how do i pay for an education at Teachers College?

[Guest adrienne]

i don't get it. TC is my dream program... except not. howthehell am i expected to pay $32k plus the cost of living in NYC for an MA in education and then live off a high school teachers salary after that? i'm bewildered... and oh-so torn.

is anyone else out there struggling with the same thing, or has anyone attended TC with absolutely no funding, and lived to tell about it? if so, please share your wisdom with me!

[Guest i am not to be trusted]

Is it possible that people who get their MAs from TC are usually supported by the school / school district they work for? Perhaps that is a way you could shoulder the cost - getting your employer to pay for it, (assuming you are already a teacher).

[Guest muse]

i don't get it. TC is my dream program... except not. howthehell am i expected to pay $32k plus the cost of living in NYC for an MA in education and then live off a high school teachers salary after that? i'm bewildered... and oh-so torn.

is anyone else out there struggling with the same thing, or has anyone attended TC with absolutely no funding, and lived to tell about it? if so, please share your wisdom with me!

I am in the same boat. It is also my dream program and the choice Im making because in my field jobs are very tough to come by. My plan is to borrow the 18.5k from the feds and actually find a full time job to pay the rest and live on. Yes, I know this is insane but I have a masters degree and think I should be able to find work that pays at least 30k in NYC. Then hopefully finish my doctorate in three years and walk away with 55.5k in debt, but a degree that should get me a great payng job. Remember, its an investment in your future, not unlike buying a house. And education degrees get jobs moreso than many PhD's, so don't be too jealous of all those stipend figures you see folks throwing around.

[Guest guest]

I don't really understand. A lot of people attend programs in teaching at state schools. The program is what you make of it, you don't need to go to an Ivy League school to become a great teacher.

[Guest adrienne]

you're so right about the education being what you make of it... yet i wish it were that simple. i can choose a state school, UNC-CH, with a solid ed program which would be FREE.

it isn't just the degree that i'm after, but the experience, skills, challenges i will face in order to become a better teacher. i know i can become a damn good teacher regardless. the kicker is, i specifically want to teach in a small, independent, "alternative" high school and there are very little of those in NC and very many in NYC. so what? well.. i know i can student-teach in these types of schools at either TC or NYU (i already have a few in mind), or student teach at a traditional public HS in NC. i will learn a lot either way, but i'd rather teach in a type of school i know i'll be working at. plus i am more convinced every day that finding a job in an ind/alt school can depend a lot on the connections you have (and where you student teach), and unfortunately the schools with the uber expensive pricetags offer that, esp. those involved in the NYC small schools initiatives.

i have science teaching experience in an independent, very "alternative" HS under my belt, and i guess i fear that if i attend the public university, geared towards training teachers to teach in traditional public schools, that i might "unlearn" what i know about alternative education. does this sound absurd? hopefully this paints a clearer picture of my dilemma....

[rising_star]

I'm not sure teaching curriculums are that rigid. Maybe you bring a cool perspective to UNC?

[Guest muse]

Adrienne- Your situation is a little more complicated. I think that you know that UNC would give you a solid education and the certification you need. It will come down to if you want to be in NYC for the connections and the experience. If thats worth taking on the debt to you then by all means I say do it. Especially if you don't have kids and have never lived in a big city, take the experience and live. But if the debt worries you to the point that you can't allow yourself to have a good time there then maybe UNC is the better choice?

As for me, I know I want to teach at the college level and my doctoral program is perfect for me so I think my options are a little more limited. Im already looking at applying for some FT positions. Start spreadin the news!

[SMF711]

BUMP!!!

 

I'd like to resurrect this topic. I have been accepted as a Masters student in the International Educational Development program at Teachers College and it's a top choice!! However, I am really freaked out by the amount of debt I will be in. It's about $80,000 per year. Is it worth it?? I'm still waiting to see what TC offer in its financial aid packages. Anyone know how graduates of TC fare after graduation, i.e. do they get good jobs easily/soon after graduation?

 

Thanks!
 

[abeilles]

Is it possible that people who get their MAs from TC are usually supported by the school / school district they work for? Perhaps that is a way you could shoulder the cost - getting your employer to pay for it, (assuming you are already a teacher).

 

I know this was true for some of the students in my master's program!