ArsVitaAmericana

So I received a letter of admissions to my top choice school, and I've been in contact with the chair of the dept, but not with the graduate studies chair. I emailed him (like the letter said I could), about the possibilities of funding and a good time to call on monday. It is now saturday. I have not received any word from them. I then also emailed the dept. chair (who is who I want to work with, and who I've been in contact before), and he got right back to me. So I'm wondering, should I re-email? Should I call the grad. chair? should I contact the dept. secretary? Its all making me feel a little lack-luster about the school (although everything seems to be moving well along for my bf and I to move out there together with a job for him (fingers crossed, knock on wood). THoughts?

I'll be starting my MA this fall and I'll be 25 when I start (I'll turn 26 right after the semester starts!). The program should take 1.5-2 years and then I'll be 27. I'm still not positive I want to go on to a PhD. Theres a chance I might do an MFA instead (Also somewhat of a terminal degree). I need to figure out exactly what track I need to be on and there is still a lot of things up in the air in my life, thus the MA choice over the PhD. However if I do start a PhD i'll most likely be 28 or 29, which means I'd finish said PhD between 33 and 35. Wow. I hadn't comped it out like that. Chances are I'll go back into the prof world and try to make some money again after the Masters, but it could all change. Life is up in the air all the time. I definitly don't regret waiting to go back. I've learned so much, and because I'm in the arts (Theatre), it's extremely important to know that this field is what you want before you go and get an advanced degree in it. We'll see how it all goes .

Thanks, thats what I was thinking. I might wait til I get the official letter... should be here any day. .

So I got into several schools at this point (what an awesome relief), and I'm pretty positive that I will be attending University of Pittsburgh for a Masters in Theatre and performance studies this fall. I'm currently on the wait-list for funding (they don't have a lot to go around at the moment), however my second choice- Tufts- gave me a half-tuition scholarship. How do I tactfully use this as leverage to negotiate some funding? Because I would love to not have to take out as much loans/work hard core.... At UPitt it's likely that the aid will come as an assitantship (and I'm totally fine with that). Any advice on who I should approach with this/ how I should approach this? Thanks!!

So it's looking likely that My boyfriend and I will be moving down to Pittsburgh in the near future. We currently live in Syracuse, NY. Our current rent is ridiculously low, and I know that because I lived in Philadelphia for the last 3 years, but my boyfriend has not so his concept of reasonable rent is sort of swayed. We have one car between the two of us, and I bike most of the time (except if the weather makes it dangerous- which is unfortunately more months of Syracuse time that I would like) or I take public transit. I will be going to UPitt in the Fall (MA Theatre), and I would like to live within a 30 min. Public Transit radius of the school. We're also not going to be able to do more than about 600 in rent, and we'll be looking for a 1 bedroom (or 2 if it fits in the price range) with enough room that we don't drive each other crazy. I'd like to live in walking distance to a grocery store as well. I've been looking through all of the different threads, and it seems like Friendship would be an awesome neighborhood. But I'd like to know more about Wilkinsburg, and possibly Mexican War Street, and any other cheaper neighborhood thats not too far and not too dangerous (like I said I lived in Philly, so as long as theres not gang shootings happening on the street/living next to all the crackhouses it's okay by me). Any suggestions? Any realtors we should look into? I'm super excited about the move, and my boyfriend is a huge steelers fan so he's stoaked as well.

As a Theatre professional and going back for a more academic masters, I'm not that interested in a Tenure Track. I mean, that would be fantastic, but I'm not expecting it. Actually, I'm going back for a Masters to get Adjunct positions. I'm sick of working stupid jobs (read: not in my field or remotely related) which trying to run arts organizations and get them off the ground. My thought is that I can probably rake in enough funds with Adjunct positions and professional gigs to be a full time Artist. That's the goal. That's the dream. Oh also, I want to change the world with theatre. But first I'm working on financial viability....

Checked and it seems like anytime between 2/15 and 3/15 is decision time for UPitt. Nothing for UPitt yet this year though. Fingers crossed. Should I contact the admissions office or the dept.? It just sends cannon ball down to the pitts of my stomach to call and get a rejection. I was such a cool cucumber before the whole I'm moving there anyway business....

So, I've been accepted to a couple of programs, one of which I would be happy to go to (Tufts). However, My boyfriend (who I live with) just found out yesterday that he got a job offer that he needs to take in Pittsburgh come may. I am still waiting to hear from UPitt. I have NO idea when UPitt lets people know. UPitt is also my first choice school, so this could either be extremely fortuitous or not as much so. So I'm wondering if I should contact Pitt to find out when they might be contacting me, etc. Or if I should just wait it out. This would be easier if I knew around when I'd be finding out from them... So in conclusion, any advice about whether or not to contact the program (it's MA Theatre and Performance), and if so how should I word it to not be so extremely annoying...