rainbowworrier

yes, but then why are you taking out loans in the first place?

Graduate Assistantships can be found at many schools for Masters, but yes, what field are you in?

In the job I am currently in, I pay a portion of my health insurance, and the employer pays a significantly higher portion. That said, if I insured family members, my portion would rise significantly. Employers frequently foot the bill for a portion of the employee's insurance, but I have never found it to be the case that if you opt out of their plan (like when I was on my ex husband's insurance instead), that they pay you the difference, or more money at all.

I don't think those 3 choices are quite adequate...my answer would have to be: [ ] moving to attend grad school closer to somebody you were in a relationship with, but there was a break up after you committed to move, and there are still strong feelings in both cases, and you have no clue what the heck is going to happen... ;-)

In order to teach university, you need a terminal degree. The MFA degree is the terminal degree in Fine Arts.

in most states, you need to have a teacher's certificate before you can obtain a school counselor certificate...

Nothing in here screams to me that you would be a poor candidate. It is truly about fit, and readiness. I am starting after several years away from school, so I don't think that is a negative - having work experience can actually make you a stronger student in some aspects. Many programs have early deadlines, so go ahead and take that GRE now, so you can see what if anything needs to be done to improve your scores. Contact possible references, and look up the 5-10 programs you would like to apply to, and learn about their deadlines and other salient details now. Many of them have specific stats posted about what their average admissions results are. Good Luck!

Awesomely funny update: the first school that I withdrew my app from, the one with the crappy skype interview, a week later they emailed me a rejection. It made me laugh very very hard. Sort of like when somebody quits, and then the boss tries to fire them. Dude, I've already quit.

My program always has a cohort of 8. We all had until the 18th to reply, but were encouraged to reply sooner. So far 6 of us have, but there are two holdouts. I have no idea what good delaying to the deadline does. I instantly knew where I wanted to go, but I understand that some people feel torn in multiple directions. I am guessing that my program, like most, will release any unclaimed spots to waitlisters the day after. Hopefully yours is the same. Good luck!

I hear you about it being now and not after the move. I am looking forward to throwing myself into grad school full time. It is her loss. Yeah, the gut punch feeling is subsiding, a little. I have friends trying to set me up on dates already, but honestly, forget that I'm moving soon, it's just too soon for me to even want to think about being with anybody right now. Thanks guys for all the advice. I'm a much more smiley girl today. :-)

Nope, this program is perfect. I'm going there, no doubts in my mind. And yeah, 90 miles is enough that I won't have to see her if I don't want to...

Um, yes. I have accepted the offer of admission, and withdrawn or turned down everything else. I've also given notice at my job already. It's not in the same town, but it is a less than 90 minute drive. So close, but not oppressively so.

PsyK, thank you so much. I also believe that things happen for a reason, but it just always hurts when you give your heart to somebody, and they essentially change their mind.

I've been admitted to a grad program closer to my long-distance significant other, and now a few days later we have broken up. Not because of cheating or fighting or any other incompatibility issue, just crappy timing I guess. I am still planning to move to attend this amazing program, but I am also feeling dozens of bizarre emotions. Anger, loss, humiliation, confusion, deep sadness, etc. Has this ever happened to anybody else? Can anybody help me find the silver lining in all this? I haven't told many of my friends, because they will then assume I won't be moving, but that isn't the case. I've given notice at my job, and nothing is keeping me here where I am now. I just feel like I've been punched in the gut. Hard.

I have a similar issue, but luckily it is seeming less awkward. A friend and I both made it to the interview process for a program. I was offered a spot, and she was essentially wait-listed (alternate candidate was the term). We both really wanted this program, and I felt a little guilty accepting, but I also know that I can't always make choices for my life based on what might make somebody else happier. I am still hoping she gets in off the waitlist, or at the other program she applied to. She says she isn't mad, but I still feel a teeny bit icky inside.

I recieved a very sad message from the POI at the other school I withdrew my application from, after accepting admissions at a school. I feel awkward about it, but I am still going to explain that the bulk of the reason I chose to go elsewhere was due to a massive lack of disorganization in that department. Truly not the profs faults, but still...I don't want to spend the next 5 years of my life fighting to get get a returned phone call, let alone research approval...

I had a crappy skype interview a while back, and the interviewers were condescending about my current profession, didn't see a link between it and the field I had applied to, and even though I had prerequisite degrees, implied that I was unqualified for their program. I recently was offered admissions to a better program at a better school. Can I tell you how GOOD it felt to call the other school and withdraw my application before they could reject me? Anybody else done something similar?

I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. Perhaps you could clarify?

My understanding is that the April 15th deadline only applies to PhD programse, but I could be mistaken.

Yep. But I'm always curious anyhow.

I have an interview April 15th...

Hmmm, I've never taken the time to add it up, but let me see what I can figure out... Cost of the GRE test fee, plus prep stuff around $200 Transcripts from undergrad 3 x $5 = $15 Transcripts from first masters 3 x $10 = $30 Transcripts from current program FREE (!) Application fees ($40, $35, $50, $50 - I paid the fee for a progam, and then changed my mind - long story) $175 UPS ground/FEDEX fees to mail rec forms to profs so they would have ample time to complete before deadline $50 FEDEXing the remainder of an application to make the deadline $30 Flights for two interview visits $400ish Rental car for one visit $80 Clothes shoes, etc for interviews (I've lost 30lbs since my last interview of any sort) $500 Four and a half days off of work for interviews free but boss hates me now. So around $1500, ooof. Granted I could have shaved a bit of that off had I planned a bit better. I sent paperwork to reccomenders via fedex because I wanted them to have ample time to fill out the forms, write letters, etc, and they still managed to get right up to the deadline on one of them. Best advice regarding saving money on the application process? Tell yourself and everybody else involved that the deadlines are a month before they actually are, so you won't have to mail things the fast and expensive way. As to the dropping (or adding) weight during the application process, I have no advice regarding that. And frankly, I'm not complaining. Usually stress causes me to eat more, but I guess not this go round. :-)

All three of the programs I have applied to have, in one way or another, sent a similar email exposing the other individuals invited for an interview. Two came directly from the professor in charge of the program, and one came from a student in the department grad student government organization, giving travel and accommodation tips for the interview weekend. I was fairly surprised, as I thought that the programs would be aware of bcc as an option...however it did give me a chance to somewhat scope out the other applicants, as many had facebook pages that had rather lax privacy settings. 0_o

34

What's wrong with Starkville?