Jae B.

Wow, great options. Tough choice, but... I would go to Syracuse! I considered applying to USC. I know awesome people who go to the Annenberg School. I think their PhD offering sounds fantastic. But, while USC is better known -- at least on the West Coast -- from what I've seen, I don't think USC's reputation is going to get you that much further than Syracuse's near anonymity. (If you move back to the East Coast at some point, Syracuse may offer more connections for you anyhow!) For me, USC's rep. wouldn't be reason enough to incur that much debt. That said, I am really anti-debt. Especially in journalism. After looking into USC more, I felt strongly that the SoCal area wasn't a good journalism practice ground for my interests, and I wouldn't want to spend two years there. If you already feel like you've spent too much time there, that doesn't sound like a location that will encourage you to continue for your PhD. Meanwhile, Syracuse nets you great New York connections and gets you back on the East Coast. I wish I had known more about Syracuse before I applied to graduate schools. It was off my radar until recently, but it sounds like a great up-and-comer in the top J-School rankings. The opportunity to be part of building their reputation would be exciting. It's nice that, compared to other schools, I haven't heard one bad thing about Syracuse. Their program offerings look stellar. It'd be a win to go there. (I still hope you get funding!) Maybe now is a good time to enquire about how Syracuse's one year program can still support your PhD aspirations? I'm sure there are things you can do, but I haven't researched it much myself. Judging from their program titles, though, I'm not sure two years in a "print journalism" track is going to make you more Communications PhD-ready than one year at Syracuse; their program sounds more comprehensive and possibly comparative, which is probably better prep! If you have a relevant undergraduate degree as well, I wouldn't worry so much about your graduate school choice as long as you have focused aspirations. How long do you have left to decide, and are you interested in Columbia if you get off their wait list? Also, what does your intuition tell you?

lost control

This argument is extremely relevant in my field, where a lot of employers disdain a master's degree. But the fact is, so many are replacing full-time experienced employees -- advanced degree or not -- with unpaid interns who get college credit. Getting a job is going to be a challenge no matter what. I'd rather be more skilled and competitive later for those seeking to hire, with a flexible advanced degree and maybe a longer wait for a good job, rather than be another kid out there now begging to get paid little to nothing. That said, I'm not planning to spend much (if anything) on graduate school. With the state of the industry and my humble career goals, spending big bucks on a master's would be pretty darn silly.

pace maker

^… Are you sure you aren't upset with his being less successful than you? You haven't said anything to indicate he is actually resentful of you. But it sounds like his unfinished schooling and loans could hold you back and detract from the success you've had. I'd carefully consider the following: 1) Has he sacrificed some of his success to help you be successful? (Major time commitments, money, etc.?) Since your relationship is currently long distance (ouch, been there...), the answer may be no. But think about the past. 2) How might success be different for you two, and what different challenges do you face? Different fields, goals, etc.? 3) Are your future goals compatible, and might he catch up to you in some way? 4) What is his attitude about this, and does it help or hurt you? Good luck to you!

star light

Financial concerns aside, not to relish being an underling (no sarcasm), but I see great value in attending a program that includes PhD students. I would enjoy such an opportunity to share classes with them, which is quite different than the graduate vs. undergraduate relationship you may recall. PhD students' length of study, knowledge, research and dedication/endurance add something distinct to the academic atmosphere, and I'd want to be around them (and probably model after them) even though I was planning a shorter stay. I don't mean to put anybody on a pedestal, and Masters students certainly deserve equal access to all their programs have to offer, but PhD candidates have a distinct honorable experience I would not shrink from being exposed to. Since a Masters is a relatively short program, to make the most of the brief time, I'd go for the most enriching environment possible (highly-regarded and accomplished professors, and most accomplished, dedicated and diverse student body) and be confident in my own ability to still earn attention, benefits, opportunities and to command equal respect. Competition will probably always exist no matter what program you pick, so why not go for the best that's a good fit for you. Remember, professors -- and their opinions -- are a big part of the environment-equation, but so are your peers!

I believe a little over the limit is okay, given your essay isn't entered into a box online that limits your word count, or a form that could cut off the end of your essay without your knowing. That said, I was incredibly superstitious about going over the limit, and made more than one of my essays equal the word limit exactly.

I understand why even an extension might not look good, but so many considerations go into making a graduate school decision that have nothing to do with the schools. Financial considerations, distance from family, public transportation, weather...you name it. With all those things in mind, asking for an extension shouldn't be taboo. Just try not to frame this as a wait list situation, so you don't seem desperate for another school. I'm grateful my schools allow me until May 1 to make a decision. If they didn't, I'd ask for an extension to consider my financial options and to knowledgeably make the best decision for my success. Put a positive spin on it -- the school you ultimately accept will be the perfect one for you because of your careful consideration, and the one you don't just wasn't meant to be -- and they don't want a half-hearted grad student, anyway. So hopefully they'll allow you the time to be sure about your choice.

^… Ditto! I'm not too worried about making friends, but if I were, I'd try to use housing to my advantage. I'd live in a grad student apartment building, co-op or international house for my first semester or year. You don't need to have a roommate to be close enough to other grad students to build friendships. Also, attend lots of beginning-year events, shamelessly message students with your school listed on Facebook, ask your current friends if they have any acquaintances who are attending (there could be surprises!), find alumni of your undergrad institution there, people from your hometown area, etc., ask your new advisers and professors about students with interests similar to yours, and learn the best grad student food and drink spots early. It could be as simple as connecting with someone who received the same fellowship as you, but you'll find new friends soon enough.

patron saint

You should hear about scholarships and fellowships before you commit. If they don't intend to tell you, bug them! Many schools make informal notifications about these things; a phone call or vague form instead of an official letter, for example. Schools are more likely to wait until after you commit to tell you about your loans, but there should be someone in financial aid you can talk to, to get some idea of what you'll be offered.

Red ink = grading = (usually) negative, to me. But I don't think it matters much, as long as you used pen. If they ever need to share it for some reason, the copies will be black and white anyway.

circus act

man eater

run home

road runner

Continental flight

My short answer: now. Better sooner than you'd like than later than you need! But you might want to gauge the area's employment rates and opportunities in that field, to decide how soon to look. Also, if your boyfriend can freelance, he might not need to be in such a hurry.

host club

mind trip

my treat

Beautiful Soup