NadaJ

I have officially missed the MSW application deadline for the other school I was thinking of applying to. It's all or nothing now (well, as far as academia dreams this year).

"Maybe next year."

It's frustrating for the administartors too! I know for my dept, we have at least two classes we "think" will have TAs, but we're not sure. Budget issues, combined with unknown numbers of transfer students, and if we'll actually be able to teach the class all must be resolved before we assign TAs, an offer that once extended is a contractual obligation the dept has to pay the salary and fringe (tuition plus health care) for said person. So, yes, it does suck, but this is kind of what goes along with the territory. Not always, but sometimes. GL!

Actually I LOVE Goodreader. I've used it since the beginning and now that I can annotate pdf's its my go to app for pdfs. But then again, I never liked Evernote, so we may just be in different camps. I'm still trying out apps for taking notes in class. So far, I use a combination of Noterize and Chapters. It's not great, but I have yet to find that magic app that is great for keeping separate notebooks and also add pdfs that I can annotate inside the notebook. Oh to be a software programmer instead of a wanna be social worker.... I also really like Papers for my academic journals, etc. Pages is a must I think--I actually wrote a draft of my SOP on my iPad.

Exactly. The opposite of heaven is not hell--it's nothingness. This is intense!

Thank you for writing this. I believe I am a scholar at heart and not getting accepted this admission season will not derail me from what I truly am. As far as my back up plan, I am applying to jobs that will allow me to more actively engage in my field. This is what I want to do with the rest of my life, and if a PhD is not in the plan, I can still be of service.

I was surprised as well. I really researched which school/program/faculty would be the best fit for me and my research interests. I just don't see applying to several schools and trying to re-make myself with every application. This may be field specific though; I am interested in social welfare and social policy, and the top schools in this area all have different focuses. I poured all of my resources into the one school that I want to change my whole life for; I can't see doing that for second or third best, or just any PhD program. ETA: I applied to one school and my app fee was waived, so I feel extra lucky in that regard!

I never though I was the kind of person to have a favorite band, and then I discovered The Black Keys

My husband has as well. We've even looked at preschools for our daughter. It helps that my family is in the same city as the program I've applied to, but, we have to figure out what to do with our house. We bought it almost three years ago, and the value has depreciated so much...but that's another thread. I am excited to live in a real city again, if not in 2011, than 2012.

I'm wearing my school's paraphernalia right now. Where I live, people wear the university's gear all the time--I'd guess most are not even alumni; they just like the athletic teams or their kids go here. It's not a big deal. And working here at the University, they give it away--so I have a couple of free shirts and hoodies.

That was awesome! You just need a part about thanking G-d, your familiy, and your middle school homeroom teacher.

I think you're missing the point--do not contact them after you have submitted your application. But it seems like you really want to and you probably will anyway.

I disagree with Miliania; the OP and her SO are not getting the same thing--he is working (albeit halfheartedly) towards a piece of paper, she is working her butt off for the sake of knowledge, experience, and learning, along with the piece of paper. They may be in the same program, but they are not getting the same thing. OP, it sounds like you have found your passion and you are working hard towards your goal, and your SO has not. He may be jealous that you've found your passion and he has not. I don't have any advice, but to maybe down play your accomplishments (for the time being) and/or helping him discover what he is passionate about. Grad school is not the end all. GL!

My Plan B is to apply again next year.

I almost applied to UC-Berkeley for their SW PhD program. The program seems amazing, and with nationally and internationally recognized faculty (despite the small size). GL to you guys! I have looked over my application pdf several times, and I just noticed I left the "University faculty you have been in contact with" question blank! Oiy vey...I have absolutely been in contact with faculty! I've flown, taken the bus and the train back and forth several times! Ugh. I emailed the admissions director to see I can add this information after the deadline. Thankfully I mentioned who I wanted to work with in my SOP, but still. I keep looking at the results page for past acceptances and ejections to discern a pattern.

Ditto.

I love this!

Hmm...I know several people that took longer than 4 years to finish, but then again, I know several others that finished in 3-4 years as well. But, I also wonder if this site just inherently attracts more of the 3-4 year UGs than those that take longer?

I'll try to shed some light...I work in a department where many of the TT faculty earned their PhDs later in life. I think maybe 5 out of 16 faculty went straight from UG to MA to PhD. This is what gave me the courage to even think of applying for a PhD program. I am 30, and if I get accepted to the one PhD program I applied (because I am not moving my family and leaving my house for anything other than the program I want to go to) I will definitely aim for a TT position as well. I think the dept chair earned her PhD when she was in her 40s, and she's now maybe 60. As far as real world experience, I think this is field specific. And in regards to teaching, you will have that opportunity in your graduate program, so you'll have teaching experience when you go on the market. My "non traditional" graduate student questions all revolve around when and IF I can have another baby. I really want my daughter to have a sibling, and maybe I can pull it off once I've completed the dissertation proposal, but the large family I thought I would have may be some hybrid of my one human child, 3 cats, and maybe a dog. As an only child, this is not what I envisioned. BUT, maybe this route, I can instill in her that she absolutely can do anything she sets her mind towards.

It's so quiet around here..how is everyone with their applications? Are you submitted and just waiting now? I applied by the 12/15 deadline, and now I have a long wait ahead. I am finishing an M.Ed and I applied to an MSW/PhD program for Fall 2011. Some days I feel great about my application, other days not so much. I took 2 SW classes this past term that I really enjoyed and did well in (still waiting for grades). How is everyone else??

I'm reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier. And when I'm really depressed, I re-read the Twilight series. I am 30, married, own a home, and have a 2 YO and I love these books. I have all four movies on my ipad as well. It's an addiction, I know.

I don't necessarily get rude responses. It's either amazement because a PhD is an elusive degree--not many people even attempt it let alone finish; or they think i'm high falutin'. I wonder if those that attempt law or medical degrees get that type of response as well. Its something about the PhD degree that people seem to have adverse reactions towards.

ITA with Viking. As an administrator at a University we know students can pick other (better) offers. You can ask the uni in Australila for an extension, or you can tell them that you are considerig other options with better funding and if they could consider giving you more. Otherwise, you can accept, and later if you need to decline, they can offer the funding to someone else on their waitist or another incoming student. This has happended in my department at least once a year and I've worked here for about 4 years. The best thing that you can do ifnyou must decline, is to do so early. And I have never known of a prof to black list a prospecive student because of better funding. They threaten to move around based on funding all.the.time.

If I get in this Fall, I will be 30 turning 31 in October. And I am perfectly fine with this! Everyone's path is different.

I hope this person is being facetious. My problem at the moment, is that Fall 2010 grades aren't due until 1/4, and I just wish my profs would post the grades so I can send an updated transcript. The suspense is killing me. I check for new grades every hour.