What Should I Do...

[Rudy]

Background: Last year I applied to several doctorate programs but was rejected from every school (Teachers College, WashU, Harvard, NYU, etc...). My gpa/gre scores are too low for doctorate programs. I was accepted into a top masters program which I will complete at the end of summer with MA Education Leadership. I have been taking 21credits a semester so that I can complete the masters in one year (3.96gpa). I'm interested in getting my doctorate in either education leadership or sociology.

Question 1: I have an option of writing a thesis or taking the comprehensive test. Writing the thesis would take me another semester, so is it worth it??

Question 2: I applied to one doctorate program in December at Northeastern University in Boston and was accepted with a full scholarship to begin this fall. I imagined myself studying at Teachers College, Harvard, NYU, or Penn so its hard to process Northeastern Univ. The thing is that it would be FREE!!! I would likely go into some serious debt at my dream schools. I might not be able to get into one of my dream schools. Although I have a high Masters grade point average, my gre scores are still low. Should I go to Northeastern or go into debt for my dream school??

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

[jortin10]

I would take the comps and go to Northeastern. While you are there, take the newer version of the GRE in Aug or Sep, cause it cost $80 during those months, and then reapply to your top schools. Give Northeastern a chance. The courses you should take that first year should be courses that would not overlap too much with doctoral courses at your dream schools, but should stil be applicable to your program, just in case you end up staying at Northeastern.

On a side of caution, you should not ask any of the professors in your department at Northeastern for letters of rec.

[ZeChocMoose]

Since you don't seem that excited about the offer at Northeastern, I would write the thesis, retake the GREs, and try again. Potentially, after the thesis and a master's, you'll be a stronger candidate for the schools you want to go to. For what it is worth, I know that UPenn and Harvard fund their education doctoral students. I think the funding at TC is spotty and not sure about the funding situation at NYU. The point being is that Northeastern is not the only school where you can get your degree for free.

I also assume you want to go to these schools because you are interested in the research that is going on, not because they are well known. If you don't have a great research fit for these institutions, then high GREs and a master's thesis is not going to help you get in.