michigan girl

Should students get a Grad Plus Loan at all? Or try to find other avenues before pursuing them.

The above post also doesn't apply if you live in a region with no decent public transportation (e.g., commuter train).

Does anyone know if the UPromise Bank of America Mastercards are a good deal, particularly for grad school savings? http://www2.bankofamerica.com/creditcar ... ter_flag=y

FSIA, I know what you mean. My MSW concentration is Management and Policy (no interest in clinical). I'm hoping to use the Information side to boost my salary. The average starting salary for Information alumni is between $41,000 to $115,000 (oh how I wish that was me! LOL). The median is low $50,000s.

I'm not pursuing a MPP/MPA degree, but I hope my starting salary is at least $55,000. After 3 years of experience, it would be over $60,000.

If you had to commute to graduate school by train/bus/car, what is the maximum distance (miles) you would do every day?

Michigan's final deadline for MSW Fall 2009 students is June 1. Washington University in St. Louis has rolling admissions. Some of the less selective schools, such as Pittsburgh, have July 1 deadlines. Financial aid may be very limited if you have not submitted your FAFSA before April.

I would also recommend AT&T if you want to compare carriers. It's definitely strong in the Midwest (if you plan to visit the region frequently).

Where is Michigan on this list? John Hopkins (education??) and Oregon don't even belong on this list.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will make sure to conduct two interviews to screen candidates. Is it possible to link financial aid to off-campus housing? (Let's say I have a $12,000 loan I want to apply toward the apartment lease.)

I feel the same way. I think by the time I finish graduate school I will owe almost $75,000. Since both master's degrees are considered entry-level in the field, I really have no choice. I want to increase my earning potential.

Hey everyone, I finally made my decision and am now in the process of finding an apartment. I think the on-campus housing is too expensive. I found a very nice 2-bedroom apartment for $900/month in a quiet neighborhood. I am considering having a roommate to split costs. The lease would be in my name, and I will draft the roommate contract. I have never done this before so here are my questions: How do you find a roommate? If you have several candidates, how do you pick the right person? Do you pick people who will be in same/different program? Friends or strangers?

I was surprised too. The MSW is probably through Rutgers.

I'm also an incoming U-M grad student. I'll be around for 3 years (dual-degree). Most of my classes will be held on Central Campus.

I'm planning to do a dual degree this fall (Michigan). I think it should only be pursued if both degrees would allow you to specialize in your interests. If you find yourself wanting to take many classes in more than one school, that could be an option for a second degree. Keep in mind that it's not cheap (it's an additional year) and you must ask yourself why you must need both degrees. For some students, one degree is enough.

Hey grad, if you have a LiveJournal account, I would highly recommend the Library School community: http://community.livejournal.com/libraryschool/ The people on that site would be much more helpful with your decision.

grad, if you want to stay on the West Coast, have you considered University of Washington? They have a specific track on law librarianship. Check it out below: http://www.ischool.washington.edu/mlis/law.aspx

Are you open to applying to other schools out-of-state? Some MSW programs are still accepting applications now, but if you want full consideration of financial aid, apply for Fall 2010 admissions. Consider schools that have your research focus. You may end up much happier.

I believe the general consensus is students should only work 20 hours a week.

stilesg57, I would highly recommend that you get a more modern used/new car. 1. It snows pretty heavily here. The last few years have average 70+ inches of snow (November - March) annually in the area. The counties are so broke that they do not plow snow daily. In fact, the side streets are sometimes undrivable. Ann Arbor does not plow its neighborhood streets. 2. The snow crews throw down salt on the roads and freeways. It will definitely corrode your vehicle gradually, especially if your car will sit outside most of the time. Make sure you get your car waxed and washed every biweekly or monthly. 3. Get a car with front wheel drive. Some people would recommend all-wheel drive, but it is more expensive and not very necessary. My car only has FWD and I drive fine in the snow. Make sure you get all-season tires with the correct pressure. 4. The potholes can definitely tear up your car here. One of my rims is chipped/broken because I hit a pothole. Again, the state is so broke that they cannot properly fix all the roads. Their solution? Patches of asphalt. Ann Arbor is known for this and the roads are not entirely in good shape. 5. We have black ice here. The temperatures can be very cold during the winter (avg. 20'F). If you hit black ice, do not brake abruptly. Slow down gradually to avoid hydroplanning and locking your brakes. Whatever you do, always have your brakes checked and repaired! That's all I can think of right now. If you follow my advice, you won't end up spinning/sliding into a ditch on the roads.

The general rule of thumb is to never attend a PhD program without funding! It's a polite form of rejection (they didn't really want you). The opportunity costs are so great that it will be very difficult to repay that kind of debt. Wait to hear back from the other programs. If you don't get accepted at all, try again another year. You might be able to add more relevant experience. I graduated from college two years ago, and I would say I'm a much stronger candidate now than when I was a college senior (I am attending graduate school in the fall!). Many people take time off to work and improve their resumes/CVs.

I currently have a 17" Toshiba laptop with external USB mouse so I don't need an external keyboard. It's basically my desktop notebook because it has 2GB ram and 80GB HDD. I have an external hard drive where I store my excess files. I do NOT carry it around campus. Should I get another laptop (12-14" Toshiba preferable) or a netbook? I'm planning to attend a program where computers are required in classrooms.

grad, I noticed you are interested in special libraries (law or news). You should attend an ALA-accredited program. Although the Special Libraries Association does not have its own code of ethics, it does adhere to ALA accreditation standards. The U.S. News rankings does list some special libraries (law, health) on their website. Therefore, if you are serious about a library career (public, special, academic), attend an ALA-accredited program. Accreditation is very important in the job market. Why did I choose the social work and information programs? I'm actually non-traditional in a sense. I am not interested in clinical practice or traditional public libraries. I learned that both schools offer lots of flexibility and options (macro practice, information technology). I can still minor in library and information services if I want to work with special libraries and other information centers. The main goal is I want to help people. Since both programs are accredited, I can tailor my coursework to suit my professional needs. I know Michigan is an elite university with top-ranked programs, and the degree will open many doors.

I highly recommend attending an ALA-accredited program. I state this because most employers will not hire someone without an ALA-accredited degree.