stell4

Not quite the same situation, but maybe this will be a little helpful. I went into teaching for some bizzaro crazy reason after I finished my under grad in chem, not education. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do yet and I guess I figured I'd have a guaranteed job as a high school science teacher. Anyhow, like you I hated public speaking, presentations, and was also quite shy (still shy now, not quite so bad). I am sure it will be different since you will not be with high school kids, although depending on the level you'll be teaching it might not be too far off . I found that once in the classroom with just myself and my students things fell into place. You have to remember that your students are at least, if not more, scared of you than you are of them until they get to know you (or maybe still even after). I think for me it helped to remember that I am in control of the situation and you can really play off that if your a control freak like me! I'd also suggest when you're making your lesson plans (do they call them that for TA'ing?) or class plans to keep them pretty flexible and have a couple possible ideas to go from. And do not forget to keep an open mind too, I've certainly learned a lot from my students..... such as a new inspiration to go back to being a student myself Like the poster above mentioned, do some research on different discussion styles like Socratic seminars, or other protocols. They can also give you a good break by leaving the work up to the students.

I use to live in Seattle and was quite familiar with rain riding. For only 1.5 mi I think a back pack would be enough, plus, you can't put too much weight on most racks anyways. Also, for me, when the panniers (saddle bags) are filled with books or groceries it makes the handling a little off and I don't feel so nimble making my way through traffic. When you're getting a back pack I would suggest looking into a something like this http://www.ortliebusa.com/CartGenie/prod-336.htm , you just want to make sure it will be waterproof. I think the gym bag at school is a great idea. I also think the rain suit isn't a bad idea either, it will be a good cheap alternative to expensive bike clothes and shouldn't matter much since you will not have far to go. I would also get fenders on your bike cause nothing sucks worse than going through a puddle and being sprayed with cold dirty water, even in a rain suit. Also, you may want to invest in a good pair of warm wind resistant bike gloves and if you plan to use clip in shoes you may want the neoprene covers for when it's really bad out. Biking in the snow isn't that bad, you just may need to have a different set of tires on your bike for winter (more traction)

I kept my applying a secret from most of my friends for pretty much the same reasons (plus one of my good friends is married to my husbands boss and we didn't want to mess his work up if I didn't get in). I just told everyone the reason I didn't tell was that I really didn't think I'd get in and I felt like I'd be setting myself up to feel even more like a failure if I didn't get in anywhere after getting all excited about it and telling everyone. It actually went over fine. Like someone mentioned above, people who haven't applied for grad school generally don't know what a big deal it really is to apply and so on.

When I finished up my BA in chem I was in exactly the same spot as you. I was burnt out, didn't really know what I wanted to go into, and knew I wouldn't last in grad school. I decided to go into teaching high school and have been since '09 . A few years was just what I needed to figure out my life and get the much needed break from school (college that is, now I am in much need of a permanent break from high school ). Now I know exactly what I want to do and am VERY excited to go back to school!!!

Mapleton ave is a good area. The shops and restaurants part of the Hill is Brodway, Collage and 13th, and then a bit down Broadway till about University Ave. If you're trying to avoid living in that area I would stay at least two or three blocks away in any direction. I would also look up where the frat houses are around that area and keep a distance from them if you're looking for a quieter and safer area.

That is a hard decision. Personally, I don't think I would go with option 3 strictly because of the relationship; it does sound like a great offer. I like the sounds of both option 1 and 2 a lot. Could you visit option 2 to get a better idea, maybe that would help you make a more informed decision? I think no matter what you pick you'll end up with a great experience.

I too think you should send off the above, though, I would add maybe add few lines. I am assuming the school you're waiting on is one of/or is your top choice; I would let them know such in the message.

When is it a good idea to buy a house instead of rent? When you have 5 dogs! Or if you own one of the many dogs that are on the breed restricted list so no one will rent to you. I am in the process of buying a foreclosure I found that is a great deal. I am pretty handy too so I plan to make improvements to bring up the value more. It's also in a great place for possible renting later which leaves my options open when I move. A lot of college towns have a serious shortage of rental properties, and like everywhere else in the US have been hit by the whole housing/loans crisis leaving a lot of really cheap bank owned properties and a lot of high priced rentals. If you are at all handy it can be pretty easy to turn over a foreclosure quickly, you just have to keep in mind the additional cost of tools and materials (and maybe hiring someone when you realize what you're doing is well over your head).

I agree with SLP-Allie about always feeling safe in Boulder and also just avoiding being alone at night on the hill. It sounds like the uni-housing will probably be a great option for you too. Look into the housing that is around Baseline and 28th-ish, those are the new ones and they're away from the hill. The hill is Brodway/College Ave area, that's where I'd say most of the Boulder crime would be, mostly just drunken undergrads/parties. As for marijuana... Boulder is a really liberal town and most there don't think of marijuana any differently than they do cigarettes, well actually, I think there is more hatred of cigarette smoker in Boulder than the pot heads (no smoking cigarettes anywhere near business entrances and a lot of dirty looks from the typical health conscious Boulderite). Since marijuana has been decriminalized there's not really any crime surrounding it.

I have a bad neck so too much weight on my shoulders can cause a lot of pain, migraines sometimes. I like to use a hiking back, day pack size. The hip straps help keep the weight off of my shoulders and I can still bike with it comfortably (unlike those packs that have the rollers that you pull) and you can slip you laptop into the pocket for the water bladder. It's a good option for anyone with back or neck issues, plus you can use it hiking too!

Probably something you already know, but if you can, exercise. For me it only takes about a few days in a row of forcing myself to get out side (even in horrible weather) and hike, bike, walk... anything. I think it can be useful to try to find/remember that there's more to you life than school/work and force yourself to get out and find things you enjoy. I've been having some similar issues with depression, but surrounding my job. It was really tough, but I found once I starting forcing myself to get out and do things (aside from getting home and sitting on the couch all night with the excuse I was unwinding) it helped me get out of the doldrums and gain a little more insight about my situation, for me, deciding to go back to school. I still dread work every day as I am counting down the days to go back to school, but as long as I keep my self busy out side of work I feel a bit better about my current situation. I hope you find something that works well for you soon

Hi avicus, I only suggested staying away from the dorms and uni housing after reading someones response who sounded like they were looking for areas to buy with less of an undergrad/party feel. I probably should have referenced the post I was responding to. I would say that some areas around CU, the Hill, would be less conducive to studying. Other than that area I am pretty sure the uni housing/dorms are pretty typical of any other college. I would also guess, since Boulder is so expensive, that uni housing would be a great/cheep alternative for grad students. They recently built a HUGE uni-apartment complex a little ways from the campus, it's not the prettiest thing, IMO, but there's a lot of nice new apartments.

Send them! I remember getting announcements for my aunt getting her Phd when I was in high school. I think it was great for me at that age to see that grad school isn't some way out there kind of thing

I second the nice polo with the logo. This will come in handy anytime you're meeting/doing anything where you would be a representative for the university.

I forgot to add that the school I've been admitted to has a pretty strict requirement for a 3.0 ugpa. The department had to write a recommendation on my behalf to the graduate school. This is for a MS

I grew up in Boulder and still love visiting. The town is super liberal and you can find every type of alternative "medicine" you could imagine for both you and your dog! Boulder is EXPENSIVE to live in. I would think the best areas to find a starter home would be in the North Boulder area that is more recently being developed (not sure if there putting in pricey homes though), or east Boulder. South Boulder is a great area if you can find something and anything near the foot hills too (probably out of the price range I'd guess your looking for). Some options that are just out of Boulder are Gunbarrel (very suburban), Netherland (kinda hippie town in the mountains, you may get snowed in a few times but it's near the closest ski area), or Eldorado Springs (in a beautiful canyon south of Boulder). Louisville and Lafayette are also good options, the whole area is growing so there's a great chance no matter where you buy it would be a great investment. Boulder is very low crime (except things like bike thefts), the only area I think you want to avoid is the area directly west of the campus, "The Hill", this is where the frats and the majority of the college hang-outs are. You may want to also keep a distance form any of the dorms and campus housing near the campus.

Some schools will let you know about funding with the acceptance letter. I think most send out funding info separately and it can come quite sometime after the acceptance letter. Once accepted you can contact your program and they will be able to either tell you what to expect for funding or when you will hear from them about funding.

2.86 uGPA. I took several masters level courses in a completely different subject, education, and had a 3.4 (would have been a 4.0 if it wasn't for the F I got once I found out the school was going bankrupt and decided to start working). I had the flue and a fever when I took the GRE's in December and made 77th percentile (I was seriously delerious, I was sure I would have to put off my applications for this fall). With a lot of work and a really good letter of recommendation from someone who graduated from the same program, I got into my first pick for the MS program. No funding currently, but there's a little hope for funding next semester. I am ok with the debt I am going to have knowing that the chances of employment making more than twice as much as I am now are very good. I've had 1 rejection, no other acceptances, and I still haven't heard back from 6 schools. My advice would be to do as much as you can to get to know the professors in the program and have them know you. It could also help if you can find past students to mention you.

I have a pretty horrible undergrad gpa and ok GRE scores (70th percentile, had a fever and a bad cold when I took them!). I've been out of school for several years and have been teaching high school. I also have a few graduate level courses with a much better gpa, though not in the subject subject I am going back to school for. I applied to 7 schools and have only heard back from 2, 1 rejection and 1 acceptance (my top choice!!). I think the primary reason I got in there was that I had several conversations with my now adviser and I was also able to get a recommendation letter from someone in the same field (only sent to that school). I highly doubt I will hear any good news form the other schools I applied to, not that I am too concerned now. I also did not contact professors much at any of the other schools. So I guess my $0.02... if you don't make it this year, visit and speak with everyone you can at the schools you're interested in, get a letter of recommendation from someone in the same field you're interested in, and if possible, some more recent relevant work experience in the field. My acceptance is proof that GPA isn't everything

I am heading up to Fort Collins next week to check out the area and get an idea of places I would want to live. I'll only be there a few days. Is there anything or anywhere that I should make sure to check out while I am there. I am from CO (Boulder) so I am familiar with the outlying area, I am mostly interested where to go in Ft. Collins, which I am not at all familiar with. Also, I am curious about areas to look into for housing. I have 5 dogs and a cat that must come with me (I know, a little excessive, but at least one of them I had to take on as a family member was leaving the country) so I need a house with a yard. I would of course like to live near the campus, but I am guessing that may not be possible for a reasonable amount of money for what I need. Suggestions on areas to look into, or areas with renters that would be more likely to rent to someone with a million dogs? I ride my bike a lot and would really like to be near a bike path or streets with bike lanes that would get me to campus. I am also open to suggestions of areas that are further out of town in case that ends up my only option. Is there much of a need for substitute teachers in the area? I have a teaching license in NM and thought it might be nice to pick up a few hours/cash hear and there should I get the chance while I am in school. Anyone also have any info about getting a substitute license in CO? I don't need to get a full on teaching license there, I do not plan to go back into teaching again. Or is thinking I'll have a spare half day here or there to substitute completely unreasonable when in a MS program?

I've been accepted to a master's program that though still a science, it is quite different from my undergraduate degree. I am worried I am going to show up in the fall and be seen for what I feel like I am, unprepared... clueless maybe? I've started looking into some article, however, I don't know where to start. I bought a book my adviser contributed to which I hope will prepare me a little more. Do I need to get with it and do some serious delving into articles/books/research to be prepared? Or is this somewhat common?

I like to keep them in my gmail contacts. There are plenty of fields and an area for notes to add more info. I use to use outlook, but I prefer gmail since I can access it anywhere and not have to rely on my home computer

I know for me it is, though, I am likely in much different situation. To start, I have a pretty low undergrad GPA. Since graduating I've become a high school teacher. For my planned degree, there are 1.5 to 2 jobs per graduate expected for 2012 (and demand is expected to rise), in addition the average starting salary is more than TWICE what I make as a 4th year teacher. In fact, the low end of starting salaries are more than I would make with 15 years of teaching experience. I figure once I am employed I can always pretend I am still making nothing,which I am pretty use to, and pay off loans quick (fingers crossed)