maa.

I applied to five, four I totally loved and one because the program in my field is so strong. I got accepted at my first choice and wait listed at the third but I would have been really pleased to be accepted at any of those schools. I find it odd that you are concerned about a 3rd place school. Are they really bad in the field or something and if so, why did you spend money applying there?!

Hopptm, If it helps, I turned down LSE and went to another, respected but certainly not top tier, school for my Master's. I feel like I am paving my own way as well but I am making a path that works for me and lets me have joy in the day to day. Good luck!

Dear hopptm, Do you have any practical experience? I'm heading into a PhD in Mass Communications and I did my master's a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away....my GPA wasn't great and neither were my GRE's (though respectable) but I have a lot of experience in communications - political, public relations, marketing, journalism, etc. I think if you have a strong resume the school you did your master's in won't matter as much, and you do have consider how much debt you are going to come out with at NYU. Also, you need to think about your end goals -- are you hoping for a career in academia or in business and industry? Academia will care more about the schools you went to than business and industry. Good luck!

Hi, Thanks - you've made me feel better. I was afraid the advisor would think I wasn't interested when I really really am interested and I didn't want to bother them, or commit until I had word on funding.

Hey all, When accepted by a school and then indicate your advisors, should you contact hose advisors and chat even if you have not yet decided to go to that school? What if they notified acceptance in Feb. and I stil haven't cvalled the advisors? Will this look bad? I think I goofed! Any thoughts please share! Thanks!

Hi Cindy, Good for you for being accepted to so many great programs! If I were you I'd make a spreadsheet with the things that are important to you: MA curriculum, faculty, money, weather etc. and assign each points to see how they rank for you. Personally I thought Missouri looked good but I have also heard good things about UT-Austin, so, it's tough! Best of luck!

I am so stressed waiting for the funding info my stomach hurts. I was accepted the first week of Feb. and have been waiting something like 7 weeks for funding! It has been a long 7 weeks -- I have trouble concentrating at work and M&Ms are making a mini fortune off of me -- I've been eating a bag a day (okay they're small bags but still I hardly every eat chocolate). The thing with the M&Ms is they take time to eat -- first you sort them into color piles and then eat them in order to keep the piles even...OMG this grad school application process is turning me into a crazy person! I contacted the department right after acceptance and they said funding decisions would be made towards the end of March. I'm wondering now whether I could contact them again, or would that be pushy? Any thoughts?

I'm still waiting for funding confirmation but pretty sure I'll be heading to Gainesville (I HOPE)! Anyone out there know anything about neighborhoods 1 to 2 miles away from UF that would be nice for a family? We have 3 kids and don't want to be in a party/really noisy area. We'll probably fly down and look around before we move but it would be nice for some info.

A lot of schools were on break last week so we should all, I HOPE, hear within the next week! It is a little strange how some departments send the acceptance and funding decisions at the same time or near to the same time while others at the same university accept and then have huge delays until we hear about funding. While we want to celebrate and make plans, we can't because most of us can't go without funding...ugh! Anyway, I think our anxiety will be eased in the next week. Good luck to you all.

Definitely ask why you were not recommended for admission. It may be something that you can't change (like GPA) or something you could change (like GRE scores or your SOP). I always like to know why and it might shed some light on the whole admission process roulette -- you know -- "well we threw the applications down the stairs and yours landed on step three. We accepted those on steps one and five"! Best of luck.

A fellowship is like a scholarship. It is not a loan (at least I've never heard of one being a loan). A teaching assistant or research assistant position means you have to work in exchange for your stipend and/or tuition reimbusement. A fellowship usually does not require work.

OMG you guys made me laugh! I needed that! Thanks!

roguejin: I'll top you! Three kids, dog, cat, rabbitt, 2 hamsters and more than 10 years since I got my Master's! I know I'm nuts but it seemed the right choice to get the PhD, after all my youngest is 2 and I felt my brain was rotting in the 9 to 5. My husband is supportive and will change jobs and we have our house on the market (which is crashing of course -- bad timing) and the older kids are part of the discussions we've had about moving. Having a family did make a difference as to where I applied because we did not want to move from a rural area to inner city with 2 pre-teen kids and a toddler. So that ruled out a lot of good programs (I'm in communications as well). We aren't too concerned about schools because we do a lot of at home learning with them in addition to school. Leaving our friends and family behind will be hard but we feel it will be worth it in the end. Perhaps when I finish the PhD we'll come back to this area but we aren't planning beyond the next three years... Good luck in your pursuits!

Oops! I forgot University of Maryland -- they're very big in PR...

Hi Flowerpot, It's nice to see another PR person out here. I'm hoping to do my PhD this fall. If you want to do some research, go to Petersons.com and search the graduate programs in mass communications. I've found that all the PR programs fall into that category though some are listed as "Journalism and Mass Communications". There are not that many schools with a strong PR focus. If I were you I would look at the faculty of the schools to find those with at least one APR designated member. You probably know that is the "Accredited in Public Relations" certification through the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). I found a PR focus at the following schools. The list is not in any kind of order. Syracuse - SI Newhouse School of Communications University of Georgia - Grady School of Communication University of Florida, Gainesville (my first choice) Florida State University, Tallahassee Miami University (Florida) Oklahoma University University of Louisana, Baton Rouge University of Tennesee, Knoxville University of South Carolina, Columbia University of Indiana Purdue Good Luck! When are you hopeing to enter? Let me know what you think of my list...

Hi Keepcalm, I guess we just have to be patient! I feel impatient because UF is my first choice (for program and faculty) and I am so psyched to have been accepted that I just want to get started making plans. Hope you all get good offers that make the wait worth while!

Anyone out there accepted in early Feb. for PhD but waiting for funding? How likely is it to get funding if you are accepted? Does anyone know? I am waiting for UFlorida and they say late March.

I applied to CU Boulder and they said early March for decisions. You can also search the archives for a particular school for "all time" which is two years to get some idea of the time line.

:cry: I didn't get into UGA -- bummer. I'm in at my second choice and wait listed at my third. Haven't heard yet from the last two. Waiting is such a drag!

So glad to see other Communications people out here! I applied to Syracuse, U Georgia, UFlorida, U Miami and just last minute, Boulder. Pretty sure I didn't get in to Syracuse (no surpise). Wait listed at Miami and accepted at UFlorida. Expect to hear from Georgia soon - it is my first choice so I hope I get in.