thelionking

I don't know anything about your field but it sounds like the first program would only give you half of what you are looking for. But it sounds like your solution to the lack of film-making training would be to get on the job training afterwards. Have you looked into what type of background you need to get one of those film-making on the job learning opportunities? How easy/difficult is it to get one? Would the training be equivalent or superior to the training you'd receive in school? I think these are important questions to ask professionals who are doing the work you want to be doing. Either ask personal contacts or do informational interviews. If you go this route, it will be crucial for you to land such a position, otherwise you'd be required to go back to school again to learn the filming skills. I'm not fully clear on why you aren't sure about taking the second offer.... Does it have to do with the location of the program (NYC vs. LA) or more to do with the length of the program compared to the first school? Sorry for my ignorance but I wasn't sure about what you meant by "commercial" (I think you mean blockbuster movies). Would documentaries would typically fall under the "independent" category? I really think you should be talking to people who do the work you want to be doing as they would know what it takes to get into the industry. Good luck!

Not in engineering! I probably should have make it clearer in my post that I was offering a general opinion based on the information provided by the OP in his post and on general knowledge that I have about grad programs from the perspective of someone in a different field. I'm glad you brought it up so that the OP is clear on that point.

I think the sooner you tell him the better it will because because a lot of the other top candidates may not have committed to a school yet, so he still have a chance to get a top candidate to replace you. I think it would be appropriate to thank him for his time and commitment to helping you launch your educational path and career (if he played that kind of mentorship role. I wasn't sure based on your post). Then tell him what makes the admissions offer to his school so attractive (basically compliment him and the program/school). Then tell him it was a very difficult decision to make but you unexpectedly received an offer you couldn't refuse (which explains why you changed your mind about the school later on). I wouldn't mention that it's a better school or department than your alma mater. But if there are other factors that went into making this decision that you are comfortable in briefly mentioning then you could do that next. For instance, if they were offering you very little money and this school is offering a lot, you could say "due to financial reasons, I have decided to accept another offer." But be careful using that reason if the financial offers are similar because they might offer to match it. Or if they offered you a strong funding package, then I wouldn't use funding as a reason. You might say something about wanting to grow professionally and academically, being exposed to new ideas in a different academic setting and wanting to expand your professional network. Once you let him know, I think you will later on feel a sense of relief. I'm sure this has happened to him a number of times in the past. That's why he's been working so hard to recruit you, right? But this is probably the first time you're in this kind of situation so understandably it is making you feel uncomfortable and stressed. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

There are a couple of points in your post that I'd like to clarify as I'm not sure that I follow everything you said. I understand that your undergrad prof thinks you are going to remain at the same school and work with him while completing a one year master's degree. Is this correct? You have decided that you want to take a better offer at another school for your 1 year master's and you don't know how to break the news to him, You're also concerned about asking him for a reference for a PhD program in the near future because you will need to apply to PhD programs this fall which will begin in fall of 2018. Is this it in a nutshell?

I reread your post and noticed your interest in academia. This point is definitely worthy of a lot of consideration. It's been said by many on this board that if you want to teach at a particular university, your PhD should be from a school with a higher ranking. So based on this logic, you should expect to be considered for more teaching positions by a larger range of schools if you attend program 1. Just how much of a difference in ranking is there between options 1 and 3? Is the difference significant? Will you have more teaching responsibilities at any of the 3 schools while you're a student? In spite of knowing all of this, if the difference in ranking isn't great and if teaching opportunities are similar, then I still think I'd prefer school 3. Working with someone who doesn't have a lot of research experience and publications, and connections in the field concerns me. Good luck with your decision and let us know what you decide.

Congrats on the offers! The lack of experience of adviser 1 is concerning. Even though it's the most prestigious program, you would not receive all of the benefits one might expect from attending such a highly ranked institution because the adviser is still "green" and probably has limited connections in the field as well as name recognition and expertise. Of course after 5 years of so, when you're done the program (not sure how long it is for you) he'd be a little bit further along in his career. But I really find this part concerning. I think you should choose between 2 and 3. Is there any way you could find out more about the adviser at school 3? I think you don't have enough information yet to confidently make a decision and if you can find out more about this person then the choice will be easier for you to make. It's hard to judge and to rank the unknown. Perhaps you can speak to some of his current (and former) grad students to glean more info from them. I'm personally inclined to lean towards option 3 based on what you wrote here. But based on what you've written, I get the sense that you prefer 2 and are holding back from saying yes because it is the lowest ranked of the 3 programs. If you step back and consider all of the programs in your field offered in the US, Duke fares quite well and it's a great institution. So you'd do just fine if you do end up deciding to go there. Good luck with your choice!

Do you have a clear sense of what you want to be doing after you graduate? If so, I'd find out where alumni end up from each program program and pick the school that will best prepare you for your future goals, including connections to the organizations you want to work at or positions you want to hold. Do you have any undergrad profs in the field that can advise you on this?

Is the faculty adviser willing and able to provide you with feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of your application? If so and if you find out you are only lacking field experience and the rest of your application is very competitive, then I'd volunteer and try again next year. If you find out other things need to be improved as well (such as your GPA, missing important courses in undergrad, etc...) then this could be an opportunity to get free skilled labour, and you don't want that. If you have other gaps in your application then I'd take the master's offer and use that as a stepping stone to a PhD.

I'm not in your field, but I think that if you want to do a PhD, having a thesis will make you a more competitive candidate. For many PhD programs, a master's thesis is mandatory. But I'm not sure about your field. Things could be different. As well, for your PhD you don't know if you will be 100% funded. You might need to take out loans to cover some of your expenses and this could add up to a fair bit of money after a few years. It it were me, I'd likely chose the program at York and try to do some work or a side project with a prof at U of T if you can. That being said, after rereading your post just now, you mention that you have a feeling that UofT will put you in a better position to achieve your goals. If you feel so strongly about it, then go with your gut. You have 2 good options and there is no right or wrong in making this decision. Choose the option that's best for you.

If anyone is looking for another post bachelor BSW program that is shorter than 2 years (other than Lakehead), you should also consider St.Thomas University in NB. I heard that it is only 15 consecutive months full time whereas most 2 year BSW programs will take you 20 months from start to finish.

It's your call to make. But if I were in your shoes I would personally not get a second master's degree in the same discipline with a different sub-field. Do you know if any alumni and current students have been accepted into the PhD program with a similar academic background? I'd try to find out for a credible source if having a master's in educational policy is necessary to get into the PhD. But I have a hunch some schools would accept applicants with your educational background if the rest of your profile was strong. I'd strengthen your application by getting some work experience in the field to show evidence of your interest and commitment to the field. Try doing some research or some special projects related to your area of interest. Maybe there are some courses or workshops you could take to enhance your resume, as well. You didn't mention having work experience outside of teaching, so I apologize in advance if I am making an incorrect assumption about your profile. Sometimes what happens is people want to make a career switch. Sometimes they've known for a long time that this is what they want to do. But the problem is that the admissions committee doesn't know that. If you don't have experience in your new area of interest, the adcom doesn't know if you applied on a whim or if you have a good understanding of the field you want to get into or if you are sure that this is what you want to do. When you put together your statement of interest, the best way to demonstrate your interest is to SHOW it rather than TELL it to them. It is easy to say I am interested in... and I am excited about .... and I want to learn about... so that I can do ... after I graduate. But anyone can make these statements. If you can back up your statements with evidence (such as volunteer work or research you've done) your statement will be much more credible. I think it is important to have a proven track record of commitment to the field and to be able to demonstrate why it makes sense for you to return to school (so that you can fix certain problems or gaps in the field, which you should have good insight into as an experienced teacher). If your application to the program makes sense and can demonstrate a natural progression into this field based on your past work and current interests, then you should have a stronger chance in getting in. That's my 2 cents, for what's it's worth. Good luck!

I've only had a wisdom tooth removed and gum grafting done, but I'm familiar with dental surgery as I've had 4 procedures done in total. I would suggest asking the dental clinic how long it takes to recover from a root canal and well as whether or not people typically take time off from work/school and, if so, for how long. I can't imagine you needing more than a day or maybe two off at most. You will need to take pain killers which could make you feel tired or drowsy. As well, you will likely have a modified diet of cold, soft, non-spicy foods for a certain period of time. Apart from that, I don't see why you'd need to take time off from school if you are able to tolerate pain and discomfort and can work past a little bit of drowsiness. If you are doing a practicum that requires a lot of talking, then I'd also ask the dentist about that too and see if your supervisor would allow you to temporarily work on projects that minimize your need to talk. I'd speak to your profs to find out if you need to get a doctor's note. I think you should get one just in case, to be on the safe side, and also if you need a bit of a break on doing activities requiring a lot of talking (ex: presentations and such). Or you could always go back to the clinic afterwards to get one if you find out later on that you need one. I won't lie. It'll hurt a lot. But every day the pain will decrease a little more than the day before until it's gone completely. The first 2-3 days will be the worst, then you'll start to notice the pain subside. Good luck!

I'll keep this brief and please feel free to PM me if you'd like to continue the discussion. I am not blaming any victims. As future social workers, you will deal with all kinds of people and some will disrespect you, insult you, abuse you verbally and maybe physically too, etc... Sometimes that is a part of the job as you will work with all walks of people dealing with all kinds of problems. You will need to learn how to diffuse this kind of behaviour and as a professional cannot call someone names, insult or put them down, even if you are angry and would really like to do that in the moment. The fact is, if someone treats you that way they are probably suffering inside if they want to hurt other people. My intention was not to victim blame and I apologize if this is the message you got. As a human being, your gut reaction might be to react in this way. If you were a social work student being supervised in a practicum and someone you worked with was being deceitful or dishonest, I am doubtful that your supervisor would suggest publicly calling out your client in front of a roomful of people by calling them names and discussing rules and boundaries with the client. Unless there is an element of personal danger involved, I think the respectful and professional thing to do is to talk to the person privately (even if you think the client doesn't deserve to be treated with respect) so that they are made aware of their unacceptable behaviour and have the opportunity to correct it. I also believe that this approach will increase your chances of successfully resolving the problem and positively influencing their behaviour in ways that are more socially acceptable. That is my opinion on the matter. But you are of free will and can choose to do as you wish.

This is a public forum that anyone is invited to part take in. As prospective master's level students, everyone on this forum should research any information they receive or fact check before making any important career or vocational decisions based on information shared on the internet. If anyone is unable or unwilling to do so, I would question their ability to succeed in graduate level programs which call upon students to research, fact check and ensure that their sources are reliable when completing all research and assignments. Errors can happen on the forum - either accidentally or intentionally. This is not a peer reviewed journal. The onus is on everyone to make sure what they are reading is valid and reliable. I think the professional thing to do is to privately PM anyone you would like to speak to about issues that are unrelated to the main topic of conversation. Putting someone on the spot publicly can lead to embarrassment and defensiveness which make it rather difficult to create a dialogue that is open and honest with another person that you are experiencing difficulties with. Some food for thought.... I hope that anyone who has more to say on this issue will have the courage and assertiveness to privately and directly address the situation with the person(s) involved while respecting the main purpose of this thread. I wish everyone the best of luck as you await final decisions and congrats to all who have been admitted!

Yes. I don't remember the reason anymore but there was a reason why that was crossed off of the list.

You are absolutely right. She needs to figure out what skills she likes to use. She's been trying to figure it out for a couple of years now and still doesn't know. She only knows she is still interested in learning about dementia. You'd think that research would be a great fit, but after so many years of grad school a lot of things just aren't enjoyable to do anymore including research. This isn't a case of depression. She just wants nothing more to do with academia, schools and universities. She doesn't care about status or prestige and doesn't even like to be called doctor. She's very passionate about experiential learning though (has watched TED talks on people who have created alternative schools for kids that don't subscribe to textbook learning or exams and are entirely experiential) and is a strong advocate for that kind of learning in public schools. So there may be something there...

Your situation sounds really complex. I hope you have access to a social worker or other social services for extra support while you figure out how to navigate your challenges. The thing with a job is that you can quit if needed or switch to part time. But when it comes to school it's a lot harder to do when it's mid-semester. You might also have a hard time putting the funding temporarily on hold if you need some time off and could lose it completely if this happens. While you have been able to persevere for so long by pushing your body beyond its limits, you don't know if one day you just won't have it in you to do that and your body will need to take a break at a future time. You are not a machine and even you have limitations. Maybe having a part time job, if you could manage it, would be a good temporary solution to help cover some of your living costs and to give your body some much needed time to recover. If you qualify for social assistance due to your health problems and can afford to take some time off to rest, I'd encourage you to seek it to help cover the cost of food, cell phone, etc. Perhaps eventually moving to a cheaper city would be a good option when you are ready to work or go to school full time, in a location where you have some sort of support system or circle of friends. While you are recovering, I'd also encourage you to take care of your body in other ways by getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, eating healthy, and getting fresh air and exercise. Meditation and mindfulness exercises are also very helpful to learn to quiet and calm the mind when you are overwhelmed and stressed. Best of luck!

I'm sorry to hear about the challenges you've being going though. You sound like a very resilient person. Congrats on your offer! If you are already having financial difficulties, possibly debt too for medical bills, and possibly have a long term or chronic health condition (I don't know, you didn't say), I'm not sure that adding additional financial burden to the mix is going to improve your situation. What do you think about it? If you are worried about money when you're in school it could impact your performance and ability to fully immerse yourself in your research and studies, particularly if you're the worrying kind. Do you think you'd be able to handle that kind of pressure and still work at your peak performance at school? If I had to choose, I'd try to find a survival job right now (receptionist, retail, waitress, shelving books in a library, live-in nanny, telemarketer, etc) just to get back on your feet. Maybe you could also do some volunteer work in your field as it could help you move into a paid position that's more relevant to your line of work. Fairly often, MFA degrees don't lead to high paying jobs so it would likely take quite a number of years to pay back your debt. Maybe you can get a better offer next year instead as you will be in a better position to network with people and search for programs that are a better fit and could offer you more funding.

I like the idea of LTC work. Do you know of any places that hire social workers? Most places I've come across only hire SSW's - unless I'm not looking at the right places! I'm not sure what a supportive housing supervisor does... is it more like an administrative position or a like a developmental services worker job that requires you to give assistance to people when they need it (make sure they bathe, eat, wear clean clothes, leave on time for their appointments, etc..)?

I wanted to congratulate everyone who has received acceptances so far. To those who are still waiting or need to try again new year, try not to feel discouraged. Just as when you are looking for a job, you often need to apply to many places (and even multiple times) before you get the YES you want to hear. If you want it badly enough, take this opportunity to find out the strengths and weaknesses of your application and come up with a plan to become a stronger applicant for next year. Before all of the advanced standing applicants disappear from this thread, I wanted to ask a quick question (and others too). Where would you advise one to look for work in the field? Are there any vacancies where you are currently working? I need to get more work experience (I mostly have experience as a personal support worker and a couple of BSW practicums) and finding a job is tough. I'm very willing to relocate. If any one knows of places that hire often (companies or cities) or know of anywhere it's not too difficult to get a job, please let me know, I won't have my driver's license until the end of the summer, so jobs requiring home visits aren't really an option right now.

I don't think this is a question someone else can answer for you. If you consider career advancement alone, I'd go with school A. But whether or not your partner is more important than your career/PhD program is a personal choice for you to make. It'll depend on how serious the relationship is, how supportive your partner is of both options, the distance between the school you attend and where your partner works/ends up working, etc... We can't tell you if it's worth it to have a long distance relationship so that you can attend a school that will provide better funding and stronger career potential. All you can do is make the best decision you can based on the information that you currently have. You have two great options so it will work out in the end no matter what you decide.

Jaylynn, I wanted to add one last point to my comment.... You could also call up WindsorU and ask about this hypothetical situation.... If you are in your final semester and need to pay your tuition a few weeks late, will you be allowed to attend classes with an outstanding balance? During undergrad at my school, if it was not your first semester, you could have an outstanding balance all semester long. They would change a late fee of about $150 or so and you would only be allowed to register for more courses the following semester after your balance was paid off. Your grades, transcript and convocation requests would also be withheld/frozen until the account was paid off. If this is allowed, it could give you an extra 3 months or so to come up with the last semester of tuition if you really need it.

As a good rule of thumb, many people on this website say you should not acquire more debt that you expect to earn in your annual salary after you graduate. So if you go by those guidelines, you'd be well under that amount. But everyone else's standards don't need to be the same as your own. There are other factors to consider like your age, profession, your goals post graduation, your field of study (some fields offer more funding than others - is this considered a strong offer compared to other schools?), your level of comfort in acquiring debt (which seems to be quite low), your applicant profile, etc... If you don't want debt and if that is your bottom line then just don't do it! Accept a different offer or try again next year. This is why it's important to know what is typically offered in your field at other schools. If other programs generally offer better funding and you think you could get into one of those programs next year, then it might be worth trying again. If your offer is fairly standard or quite strong, or if you don't believe you have realistic chance of receiving a stronger offer next year due to your profile, then you need to decide if going back to school is worth the price of getting into debt. It really depends on your personal circumstances. If you currently have a well paid job, maybe you'd feel more comfortable trying to defer for one year (if it's an option) to save up more money towards the cost of school. Or maybe if you only work part time, have a low paying job, or want to start your career as soon as possible, you might find it more worthwhile to enter the PhD job market as soon as you can.

Sounds like two great options on the table... only you can decide whether or not you want to go into debt. Congrats and best of luck!.

I think that's a good strategy. You need to make sure you can pay for the entire program because it would be sad if you had to drop out of the program due to money problems and not end up with a PhD. Another thing to consider, if you are still paying back the debt 20+ years later when your own children are old enough to go to university (If you end up having children, that is) you need to ask yourself is the high cost worth the career benefits?