moyru

I need to update it/add more but here's mine: http://merisendabills.weebly.com/ I started it last month.

Thanks so much! PM me!

I'm applying to only two schools, and they are both very competitive (Stanford and Harvard). Sometimes I feel like I should be applying to more schools but those were the only two that had the program I was interested in.

I haven't submitted yet! Haha, it's my SOP. I keep tweaking it and trying to make it perfect. I think at some point I should just hit submit. I'm a little worried, too, since only 1 of my LORs has been submitted. I guess there's still some time. I'll probably freak out next week. XD

GRE: $185 x 2 - $370 Test prep: $144 App fees: $210 Total: $724

1) Are you the first in your family to pursue graduate education? Are you the first to pursue higher education in general? I never met my real dad so I don't know anything about him. My mom didn't finish high school. I was the first in my family to go to college, and am the first one in my family to have a masters degree. 2) What struggles have you faced as a first-generation applicant? I've had to figure it all out on my own. I never had anyone tell me what kinds of classes I should take in high school, or how to go about the application process, or how to apply for financial aid. I didn't know where I should fo. Luckily, I figured it out on my own. The other difficulties are related to finances. My mom is definitely proud of me but has been unable to provide for me. I've had to finance my education on my own - working multiple jobs and taking out loans. I did apply and receive a lot of scholarships, though. 3) What have you accomplished as a first-generation applicant? First in my family to finish high school, get a bachelors, have a masters...going for a second masters. Honors/awards. First to have a salaried job/career job. 4) What has helped you reach your educational goals? Determination. I don't want to live how my mom did - single with kids and juggling crappy jobs to pay the bills. I have a desire to help my family out by bettering myself first, and being able to help them get stable. Now that I've done it, my brothers are starting to as well. Even my mom is inspired to get her GED now. We support each other. Also, my friends/mentors and relationships found through online networks - finding people who knew where I was coming from. Even when I was younger I would partake in message boards and be part of learning networks. I remember people reading my personal statements and giving me feedback!

Title I schools/districts - schools in low socio-economic areas - are usually desperate for teachers because there's not as many teachers willing to work there. There's various reasons why....schools can be poorly managed, behavior can be a problem, not as many resources etc. - it's easy to get overwhelmed. Sometimes districts will provide incentives, though. I know in San Francisco you can earn up to $3,000 extra a year for working in "hard to place" schools. This is my third year working in a Title I district, and I've found that you just have to find a group of like minded people who want to make a change, and it gets a lot easier. Even if you don't anticipate working in that kind of district for a long time, it's definitely great experience that will prepare you. I would start by identifying those areas/neighborhoods where you live and research the schools. Check out the district websites and see what job postings they have. if they don't have a website, inquire in person and let them know you're interested in working there. It might vary by area, but I usually see many posts on craigslists for teachers or outreach programs.

I work as an elementary school teacher. As others have said, the area might have a lot to do with it. It can be very competitive. That being said, I also know some areas are desperate for teachers - that's how I was able to get a job (and I only had one month's experience!). It depends on the type of school as well. Are you looking into public or private? It might also depend on the time of year that you're applying. I was pink slipped last year (apparently happens every year in my district, but then they end up hiring everyone and then some back) and had started applying. I didn't really hear back until summer time. Have you tried edjoin?

The ETS website has practice ones you could take through the Power Prep software. It's free. I'd recommend trying it and seeing what you score. It is a pretty good simulation of the actual test.

It sounds like you have a lot on your plate already that will make it difficult to study for the test. I'm not familiar with the GMAT but I took the GRE twice. It's pretty exhausting! 2 essays, 2 verbal sections, 2 quant sections, and an experimental section that could be either verbal or quant. It's like 4 hours total. How are you with quant? I'm terrible and I got a 148, so if you're familiar with it, then maybe you'll do fine. It is a $185 test though so I definitely would make sure I can at least decently score on it before taking it.

Here's what I have on my resume regarding my experience: ***** School District 2011-Present Instructor: kindergarten, fourth grade, and 4/5-combination class Integrated 21st century skills through project-based learning and iPad technology Presenter/Facilitator: technology workshops supporting colleagues’ iPad integration Coach: trained all-girls running club for 5k to foster a healthy community ********** Elementary School Teacher of the Year in 2013 Grant writer: submitted successful proposals for field trips, books, and a MakerBot 3D printer Member: Instructional Leadership Team and implement school’s Theory of Action Teach for America Summer 2011 Corps member: intensive program developing skills and knowledge needed to achieve significant gains in student achievement Summer instructor: supporting 8th grade students in Los Angeles area public schools Measurable increase in student proficiency in language arts and writing ************ Spring 2011 Instructor: high school art class on creating in-depth multimedia stories Increase of student proficiency using Audacity, Soundslides, and FlipCam software Curricular implementation: advanced sound design, filming and editing techniques *********** 2007-2011 Presenter: conducted monthly college preparation, life skills and leadership workshops at under-resourced local high schools to support students through the college application process Mentor: individually guided students in applying for financial aid and writing personal statements (certain locations/names omitted) still working on the format etc.

First time taking test: Verbal: 155 Quant: 151 AWA: 4.5 I studied for about a week or so. It was hard since I work full-time as a teacher. I was disappointed by my scores but thought if I invested some time/effort, they'd increase to something decent. I signed up for Magoosh. I really liked their vocab app (which is free) and found that their online videos for the verbal section were helpful, as they explained some strategies. The questions were also similar. The math lessons were somewhat helpful (although the guy's voice is very boring) and I felt I understood only some of the concepts. He seemed to have very roundabout ways to solving problems, which confused me. When it came to taking the test, I did worse in math! My scores today were: Verbal: 160 Quant: 148 Now while I increased in verbal, my quant score went down...so I really only increased my overall score by 2 points. I've read that it's worked really well for others and I wish that was the case for me!

So far the two that have caught my eye are the Learning, Design, and Technology program at Stanford, and the Technology, Innovation, and Education program at Harvard. I really want to be a part of a program where I can transform my practice with technology. I'm really passionate about empowering youth with media, and incorporating multimedia literacy into school curriculums. My dream job is providing schools with access to technology, and training educators/districts in using it effectively. I'm also interested in developing my own educational apps/products. Here are my stats: Undergrad: -3.4 at University of Southern California, B.A. in broadcast and digital journalism -Honors in Multimedia Scholar Grad: -3.9 at Loyola Marymount University, M.A. in Urban Education -concentration in educational policy and administration Work experience: -3 years experience teaching in a Title I school district -implement project-based learning and 1:1 devices in instruction -serve on instructional leadership team -lead tech workshops for colleagues -grant writing (recently received a 3D printer - so excited!) -voted Teacher of the Year in 2013 -TFA alum Other info: -grew up in low-income minority household -firsthand experience with social inequities students face -bilingual -experience with multimedia (web design, coding, photography) GRE: First score: Verbal: 155 Quant: 151 AWA: 4.5 Today's: Verbal: 160 Quant: 148 AWA: unknown Will my experience and background make up for my dismal performance on the GRE? Should I retake it? Are there other programs I should look into? Any advice is appreciated.

First time: Verbal: 155 Quant: 151 AWA: 4.5 Today: Verbal: 160 Quant: 148 I really hope my writing is strong. My results do reflect my study habits. I spent much more time trying to learn vocabulary than I did practicing math problems. I'm applying to HGSE...I've been told they review each application holistically. I really hope that's the case. >_>

Also, curious as to whether anyone knows this: approximately how many people apply to each program? I'm curious to know how many applicants the TIE program gets.

I imagine it's simply for their own feedback/recruiting purposes. I don't think it would have any bearing on your application.

Does anyone want to swap SOPs? Would love to get some input!

I believe as soon as you send the reference request. At least in my applications, I'm able to see the status of my recommendations. Some say 'in progress' so I'm assuming that means they've started!

One of my letter writers sent me this message: "I was wondering if you could write some important language/terms you'd like me to include on LOR, it sure would help me speed up the writing" Do they mean sentence frames, or actual phrases?

I'm also applying to HGSE and have been wondering the same thing! My SOP gets right to the point. I remember, at least when writing my statement for undergrad, being told by my teachers it should have more anecdotes. I thought maybe grad schools expected something more practical.

If the rest of your application makes up for it, I think so. Also, if your GRE scores are still close to its cut...

I'm glad this thread exists! I'm also applying to HGSE, specifically their TIE program. I have my B.A. in Broadcast and Digital Journalism (double minored in digital studies and interactive media/culture of new technologies) from University of Southern California. I quickly realized I wasn't passionate about journalism anymore, and since I had been volunteering at high schools, I decided to try out teaching through Teach For America. I'm currently in my third year of teaching at a Title I elementary school. I recently received a masters in Urban Education with a concentration in Policy and Administration through Loyola Marymount University. However, my ultimate goal is education technology. Specifically, I want to integrate more technology in low-income schools, either as a leader in the district or through a non-profit organization, where I can develop multimedia curriculum and train teachers in using technology effectively. I would also like to create my own ed tech products. I read through the TIE curriculum and course descriptions and was incredibly excited to see similar themes. I recently took the GRE...155 Verbal, 151 Quant...not sure of my writing, yet. I will be taking it again in December, hopefully increasing to at least 160. My undergrad GPA was 3.43, and my grad GPA was 3.97.

Let me know! It would be helpful to get a different perspective on my writing!

I'm interested! I'm also applying to a higher ed program.

Thanks! Yes, writing these types of essays is challenging for me. I want to tell my story but don't want it to come out seeming like a sob story. >_>