shookienewman

I still plan on attending. I think I may have more comfort with the online environment as I've been designing online learning for the past few years and coordinating w/ a research team overseas (so by nature, having all Zoom meetings). There are absolutely road blocks for productivity in that format, but the online format is just a tool - it works the way you use it. It can also be a good help for productivity (you're not wasting time traveling) - Like most things, it just depends. I may have deferred if I was doing a 1 year masters, but I'm starting a PhD. I hope (dear God, I hope) my entire program wont be online, so it made sense to get started.

Hi All - I'm entering my first year as a PhD student, and I'm curious how to set priorities for the year. I have a teaching assistantship, a research assistantship, am assisting on a paper with a friend at another institution, and am also trying to actively monitor my mental and physical wellbeing. I know all those things are important, but some are certainly more consequential than others. For those with longer experience, what should typically take priority during a phd - TAing, courses, research, etc? Thanks in advance!

Some of the postings specifically say that a masters student is required or preferred, but several say that the position is open to doctoral students/ students of any level or discipline.

@jose_lr @Smweave3 @Rhac16 @trekhgornyval (and others - did my best to tag who I saw discussing the program) Reached out to the UT EPP Program Coordinator about funding and heard that I did not receive funding. She mentioned that the funding was very limited this year (though that may have just been to soften the blow). I'm not sure if that means those that have received funding have heard about their funding status or not. Here's some of the wording: "Unfortunately we have very limited funds this year and were not able to offer you a funding package. There are two possibilities, however. Some additional funding may become available later in the spring, but this is certainly not guaranteed. Almost all our students are able to secure Teaching Assistantships or Graduate Research Assistantships upon enrolling in the program. These provide a stipend and tuition reimbursement... we work hard to ensure our students are supported with GRA or TAships in the program." Hoping the best for you all!

I'm still waiting on finaid info from UT too - really anxious to know. Not sure if we'll need to look at the GA positions or if we'll be funded through research.

I am as well - Prior year results would make it seem that we should know by the end of the week. Have you heard anything from them? Other programs had interviews and such, but I'm not sure what the protocol is for this particular program. I didn't see any interview listings on the results page either.

NVM

Thanks @amyvt98. I appreciate hearing about your experience - I'm still thinking on it, and will let the board know where I land. Thanks again!

Hi All, I want to be a professor, though I have a healthy skepticism about entering academia. That being said, I only applied to highly ranked programs given the competitiveness of the job market. These programs are also very much in line with the type of research that excites me. The closest program is 3 hours from where I currently live, and where my husband currently works (going on 8 years). My husband has been extremely supportive throughout, but we're struggling to figure out logistics to support both our careers and our young family. The way I see it, we have a few options: We can uproot our lives for my PhD, costing my husband career advancement (when he's been asked to assume a new leadership position). We can live apart - We lived apart during my masters, but that seems really undesirable given the length of a PhD and the fact that we now have children (toddler age). I can quickly apply for some lower ranked programs closer to our area, with an understanding that I may not get to be a professor (probably ending up doing adjunct work instead). I'm not really interested in life advice. I am interested in hearing about others' experiences. How have others navigated these types of family considerations?

I'm not sure how you're "supposed to" format it, but I'm using the same format that I used on my masters personal statement. Top left of first page: Full name, ID number (unique to this college), SOP(centered) Header: Last Name, Page# I have a page restriction rather than a word limit, so I'm trying to save what space I have for the content. Your circumstances may be a little different.

Thanks @kemalgider. I appreciate the thought. What I meant is a writing sample separate from the Statement of Purpose. One of the programs I am applying to asks for a writing sample at 6 pages max. That's why I'm thinking about cutting a strong paper (master's thesis) down or using a less strong paper. I'll review my other papers tonight and see if I can make something else work.

Did anyone else rethink their life choices while writing a statement to convince a committee that this is the right life choice for you? ? Almost done with everything on my end - it's been a process. What are you guys using for a writing sample? The works I planned to submit exceed the page limit, so I'm trying to think carefully about whether to cut down a strong piece or whether to use a shorter piece.

I'm also applying (or trying to) this year. Struggling to get everything finished. UT Austin - Education Policy PhD UT Austin - Sociology PhD Stanford - SHIPS PhD

So this post isn't really for me or for Heather... It's for anyone who is looking at these schools in the future. I ended up deciding on Stanford for the following reasons: Coursework - Because my focus on the transition to college spanned both K-12 and Higher Ed, the POLS program offered me the greatest level of flexibility to study both. The cohort is focused on the whole continuum, and they end up working in a variety of sectors (charter, public, higher ed, nonprofit, etc.). Also, because Stanford operates on the quarter system, I have the opportunity to take a greater variety of coursework, essentially an extra semester's worth of classes. I felt like this was the best use of my time. Leadership - The focus on leadership through the POLS seminar was really attractive to me. During the Autumn quarter, the seminar is used to study different leadership theories, and in the Winter & Spring the seminar is used to put those theories into practice. All of that culminates in the POLS Project, which I think really demonstrates practical knowledge to a future employer. The director emphasized that the program was there for your personal development and growth, and his goal was to help you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be in what kind of organization. General Atmosphere - The POLS program was just a great cultural fit for me. The director of the program, David Brazer, was very down to earth and eager to talk with us individually. Stanford definitely did not pull out the "bells and whistles" for prospective students. Some schools I visited were a little more flashy, and I appreciated that I didn't feel like I was being sold something. I just felt like I was in a community of helpful people. We had four different chances to interact with current students through a number of activities, and we had several reception/meals with current staff and faculty. Everyone was fantastic. Funding - I had a slightly better financial aid package from Stanford, but the differences were pretty slight. Marriage & Travel - This will vary for everyone, but travel affected my decision. I am married, but my husband is going to remain at his current job in Texas and visit when he can. Flights to San Francisco were significantly cheaper, and weather conditions are not something we needed to worry about as much as Boston. We also just loved the area - there was so much to do. I really enjoy hiking, and hiking up the coast was so beautiful. We're looking forward to enjoying nature when he comes up to visit Latino Issues - I am Mexican American, and the majority of students that I serve are Latino/a. While Stanford is still an elite and primarily white institution, the state of California, like my home base in Texas, is almost 40% hispanic. The flexible coursework gives me good opportunities to take a few courses specifically focused on latino student success, and the organization I choose to partner with on my POLS project has a good chance of being Latino focused. If anyone else in the future is really interested in studying latino success in education, I would also recommend UT Austin. It's a top 10 education program, has great latino research opportunities, and a really socially conscious and diverse faculty. It was really difficult to turn them down. I'm keeping them in mind for a Ph.D. I still think Harvard is an absolute dream - check out HGSE 2016's board if you want more information about the school. It really is an amazing option to have. There was no "wrong" choice. Many of the prospective students I met were thinking about both schools, and I presume we'll all fall in different places for different reasons. Ultimately, you just have to decide where you will be the most successful.

From what I understood, first year graduate students are guaranteed housing for the first year only. They aren't guaranteed their preferences, but they are guaranteed a spot somewhere.

Has anyone heard about their financial aid package? I got an email recently saying that we should have heard back. I emailed them to let them know I had not received mine yet, but I was wondering if there were other grants available or only loans. Thanks!

Thanks for responding, @Heather1011. The fellowship from Stanford is 10K and is a 1 year program. Good to hear that there are funding opportunities at Harvard as well. The website made it sound like there would be next to nothing, so I was pretty concerned. I guess that makes things about even between them. They just seems so evenly matched in a lot of ways. Thanks for sharing your HGSE knowledge!

Hi y'all, So I'm trying to decide what school to attend this fall. I'm visiting my last two schools in early April, but I'm trying to think through the questions I need answered to make a decision so that I can make the most of my visits. I was accepted at five schools, but I think I have narrowed it down to Harvard GSE (EPM program) and Stanford GSE (POLS program). Both programs are a great fit for my area of interest, and I appreciate the focus on management and leadership they both offer. As background, I plan to focus on systematic causes for educational inequality, particularly in higher education completion. Remarkably few low income students are completing their associates or bachelors degrees. I have been helping students enter college, and now I want to work to give those students an opportunity for college success. I plan to eventually get a PhD, but I also am interested in potentially running retention and graduation programs with an institute of higher ed or an educational foundation in the meantime. These are some of the things I've been considering thus far: Funding - Stanford offered fellowship, yet to hear from Harvard on financial aid. I had heard there's very little in the way of fellowships/GA positions at Harvard, but a current student mentioned that it's there if you look for it. Cohort Size - Stanford is smaller (though I'm not sure if that's a pro or con for networking) Campus Life - What I've read online (may not be true) is that there's a lot of obvious ambition/competitiveness at Harvard and that Stanford is more relaxed (but still high achieving). I probably would do best in a collaborative rather than competitive environment. Harvard has student housing that allows pets. (My dog is my best friend. Go ahead; judge me.) Harvard is much colder than California, but I don't want that to necessarily dictate my decisions. Program Stanford - MA, has "shark tank" like project where students present a proposal on a real world problem, can take courses in other fields Harvard - EdM, has strong focus on practical solutions and entrepreneurship, can take courses in other fields Questions I still have include: What's the advantage of a small cohort? Of a larger cohort? What are most alumni now doing? What percentage are focused on higher ed? What kind of funding is actually available at Harvard? Does anyone have advice on how to make a decision or other factors that I should be considering?

@writegirl I'm in the same boat (Stanford POLS and HGSE Ed policy). I have no idea how to choose, and I was really counting on the preview day.

So my heart jumped into my throat when I saw this... And I'm in! I can't believe it. This is unreal!

First of all, this thread has kept me laughing through this tortuous experience. So thank you for that. Second, I've kept so calm today. I was doing a great job distracting myself, but I'M FREAKING OUT NOW. I'm so ready to know.

Yes for POLS - my application status in the portal has not been updated though. I noticed that was a question for someone else.

I was wrong! I got an email this afternoon with an acceptance. Email is not necessarily bad!!

From what's available on the results page, it looks like acceptances get calls and rejections get emails. There aren't a ton of responses, but that's what it looks like. The school's area code is 650, by the way, so you know what to look for - I'm assuming it comes through a school number.