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If you ever went to at least one advising session, chances are they remember you. And if that's not the case, just prepare a packet: transcripts, notable projects/assignments you did in that course, and your resume. It helps to reach out way in advance so it doesn't seem like you're just begging for a letter. So send an email reaching out, stating what semester you took their course in, your grades, and what you're currently doing professionally. Tie that in to how their teaching helped you get to where you are, and why you think it's important that that particular professor writes you a letter. Good luck!

In the grand scheme of things, two years post-grad isn't a long time. At least, not long enough to merit not having any LORs from former professors. Most schools want at least one academic ref, if not two, just because it proves that you can take on coursework. The employer ref is awesome for showing that you have practical experience, but it doesn't tell adcomms how you behave in a classroom or less pragmatic setting. Is there a specific reason that you don't want LORs from your professors?

I'd say apply at your current institution! The worst thing the adcomm can say is "no." And really, that doesn't brand you some pariah for life. But you can start pursuing your plans of being a chemist by a mountain town now too; the two goals aren't mutually exclusive. Apply for jobs since it can take a while for them to get back anyway. Generally, taking time off to pursue professional endeavors gives people a chance to recuperate and refocus their interests. You can be that chemist right outside of Denver or something for several years and then apply to any grad program that you desire, not just the one where you know you're almost guaranteed admission. Believe me, if you truly love what you do you'll still be motivated to study it even after a year or two off from academia. I thought the same exact thing before I left undergrad. What I'm saying is, apply to the grad program AND apply for work so once you graduate you have options. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

My friend is actually doing either SLP or Counseling at UCF right now (I cannot remember for the life of me)! She lives with her longtime boyfriend, which obviously cuts down on expenses. Other than that, she works at Seaworld and is taking out loans. With large-ish programs like SLP at UCF, it's difficult to land TA assistantships or fellowships; your best bet would be competing for the on-campus jobs since they work with demanding schedules. Knightlink is a really good resource for that! Otherwise, it's gonna be loan city for a while.

Save yourself the money. For most programs, the GRE is a formality; professional MA programs generally care more about your in-field experience and SOP.

I've lost it. I'm pretty certain something awful is gonna go wrong with my application process, and I'll fall back to this thread.

Great, thanks! I actually just got a chance to sit down with yours, so I'll PM you in a few.

I wouldn't mind taking a look at it! I'll PM you later with edits. Would you mind taking a look at mine as well?

No problem, good luck in Orlando!

http://www.acsp.org/sites/default/files/20th-Edition-ACSP-Guide-FINAL.pdf - Great handbook on schools in North America that are accredited by their associated Planning board. Has info on financial aid (for some schools, it even lists the different fellowships available) and MA-PhD joint programs. Hope this helps!

No problem! I'd see what everyone else on GradCafe says too; there are a couple of people here who are pro!

I would say go with the NGO founder since that experience is a) more recent, and more pertinent to what you actually want to do. I'd likely replace recommender #1 with the professor just so you have at least one academic reference, even if it is out of field.

Hey all! I'm applying to three schools for a Master's in Urban Planning (UWashington, FSU, & UF), but my top choice is FSU since they participate in the Peace Corps' Master's International Program. Also, tuition is super cheap; planning is generally a terminal Master's, so funding is weird. There are a lot of other reasons I chose FSU too, but that's not what this post is about! My concern with my SOP is that it's too verbose. I'm accustomed to things being brief and to the point, so writing an SOP feels like writing a cover letter that's way too long. FSU's character limit is 4k (~600 words), and I'm at 3,760 with spaces. But it still looks... off. Please critique and offer constructive suggestions! Also, a question for those of us who are grossly underrepresented in our fields: did you mention this in your SOP, or did you wait until the interview? Anyway, without further ado: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I didn't realize the weight of the phrase "everything comes full circle" until about a year into my post-undergraduate career. That is, I had no idea that my enthusiasm for cities and housing had anything to do with my studies in Political Science. It was only after interpreting what had to be my hundredth GIS map that I was able to come to the conclusion that pursuing a Master's degree is the right decision to make at this point in my career. I aim to analyze global trends – particularly informal settlements and environmental revitalization – and apply that to private development. After earning my Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of -----, I began working in real estate – first in law, then in development – and eventually realized that I preferred the active planning and development of communities as opposed to the policy and law associated with those communities. In my current capacity as a Research Assistant with a private firm, I am privy to a variety of plans ranging from high-rises to shopping centers. As such, I have the opportunity to interact and connect with municipal, county, and state governments across the United States. However, I know that I won’t always be content with merely conducting the research necessary for development: I want to be the point of contact when a rising city in Juba needs advice on how to provide housing for a growing populace, or when a metropolitan area in Gujarat is looking to be more environmentally efficient. My undergraduate coursework focused primarily on international politics, as did my longest-running internship with Orlando’s -------. While working with -----, my research focus was on ideological refugees, specifically those seeking asylum from the repressive juche regime in North Korea. More specifically, I asked what communities would be best poised to take in these refugees and how said communities could plan for such an influx. Once I had completed that research project, I then moved on to study non-governmental organizations and Arabic up to the intermediate level, among other things. Having completed my studies, I decided to enter the workforce in order to refocus and decide what path was best for me in terms of practicality and fulfillment. These two years in the industry have given me time to solidify my research interests and prepare for a higher level of study. In addition to that, I’ve had time to volunteer with ----- as an employment assistant, helping the unemployed build their resumes and teaching individuals to maximize usage of job board sites such as Indeed. I’ve also had the chance to hone my Arabic skills while taking up some basic French to supplement the Arabic I know. In short, I’ve been able to improve myself and define what kind of impact I want to have in the field of planning. Florida State University’s MSP-MIP appealed to me mainly because of the program’s ongoing research of resiliency in squatter settlements. I’m particularly interested in learning how to plan projects in developing areas and actually applying that knowledge; I do enjoy research, but I prefer putting research into action. The Peace Corps practicum drew me in even further since it allows the individual to put theory to work; my belief is that research is useless if one cannot use it. It’s clear that the University believes in hands-on training as well, as evidenced by the extensive non-academic professional work by Professor------ and Planner-in-Residence ------ in particular. I know that I will thrive in a program where I get the chance to actively apply planning theory, and I look forward to getting the opportunity to do so with Florida State University’s MSP.

Hey ARJS! UCF undergrad alumni here. Florida native (from good ol' Jacksonville) and Orlando resident for about 5 or 6 years. Accomodations: Oviedo: 2-3 bedrooms ~$1200-1500. Close to UCF, quiet. A little ways away from actual civilization, and you still get enclaves of student party houses. Avalon Park: 2-3 bedrooms ~$1500-2000. Close to UCF and adorable small-town feel. A little too close to Bithlo (think middle-of-nowhere) for comfort, and traffic can get downright nasty at any time of the day. Dean Rd.: 2-3 bedrooms ~$1300. Close to UCF and amazing Jay Blanchard Park. Also close to student housing and really bad drivers. I mentioned the above three because of their proximity to primary schools and UCF. I don't know what any of these schools are rated, but Zillow does a good job of that! Let me know if you're willing to commute and I can offer some other options too. Utilities & Cable Providers (note: these are neighborhood-dependent): OUC is my favorite utilities provider hands-down. Cheap and honest. Duke Energy is another, but I've never had their services. Progress is also another, but I hated their services in undergrad. Brighthouse Networks is the cheapest for cable TV and internet, with no contract. AT&T Uverse is the best option, but barely available anywhere. All other cable/internet providers are a huge waste of money, would not recommend. Phone Services: A lot of my friends use MetroPCS (decent coverage, cheap price), Cricket (same), or Virgin Mobile (spotty coverage, cheap price). You can get unlimited text/talk/data for anywhere from 45-55/mo. for an individual phone. You're definitely gonna need a car. Sucks, but the Lynx bus system is trash. As far as food costs go, luckily there are a lot of Aldi grocery stores and little mom-and-pop shops (Fancy Fruit, the Indian Grocer, etc.) that operate in addition to big-name brands like Publix and Wal-Mart; lots of cheap options. I absolutely cannot tell you anything about health insurance since I'm still mooching off of my parents', but I'd try calling UCF's health services (https://hs.sdes.ucf.edu/). Let me know if I can help you further!