Graduate Assistantship Question

[theregalrenegade]

I'm an MA in my second semester and I've submitted my application for a GAship for the Fall 2011 term. A coaching position opened up in the Academic Success Center of my university. You're assigned a group of new undergrads to evaluate and then through appointments/contact throughout the semester help them with their studies. You're given training and it's only a semester gig. I understand that graduate assistantships are not guaranteed at my school, but as I'd like to be more involved in my own department, I'm wondering how I go about this. I'd prefer a GA/TAship in my department in order to work with and get to know the people in my programme. But if these assistantships are limited and not guaranteed, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by not applying for outside positions that come along.

Any suggestions?

Edited February 10, 2011 by theregalrenegade

[LJK]

If you get offered the position, go back to your department and see if they can commit to funding you. If not, its still not irrevocable until you actually start. The thing is with these university level positions there are tons of people who would like to have it, so ducking out later might feel crappy personally but pre-training it's not like you are leaving them with no one - they will just hire someone else who doesn't get offered department funding.

Edited February 10, 2011 by LJK

[communications13]

Apply for as many assistantships as you can. Your dept and the career services you talk about know you're looking for funding just like you applied for school, look at all your options and take the best offer. I'd bet the career services is farmiliar with losing applicants to departmental funding, it's the way a university works.

[robot_hamster]

I don't think it hurts to apply. When it comes time for them to make a decision, I'm sure they will have a first, second, and third choice. So if you do find funding in your own department, then you can politely decline their offer (if you just so happen to be their first choice). I wouldn't accept an offer though only to pull out, say, shortly after the semester starts. They probably wouldn't appreciate that too much.

[theregalrenegade]

Thanks to you all for your suggestions. It really helps to hear from others who've been there and understand the system.