bluestate1

Wanted to share: I was accepted into the three programs I had applied to and knew early on that my top choice was a good fit, developed a positive relationship with POI and faculty, and so on. Just received a message that the department is placing all doctoral admission for Fall 2020 term on hiatus, and that therefore they must withdraw all admissions offers. No info on deferment or when admissions would re-open for next cohort. definitely bummed about it, but trying to place my disappointment in the greater context of what’s going on right now. I’m confident I could get back in if/when the next cycle begins, but just shows some of the uncertainty going on in some of these schools.

I’m a teacher in Chicago Public Schools and am planning on beginning part-time PhD studies next Fall in Ed Policy. I’ve been accepted to the three programs I applied to: Policy Studies in Urban Education (Social Foundations) at University of Illinois - Chicago, —Cultural and Ed Policy Studies at Loyola, and -Curriculum Studies at DePaul. Because I will be part-time, I will be self-funding my studies, but am wondering if there are people who’ve gone through any of these programs - or people who’ve completed programs part-time who could offer advice. I really like both Loyola and UIC’s programs, yet Loyola is much more expensive. Kind of torn at the moment!

It’s definitely important to consider what the teaching conditions and market will be for when you graduate and are certified. I completed my BA at UW-Madison where I’m from, but would not want to teach in Wisconsin given the conditions and pay. Madison is an amazing school, city, and fairly progressive school district that is grappling with some complex issues in urban ed. I completed my Masters and certification at University of Chicago, and while I have loans, urban districts like CPS can offer pretty reasonable salaries if you can live within your means in the city. The tests for certification can be learned and passed - the tricky part that takes more time depending on where you are is the edTPA. You’ll want a good program that can support you with that. Good luck!