kobrans

This morning I received notice of a scholarship from Teachers College, which is more generous than UPenn and has all but made up my mind for me in favor of TC. And yet this brings me to another question: Should I leave time in my school year schedule for internships? Right now my plan is to continue working full-time and attend classes in the evenings, but would an internship or new job in international education be better for job prospects down the line (as opposed to my current job, from which I would have security and a continuous paycheck)?

Decision time! I've been admitted to both UPenn GSE's Education, Culture, and Society program and Teachers College, Columbia's International Educational Development program. UPenn gave me a $5,000 scholarship for one year, full-time. TC didn't offer me any money, but I would be attending for two years part-time. I already work in NYC, so I would hope to continue working full-time. I may be able to get my employer to cover some of the costs, but I'm not sure yet. I want to leave my current career field to pursue something in international education and/or intercultural communication, possibly at an NGO or something like a university global ed office. I'm hoping that grad school and five years' work experience will help me get a non-entry-level job when I graduate. That being said, which program has better job placement and recognition? I've also applied to the Global and Transnational Studies program at the University of Tampere in Finland, but I won't hear back until late April. Being both international and tuition-free, this is my first choice. However, I need to get back to UPenn and TC before I'll hear back from Tampere. I figure I'll decide between the two and risk losing my deposit if I am admitted to Tampere. Honestly, I'm excited about all of my choices and I think I could be happy at either UPenn or TC. My choice is really based on cost and job prospects, at this point. Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!