Anyone else losing their damn mind?

[Goobah]

I just received my letter of acceptance to U of T's MSW program.  After receiving 3 cold rejections last year, I couldn't be happier.

 

Congrats!!!! MSW13 Yay!

[MSW13]

Thank you so much Goobah! I'm still in a bit of a daze. I feel like I won the lottery

Congrats!!!! MSW13 Yay!

[sansao]

I just received my letter of acceptance to U of T's MSW program.  After receiving 3 cold rejections last year, I couldn't be happier.

Congratulations, that's fantastic!

[callista]

Ughhhh, I had to come to work during this snow storm, so it would be really nice to get some good news....

[rllnyc]

I respectfully and completely disagree. If given the choice between abandoning my academic plans and taking on debt, I will choose debt. Do I care about funding in the PhD programs I've applied to? Of course I do. But I'll be damned If I'll just quit if all I am able to secure is a program with little or no funding. When one considers the lifetime earning potential of a PhD, even 200K is not unworkable. May I ask how you've arrived at such an opinion? Do you have any student debt? I don't think the integrity and viability of pursuing a career path should be weighed against money; but that is, in the end, my own opinion. First and foremost, my doctorate will be for my own academic enrichment and that of the discipline to which I belong. Money is a distant third. 

I'm not going for a PhD yet (going for Masters)  but I just wanted to say that I completely agree with you. Glad I'm not the only one who thinks like that. I feel like a lot of people are concerned about financial obstacles to graduate school, but I'm ready to take on as many loans as I need to. This is what I want to do and education is priceless. Knowledge is priceless. It will be worth it in the end,  no matter how much debt you'll be in. There are ways of figuring out payments. I just look at it as a future monthly bill. 

[RandiZ]

I tell my kids, now 20 & 18, at this point in your lives your successes and failures belong to you because they are your choices to make. Also we tend to learn by doing not others talking at us.

I and others have lived, some still living, with the crippling aftermath of student loan debt. Those in my age bracket still living with it never left academia. They are bitter that they have been unable to build resources now that they are looking at sending their children to college and quickly approaching retirement. I promised my children that they would have no debt from their bachelor degrees but they are on their own after that. I am modelling for them that grad school needs to be funded and make sense for their chosen career, careers based on legitmate interests and talents.

Paying for Harvard law makes sense if you will be a corporate attorney. Columbia does not if you are going to be a public school teacher or do not for profit advocacy work. State schools have fabulous resources. A bad fit is something you'll live with for a long and unpleasant time. There are a lot of factors to consider. You will live with the consequences for a very long time if you don't think about it, and choose wisely.

[NightGallery]

I'm not going for a PhD yet (going for Masters)  but I just wanted to say that I completely agree with you. Glad I'm not the only one who thinks like that. I feel like a lot of people are concerned about financial obstacles to graduate school, but I'm ready to take on as many loans as I need to. This is what I want to do and education is priceless. Knowledge is priceless. It will be worth it in the end,  no matter how much debt you'll be in. There are ways of figuring out payments. I just look at it as a future monthly bill. 

Thanks! I was feeling a bit brow-beaten in here.  Money is a very real and legitimate concern, but by no means is it a deal breaker for me. It's all about priorities. Knowledge is indeed priceless in perspective to oneself and humanity at large. Excelsior!

[Reatha]

I tell my kids, now 20 & 18, at this point in your lives your successes and failures belong to you because they are your choices to make. Also we tend to learn by doing not others talking at us.

I and others have lived, some still living, with the crippling aftermath of student loan debt. Those in my age bracket still living with it never left academia. They are bitter that they have been unable to build resources now that they are looking at sending their children to college and quickly approaching retirement. I promised my children that they would have no debt from their bachelor degrees but they are on their own after that. I am modelling for them that grad school needs to be funded and make sense for their chosen career, careers based on legitmate interests and talents.

Paying for Harvard law makes sense if you will be a corporate attorney. Columbia does not if you are going to be a public school teacher or do not for profit advocacy work. State schools have fabulous resources. A bad fit is something you'll live with for a long and unpleasant time. There are a lot of factors to consider. You will live with the consequences for a very long time if you don't think about it, and choose wisely.

 

Which is rather my point. We don't live in an idealistic world where you can just go and do what you want because the opportunity presents itself. And that extents to career and personal goals. My parents are stuggling under a lot of debt right now and I don't want to put myself in the same position they're in. 

 

And yes, the finacial decisions we make now (like going for an unfunded PhD) DO have a significant impact on your future and honestly it doesn't always just work out. 

[rllnyc]

Thanks! I was feeling a bit brow-beaten in here.  Money is a very real and legitimate concern, but by no means is it a deal breaker for me. It's all about priorities. Knowledge is indeed priceless in perspective to oneself and humanity at large. Excelsior!

Right? And the most recent posts talking about crippling debt in the future....I completely understand that, and it does worry me. But I won't let it stop me from bettering myself now. Live in the moment! You will find solutions, but you only live once so do what you want.

[anon.strea]

How are you guys lasting 6-8 weeks?! I'm losing my mind after two. 

[phigirl]

if it makes you feel any better, I waited 3-4 months depending on the deadline

 

How are you guys lasting 6-8 weeks?! I'm losing my mind after two. 

[SLPjmar]

This is actually painful.

[Reatha]

How are you guys lasting 6-8 weeks?! I'm losing my mind after two. 

 

I'm at four....

 

And yes it is rather painful. Especially when your told by a school expect a decision by today. You call today and they're interviewing another group of students....

 

Don't know what to think of this..

[aapril]

How are you guys lasting 6-8 weeks?! I'm losing my mind after two. 

 

I'm at week 14 and still no decisions. Maybe lucky week 15??

[anon.strea]

I'm at week 14 and still no decisions. Maybe lucky week 15??

Damn, I feel for ya. D:

[sansao]

I'm assuming it's a good thing when a school which already has your unofficial transcripts emails you requesting official ones. And if it's not a good thing, it's still a "thing" right? As in, some sort of action requiring an official transcript is about to be taken? Commencing panic phase 2.

Edited March 8, 2013 by sansao

[phigirl]

I'maassuming it's a good thing when a school which already has your unofficial transcripts emails you requesting official ones. And if it's not a good thing, it's still a "thing" right? As in, some sort of action requiring an official transcript is about to be taken?

I would assume it's a good thing-I mean why would they want your official transcripts if they've already ruled you out from your official?

[thunderchunky]

I'm assuming it's a good thing when a school which already has your unofficial transcripts emails you requesting official ones. And if it's not a good thing, it's still a "thing" right? As in, some sort of action requiring an official transcript is about to be taken? Commencing panic phase 2.

 

 

I would assume that's good!

[sansao]

I would assume it's a good thing-I mean why would they want your official transcripts if they've already ruled you out from your official?

That was my intuition as well... that they don't need official transcripts to reject. I hope, anyway.

[MSW13]

I would totally take that as a positive sign! They only want the official stuff if they are going to extend you an offer! Fingers crossed that they aren't sadists!   

 

I'm assuming it's a good thing when a school which already has your unofficial transcripts emails you requesting official ones. And if it's not a good thing, it's still a "thing" right? As in, some sort of action requiring an official transcript is about to be taken? Commencing panic phase 2.

[sansao]

I would totally take that as a positive sign! They only want the official stuff if they are going to extend you an offer! Fingers crossed that they aren't sadists!   

Lol, yes no sadists, please. I hope you're right.

[Reatha]

Lol, yes no sadists, please. I hope you're right.

 

That's totally a positive sign. let us know what happens!!

[karrotte]

I AM DEFINITELY LOSING MY DAMN MIND! It has been 20 (!!!) long weeks since I submitted my application to Uni of Toronto OISE, and still no news. According to the results search, no one seems to have heard anything from them either. You'd think they'd be more efficient considering the C$210 application fee...

 

I've been dreaming every night (vividly, may I add) that I heard back from the 2 schools I applied to, and it sucks whenever I wake up and realize it was just a dream.  Pure unadulterated torture!!

[SLPjmar]

At this point, I am terrified to hear back from the rest of my schools. I feel as though my most likely options have passed me by, and now I only have my reach schools left to hear from. I'm hoping it's true what they say... many people are rejected by their "safety" and accepted by a school they never thought they would be.

 

Meh. 

[pears]

I AM DEFINITELY LOSING MY DAMN MIND! It has been 20 (!!!) long weeks since I submitted my application to Uni of Toronto OISE, and still no news. According to the results search, no one seems to have heard anything from them either. You'd think they'd be more efficient considering the C$210 application fee...

 

I've been dreaming every night (vividly, may I add) that I heard back from the 2 schools I applied to, and it sucks whenever I wake up and realize it was just a dream.  Pure unadulterated torture!!

 

i had a vivid dream about receiving an acceptance from my sort-of-first-sort-of-second-choice program the night before i got an email containing "I am please to inform you" from the department head. maybe it's just a long buildup to some good news for you, too..!