acmes

Me! I'm pretty sure it will be my top choice as well.

I would just make sure you know their program inside and out and be prepared to articulate why this particular school is right for you. BGC is very unique and you should discuss why that's a good fit. I'm not in the program, but have been through an interview. It was relaxed and to-the-point.

Turq Turtle...I've been out far longer than you have and was faced with a similar problem. Fortunately I live in a city with several high-profile universities, including an Ivy. The latter offered a program for returning post-bacc students to obtain a "graduate foundations" certificate. There was a basic application process, but once I was in, I was able to register for most undergrad and some grad level classes--for a minimum of 12 credits and a B avg (I've managed to far outpace that). I now have a much better and more relevant transcript to submit. I was able to tap a couple of professors for LORs and--most importantly--I know I can compete academically with most other students applying from any school. It also confirmed that my chosen subject area was one I would be willing to dedicate the next couple of years to. Check out any institutions near you that may offer "Continuing Ed." or Professional Studies" Certificates.

Actually I also have a daughter in college (fortunately not local--THAT she wouldn't be crazy about) and it's been quite nice for the both of us to commiserate together. She's the only one who seems to understand when I talk about answering questions wrong and feeling not up to par. I sometimes run into a few of her HS friends around campus and they're always very sweet. Surprisingly, there almost always a few older (even older than ME!) people in the classes, but I notice that few of them are doing it for credit. I was the only one with gray hair sitting for the midterm today, for example. I have to say, doing it for credit really keeps me on my toes.

Morning all, here's something to make you feel better about yourself: If you think YOU'RE old, try being me: 57. I've spent the last couple of years in a program for returning students who want to get a do-over, prior to applying to Grad school. The good news is my transcript looks much better than it did when I walked in the door and I have close to 30 credits that justify the change of focus (BA in Poli. Sci. and hope to have an MA in Archaeology/Art History). Now for the hard part...asking for LOR. It fills me with dread. I keep "imagining" that all the "A"s I piled up were given to me because the professor felt sorry for me. Plus, most of them seem to be on sabbatical this year. Does anyone have any tips or words of wisdom? The other hard part: There are very few local programs for what I'd like to study (and I can't relocate because I still have a child in high school). Looking at CUNY MA in Liberal Studies, because they don't require the GREs (the gods have smiled upon me).

Thanks all. Feeling somewhat relieved though clearly the path to graduate school is mined with intellectual traps and pitfalls.

I'm a new to the site and just signed up. I was pretty confident until I did so, however. In the security question this site requires to ensure that I'm not a bot, it asked the name of the planet we're living on. I typed in "Earth". I was told that this was incorrect. Have I missed some new developments? I retyped it. Again, it was invalid. I know I've been busy with coursework and stuff, but I thought we were still calling this place, Earth. Maybe it was the capitalization...it's an earth, not the Earth. Sigh. Good news is that it asked me what three plus 11 was and despite my GRE math score being in the toilet, I was able to figure it out. But just in case it comes up in an interview, would someone let me know what planet we ARE living on.