michigan girl

mak007, I would say UCLA has the best (and probably cheapest) top-ranked higher education master's program in California. USC also offers a good program. I know that long-distance relationships are hard, but sometimes you have to do what is best to further your own career. Graduate school (master's level) is a short-term commitment afterall.

These are decent higher education master's programs in CA: Stanford, UC-Berkeley, UCLA, and USC.

What angers me more is when family ask how come I have not found stable employment yet. "But you have an advanced degree! Are you not speaking up in interviews?". Relatives believe there is something wrong with me rather than the bad economy.

I totally disagree. I waited two years before I entered graduate school, and it was invaluable experience. I dabbled in different areas to discover my niche. Sure, the economy is sour at the moment, and jobs are hard to find. Nevertheless, having relevant work experience in the field you want to pursue will enhance your career options and help you decide which areas you should avoid. You also run the risk of being underqualified for positions that desire a master's degree because you lack the required work experience. Sometimes, it's good to take a break from school to relax your mind and body. In my personal experience, I was so stressed out when I finished my senior year that I would have had a nervous breakdown had I continued straight from college.

I waited two years before I returned for my first master's degree. This is the pros/cons: 1-Year Masters: Pro - Less student loan debt (varies), Con - Less Work Experience 2-Year Masters: Pro - More research/internship opportunities, Con - More student loan debt If you have a lot of work experience at the undergraduate level, the 1-year master's route shouldn't be a problem. Make sure the 1-year master's program offers a graduate assistantship to cover costs and expenses.

I would add Penn to your list. They have an outstanding higher education master's program (with a guaranteed graduate assistantship). It's also located close to DC where you won't be very far from your family.

Although I don't like either school (both are overpriced for their worth), I think you should go with the program in the region you wish to practice.

Actually, I disagree with this post. I think the concentrations do matter, depending on the applicant's career goals. It may not matter to human resources, but it does matter for the student's professional growth. As someone who was not interested in clinical social work, it was important for me to choose a program that had a strong macro curriculum (courses, field placements, and research). More specifically, I wanted to become an administrator and policy advocate. My social work professors exposed me to a variety of contemporary issues and theories in administration, community, social change, and public policy. In addition to my field placement, I picked up several part-time administrative positions in nonprofit and educational settings, learning essential transferrable skills along the way. I like social work because it is a very flexible degree with a wide range of careers and work settings. On my cover letter and resume, I explain up front that my social work concentration was not clinical. When hiring managers see that, they have a better understanding of my background. While I am pursuing another master's degree program (I discovered during my second year that I love education policy), my future placement supervisor told me she was very impressed with my background and attitude. The main point is students should be assertive and ambitious with their education. No one will hold your hand and guide you along the path. If you know what you want, do whatever you can to achieve that goal. This advice is especially true for social work students pursuing alternative and nontraditional careers.

If you're moving to Ann Arbor, you can get around easily without a car. I lived in Ann Arbor for two years without a car. I also lucked out by living near three bus routes that took me to different sections of the city. If you don't mind public transit, AATA is a decent service (a hidden gem seriously) in this car-dominated state. In fact, AATA recently launched its Ann Arbor-to-Detroit Metro Airport shuttle service for as low as $12.00 per trip. As mirandaw previously stated, car insurance and gas prices are very expensive in Michigan (currently ~3.85/gal for regular) so I don't miss paying for fuel and car maintenance fees. The only time you will need a car is when you're driving outside the region. Since Ann Arbor has both Amtrak and Greyhound stations, I used those services to visit my relatives in Metro Detroit. U-M also provides ZipCar service if you occasionally need to rent a car. Very useful membership.

Inspired V, apply to programs that will allow you to specialize or have strong course offerings in both macro and micro. These programs exist, but you'll have to search around (Michigan allows this dual concentration to MSW students). That would be the best fit in your case.

The response time for master's programs at Penn GSE is generally four weeks.

For apartment hunting, the further away you live from the campus, the cheaper the rent will be. If you're looking to move in August, start searching the apartment listings in May (do not wait until July because most of the good places will be gone). Don't live too far from campus (more than five miles) if you don't have a car because you'll risk limiting your transportation options. Bus service is already limited on the weekends, so you don't want to feel isolated. Look for housing that is directly on bus routes (especially if that route goes directly to campus or grocery stores).

The first semester is usually always the worst because it's a transitioning period in becoming acclimated to graduate-level reading and assignments. I remember having some form of imposter's syndrome in my first semester of courses. But later on, I realized I was overreacting and everyone felt anxious too. Once you have survived the first semester (and first year), you'll have a better understanding of each supervisor/professor's expectations.

For professional master's programs, it's not uncommon for students to take 4-5 courses plus fieldwork. I'll reckon in discipline-based master's programs, it's 3-4 courses plus TA/RA.

If you don't want to live near campus, I recommend living within Ann Arbor (avoid Ypsilanti because fewer bus routes serve the area), especially the northeast, southeast, and old west side areas. These neighborhoods are more affordable than downtown/campus arrangements. I live two miles from U-M, and the bus ride is 10 minutes to Central/North Campuses. I chose to live further away from campus because I make frequent trips to Metro Detroit. My apartment is located in a quiet and safe neighborhood (literally no crime) with other graduate students. I'm close enough to visit campus, but far enough to avoid undergraduate parties and football traffic! Riding the public bus (AATA) is also free for U-M faculty, staff, and students. It makes living further away from campus much easier.

I re-read this thread again and was surprised that HGSE isn't offering a History of Education concentration.

Along with that, attending online or in-person information sessions can provide you with tips on what the admissions team is looking for in an applicant. It can also determine whether that school is a good fit for your academic interests. Once you have this knowledge, you can write a stronger application essay and increase your chances of admittance. Apply early because scholarship money is plentiful in the early rounds. Don't apply too late (after February). True story: A friend applied to a social work school in late February and received an acceptance letter in early April. She did not earn any scholarship funding for the first year of the two-year program because earlier applicants received a bulk of the offers. Do not fall into this trap.

I agree with this statement. Professors will rather read an essay that is concise and straightforward than an essay that is unorganized and full of irrelevant filler. Remember this piece of advice in graduate school -- it will help you tremendously on short assignments!

Yumpeh, that's why I'm leaning towards Penn for Higher Education Administration: PROS: 1. Penn requires 10 courses with no core curriculum. Students only need a minimum of 6 Higher Education courses and 1 Education course outside the concentration. Students can also cross-register for courses at other Penn schools. As a larger program (up to 45 students), Penn offers a greater variety of Higher Education electives than Harvard. I like having the ability to choose my own courses. 2. Penn requires all Higher Educaiton students to have a graduate assistantship ($8,000-$13,000). The graduate assistantship (along with scholarship offers) can help reduce the burden of student loans and provide students with relevant professional development skills. I needed a program where I will earn a paycheck and take courses that fit my academic interests. 3. Penn (#9) and Harvard (#10) are ranked similarly in Higher Education Administration. Both programs can be completed full-time in 8-9 months. Both universities have excellent reputations. Look beyond the brand and find the program that better fits your academic needs.

I would appreciate any feedback about Sansom Place at Penn. My program is 10 months long so I don't want a year-long lease.

I want to add another tip: During graduate school, if you have a part-time job, set aside a portion of your earnings every pay period in a savings account. When I graduated, I had amassed enough money to help pay for my finances when I was unemployed during the job search. As arandall said, don't use your savings to pay for graduate school unless you're independently wealthy.

There's nothing wrong with using federal loans to fund your education and living expenses (the government provides a variety of income-based repayment plans and debt consolidation options). If you are planning to work in the nonprofit and public sectors, you may have your loans waived after ten years of public service. Stay away from private loan lenders because they are less flexible (higher interest rates, no deferment options).

Ditto. I am enrolling in another master's program in the fall that better aligns with my professional goals (the debt that I accumulated was all federal loans). Plus, my first master's degree experience helped me land an awesome graduate assistantship in the second master's program. Sometimes, we have to go through a series of steps (programs, locations, networks) to find our niche(s).

Thanks Dizzi, I have another question about the tentative concentrations: what if someone wants to focus on higher education? My only concern with this approach is it may shut out those whose interests are more higher education-oriented (K-12 is already a huge and popular discipline). Will the PhD program also require someone who has an education master's degree to earn credits towards an MA in psychology/sociology/economics (like the Social Policy program)?

I can understand the pro-tax argument. First, you want to build up your social security and medicare so that you'll receive decent government assistance later in life (those who paid more into the system during their working years will have more money to live off in old age) Second, when you pay taxes and earn EITC-similar wages, you will be eligible for a tax refund. In my own experience, I've always looked forward to tax refunds when I needed access to money.