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I'm in the same situation. April 15th (I think?) is the national deadline although some schools have earlier or even later deadlines. You could probably ask for an extension. For me, I've heard back from my top schools, so I'm going to visit them over the next couple of weeks and then make a decision. Unless they will only consider you for funding/assistantships once you have accepted their offer, it probably will not hurt to ask for an extension.

First of all, congrats on all of the schools you were accepted to! Since you think you might want to pursue a career in development or public relations, you might want to consider which schools offer courses/opportunities for you to explore these areas. Of course there are exceptions, but arts management programs will usually be more business focused than museum studies programs. From my somewhat limited experience, none of the development or public relations staff that I have worked with received a degree in museum studies. I'm not saying that it is impossible to be successful in those areas with that degree, but most museum studies programs are curatorial/education/collections management focused. I would suggest really thinking about your career objectives. If you are unsure, you might want to go to the museum studies route (or MBA combo), which would have a more generalized curriculum. This blog post might help you out! http://museumblogging.com/2011/11/23/how-to-pick-a-good-graduate-program/ Good luck!

@catsandmarathonsThank you for the information! There's a lot of truth in your message... the job market is tough! I have about 4 years of combined internship and work experience, and I still have not been able to get a full-time position in a museum. I'm working in a library now, which is great, but it isn't my desired institution. This is why I am going to graduate school. Like you said, hopefully it will open the door for more professional opportunities. Can I ask you how you know about the Seton Hall program?

Does anyone have any information or opinions on Seton Hall's Museum Professions Program? Also, where is a good/affordable/safe place to live that would be in between South Orange and NYC?

Stopped by the fancy schmancy coffee shop on my way to work today. By the time I ordered and received my chemex brewed coffee and food, I had already been there for 30 minutes and was definitely going to be 10 minutes late for work. Worth it. As I unwrapped the warm egg and bacon sandwich on a lightly toasted brioche bun with siracha aioli, my grad school stress was not nearly as important as this immaculate sandwich. While I am writing this, my memory of the sandwich is dying, and my grad school worries are quickly inundating my thoughts once more.