ClassicalEducator
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Posts posted by ClassicalEducator
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Thank you - I've already looked into all of those programs and am considering those options, but have essentially ruled out UVA due to its location (spouse's needs preclude my ability to pick up and move everywhere). I definitely need to look into more funding because that is the one area I haven't researched thoroughly. I will try to look for the previous post in the meantime, and keep contacting schools to weigh potential options.
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Hello,
I am currently considering applying to a handful of MBA/MA programs, and I was wondering if anyone else has knowledge of these kinds of programs, or if they are currently enrolled in one, particularly with regards to the field of education. If so, please let me know - I'd love to hear about your experiences!
I'm also mulling over entering an MA program directly and applying to an MBA program after accepting an offer of admission from the school of education. Again, if there are any students with that kind of interdisciplinary interest or experience, please let me know! Thank you!
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No, I had the same issue as well but ended up pulling my applications from last year's cycle for other reasons. I actually had to go down to my local branch of the post office and speak to them personally, because they rerouted two of my transcripts since the carrier simply "didn't believe my address existed." And we had lived there for 2.5 years at that point. Unfortunately, transcript issues seem like they are a necessary evil, but I doubt you are the only one.
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8 hours ago, EvelynD said:
Most of them are December first. The thing is that I only have two options: either the 22nd of September, or at the end of October (because of the training I have to take at my new job, I can't take time off in between these dates). Do you think I should try it in two weeks, just to be sure? I took a practice test a couple of days ago and my scores were véry low, so I need all the time I can get.
Call the schools. I spoke to one of mine (different field and Master's rather than Ph.D) and they were very reassuring, despite that a sister school had posted a cutoff date of October 30/31 for their GREs. (Am registered to take the test on Nov. 10 - tons of drama trying to sign up since ETS's site has been down for weeks and seats were unavailable/not visible for the longest time too). The admissions staff have generally been pretty nice and know the ins and outs of deadlines - my current top choice is why I'm taking it that early for me, I honestly was hoping to push my test back a month or so but my scores won't be recommended to arrive in time for their January deadline. Good luck studying!
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5 hours ago, Opticflash said:
Yesterday I took a Manhattan MST as prep. I got 9 out of 40 questions wrong in total for the Quant sections. At least 5-6 can be attributed to silly mistakes.
Here are some examples:
1. Did the following calculation (even whilst writing it down): 87 - 70 = 13 ... oops
2. In the graph question, I read the legends the wrong way so I got a question wrong.
3. One question could be simplified to 3 variables, N, H, and M. The question asked for N / M, found H / N .. oops. The phrasing of the question I believe caught me off guard.
4. One question asked for the equation of a perpendicular line. I accidentally read as parallel, so I chose the parallel one.Other mistakes include reading "total white marbles in bags A and B" as "total marbles in bags A and B", "(Person) walks 5 miles from A to B in one hour" as "(Person) walked 5 miles per hour from A to B", etc. and sometimes realising that I had made calculation or reading comprehension errors eats up my time significantly.
I can't have this on test day as my Quant score will suffer tremendously if I continue to make such egregious mistakes during the test. The thing is I don't know how to overcome this. Has anyone faced the same issue? If so how did you improve? Are there any tips on how to prevent calculation or reading comprehension errors? How exactly should I lay out my working on the scratch paper? On the practise tests I write things down but if I write too much I become short on time, but if I write too little it leaves me susceptible to making careless errors. Any help is appreciated.
Honestly I've just been practicing/doing homework (enrolled in a GRE prep class and have more resources than a GRE tutor) and my silly mistakes have decreased with practice, time and training. It's frustrating, annoying, draining, and insanely maddening but I find that with diligence and time things have been improving. I'm using/have used Manhattan Prep (all books and class), Magoosh, Kaplan and may slowly be going insane because of this stupid test. But my scores are increasing and I generally feel more confident - even when I make errors now (usually during homework) I have the fundamentals down so it isn't too scary.
Good luck!
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Haven't posted in awhile, but I finally registered for my GRE and am for some reason intensely nervous about sitting for it! I have been prepping for months - since July - and my scores keep improving *knocks on wood* but I still feel so nervous.
Side note - the problems with ETS added a completely unnecessary layer of stress but I suppose I will try to relax between now and my exam.
I've also been picking away at my SOPs, working on my apps, whittling down my schools, and intermittently bothering my professors. I am awaiting the start of the fall quarter and resignedly working part-time as well. How are others managing to keep from going too terribly crazy right now? I can't be the only one.
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On August 17, 2016 at 8:43 AM, rising_star said:
If you're thinking about cross-registration, then consider the consortia that many schools are a part of. For example, if you went to Princeton, you could potentially take classes in the education school at Rutgers or UPenn. I do think you'd be limiting yourself if you only applied to education schools, just because of the kinds of classes you'd then be asked to teach as a faculty member.
Thank you very much for bringing Princeton to my attention again - I was looking into their Art and Archaeology program (or something similar) and only saw the Certificate in Af Am Studies. I didn't know that cross-registration was allowed there, and Rutgers has a visual art professor who just transferred from Columbia and is my current favorite artist at the moment. I would love to take a class with her. And I hadn't seen any information about a consortium with UPenn - they mostly seem to mention their ties with Bryn Mawr and semester abroad study programs. I do know that Brown and Harvard are in a consortium and had wanted to look back into Cornell, but again they phased out their Ed program and I'm not entirely sure what I can do beyond their very strong Af Am Studies department. Do you have any more information on this Princeton program? I will look into it and others to see what else I might find.
Thank you!
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10 hours ago, midmarsh said:
Hi guys!
I'm looking at programs related to international educational development/policy. I'm really interested in the IEDP program at Penn, especially since it offers a Coverdell Fellowship for returned Peace Corps volunteers, which I will be by Fall 2017.
I scored well on the GREs (161 V/164 Q) though my essay score, which I can't remember right now, was not good, because I didn't really prepare for that section as well.
I'm concerned about my GPA. I went to major public research institution and I double majored in mathematics ("pure" math) and international studies. My math courses brought down my overall GPA (3.2) but my major GPA in IS wasn't that much better (3.5). They (UW-Madison) actually has a really strong ed pol program but I can't apply for it since my GPA isn't high enough (3.7 minimum).
But I'm hoping my experience makes up for it! I'm an education volunteer in the Peace Corps in the Caucasus, worked with high school students at pre-college pipeline program for students of color and low-income students for two years, and a literacy nonprofit in the DC area. I also did research for a year with a journalism professor and spent another year doing research for a professor in biostatistics.
I should have some strong recommendation letters but I'm worried I may be shooting too high? I'm looking at other education policy programs too (and if anyone has any recommendations, let me know!) but this program seems to marry all my interests and needs really well.
Have you spoken to anyone from the program? I've found that in general, reaching out to program organizers is incredibly helpful - they're usually eager to help out prospective students in any way that they can and they also point you in the direction of current students, blogs, and other possible avenues for help. I spoke to a few professors at UW-Madison and they were incredibly nice actually. (Not that they were in your dept though, my interests are more along the lines of minority education). But it was very reassuring. In my case, they did mention that they prefer for students to have a Master's before applying to their Ph.D program - not sure if this is what you mentioned though.
Again, I am in a separate field, but I do recall seeing information about Harvard and Columbia as other schools with solid international ed programs. I also think I saw something about a program down in the D.C. area, but I can't recall which school. Maybe browse last year's boards because that seems to be a common thread and potential avenue of concentration. Hopefully this was somewhat helpful to you!
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On June 22, 2016 at 11:00 PM, NoirFemme said:
I know the deal! :-)
Have you looked at UT Austin's American Studies program? There's lots of cross-pollination in different fields, including Education.
Thank you so much! I've been perusing the website for some time now and it seems like a solid program - just wish it had more of a focus in education that could be a better fit with my interests. I think I may continue to look at Af Am Studies programs to see whether they fit with Anthro or some other possible substitute for Education, in case I go in a different direction.
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I would call the admissions offices for your specific programs but I heard that you should address those issues in an attachment or addendum. Depending on the school, they may have different names for it or different length requirements. I don't think it is normally addressed in the SOP because that is supposed to be your statement to shine and discuss why you are a good fit - the explanation for why you had some undergraduate missteps would go elsewhere.
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Read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Phenomenal novel and one of the best ones I've read in years. Another great book is Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangaremba. I am essentially an Af Am Studies person, so my reading lately has skewed towards that. If those are insufficient, let me know and I can think of others.
Both novels feature female African protagonists and demonstrate a wonderfully broad vocabulary.
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20 hours ago, NoirFemme said:
Good for you and good luck.
I'm doing AA Studies (among other things), so hopefully you'll get into a program that fits your needs.
Thanks so much! My current research advisor keeps telling me to think broadly - so for right now, in her mind at least, Af Am Studies is a bit narrow. I'm considering combinations of English/Af Am or History/Af Am but I keep envisioning myself not touching the educational piece (at for example Yale or Princeton since their Ed schools are seemingly fazed out) and feel as though that would be doing myself quite a disservice. I'm leaning towards a broad program/school that allows for plenty of cross-registration and has a strong Af Am Studies dept as well as Ed.
Thanks for your input, and apologies for the evasive comments - I get really antsy about the application process so I hate mentioning Ivies or big name schools even though that's primarily where I have studied. Good luck to you too!
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On June 13, 2016 at 7:19 PM, NoirFemme said:
Ok.
What do you hope to accomplish with a doctorate? That might help you decide whether to pursue an Ed.D or a PhD.
Are you hoping to move into education administration?
Are you just wanting to study your topics of interest?
Who's in the field that you would love to study with (or, who has your dream job)?
Hi,
Thanks for your input. I guess I can keep doing my research on my own - I already know that I want a Ph.D and not an Ed.D (Dad has one and I have zero desire to go back into teaching formally). I already have a career trajectory in mind and am pretty far into researching programs and schools - at least from the educational side of things. I was essentially seeking input from those who have studied or will study African American History in some capacity, and was trying to gauge how they chose their programs and whether there were any who have been in a situation that is similar to mine.
Thanks anyway.
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6 hours ago, rising_star said:
Can you say more about your research interests @ClassicalEducator? I ask because I know of various researchers who have studied things like the history of African-American education from within an African-American studies program, for example.
Sure, thank you. I am focusing on the following in my research: opening/expanding the curriculum to include African American authors/literature, opening up the teaching profession to promote more African American/minority teachers, exploring funding of HBCUs and other African-American centered institutions, and exploring African American feminists and their perspective on literature/education.
I have only considered educational programs for graduate school, but recently started looking into MBA/MAs (UMich and a couple of other schools offer this option) because I am still deciding whether I want to do research or open up my own educational consulting firm. I have yet to explore African American studies strictly by itself because I am not sure whether my research interests align with their usual combinations of Sociology, English, Anthro, etc.
Thank you again for your help and response.
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11 minutes ago, NoirFemme said:
San Francisco State appears to have an Ed.D program with a reputation in Ethnic Studies: http://edd.sfsu.edu/content/program-description
Harvard Graduate School of Education: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/course/fall-2015/t004-ethnic-studies-and-education-fall-2015
UCLA Department of Education: https://gseis.ucla.edu/education/academic-programs/social-sciences-comparative-education/ssce-sub-specializations/
Thanks for your response - I'm familiar with all of those programs. I was just wondering if others were considering applying to Af Am Studies but approaching it from the educational perspective. It sounds as though it isn't possible, which is what I suspected. Either I have to apply to a strictly Af Am Studies program and hope for the best, or go through an Ed department that already has a cross-curricular relationship established.
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I searched for both but realized that some of the top programs have phased out their educational departments. Schools with the better Af Am Studies departments that stand alone tend to allow students to cross register in their Sociology, Anthro, English or History departments.
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On April 5, 2016 at 1:26 PM, Heather1011 said:
I didn't realize Johns Hopkins required an MA. Do they mostly attract PhD/EdD candidates then? I wonder why they do that.
I was equally confused when I was applying to TC, because they have an MA or M.Ed option, and they consider the M.Ed the "advanced masters" (so it was 30 credits vs 60 credits, or something like that). You needed to have an existing MA in order to apply straight into the M.Ed option, I think. But I couldn't figure out why I would want a "fancier" masters (unless I knew I was going for the PhD after) so even though I already have an MSEd, I applied just to TC's MA option. I figured it was cheaper and still got me a degree in the field I wanted.
Hi Heather,
I thought I responded to this awhile ago, so apologies for my late reply. Unless I am mistaken, I believe that JHU wanted to create an incredibly competitive school and mostly focus on research. I know that my list of 20-30+ schools has been whittled down significantly due to factors like requiring MAs, location, etc.
Personally, I prefer MAs because those tend to emphasize thesis papers and research. Those are two areas where I excel and I intend to go straight through to earn my Ph.D if at all possible. Incidentally, would it be possible for me to speak to you about your experiences visiting and applying to the schools you chose? I know you are in a different than I but your perspective would be appreciated.
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Are there others who are considering applying to any of these programs for admission in the fall of 2017? I am mostly concentrated in the field of education, but have been contemplating applying to a strictly Af Am studies program. Many of the top programs however, do not cross-register with education and/or do not have educational departments at all. While I have taken courses in the more common areas - Sociology, History, Anthro, History of Art, etc. - and excelled in them, they are not my primary area of focus. Does anyone have any suggestions as to whether I should apply or consider strictly Af Am studies, or just give it up and head directly for education? Do other prospective students face these dilemmas?
Thanks for your input!
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21 hours ago, Heather1011 said:
Yay International Education!
Something that was very interesting to me recently as I was accepting and declining my offers for International Education were the exit surveys --- HGSE and Columbia both had me select which other schools I applied to, which were clearly the ones that they consider their competitors. For IE/IED/IEP, there are really only 10 or so programs of note in the entire country that actually focus on this issue. It seems that you've identified all of them already... the only others are Vanderbilt, UCLA, perhaps GWU or other DC schools.Something that still baffles me is that Johns Hopkins is consistently ranked #1/#2 in education, yet I've read of almost no one this year or in previous years on this thread who has applied to it. I wonder why that is? It's got major name recognition like Vandy/Stanford/HGSE/Penn/TC etc....
I'm not in your field, but I was actually wondering the same thing myself. I contacted Johns Hopkins (among many other schools) and was taken aback by the response I received. I know that they require all applicants to hold a previous MA, which probably cuts down on their numbers significantly. Aside from that, I cannot personally see what might make them such a force when considering the caliber of other schools.
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2 hours ago, Cat Time said:
I am generally interested in how to increase academic engagment among youth from low-income families, and more narrowly I want my studies to help me answer the question of how the higher education/K-12 links can be strengthened to facilitate this. For inspiration I look at a program at a nearby university which engages inner-city youth and adults by allowing them to take free courses in art, politics, and a range of other subjects, and I want to help expand programs like this and make them more common. This issue cuts across the various program concentrations I've seen, which is why I am looking for something flexible (the Special Studies program at HGSE is something I'm drawn to). I have also thought about PHD studies but I don't think the 5+ extra years of school is for me!
What about you? I know you said your focus is on African-Americans in education, but is there a specific issue related to that which you are particularly interested in?
Ideally, I would like to explore educational funding and opportunities for African American students. I am interested in a Ph.D for research purposes, my ideal position would be as a researcher and an educational consultant with my own business. I have studied HBCUs and funding sources for them (and why they are dwindling), I am considering looking into students of color and their opportunities for entrance into Ivy League universities, and why African Americans are consistently underrepresented in education. This has been a long process for me and a lot of interdepartmental studying - I've taken courses in Multicultural Art History, in Communications, in Af Am Studies, in Lit, etc.
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Thanks so much for the offer - vocabulary, writing, and languages are my strength so I'm relatively secure for that. I have a friend/former coworker who has TONS of GRE resources for me, I just haven't had the time to look through them yet. That's my plan for this summer. Have you narrowed down your area of interest, or are you still trying to figure that out?
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Your stats are impressive! I'm also applying to many different programs this fall - a smattering of either Master's or Ph.D programs. I have been lurking these boards for awhile, and trying not to panic. My focus is on minorities (African-Americans) in education, and this translates to different programs depending on the intended school. I am a bit nervous as I graduated from college (an Ivy) ten years ago, but I have spent the majority of my professional career in education. For the past two years, I've been taking classes in Intercultural Studies and will have a certificate (4.0 GPA) to show for my more recent ventures. I have yet to take my GRE, but will try to this summer/early fall.
I have spent the past several months researching programs exhaustively, and they are mostly those which allow flexibility within the curriculum. I have found many that are interdepartmental, and some of those have been through emailing professors and calling the schools themselves. That might be the best route for you to take, because as good as programs may look online (or on paper), it is far better to actually speak to the admin assistants, program directors, and professors themselves. That is also the best way to feel people out for the role of potential advisor. Good luck to you!
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Are there any Joint MBA and MA Education (or MEd) applicants? I'm looking pretty closely at three programs, and am currently trying to decide between that and a Ph.D. Haven't seriously considered getting an MBA before now, but I am very interested and wondering how/if I stack up.
I'm also considering several Master's and Ph.D programs in Education, with a focus on African Americans in Higher Ed. Feel free to ask me for more info if it helps you to respond.
Thanks for your input!
MBA/MA in Education
in Interdisciplinary Studies
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Thank you, I've actually spoken to several programs and was just wondering if anyone on these boards might share their experiences. I'm pretty set with my path, and I do have quite a bit of experience in education but have absolutely no interest in teaching, which is why I have carefully selected my MA program in education
I'm also fairly set on business school, though likely not planning on enrolling in both programs simultaneously because I am not sure that is the best path for me. Thanks for your response though!