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Hi all! I'm also moving to NYC in August to start at Columbia (Teachers College specifically). A few people have asked about Washington Heights on this thread but I haven't seen too many responses. Can anyone chime in about what Washington Heights is like? On paper, it seems very affordable for Manhattan, close to Columbia by train, and more likely to have amenities like a parking spot and in-unit laundry. On the flip side, I've heard complaints about rampant cat-calling, rats everywhere, and noisy streets at night. Is this all true or am I getting bad/outdated info? If it matters, I'm 25, female, and living with my boyfriend.

Is anyone else on the fence about choosing Teachers College? I went to the events this weekend for admitted students and had a great experience. I have no complaints about the school or the program, and I was impressed with the caliber of the academic presentations I saw on Saturday. The only thing that is holding me back is the cost. I've narrowed it down to Teachers College and Boston University. I estimate that if I go to TC I will go about $35,000 further in debt (on top of my current student loans), and if I go to BU I will have to take out about $8,000 in loans. I see this as a major difference, but I also know that if the financial package at BU were not as good, I would probably not even be seriously considering it as an option. I'm aware that for an MA in TESOL, a prestigious degree isn't needed, but I'm trying to think ahead to a potential PhD in the future. Anyone else having similar thoughts?

Congrats! I was admitted to the Master's program in Applied Linguistics/TESOL on February 20 (3 weeks ago) and I just received my financial award letter today by email. It's my top choice as of now so I was hoping for a lot but not expecting much, and it was higher than I expected but not the highest award I've gotten. Tough decisions!

I just got in yesterday morning too! (M.A. TESOL) Sounds like financial aid info will be coming out in about two weeks. For those who are interested, I submitted my materials just a few days before the February 1 deadline. Congrats ed_applicant and good luck to everyone!

I just got in too with the same scholarship! I'm hopeful because of the mention of graduate assistantships, but I'm not sure if I can afford to go :/ Congrats to everyone!

Congrats on your decision! TC has been my top choice from the beginning, but I want to wait on financial aid info to make a decision. I also want to visit and see it's everything I've hoped for! Have you heard anything about an admitted students weekend? I think I saw something about April 7-8, but I'm afraid to book tickets until I see something more official.

Congrats! Are you attending for sure or waiting for other results?

No, but I did a video interview of sorts as a part of my application. I had to read an article and respond with my thoughts, as well as answer a few questions about myself.

Just heard back from TC yesterday about my M.A. TESOL application- I'm in!! No news about funding though.

Congrats @ChipmOnk!! Which program?

Would you say you're happy with Teachers College overall? Is there anything negative that you didn't realize until you were there for a while?

The way my undergrad does transcripts, it's actually quicker to get an official transcript than an unofficial transcript. I do have an unofficial transcript, but I made some markings in pen on it thinking I had another copy. Nothing inappropriate, I just circled all the grades for the classes I took within my major and made note of my GPA within my major at the bottom. So I was hoping to just go ahead with the official transcript so it looks a little cleaner. I don't have a way to receive an official transcript myself and then send it along to TC- my university requires that I send it directly to them, which doesn't seem possible through the application portal, and I can't find an address or email I can forward it to.

Does anyone know what address or email address to send official transcripts to? I've tried emailing admissions with this question and I haven't heard a response for over 24 hours. With the priority deadline on Sunday, I'm a bit frustrated that they aren't responding faster!

I'm applying to the TESOL program at TC! GPA: 3.8 (B.A. German, B.A. Music) Relevant teaching experience: 2nd year teaching Algebra at a public high school through Americorps; 6 months of ESL classroom volunteer experience Also applying: MIIS, NYU, Boston University, University of Pennsylvania, Hunter College (CUNY), King's College London I've already been accepted to MIIS which I'm very excited about, but I'd really love to attend TC!

Anyone else applying to M.A. Applied Linguistics/TESOL programs? I'm looking at MIIS, NYU, Columbia, Boston University, and King's College London. If anyone would like to trade SOPs, let me know!

If you have specific research interests that align with the professors at the school, definitely mention that. I've seen a lot of advice on this forum about following the past, present, future format. Answering these questions in your essay might help you with that: What made you decide to pursue a graduate degree? What experiences did you have in undergrad that led you to this point? What research have you done or what specific musical experiences have you had? What are your long-term career goals? You've definitely already answered some of this, but more can be added while still fitting the word count. Finally, music is a very passionate subject, so I think it should be fairly easy for you to inject some of this into your essay. What makes you want to pursue music in the first place? Undergraduate degrees in music are tough, and the fact that you've completed one (or will soon) must say something about your passion. Demonstrate this in the essay! Good luck! I have a bachelor's degree in music too. I have chosen to continue down the path of my other undergrad major, but I still play music daily and I have tons of respect for people like you who work so hard to get to this point.

This is the first draft of my SOP for one of my top choice schools, where I'm applying for the M.A. TESOL, K-12 certification program. I'm looking for feedback on style, clarity, and content. This is the prompt: You are required to upload a typed, double-spaced, two- to three-page statement explaining your purpose in undertaking graduate study in this particular program as part of your application. This is your opportunity to introduce yourself and to inform the admissions committee about your goals, interests, and career plans as they relate to your intended academic pursuits. Thank you in advance for your help! And here is my essay, which comes in at just under three pages double-spaced with no header: One of my first duties as an intern at the (refugee resettlement agency) of (city) was to assist a soft-spoken, smiling Afghan refugee named Khalid with job applications. Khalid shared with me that he was forced out of Afghanistan by the Taliban because he had been working as a translator for the U.S. Army. His wife and young daughter were to join him in (city) soon, but they were still stuck in Afghanistan at the time. In Afghanistan Khalid was a dentist, but he couldn’t practice here in the United States because his degrees and training were not recognized, and he didn’t have the time and money to earn an American degree. I helped Khalid apply to a few custodial jobs that day, the whole time wondering if I could ever pick myself up again after losing everything like he had. Khalid became very special to me at a lonely time in my life. I remember his sincerity and kindness when I told him about my dream to be a teacher and the joy on his face when he introduced me to his wife and daughter, who had finally arrived in America safely. Before I met Khalid, I had known that I wanted to have a career related to languages, but I had thought this was merely a selfish endeavor, a way for me to get paid to interact with an intriguing subject. His bravery and sacrifice helped me to understand that it’s possible to use language to change the world. As an undergraduate major in German at (small midwestern private school), I was a student of one of the smallest departments at a fairly small university. Each German class included virtually the same students as it had the previous semester, which allowed me to witness the growth and progress of many of my classmates over a span of 2-4 years. I was of course already interested in German, but these classes also piqued my interest in how adults learn a language. This interest deepened when I gained more exposure to this process, especially at the (refugee resettlement agency), where I met English language learners of all ages and experience levels who spoke dozens of different L1 languages. I wondered at the challenge it would be to have many of these people in the same English classroom at once, which galvanized me to attempt to permanently integrate myself into a community of language learners. My search to combine my love of German with my interest in language education naturally led me to consider becoming a German teacher. In pursuit of initial teaching experience, I joined the (Americorps teaching program), an Americorps program at (public school system) in which I could learn about teaching while working full-time as a high school math teacher in the underprivileged neighborhood of (neighborhood). An overwhelming majority of students in (neighborhood) grow up in Spanish-speaking households, and although many are fluent in English and Spanish, others struggle in various school subjects due to their still-emerging English skills. Additionally, at (adult education center), an adult education center in downtown (city), I have volunteered in classrooms full of adults eager to overcome obstacles as small as a lack of confidence and as big as being illiterate in their native languages. As much as I love German language and culture, I see a greater need for teaching English to those who wish to learn so that they can more effectively achieve their goals here in the United States. The M.A. TESOL program at (private university) was immediately one of my top choices when I began my graduate school search, primarily due to the availability of program-specific study abroad opportunities. While I have enjoyed a few wonderful vacations abroad, I have never been lucky enough to study or live anywhere other than the United States. Even though the courses are brief, their intensity and relevance would surely make the experience a significant asset to my both my training as a language educator and to my growth as a global citizen. I also find that my potential research interests align with those of the (university) faculty. As a lifelong musician and recipient of a bachelor’s degree in Music, (professor 1) and (professor 2)’s philosophies of teaching language through song and other art forms intrigue me. Also, (professor 2)’s work with emergent bilinguals, especially Muslim youth, brings to mind the many young refugees I met at the (refugee resettlement agency), as well as the students I’ve taught at (public school) in (city). Additionally, New York City is the ultimate language learning environment. The sheer number and variety of languages spoken there cannot be rivaled by any other city in the United States. I cannot pass up the opportunity to learn from and about such a diverse group of language communities through an even balance of theory and practical experience. I believe that the world needs more true global citizens. Through teaching ESL, I will be able to help students better communicate their individual thoughts and ideas in an ever-increasingly globally relevant language. After gaining extensive teaching experience, my hope is to enter the field of International Education in order to continue the important work of bridging intercultural understanding, not only from non-native English speakers to native speakers, but also from individual citizens of my country to citizens of another. Truthfully, I am not certain that my current goals will withstand the transformative experience of graduate school, but I do undoubtedly know that I want to, and will, spend my life working in language education.

For those who are curious, here is my experience: 9th grade Algebra I/Geometry teacher through Americorps since July 2015 volunteer ESL teacher assistant since June 2016 (observe/assist in adult ESL classes, occasionally working in small groups with students who need a little more help) Other potentially relevant info: B.A. in German from a small, fairly selective private school, 2014 Major GPA, 3.9, graduated with high honors, Cum Laude GRE: 160V, 167Q, 5 AW completed an internship at a refugee resettlement agency (I am interested in researching refugee populations as related to SLA) Where I believe I'm lacking: didn't do any formal research in undergrad have never taught or lived abroad (have visited 11 countries, but only for vacation) no formal language teaching experience I am hoping to begin a home tutoring program soon, in which I will tutor an individual adult student in ESL at their home once a week. I would like to attend a very high-ranked program, because I hope to get involved in research in the future and potentially pursue a PhD.

I'm applying for M.A. TESOL programs for Fall 2017. After discussing experience levels with a current ESL teacher and graduate of SIT, I'm a little concerned about my applications. She told me that most of her classmates had taught abroad, and the rest had taught a language in the U.S. I had read on many graduate school websites that prior experience isn't required, but now I'm wondering if most of the spots go to people who have taught anyway. So, if you are a current M.A. student or are applying this year, how much experience do you have and what schools did/will you apply to?

As a teacher who just started summer break, I'm trying to form a reading list for the next few months. While I love light fiction reads, I'm also looking for something heavy that can teach me a lot. I'll be applying to applied linguistics and TESOL programs soon, so I'm hoping to find something that makes me think differently about these topics than I have before. I'm also interested in anything with a flair of interculturalism to it, fiction or nonfiction, especially involving refugee stories (I'm a volunteer ESL teacher currently and I'm always trying to learn more about my students' backgrounds). What are the essential books that a linguist should read?

Thank you for your response! This definitely makes me feel better about my chances. Reading this forum can be intimidating because some people have so much experience and knowledge. Yes, I am only applying to MA programs, since I want to get working as soon as possible! I'm in the process of finding linguistics courses to take during the summer so that I can really pin down my interests and be more focused.

I've lurked here for awhile but I haven't really been able to find the answer to this question. I'm hoping to apply to Applied Linguistics/SLA programs for Fall 2017, but I want to make sure this isn't a lost cause because of my total lack of experience in the field. My background: graduated in 2014 from a small Midwestern liberal arts school with a B.A. in German (also a B.A. in Music, but that's not relevant here). GPA: 3.8, Major GPA: 3.95 interned at a refugee resettlement agency currently teaching math at an underprivileged high school in Denver, CO through Americorps GRE: 160 V, 167 Q, 5 AW not as much experience abroad as I would like :/ These experiences are what have led me to want to pursue Applied Linguistics, but I really don't think it's enough to make my applications stand out. I originally thought I was interested in teaching German at a public high school, but these last several months teaching high school kids has changed my mind about that. Now, I'm more interested in teaching adults, but my interests extend beyond TESOL. I really want to understand how foreign languages are learned, and I'd be happy to teach English, but what really fascinates me is developing content for language learning and/or doing research. I've also recently become very interested in endangered languages. What I'm wondering is, what can I do in the next year to better my chances? I'm willing to leave my teaching job and even move somewhere else if need be, and I hope to take some introductory courses in linguistics during the summer. I've searched for jobs and internships, but nearly everything I find requires applicants to already have a master's in linguistics/SLA/education, etc. In fact, the jobs I've been finding are the types of jobs I would hope to have after my master's degree is complete! Here are a few examples if it helps: http://jobs.rosettastone.com/jobs/1249803-Research-Associate.aspx; https://jobs.lever.co/duolingo/287e62c9-4913-4843-93b7-2ecae18521ac Thanks in advance! I really appreciate it when experienced people help out newbies like me!

Thank you! It's good to hear that experience may not be necessary, but of course I'd still like to be working in education until I start grad school for many reasons. Right now I'm working a full-time minimum wage job to pay the rent, which I think will be pretty soul-crushing if I do it for too long! I'll definitely be checking out your suggestions for ed jobs. I'm sure I'd have no problem getting into the most basic/average MAT programs, but what about the truly great ones? Do programs like Stanford's STEP, Vanderbilt, etc. tend to admit students with little to no experience? Since I'm planning on working towards a PhD in the future, I'd really like to attend a top school.

After lurking on this forum for quite awhile, this is my first post! I am looking to apply to MAT programs for Fall 2016, and I would like to teach high school German. I'm interested in potentially returning to school after teaching for several years to study Higher Education Administration or Education Policy. I earned my Bachelor's in 2014 in German from a small liberal arts school in the Midwest. I first became interested in teaching about a year before I was to graduate. I took some education electives, but I was unable to find time to change my major before graduation, and the school was too expensive to stay for a fifth year. I've learned a lot about the grad school application process from reading this forum, but I have a few questions left unanswered. 1. How do I find experience to beef up my application? It seems as if many people here have years of education experience. Since I have virtually none, I'm sure I would be a weak candidate. I live in a large metro area (Denver), so surely there are abundant opportunities, but I have struggled to find positions that I'm qualified for. What kinds of jobs can I find in education without having certification? I'm open to all possibilities. 2. Related to the first question: What is the proper way to contact a school or organization to inquire about job/internship opportunities? I know of others who have tried this and never received a response. Many school websites I've searched have little to no information about employment, and I would hate to miss an opportunity just because it wasn't clearly exposing itself to me. Here's some background on me if it's relevant: Undergrad GPA: 3.8 Major GPA: 3.95 GRE: 160 V, 167 Q, 5 AW Thanks in advance for your responses!