yivorechecho

This wasn't really annoying, more just weird: When requesting transcripts from the local community college where I took a couple of summer classes, it asked me to put in the address where I wanted the transcript sent. A drop-down menu was provided to pick the country. One of the countries listed was, "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics." I had to check a calendar.

I got 730/6.0, but I did study for the Analytical section. I used that Powerprep program and looked at all the sample essays to get an idea of what they thought was good and bad. FWIW I thought the "good" essays were also unsophisticated and lacked skill, but you really have to go back to your middle school "hamburger model" essays. There is definitely a formula they're looking for.

Yup, I went to Maryland's open house on Friday and there were more parents there. 4 for 4 on that front. I guess a few of them were driving in from out of town and the parents thought they should just stay since they'd come on the trip anyway, but my parents went with me to Boston and they still stayed out of the open houses. They just went off and did other stuff and told me to call when I wanted to meet up. It would have felt too weird to have them there and I think I would have been more hesitant to ask questions and try to meet people. I did decide on Maryland, by the way. I thought I was going to have a really horrible time picking between 4 programs but when I visited them all it became a lot clearer. It's a big relief to know for certain where I'll be in the fall.

Yes. I have 2 merit scholarship offers from BU and MGH that came with the acceptance packets and was just offered an assistantship at Maryland this week. I will be accepting that offer and heading to College Park in the fall. I really liked the people and the program when I visited, and the in-state tuition and a chance to be back home are too good to pass up. I'm also going to be living with a friend from high school. I'm really excited. I'd expect you should hear something very soon on funding as April 15 is approaching, but a lot of schools may be short this year. Didn't NYU lose tens of millions with Bernie Madoff?

I had myself convinced at one point that I wouldn't get in anywhere. I almost started crying at several points just out of the blue. My parents were so upbeat and were sure I'd get in everywhere and I felt horrible thinking that I was going to let them down. Well, they were right. I got in everywhere I applied. I wasn't expecting any money at all because I knew MA students usually got stiffed, but I'm sitting on 2 substantial scholarship offers, an assistantship offer, and a promise of another one coming this week. My in-state top choice e-mailed me the assistantship offer a couple of hours ago after leaving me dangling for two months and I'm over the moon about it. I don't know if it's renewable after this year, but even if it isn't, it's still great. I'll still need loans, but it's less than half of what I thought I'd need to borrow and the number just looks so much more manageable. I've been really fortunate in this process and I'm so grateful for it.

I just got back from revisits at BU and Emerson. I loved BU. I didn't expect to for whatever reason, but I adored this school. They gave us an extremely detailed tour, talking in small groups with all the professors, watching students in clinic, etc. It took 1.5 hours just to see 2 floors of one building. I got a great vibe from the program. I thought I was settled on Maryland (doing my visit this Friday) but this is complicating things. Emerson, I don't know. I liked it a lot more when I saw it last summer. Has anyone been to open houses and been surprised by the number of parents there? It was like being back in undergrad, almost. Why do so many parents come to these things? My parents are interested in what I'm doing, of course, but they feel that it's no longer appropriate for them to be there and that it has to be all me at this point. Emerson was insanely crowded because of all the parents tagging along.

I'm leaning toward Maryland at this point but I haven't even visited there yet and I still have to look at Emerson and BU this weekend, so I guess anything could happen. Being close to home again after 4 years halfway across the country is pretty appealing for a lot of reasons. One of the student hosts at MGH said Maryland was "too small" for her, but I kind of like the sound of that. I hear you on the finances, these numbers are scary! How do people pay these rents?

I'm sorry to hear this. I hope you get in off the waitlist and that NYU sends good news! I visited MGHIHP this weekend and I don't think I'm going to go there. I liked the faculty and students I met but it seems unusually intense and I don't think I like not having a university infrastructure associated with the program. It feels like something is missing. On the other hand, the close association with MGH is great; we wandered around in the hospital a bit waiting for the shuttle and it was a pretty amazing place. But you really can't go wrong with any medical facilities in Boston.

I was accepted to 6 programs (MA). Two have been immediately eliminated due to money and suckage, respectively. I'm visiting the other four over the next 3 weekends. I was initially only going to visit the two I was quite keen on, but I've since received some very nice scholarship offers and feel I owe it to both the programs and myself to give them a serious look. So I'm going to all 4: one this Saturday, two next Saturday (both in the same city, fortunately, but I'll have to run out of one early to catch the subway to arrive late at the other), and one the Friday after that. Either it will be good having them all close together and fresh in my mind or I'll be exhausted and everything will run together. We shall see! I never thought I'd wind up where I did for undergrad, but I visited and loved the place, so you never know what will happen. If I didn't see them all, I'd second-guess myself forever. I probably still will.

I dreamed that I went to a second-look day at one of my programs and somehow wound up in a class with one of my old bio professors and was bitten on the arm by a poisonous snake. I went to the health center and they sawed a big chunk of flesh out of my forearm with a serrated kitchen knife and wrapped it in a plastic bag. Strangely, it didn't hurt. I woke up to check to make sure I hadn't actually been biting myself in my sleep. Weird, weird dream. I think it was the result of planning to visit 3 schools in the next week and seeing a report on some killer pythons in Florida on the Daily Show last night. My brain synthesized it quite strangely.

Is Malden safe? I've been accepted to 3 programs in Boston and while I haven't decided to go there yet (College Park is also an option, which has its own safety issues), I think I'd be looking for a studio or 1BR a bit farther out so it'd be cheaper. Malden seems to fit the bill. All I really care about is whether it's safe or not. I'm a single 21-year-old female. I've heard it's generally safe but people don't like to live there because it's dull and farther out. This sounds great to me, as I am quite a boring, quiet person and I think places like Allston/Brighton with lots of partying and student craziness would really bother me. How is the Orange Line? I've only ever ridden Red and Green. Thanks!

I went 6 for 6, withdrew from one because it was my last choice and I would never have gone there. But I'm an MA applicant.

This is happening to me, too (MA-SLP). Every program but one has a decision deadline of April 15 just 'cuz, even though I don't think they're bound to that. But one made me respond within 30 days. I currently have a $300 deposit in there to hold my spot. I can't do campus visits yet because I'm still at school and it would cost too much. I'm visiting programs March 21, 28, and April 3, and if I change my mind based on those visits or a financial package that I've been told is coming in the near future, I will forfeit that $300 and enroll elsewhere. Sucks, but it's the cost of doing business.

Yeah, I heard back from Northwestern on 3/1. I logged into my original online application and there was a link to "Admissions Decision" at the bottom of the page. Got a snail mail letter a couple days later. I'd love to go there, but it's just way too expensive. Also a non-SLP undergrad here, so I have to make up the prereqs. Northwestern doesn't have a concentrated summer program like the others (aside from Maryland, but I get in-state tuition there so it's OK) and it would cost an extra year. Too much money!

A little surprised, yeah. I heard back from Maryland at the beginning of February. Have you checked Testudo? Still waiting on their financial aid, though. They said I'd be hearing about an award "in the near future." That was a month ago. Nu? hailmerry, I also have the same concerns. I have about 50% tuition covered at MGH and BU, which leaves. . .still a lot of money. Trying to think of the best way to get Emerson to give me something, too. It keeps me up at night worrying.