Getting ahead of myself- but what's your advice?

[lslavic12]

So I am- obviously- getting ahead of myself, but this is the epic time of freak outs so I want to get some opinions on what to do.

So basically, I have an acceptance with full funding and stipend for year one of Masters in the fall. I also applied for a fellowship to study for a year (fully paid with stipend) in Poland, but will not hear about that until mid-June. Now I can defer acceptance in June, but I would lose funding. And then I worry, since FLAS is really the only source of funding, that they would not be inclined to nominate me again should I reapply. I have this wicked scenario in my head of "Oh, her? We gave her the money last year and she rejected it in the middle of the summer. No way would we giver her the funding again."

I also can't look for housing until I know where I will be.

What would you do? Settle on the good opportunity and go with the fully funded year, or take a risk and go with the good opportunity to study abroad?

[ANDS!]

I was going to ask "What does studying abroad help you other than studying abroad. . .and then saw your field of study."

I would communicate your situation first to UNC; gauge their recommendation on what you should do. It involves them in the process and says "Look, I love your program but you folks know this is a great opportunity." At least you open the door to returning. Of course, it is rare to get funded for a Masters. . .which is the long term goal. Or is that short term? If your long term goal is PhD, I'd say grab the Masters; but then studying abroad in Poland would certainly look nice - nicer if there were some research component to it.

I say go with the sure thing, and apply for the fellowship after your first year.

[lslavic12]

Thanks, ANDS! That's good advice. I could always reapply for the fellowship, true, but it is definitely one of the highest, just below Fulbright, that we can get- and leads basically to fluency in Polish. But then again, like you said, funded Masters is rare, and there is no reason I can't go to Poland over the summers, especially with the generous stipend I am getting (15K when it costs considerably less to live in Chapel Hill.) Long term goal is PhD, yes. It probably would have been helpful to say right off that my focus is Polish literature and Language. I guess it's that old: one bird in the hand is better than two birds in the bush.

[ANDS!]

I would take the funded offer, and spend your summer in Poland doing some sort of work. However I would still do this AFTER consulting with UNC; you never know - knowing that you are a fellow they might be willing to work with you more.

[lslavic12]

This is all very true. I am leaning towards taking the funding for the Masters and with the extra money and perhaps other fellowships spending the summer in Poland.

Thanks, again AND!

[StephanieJ]

Just wondering...what's the name of this year-long fellowship? I'm heading to Poland on an Fulbright ETA, but I'm always looking for additional ways in the future to increase my fluency in Polish.

[lslavic12]

It's the Kosciuszko Foundation Year Abroad http://www.thekf.org/scholarships/exchange-poland/year-abroad/

Congrats on Fulbright- I have a friend doing her ETA in Warsaw this year.

[rising_star]

Could you pursue something like this while in grad school?

[lslavic12]

Yeah- I could, good find rising_star! I guess this is another sign to show that this one opportunity is not the only one I would have.