JerseySeashell

One footnote; while many of you mentioned TA's (I assume these are the same as GA's?), I'm reading a book called "Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D.", and Robert Peters talks about getting stuck in school for additional years because schools are wasting students' time as cheap labor teaching classes at the expense of their education, and that by forgoing these "opportunities" a student is more likely to be able to devote more time to working on their thesis and graduate on time. Do you agree? Also, regarding getting funding and getting into PhD vs MA programs, natsteel said, "I would apply to both PhD and MA programs because you could possibly end up getting an offer to do a PhD with funding." Do students ever apply to PhD programs with only the intention of getting their MA? For example, Rice University gives preferential admission to PhD's over MA's, and I'm wondering if students who apply there wanting an MA just outright lie and say, "Sure, I want my doctorate" with the intention of dropping out as soon as they reach MA status? What happens to funding you may have received as a PhD candidate if you don't finish your PhD - does it have to be paid back? Any comments?

Thank you to everyone for your input; I am starting to focus more down to public history/museum studies. I found several schools in Florida that offer these programs as well as certifcates/specializations, and I'm going to focus on American History, possibly Southern U.S./Civil War. I know there's not a lot of money involved in these fields, but at 41, I have to do it now or do it never. I have learned to be content with less, and my boyfriend's steady income means we will get by no matter what. Thanks for the advice on taking residency first; the costs ARE hugely different, and maybe I could use the year to set up house, get a year in as a volunteer somewhere to see what I might like, and save money so I can go back full-time once I get accepted somewhere. Thanks again!

I am new here, just started the process of jumping into the graduate school pool. I know I'm great with research, love history and have the chops to get the job done. I just don't care about teaching in a tenured position at a big school; I think I would be happier at a good small college or even private secondary, or in museum work. I'm 41 and returned to finish my BA last year at University of St. Thomas, Houston. This is not my home, and my boyfriend and I want to return to Florida where he was living for 12 years and where we met 2 years ago. (Don't ask how we wound up in Houston; one word=family). Please throw your two cents in re: Schools/ProgramsConcentrations/Disciplines of HistoryCareersOn my short list are: University of Florida Florida State University University of Miami Florida International University University of South Florida On my safety list are: University of West Florida University of North Florida University of Central Florida I have a 3.24 gpa (3.89 in History) and I just won the department scholarship for achievement/essay. I've even considered staying in Houston to attend Rice, but I think my chances there are slim to none, especially as preference is given to Doctoral candidates and I'm just not ready to spend the next 6-7 years of my life in school. I love being in school, but barring a rich uncle dropping dead and leaving me a ton of cash, I want to get out there and start "doing" history. Thanks!

I'm considering Rice for History but for Masters only, and I understand from the grad info book that preference is for PhD candidates. Do they accept any Masters candidates or am I wasting my time applying?