Texasgrad5911

I figured I would bump this thread since it is past April 15th. I will be officially attending The University of Texas at Austin this fall!

Thanks guys. I really appreciate all your advice.

Ok y'all.. Maybe you guys can help me out here because I am stumped. I have narrowed my choices of schools down to UT vs. UCLA. I am planning on doing micro.I am leaning towards UT but I am going to visit UCLA this week.. here are my pros and cons. My parent's have a education fund saved up for me, so while price is definitely a factor.. it does not weigh heavily on my decision. UT- Austin Pros - In state tuition - Ranked #7 for Social Work - In a city I am familiar with (I went to undergrad here) - Close to current bf of 3 years in Houston (not entirely sure if I want to settle down or marry him, soo trying to not let this weigh heavily on my decision) - great non-profit opportunities - support system of friends - great research opportunities - I have always wanted to be a longhorn - Close to parents - I can see myself living here long term Cons - Not pushing myself out of my comfort zone - Not as exciting UCLA - Great program - More specializations for their micro program - A new and exciting city to explore - An opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and grow - Close to my sister in San Diego - Great placement opportunities/ non profit opportunities - I can possibly see myself living here in the future Cons - Out of state tuition - Higher cost of living - Scary, new city.. far away from friends, family, and bf I just want to make the right choice and not just go to Austin because it is the safe choice. Sorry this is so long. Hopefully you guys can give me some good input. I really respect everyone on this board's opinion.

I actually ended up not being able to visit because of a snow storm when I was there :/. Decided against BC due to cost.

What made you decide on UCLA instead of BU?

I applied to the 2 yr Direct Practice

I heard back about a month ago. My application was complete on December 3rd.

I am also currently deciding between UCLA and UT. UT is a lot cheaper for me since I am a Texas resident... but UCLA's program seems amazing and a change of scenery seems like it would be a good thing. Just not sure if I would enjoy living in LA. What about the program interests you? What other schools are you seriously considering?

Soo.. how long did UCLA give everyone to get back to them. I got my acceptance from them earlier this week, but they said I would get a separate letter from my specialization that would tell me when I needed to accept? I found this confusing.

Wow, thank you so much for all the info! I am very excited for my visit! Winter sports and social activities do seem like great ideas to beat the winter blues. I definitely have a lot to consider! I went to a private catholic university in Austin, so I definitely understand what you mean by "patterns of oppression and marginalization that you see in society at large are replicated on campus." Thanks again!

I personally love living in Houston. A lot of people complain about the weather and traffic here, but it really is a super fun and young city! Cost of living is super reasonable and everyone is super friendly . Feel free to PM if you have any questions about living in Houston!

Thanks a lot! I appreciate it. One question I do have is.. Does the winter weather really get you down? I live in Texas right now and if it gets grey for longer than a week, i tend to start feeling kind of blue. Maybe I am just not used to it? Also, how was your BC experience overall ( I know undergrad would be different from grad) but I am just curious on your opinion of the school overall.

Not sure how many current social work students still follow this forum.. but... I will be in Boston from the 16th-21st and I was curious if any current Boston College students would want to meet up over coffee and discuss the school/living in Boston with me. It would be great to be able to talk to someone who has some experience with the school, but I mean.. if any of grad cafe people who are currently living in Boston want to meet up, I would be down with that as well! It would be nice to hear first hand from someone what it is like to live there as a student! I will be staying the medford area, but I would be down to meet up wherever!

Ya I will definitely ask about it for you! Are there any other specific questions about the program you have? I would be more than happy to ask for you when I go to visit. I will be sitting in on a class as well. I think it is going to be a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy class. Are you looking to do a macro or micro track? I am very interested in the school, but the price is just so high!

I havent chosen either way yet. I am going to visit the campus and sit in on a class next week. I am looking forward to learning more about the program before I decide. Are you leaning towards BC?