ARemi4

Can we start this up again?!
 
I just got my first interview (not acceptance, but still all sweaty and shaking and excited)!!! I have been checking that schools email every day for weeks, about 10 times a day to be exact. YESTERDAY, I made myself a promise to stop obsessing over it as it was seriously taking over my life (ironic timing huh???). I was just procrastinating at my job looking up grad school stuff on this forum, as usual, when I thought I would reward myself for not checking my email yet. I get on the email, but I'm so used to seeing "no new mail" that my hand just automatically exited out. But as soon as I did, I realized there was something there. I started shaking and hurry and scrambled to type in the site again and see a message stating "important information for application". I click on it and try to skim for key words and see no "good news" or "congratulations". I then read "we had a stronger application pool than normal this round" and my heart sunk...
 
WORST INTERVIEW EMAIL EVER. It took me a solid 5 minutes to realize that I had an interview. YIPPEEEEEE!!! I'm now trying to call my boyfriend and everyone in my family, but no one will answer. So... here I am posting on gradcafe...

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

TheAbsurdLife,
So sorry you are having to deal with these awful comments of other posters, I guess your username explains it though... you do have an absurd life!! Just ignore Fuzzy and Disco, they clearly are either 1) bored and procrastinating or 2) needing something to take their frustration out on. This forum is to ask questions, to vent, to rant, and to help us. And that's exactly what you did! You did nothing wrong. So again, I'm sorry these clearly unhappy viewers decided to lash out at you and take our their frustration. Great job not feeding into it too much! Let the unhappy just be unhappy, no need to feed them
Anywho, as of your sticky situation, I'm torn as of what to tell you. Only you can really make that call. IMO, it would definitely burn bridges... but as the other antagonistic replies have stated, that may be a bridge that's worth burning. I'm not too aware of how the funding, etc would be affected for other candidates. Do you have any sort of mentor or adviser guiding you through the application process? A professional in your field that wrote your letter of recommendation perhaps? I have had a couple questions regarding things as such, and my lovely adviser who has helped me through this whole process was willing to help me through them. Let us know (actually... forget Fuzzy and Disco... let ME know...) how everything turns out. Rooting for you!

Alas; another heartbreaking story. Got an email today that had the subject "Florida tech: graduate admissions". My heart DROPPED. 
Dont worry. It was just them telling me they finally received my last rec letter. That was 4 hours ago. My hands are still shaking. 
Anyone else might get fired from their job because all they can do is compulsively check their email, Grad cafe, and their application websites?

Commenting just to bump this up. This is some really great advice.

Also, saw a big packet in the mail yesterday. Without even reading it I ripped it open so eagerly. Turns out I accidentally opened my neighbors W-2. Oops. Probably should have been less frantic and read the name on the front, haha. He wasn't too happy. 

Hi @ARemi4! I've worked the past couple years as a BCBA in a clinic setting, and I'm about to start a PhD in Special Education under a BCBA-D. I can offer you my perspective, but I think the answers to your questions will depend on what you're looking for in a program and what you want to do after you graduate. Take my advice with that large grain of salt!
1. Your intended profession: If you intend to stay in academia as a researcher, doctoral student, or professor, I'd recommend choosing a strong program in your intended field, one that would provide you with research experience and that has professors whose interests align with yours. If you want to work as a school-based BCBA, I'd recommend considering Education programs that include teacher certifications; it's difficult to get a job as a school-based BCBA without classroom experience, and teachers will take you more seriously if you've spent time teaching (even if it's just student teaching). If you want to work as a BCBA in any setting (e.g., schools, clinic, home), I would strongly recommend considering non-ABA programs with an ABA track (e.g., Education or Psychology programs with coursework in child development). The coursework in most ABA programs does an excellent job teaching how to teach, but not necessarily what to teach. In my Master's program, the education-specific coursework (e.g., speech and language, curriculum development), in conjunction with the ABA coursework, trained me to be a much better provider than I would have been with the ABA coursework alone.
2. Pass rates: The BCBA pass rates for every program are posted on-line here. High pass rates are a pretty good indicator of a high quality program, and vice versa. 
3. On-campus vs. on-line programs: On-line programs are becoming increasingly popular, but if you can swing it, there are definite benefits to an on-campus program. Brick-and-mortar programs tend to: (a) have a higher pass rate for the BCBA exam than on-line programs, (b) provide clinical experiences across a variety of settings and/or populations, (c) offer opportunities for research experience (which I found to be invaluable in day-to-day work as a BCBA), and (d) have more/better funding. Plus, if you think you'll eventually want to pursue a Ph.D., your experiences and contacts in an on-campus program are likely going to give you an advantage over on-line programs.
4. Practicum/field experiences: For each of these programs, find out how you'll complete your 750-1500 hours of field experiences. Will the program provide you assigned fieldwork placements, or will you have to seek out your own placements? Will they assign you to one setting/population or a variety of settings/populations? Will you be completing supervised independent fieldwork (1500 hours), practicum (1000 hours), or intensive practicum (750 hours)? Will you have to pay for supervision, is supervision included in tuition, or will you get paid for your fieldwork experience? Do students tend to complete their hours in conjunction with the program, or begin accruing them after they graduate? Will you have opportunities in your placements to train on all components of a case, from intake to discharge? Depending on what you want to do after you graduate, the answers to these questions will help guide you to a good fit.
As long as your program has a verified course sequence through the BACB (i.e., can be found on this list here), you should be good to go. I honestly don't know what the ABAI accreditation is used for, but my Master's program is not on that list, and it's never been a problem. Hope this helps!