olosir

Condensed version: coasted through Management concentration in undergrad at a good private school, did well within the discipline but was indifferent to everything else, graduated, have been doing the full-time stable Management job for five years, and now I'm stuck. My interests are I/O psychology, change management, and project management. I need expertise and practice in each area. My goal is to be an I/O consultant, but I essentially want to acquire as many valuable Management skills as I can. I have determined that I should pursue graduate study. I have no research experience and an unremarkable academic record. I won't get into a PhD program without doing awesome work in a MA. Even then, I'm not sure if I need a PhD if I'm focused on an industry career. I applied to Fairfield MA in Applied Psychology and The New School MS in Organizational Change Management. Both have rolling admissions, and I'm confident I'll be accepted to both programs. However, I feel like I'm "missing" something. Actually, it's everything. I question my ability to do graduate work, how I'll fit in a program, what expectations I should have, and what I'm actually preparing for. I read many posts on this forum and talk to friends in grad school, and I just feel like an ignorant outsider. Do I even belong in grad school? Am I fooling myself by expecting significant career advancement? Basically, what the hell am I doing here?

I'm applying to The New School's MS in Organizational Change Management program. I was asked to write about why I would like to attend graduate school, my future career plans, and why this particular program is a good fit for me. There is a 700 word limit. I will send my draft via PM to anyone who graciously offers to provide a critique.

If I have three programs in mind, do I list each school code? Keep in mind that I have just begun each application. But my understanding is that the FAFSA should always be completed first, correct?

Would I be able to complete the FAFSA now for admission in either Fall 2011 or Spring 2012? Two of the programs I am interested in have rolling admissions, and I'd like to take a chance for enrollment in Fall 2011. If I can't get in, I definitely want to enroll in Spring 2012. Will I still qualify for an aid package for the Fall programs? Is it too late to complete the FAFSA now?

Thanks for the advice. I like the idea of investigating industrial psychology and environmental management. I think change management is also a good fit. One other question: Would getting recommendations from only professionals (no professors) hurt me?

I'm a 28 year old male who earned an undergrad degree from a good liberal arts college in Management. Unfortunately, my GPA was only 2.8 and I basically achieved nothing. I regret my lack of motivation and discipline, even more so now given that I'm in a mid-level management role that I hate. However, I have a steady income, definite advancement opportunities, and full benefits. I also graduated with no undergrad debt. I'm simply not content to remain in this position, and regret and a desire to "right" things is compelling me to pursue a graduate degree in a new field. Still, I question whether it's worth it due to finances and future job prospects. I don't even know how to begin this process because I'm not assured of admission after my lackluster undergrad performance. I'm interested in Pratt's and the University of Washington's Masters of Library Science programs, as well as The New School's Organizational Change Management program. I've made a few inquiries to each school and their advice is to take the GRE, score well, and focus on the letters of recommendation and statement of purpose. I hope this will be sufficient. If it is, then the issue is which program to choose and can I really justify incurring up to $80,000 in debt and starting over at 30. Practically, I realize there are many risks, but I also know that I can't remain stagnant and just resign myself to my current career. What are your thoughts on a plan of action and even the programs I mentioned?