sfm430

Program: higher ed/student affairs masters GPA: 3.87 Stats: 163V/154Q/4.0W Background: Fulbright ETA in Germany 2012-13, currently substitute teaching to make a few dolla dolla bills Applied: Penn GSE, Rutgers, Teachers College, Seattle U Admitted: Penn GSE, Teachers College, Seattle U Rejected after interviewing for assistantships: Rutgers Going: Penn

Sorry for taking forever to respond to this! Your response was definitely helpful and I appreciate long winded answers! I'm thinking now that a big part of my decision will depend on what assistantship I'm able to get and how closely it aligns with my career goals. Admittedly, I'm somewhat worried about that process because I'm an absolute disaster when it comes to interviews. It's my understanding that with Penn you're basically guaranteed an assistantship, and that it'll almost certainly pay in some way, but there's still a level of uncertainty there that I'm not a fan of, haha. I was told that 60 or so people (possibly 70, I can't remember now) were accepted to the program, so theoretically if everyone matriculated there just wouldn't be enough GAs to go around. But maybe I'm getting too obsessed with worst case scenarios here. I'm going to try to attend preview days with a greater sense of calm. I only applied to 4 schools (in retrospect, probably should've applied to a few more), and Teachers College was one of them. They're offering me 8K compared to Penn's 5K (which, accounting for the cost of living in NY vs Philly, I guess that makes the offers pretty equal) but Penn's probably the way better choice? There's been a lot of talk in other threads about TC being a sort of diploma mill, and I guess it's turning me off the school. Anyway, if anyone has an opinion re: the higher ed masters programs at Penn vs Teachers College, I'd love to hear it!

Ah, so some people don't get a scholarship offer at all? Knowing that makes me more appreciative of 5k, definitely. You applied to and were accepted at a whole bunch of programs, so I have to ask, what made you choose Penn?? I know that as a school of education Penn rates pretty high, as does the higher ed program specifically, but the fact that it's a one-year program gives me pause. I worry not only that taking on all those classes while holding an internship will be crazy intense, but that after I've graduated employers will still think that I lack experience. Admittedly, I've been trying to creep on graduates of the program to see where they are now, and get some assurance that I'm not going to be unemployed forever, haha.

Got my acceptance for the Higher Ed program at the end of last week. 5K scholarship, am also wondering if everyone in the program gets at least that much.

Definitely go the optimistic route! For me, I applied to both and was accepted to Germany, but got alternate for Austria so... it's all just a crap-shoot, ya know. But I really do think with all the people who applied to both programs and got accepted to both, a good number of those are gonna choose Germany, so... there ya go.

the germany ETA page? http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rutgers-University-Libraries/175081641956#!/groups/410265979000617/

ah, thanks. oh but also! when they ask for passport photo are they talking about actually scanning our passports or submitting any passport style 2x2" photo

germany eta business again, sorry..! just want to make absolute sure I don't mess something up terribly! what's all that business on the instruction page about the Application Forms des Institute of International Education--is that going to be forwarded by them or am I responsible for sending that too? (and by that don't they mean the very Fulbright app that was submitted months ago?)