UMass Amherst graduate assistantship program?

[jayeorange]

Hi there,

I am thinking about applying to the UMass Amherst M.Ed. program for secondary education, and searching for ways to make it affordable. I see that UMass offers graduate student assistantships, which offer full tuition credit and $30/hour.

How difficult is it to get one of these assistantships? It would allow me to pay my living expenses (especially with 20 hours/week), but I don't think I'd be able to afford to go otherwise, so it seems pretty vital and I'm worried about getting in but then not getting an assistantship. Grateful for any experiences anyone is willing to share