pea-jay

In the Public Administration/public policy programs, the schools I've looked into have definitely been reporting more applicants over the past few years. But that is a professional program and most use the degree towards career advancement and compensation. If the increased application statement for poli sci and other similar programs is true it probably is due to more students applying straight from UG programs due to a lack of employment prospects. BTW, I'm not convinced on my own personal job security in the intermediate time frame so leaving to grad school looks like a better decision than when I first started this process last fall.

Hey, I'm American and I hate automatic transmission cars. But you're right, manual transmission cars can be cheaper to purchase. This past week has not been great for Metro, with the system barely remaining operational. Then again, the whole DC area has difficulties in snowy conditions.

Demography is destiny. In 5-7 years the Boomers will (or should be) retiring en masse. In addition to having a smaller cohort size coming out of school during a time of (hopefully) increased vacancies should improve job prospects. That's what I'm counting on, albeit not for looking for academic work

Gee, thanks for reminding me of this additional way to obsess. At least only one of my schools has this option. My other application is strictly old-school, all communication by mail.

i have heard two great opposing answers to this. On one hand it IS an awful to be trying to navigate the university system and even more nerve wracking when you are leaving a job when employment is so hard to find. ON THE OTHER HAND, the two years I will be off the job market could leave me well positioned to catch job opportunities when the economy turns around.

Sure thing. BTW, if your goal is NYC as an area, have you considered other schools too? Not sure about if they have your program, what their rankings are or how they stack up, but there is also the CUNY system and NYU while Rutgers is relatively close by in NJ (not exactly near the city but def closer than your other schools.) As for Captiv8d's question, we're hoping to move July/August. June is too soon, job-wise

i'm all up for an old fashioned treasure hunt at the prospective university. Applicants would be given a certain amount of time to solve the university's Riddle and find the treasure (a fully funded scholarship). The riddle would be pieced together from obscure clues, phrases and images hidden and in plain sight around campus. Prospective students would have to look under desks, find certain library books and solve problems (which are related to the intended course of study) along the way. And oh yeah, they would not be invited guests so they would have to evade campus security at every step. The contestants with the best times would be fully funded and get first pick of advisors. Those that didnt make the top rank would get in, but be obligated to pay

How about Dance Dance Revolution then?

No, but I've been periodic visitor over the past two decades. Its intimidating at first but you get used to it. I also have two cats to move as well. I'm probably going to have to arrange for pet shipment once we get settled because i am hoping not to drive them cross country

I'm oddly halfway between the shoulda gone to school right away and finished vs wait the 14 odd years or so. I'm definitely ready and know what I want out of grad school, but there is this 4 year period of my life from 97 to 01 where I got sucked into the the technology sector which I had zero qualifications for or interest in. But they were hiring like crazy out here in Cali and the pay was too good to pass up until I became dependent on it. I worked until I got downsized out in 01 and got my real career going in 2002. It's those years I want back. ah well

I'm a planner by practice and am going to grad school to broaden my administrative/financial/human resources skills to work up the food chain. I have two general areas I see my self in. Near Term Likely: Employed by a local or regional agency engaged in planning and administration of a Transportation or Housing department. Cool: Employed by large multinational consulting firm or International development organization focused on development matters outside of the US Longer Term * Department manager * Deputy mayor * Political appointee (we can all dream can we)? I'd also like to eventually become a professor myself, but not for a while. Unlike others here, I'd be perfectly fine as an adjunct or guest professor.

This is a good topic. I'm 35 with a wife and two kids, ages 6&9. If all goes well, we will make one monstrous cross-country and cross-cultural move from the placid picturesque vineyards of Northern California to the ever busy and vibrant metropolis of New York City. Getting in and lining up funding of some sort is the first challenge for me. Ive vowed that I'd be able to support myself. That leaves my wife and kids. Challenge #2 is for her to line up a job, probably in teaching which is her profession. Normally that isnt too difficult, but this economy has put that idea in serious jeopardy. I almost think this is a bigger challenge than simply getting in. Challenge 3 is finding the optimal place to live for us and our kids and easing them into big city life. We've visited large cities and our kids are no strangers to public transportation, the noise and the sights but like every child, they like their little life theyve developed here. As for us, big city life is no big deal. I'm a former Chicagoan who's lived in other big cities, while my wife grew up in Mexico City. You dont get more urban than that. Finally I'd like to note that my wife was the chief instigator in wanting to move (soon) and to where. Not that I am complaining or anything; I'd grown comfy, if not lazy in my job and generally content with the area, with only a vague plan to go back to school and/or move on professionally. I usually used the ephemeral "next year" plan before forgetting about it. We'll see how it turns out.

Some responses to others It's almost the reverse for me, my wife pretty much ONLY wanted to move to NYC, with few other alternative locations. I worry sometimes that might occur too, especially if she cant line up work Where abouts are you in northern california? My wife hates this area and general lack of diversity, made worse by the fact that she works in a real rural area, has to deal with jaw-dropping ignorance and stupidity on the job. I'm a renter and thankfully not shackled to an "upside down" mortgage. I can leave with one months notice at anytime.

Well I am 3000 miles away in sunny rainy California watching the ongoing snowtastrophe and wondering if my NYC schools are somehow affected. Probably not. As a former DC area resident, I always found winter storms fun and the responses amusing. I remember the Double Whammy storms of 1987 that led to fascinating episodes of grocery store hoarding and kept me out of school for seven school days. I kinda miss the snowfall, but I imagine 55 inches probably is a bit much.

Overall, I have found the Gradcafe to be quite helpful and entertaining. But I cannot help but notice that a majority of folks are on some academic-oriented track of one sort or another. Nothing wrong with that, I've learned a lot about your guy's issues. I'm creating this topic for commentary and what not for those that are getting a masters for more professional reasons and have no near term interest in academia. Some things to discuss: (with my answers) Why are you pursuing a masters? It will significantly improve my career opportunities and compensation How's the process been for you? My experiences as a prospective Public Administration grad student appear to be quite different than someone pursuing a masters in one of the humanities. How are you going to pay for this? One school on mine offers zero funding (there are TA/RA opportunities though) and the other's is quite limited for most. Only a select few will get a funded education. Are you still waiting for any responses? yep, all of them I guess I'm just tossing this subject out for some consideration, especially if you are in a similar boat. If you are in an academic track, feel free to add as well. Ignore my questions and add your own in. Have fun.

Most useful: Any program that leads to gainful employment post graduation. Or improves the lives of others. Least useful: The program that has the worst post-graduation prospects for employment and/or no benefit to others. Cant say what that special program is, but it's surely out there.

Do not, I repeat do not use credit cards to make ends meet. You will come out way ahead if you use your savings to cover the unexpected. Consider this, you have savings, you are receiving interest. Not much but it IS growing. If you have to use a credit card, you will pay 10-20% or more for the privilege of paying off an expense over time. It's better to have that reserve with terms favorable to you. As for the student loan, they are fixed rates and deferrable in school. Some continue to add the interest into the principal-others dont. If yours rolls your interest into the principal while you are deferring payment, it may be helpful to pay the interest only, even if it means that comes out of your savings. At the very least the student loan debt wont be growing. Bottom line keep the loan, pay interest only and use savings to cover what your salary/stipend/grant fails to.

I'm a guy and just about the only alcohol I do drink is wine. (That and beer) Then again, I do live in Wine Country and I can get locally bottled wines easily and cheaply/free. (Friends of vintners or their adult kids). So if I would probably consider this an appropriate local gift.

I'm so glad the university that notified me that they deemed my application complete and ready for the next admission committee meeting did so via email and not the cursory thin envelope. They also went as far to say official notification will be made via mail.

I'm sporting two weeks of growth. (closest emoticon for beard) I hate it. It looks bad and my wife complains. Plus it's itchy. Might have different opinions if it looked good but it doesnt. Im going back to stubble which does look much better.

I must admit I am getting more anxious, especially since I put all my grad school eggs in just two baskets in one city and starting to read about others responses back from their respective applications. My friends, family, boss and two coworkers all know about my plans and I really don't want to have to explain why Im not going. At least I know non-responses are still ok at this point. Each week ramps up the tension though

I did the LD thing twice with two different girls. With the first one, we ended our 2.5 yr relationship after just 5 months apart. With my second, we practically started out as a LD couple and were living together after 4 months and engaged after 6. Still together after 12 yrs. The distance didnt kill my first relationship; it just forced us to act on one that had been in decline before the separation. The second time it added tension, excitement, anticipation and worry into the relationship, but ultimately didnt help or hurt us. The distance is thing is but what you make of it. It can be a test alright but it wont be the root cause in your relationship's success or demise

This question will probably get a "that depends qualifier" but how often do admission committees typically meet. I was notified that my application was deemed complete and would be considered at the next ad com meeting. THis is for a (non academic) masters program at a school with rolling admissions. And do they decide in that meeting or push a portion to be considered in the next meeting after that?

I applied before Dec 10 to have the best chance at some funding. I am not sure if I will qualify but at least I'm being considered. I didnt know about Baruch until I saw their booth at the Idealist.org grad fair in San Francisco last fall. But the recruiter was a pretty dynamic guy and encouraged me to visit NYC and the school. I added Wagner and Hunter to my to-see list and went ahead with it. They have a rolling admission process, btw

Most universities now will make you pay a health fee regardless of your need to use their on-campus medical facilities which range in quality from excellent to avoid at all costs. Several universities I looked also had conventional health plans to purchase from as well.