allinduetime

This isn't the easiest combo for Hyde Park. I think airbnb would be your best bet since close hotel options are slim. You should be able to find a nice apartment close to campus for under $100/night on airbnb.

Congratulations!

For anyone waiting on UVA's Social Foundations program, I called the admissions office today and they said decisions will be sent in about a week.

I always try to stay airbnb now. It's just a lot better value than a hotel most of the time. You can stay in the neighborhoods that interest you the most, and have a lot more space than a hotel. I've used airbnb in Portland, ME; Asheville, NC; Warwick, NY; and Montreal. I also just had my family stay at a 2 bedroom airbnb apartment in NYC when they came to visit me. I feel like it's very safe due to all of the social networks and identity confirmations involved. I've never had a problem, highly recommend.

$1200/month to live alone probably isn't going to happen anywhere (unless you live far out from Manhattan). However, if you had a roommate (or two) that could be a possible budget for Astoria, Ridgewood, and Bushwick. This may also be possible in Park Slope, but probably closer to the South Slope. Gowanus does not have very much housing because it is/was an industrial area, so the scarcity actually makes it difficult to find an apartment there. You should also note that Gowanus, while a cool neighborhood, doesn't have that great of train access. This is also true of Bushwick. For whatever reason, it's extremely difficult to afford a studio or one bedroom if you have any kind of budget, but once you have roommates, there are many more possibilities. Check out Zillow for an idea of what different neighborhoods are going for right now.

I'm a public school teacher in New York, and schools in NYC are COMPLICATED because there are more than 1,700 schools in the 5 boroughs. Elementary and middle schools tend to be zoned (though some aren't and may require applications), and students apply to high schools while in 7th grade. I would recommend searching the schools in the different neighborhoods you are interested in living in. Along with DOE website, insideschools.org can be very helpful to get some more insight into the schools. In terms of where to live, I agree that Astoria is a good area because it has affordable housing, interesting things to do, and a manageable commute. Upper Manhattan, say above 86th St., will probably have more affordable apartments than other areas of Manhattan, but every neighborhood in Manhattan gets more expensive every year. Brooklyn used to be more affordable, but the neighborhoods that would have a short commute to NYU are becoming more popular. Still, you could research Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Prospect Heights because these are great family neighborhoods and you may be able to find a well-priced apartment.

I'm pushing 7 weeks waiting for word on funding I did get an update about a week ago that things were trending in the positive direction, but no funding as of yet. The admissions chair has to find positions in other departments and outside scholarships to fund me because our department is poorly funded.

These are 2 programs I applied to that have are based in philosophy of education/social foundations of education: UVA - Social Foundations of Education Pittsburgh - Social and Comparative Analysis is Education (SCAE)

I don't know much about the Mathematics program, but I grew up in North Carolina and know a few people who went to Duke for undergrad. From my observations, people have strong reactions to both Duke and Durham: either they love it or...they don't. I think there's some new, interesting things happening in Durham, but it would definitely be different from the outdoor lifestyle of Boulder.

Perhaps it depends in what school district you're working in, but in NYC, simply having a PhD/EdD wouldn't be seen as overqualified at many schools (especially an EdD, since that is a professional degree). Instead, I would think a more practical problem in getting hired might be if you don't have much practical experience in the classroom settings you want to work in. Having reviewed resumes and done hiring with other teachers at my school, I've found it is often more appealing to hire someone with a Master's and significant secondary teaching experience than someone who has a PhD/EdD and primarily college teaching experience. The effects of this difference can be seen interviews as well as when applicants are called back to do demo lessons with students. Those with experience tend to have a better understanding of how to organize, execute, and adapt a lesson in real time while also connecting with students. Teachers with less experience (even if they have more education) tend to feel more stilted and not connect as well with the class.

This is 100% spot on. You wouldn't expect to be able to write policy for lawyers or doctors had you not been one before, so I don't understand why people believe it should different for education. But I've been a student and in education my whole life, you say! That's the misconception that has led to the abysmal education policy related to NCLB, Race to the Top, and the "reforms" of today. Teaching primary/secondary school is humbling for anyone. The whole first year of teaching is about realizing all of your misguided assumptions surrounding teaching. Anyone doing the first year right has multiple identity and existential crises regardless of your intelligence or theoretical expertise. There's just so many nuances, paradoxes, and social factors in education that you really cannot appreciate or understand without significant experience as a classroom teacher. For that reason, I don't believe any truly effective policy maker could go without classroom experience.

Congrats to all the Master's students! From the results page it seems like it's rough going for PhD candidates (myself included)

Thanks whittylin!

Any updates on PhD programs?

I had a phone interview 2 weeks ago and then received a letter in the mail a week later.