britboi04

Well, to give those of you who offered me some insight an update, I have chosen to stay at school #1. I talked with our associate director the other day and it was just a really good talk that gave me a sense of the direction they had for me if I stayed. And in 3 years she said she felt confident I could get into the PhD program at school #2 if I chose to apply again with all of the experience I would have behind me by going to Paris as the program assistant and the promotion I am up for. Couple this with my Masters being paid for and it just has turned out to be too good of an opportunity all around to pass up. I feel so relieved to have made this decision--finally--and actually feel quite confident knowing that it is a smart one, even though the other schools were glamorous and my dream schools. I guess I have a lot to be thankful for and wish everyone here success as they make their decisions. Paris..here I come!

lol, rising_star, yes...you see the inner-battle I am waging. It was so hard not to jump out of my chair when the director told me they wanted to send me to my favorite city--for a whole month! And I do realize that they value me here and the experience would certainly be great. But even my supervisor and director see what an awesome potential working in the Office of the President at school #2 would be--they think the connections and opportunities to be gained would be innumerable, and in my dream-like state-of-mind, I agree. However, the timelines just don't seem to be meshing right now as the OotP told me they received so many qualified applicants and who knows when they will select their finalists. Either way I go, at least now I know I'll have good options...and if I stay at school #1, it won't be with too much regret. There's always the option of going elsewhere for the PhD., and I could use my month in Paris as a break and reset my scope on city #1. Decision time is next week, so we'll see if I hear anything further! *Edit: Great tip about checking those resources. I think after speaking with some of the advisors at other schools I've been accepted to I'd have to agree. Apparently, what matters most is the first job you have after you get your Masters, not exactly how specialized the degree is or necessarily what school it comes from.

Ok, well, I broke down and talked to my supervisor. She recognized the awesome opportunity that I could potentially have at school #2 working in the Office of the President and eventually getting my tuition paid, so she spoke with the director and they have agreed to give me until the end of the month to decide about Paris. So...more of the waiting game, but I still appreciate the thoughts/opinions in the mean time!

Ok..new developments...HELP!!! So, as far as school # 2 goes, I had my phone interview yesterday for the full-time position in the Office the President. It went pretty well, as far as I can tell. The woman I interviewed with said she thought my responses were excellent and that I seemed like a good fit, but that there were other qualified applicants she would have to continue to phone interview as well. She did ask me if I would be open to flying (at my expense) to meet in person for an interview since I am out-of-state, and I said yes, however because of the costs I would help she would only ask me after carefully considering my application, to which she said that goes without saying. Then she proceeded to say to make it worthwhile, she would see if she couldn't 'pull some strings' to get me interviews with the other 2 positions for which I applied just to make it as worthwhile a trip as possible because she said in the event they did award the position to someone else, she still thinks I am exactly the type of student they want at their school so wanted to help me in any way possible. She told me to ask for an extension to make my decision with my department and she would get back to me with more details. I was granted an extension, until the 30th so I thought great, I've bought myself some time. Then my job here at school #1 threw me for a loop. There is already talk of a promotion coming for me in the next couple of months, but now they want to send me to Paris for the entire month of July as the program assistant for the program I have been coordinating. The only catch? They need to know by...tomorrow. Since my field is International Education, this of course is a very relevant opportunity, and it goes without saying that Paris is my favorite city in the world. But I'm not naive enough to recognize that I have to differentiate between short-term and long-term gain. The first problem, besides having to tell them so soon, is that I don't know when the start date for the job at school #2 would be. She asked me when I could start and I said asap. So that means, if it was before July, and I already committed to Paris, I would be screwing my colleagues here, burning several bridges, and just feel like an all around horrible person. The flip side of that is if I tell them I can't go to Paris, and then I don't end up getting the job at school #2 and moving away, my current job will most certainly think twice before ever offering me an opportunity like this again and I might have then reached a ceiling so to say because they'll just think I'm waiting for a chance to leave and am not serious about the job. I'm really torn with what to do. I've e-mailed my interviewer making her aware of the situation I am now in, but I understand there is only so much she can do with other qualified applicants in the mix. My gut tells me to consult with my direct supervisor as she has been a mentor with me throughout this process with regards to choosing a grad program (be it here or elsewhere) but she knows nothing of my job opportunities yet. As I said, I worry if I tell her, I might shoot myself in the foot if I end up staying. Thoughts...?

rising_star, I think you are very correct with regards to how a slightly off-focused degree won't matter that much if I am making up for it by gaining 2-3 more years of practical experience in the field. I guess the real benefit of school 2 over 1 is that the possible connections I would make would be significantly better, especially since I have established connections at school 1 already. But having connections is no way a guarantee for future employment. So yes, there still are a lot of 'ifs,' but I think this week the loose ends will be tied up (hopefully before Thursday!) And waldorf1975, I've thought about the full time job aspect, but no matter where I attend school, a job is something that I'm going to need, and I'm not so sure a part-time job would cut it. I don't think my field is as research-intensive as some other fields are, but there certainly will be a learning curve for me finding that balance between work and school-but this is something I am no stranger to. The bottom line is if I decide to move to school 2, it will be a decision made with me knowing the amount of work it's going to take to keep me there, hence the stress and indecisiveness I've been experiencing. My peers here all recognize that this is a great opportunity and almost too good to pass up as it provides a way to move on to the next phase of my career, start making new contacts, and moving to a place that we believe will have more to offer me in all aspects. However, once I get my financial aid letter and see how this interview goes, if I don't have enough financial support, I won't be able to deny the smart move saving money by staying here and gaining a degree plus more experience would be able to provide me. Now it truly is just a waiting game and then a last-minute decision :\ As usual, thanks for the discussion, it keeps me thinking of other angles to look at the situation, so keep your thoughts coming

So, my decision is down to the wire as next week, the 15th, is when my programs are requesting to hear back from me. Basic summary of my options: School 1: Attended undergrad here, and I feel ready to move from the city. The program is good, but not as specific to what I want to do as the other two. I have a full time position that will pay for tuition for my Masters, in the field I want to work in, and a possible promotion coming up in May. I do like the job and people I work with, but dislike the city, and the program isn't an exact match. School 2: 'Dream school,' in a city I really would like to live in, however with a significantly higher standard of living. The program is the perfect fit for my field, and the corresponding office on campus in which I could begin making connections is well-known in the field. I have a job interview lined up for a full-time position in the President's office of this uni. and thus the potential of 100% tuition being paid for after 3 months. Still awaiting financial aid letter. School 3: Another very good school in a desirable location, though somewhat less so than school 2. Again, the program is a good fit for my field and the possibility of connections/networking is great in this school/city. I have been offered a partial tuition support award, with the potential for another grant. Possibility of securing a part time position in the office on campus I would want to work in, but I won't know until June and it's only part time. So what to do?!

<br /><br /><br /> Thanks Sassytune. Yes, my dream is kind of multi-faceted. Ultimately, I dream about living and working in Europe! But, right now, it is more feasible dream to move to a big city and obtain a job in my field of interest. It's a good point you bring up that I wouldn't be giving up on my dream, just holding off on it. I guess I worry cause I'm the type of person who likes to have everything planned now, and though I'm only 23, it feels that if I keep putting things on hold, before I know it I'll run into what happens to so many people and become too old to really change anything about my situation. Of course, I know that's a silly way to think about things as one is never 'too old' to change things, but sometimes it certainly does feel that way. Anyways, thanks again!

Ok, so April 15th is drawing nearer and I'm no closer to being able to make what is undoubtedly one of the most important decisions of my life thus far. So, I'd be greatful for any advice and insight as I've been collecting from as many people as I can! The prospects: School 1: Florida State University Program: Masters in Higher Ed. I attended FSU for undergrad where I got my BA in French and International Affairs. I studied and interned abroad several times through our international programs office, where I also worked as a student worker and now hold a full time position. The pros: -I have a full time position and the prospect of a promotion in the coming month that would provide relevant experience to the field I want to work in. -As an employee of the university, I would have my masters virtually paid for. -I do like the office I work in and my work is valued. -The city, though not my ideal one, is much cheaper to live in than the others. The cons: -It's in a city that I've lived in for almost 6 years now and do not really have an affinity for. I've never seen myself staying in this place and have always longed to live in a bigger city. -The program is not focused on International Education like the other two (however my job provides this aspect.) School 2: George Washington University Program: Masters in International Education The pros: -It's located in D.C., a city where I believe I could make a lot of pertinent connections pertaining to international education. -I've been offered one fellowship so far that would pay for 3 credit hours per semester, and the prospect of additional aid coming in a separate letter. -The program specifically focuses on International Education which is exactly the field I desire to work in. The cons: -It's located in D.C. which would feature a significant climb in cost of living (plus, I have never been to D.C....yet) -The debt I would incur, even with any additional aid I might be awarded. School 3: New York University Program: Masters in International Education The pros: -Located in NYC, probably THE dream location stateside I'd want to live/work in (plus I have family who live nearby) -NYU's program offers the ability to concentrate in specific areas of the field, particularly study abroad administration which is exactly what I want to do. -The potential to make contacts with NYU's study abroad office which is very reputable in the field and something I've had my eye on for some time now. The cons: -It's located in NYC and thus, significantly more expensive than what I've been accustomed to. -There's no guarantee of being able to work in some capacity within the study abroad office. -No word yet on financial aid, though I know the letters have yet to be disbursed. -The extreme debt I would most probably incur. I guess the crux of my problem here lies within me having the chance to follow the dream I've always had for myself about living in a place I want to live while working towards what I want to become though potentially incurring lots of debt versus already having an 'in' in the field I want to work in and having grad school paid for but being in a place I definitely do not want to stay in. I am very grateful that I have options as I didn't expect to be presented with these choices, however it's such a life-changing decision I don't know how I can feel comfortable either way. I've spoken to my supervisor and she's let me know that they don't want to lose me and have plans to implement my skills, however, she also said from a mentor's standpoint, she doesn't want me to miss out on what would undoubtedly be an excellent personal growth opportunity by moving away and attending either of these programs. However, she also noted that if I intend to get my PhD later on, it might be prudent of me to stay where I can get my masters for 'free' while gaining experience and then consider applying to one of these program for my PhD where I could then go into debt. She also says that in our field, the biggest battle is usually landing a position in the field, which I've already done. Couple this with thoughts of the horrid economy and the worry that I won't be able to get some sort of employment when I move (or in the future!) and the decision becomes even more worrisome. I know it's important to play it safe to some extent, but isn't taking a risk sometimes the only way to attain one's dreams and experience great success? All input is welcome as decision time is almost here!

Thanks for the info. This had worried me as I couldn't understand what sort of students coming out of undergrad had this kind of money! Not so sure if my parents would agree to be guarantors since they really want me to stay put and go to grad school where I'm currently at, but once I get my financial aid letter, hopefully it will have some good news that can persuade them otherwise. Which, btw, NYU says they hope to have fin. aid letters sent out this week.

I think I submitted mine around January 2nd.

Yeah, I called financial aid dept. yesterday and the girl told me the letters haven't been sent out yet. They hope to have them sent within the next 2 weeks. That is awfully close to April 15th! She said the key thing was that the FAFSA had already been completed and that we will be notified whether or not we receive aid. Best of luck to you too!

Thanks nyuma! I certainly would be able to forgo luxury living arrangements for a chance to go to my dream school and start a new chapter in my life. As it is, I'm not really high maintenance when it comes to my living accommodations. I value the resources a city has/my schooling a lot more than where I lay my head at night. And as for roommates, I pretty much figured that would be a must. I've had roommates all throughout my college career so it'd be nothing new for me. I should be receiving NYU's decision on financial aid soon so I hope to be more certain of what I want to do once I am in receipt of that. I do have family in NYC so hopefully through kind people like you on this forum and them, I'd be able to make the dream a reality. It's just a daunting process when you first sit down to look at the numbers being so fresh out of school! Anyways, thanks again. &nbsp;Hope to stay in contact as I hear back from NYU

So much to my surprise, I was accepted to NYU for a Masters program. Aside from an awesome program for what I want to do, living in NYC would be a dream compared to where I've been stuck for so long. But, after looking at what apartments/studios go for up there, it might just be that...a dream. I was reading NYU's off-campus housing guide and it mentioned having to have 40-50 times 1 month's rent (average $1500) saved up just to be eligible for most places. Fresh from undergraduate and with debt already (and the very real prospect of so much more from grad school), I don't see how that can be possible for most students to have. How is it done? I mean, I know I've been living in a very comparatively cheap place to live after looking at these rates, but how do so many students afford housing on top of having to pay for tuition? Any advice is appreciated as I have until April 15th to decide where I'm going to go.

Thanks! Just an update in case this happens to anyone else...there still is hope! I just logged in this morning and the link to preview my decision was up. And I was accepted! Decisions decisions. I wonder how long the financial aid letters will take to come through. The schools seem to be behind in that process. Best of luck to those still waiting. Don't give up hope just yet,