Sarahmarie

I had my interview on 2/27 and am still waiting too! When was your interview? Good luck

Accepted at BC also! - Congrats to pokeyoaks and musiclovepsych! Did you receive any funding info with your acceptances?

Here's my $0.02 for whatever it's worth... My ultimate understanding of the field is that if you want to practice and see clients, the best degree is the masters. The PhD is more geared toward research and academia. The PsyD is a more practitioner-based model but still has its share of research. If you are questioning your dedication to research, the PhD track may not be for you and perhaps your acceptance to a master's level program is a blessing in disguise, as it is presenting this new opportunity for you to reach your goal of practice rather than research. Now here's my disclaimer, because a few of the things you mention in your post raise red flags for me in terms of $$$. Every professor I have had in the human services/counseling field has cautioned me that if a student is getting into this field to seek financial rewards they are setting themselves up for a big letdown. So when I see you saying that you feel if you come out of a "top program" and are "pro-active, driven, and properly self-marketed" you sound to me like someone who is looking for a big return on investment financially - which may not happen. Many "top programs" are very expensive and are vehicles to fund their doctoral programs. Therefore there are some opportunities for aid, but not many schools fund their master's students the same way they do their PhD programs. Going to a "top program" (I am assuming you mean big name - Columbia, other Ivys) may cost you big money. But it may be worth it to you as long as you are clear on what your goals are and what you hope to achieve. That being said...I think there are huge rewards in treating clients and becoming a change agent in people's lives (obviously since I am pursuing this degree). It sounds like you are doing a lot of soul searching and that's a good thing. I think you just need to be aware of the fact that this isn't a field where the financial rewards are necessarily outstanding. However there are many ways to find "success" and if you are okay with that and are going into the field for the right reasons than you will be successful! Also, getting your M.A in Counseling doesn't preclude you from getting your PhD later on. Some programs will transfer credit, etc. You just have to do your home work. Best of luck to you in whatever you decide. You sound purposeful, thoughtful, and driven and I think you will do well no matter what you do!

Yes I was accepted. I applied in November and I got my email about 2 weeks ago. You can check your application online to see if a decision has been made Good luck!

Thanks guys for giving me some perspective!

I thought I would be more excited but I am riddled with doubt about incurring debt, saving the rest of the money to relocate, leaving my parents (Dad has cancer), and whether or not I will choose the right school. Granted I am a Master's applicant so it's less of a time commitment but still a big change. Plus I have learned things about my original top choice school (where I have been accepted) that are giving me second thoughts about their program and I just feel very uneasy about everything. I know I am doing the right thing by furthering my education but all of the variables can be EXTREMELY overwhelming. Good luck to everyone in overcoming their anxiety and moving on to this next chapter of life!

So I don't know what to make out of this. For one of my schools, when I have obsessively checked the website over the past several weeks I only had 4 options (Check Status, Change Profile, Feedback, Directory). As of Tuesday/Wednesday (not sure the days are blurring together) this portal was updated with new links to Residential Life and Financial Aid, but no change to app status. On the back end of the Financial Aid link it shows they have received my FAFSA and are awaiting my scholarship application. Res Life link has no info. When I emailed the school they said "The site is managed by a different department and not necessarily reflective of admission decision" - When I called the school today the GA I spoke to said "Well gee, that sounds like a good sign but I don't want to get your hopes up. Official decisions will be forthcoming." WHAT? REALLY? Gee that sounds like a good sign? I am pulling my hair out here. If I didn't already have a few acceptances I would be crawling the walls! What would you all make of this? I don't think its a fluke or glitch because it hasn't changed in days...

Obviously your family doesn't understand how selective and difficult the process of just applying and being accepted to a DOCTORAL program really is, especially since the school is paying you to go there. I would send back your RSVP card with some statement using really big words about how you will be spending time with your intellectual peers, the people who truly appreciate you. Sorry, I have no tolerance for unsupportive a$$holes. Education is HARD WORK and you should be supported, not demeaned, IMHO! Give 'em hell...

I PM'ed you if you don't mind

Congrats GVH! Are you going to do a skype interview with JHU or are you coming for an in-person interview?

I don't have anything substantial to add regarding what types of questions to ask but I have to say it sounds like a GREAT program if they are embracing you so enthusiastically already!

What a great topic - and great advice. First of all to the OP - I am so sorry for your loss. I hope your family is holding up as well as can be expected under the circumstances. I am in a similar situation, having applied to many out of state schools before finding out my dad has cancer (stage 4 - uncurable). He is stable now and doing okay but that can turn on a dime and my mom's health isn't 100% either. But both of them have been so supportive and insist that I go where I want and create my future. I feel so lucky to have that because I know many people in my position whose parents and family guilt them into sticking around to be a caregiver. But I have spent the past year helping and spending a lot of time with my parents I am confident I can leave and be happy with my decision. I know wherever I go, I will only be a plane ride away and this is what they want. More importantly, this is what I want and in the end it will all work out. I think the most important thing in this situation is to be confident in your decision and know that you have to do what's best for you. Making a decision based on what might happen or what could be is bound to cause some regrets later on. To everyone in this boat, I wish us all luck and godspeed as we forge ahead. May we each make the decisions that are right for all of us!

Got an interview invite for FSU today Congrats to everyone on their admissions/interviews!

I got that email too but that is a change from the Department of Education, not the school. No matter where you go, grad students are no longer eligible for subsidized stafford loans. Grad students are still eligible for $20,800 per year in unsubsidized stafford loans as well as Federal PLUS loans that allow you to borrow the remainder needed for the cost of attendance including estimated living expenses. This is all per my conversation with someone in the Financial Aid Department at TC. I emailed initially but got antsy so I called to talk to someone. They were very nice and helpful...but it stinks to have to wait until March to know what type of scholarship/grants we are eligible for.

Yellow, I spoke to someone at TC's Financial Aid department today and she said that every student is offered a "generous" package that will cover cost of attendance (including living expenses). It is possible that a majority of that could be loans (Stafford and Grad PLUS) but there are scholarships as well and the deadline is March 15th for the application. Those are decided by the departments and they send that info to Financial Aid. Then FA will prepare an award letter for you and send it your way. So the bottom line (as I interpreted it) is unless you are independently wealthy - it will cost a pretty penny in loans to go to TC. There are some loan forgiveness programs I have looked at as well (National Health Service Corps is one). I guess the thing that we have to decide (at least in my case) is whether the experience of attending Columbia and living in NYC for 2 years is worth the burden of that debt. Definitely a LOT to think about and something I am really struggling with as well...

Do you think you can do this with master's programs as well or does it only work for Ph.D. programs because they are so much more selective?

I have heard back from 3 schools. 2 were rolling admissions so I expected to hear back sooner from them but I was (pleasantly) surprised Columbia sent out emails on Friday for their Counseling M.Ed. admissions. I have heard that BC LSoE sent out emails for their Mental Health Counseling program as well but I applied there and haven't gotten anything. Hope this helps

Wow if we all accept at TC we could be roomies and not go completely broke! Congrats to all

Congrats to all! I also got accepted to Columbia TC! Denimfan, how did you get notification about BC? Were you able to pull it up online? I haven't been home in a few days and haven't been able to check my mail. I look on the Agora Portal but it doesn't give a yay or nay...

Thanks denimfan! Same to you

Accepted to GWU! So excited to have an admission even though it is not my top choice...it is in the top 3 and a really great program! Just had to share

Thanks Denimfan! I think it did! I got an email today saying my application had been "passed on to the Dean's office for final review" - I am hoping to hear back from them in the next week or two. And my interview at Wake Forest is 2/27. This month is excruciating! Good luck to everyone!

I applied to M.A. in Counseling as well...still no word here.

Looking for anyone else who might have been invited to Wake Forest for interviews this month? Anyone want to share notes or just vent nervousness? My interview in 2/27...