Special Education

[Ciarrai300]

Is anyone here applying for their master's or PhD is special ed?  Where are you applying?

[emilyrobot]

I'm a SPED person! I'm looking at University of Connecticut (both in SPED and school psych), University of Minnesota, Lehigh University and Peabody at Vanderbilt. I'm really ready for application season to be over. 

[Ciarrai300]

It is so nice to see another sped person on here! I'm applying to UT Austin and Vanderbilt for my Master's.  I definitely agree with wanting applications to be done.

[misskira]

I have a deferred acceptance to Uoregon I'm trying to decide on... I have my masters so would be doing a phd.  Funding didn't come through in time for me last spring so I accepted a teaching job for this year.  Now I have to figure out which direction to go...

[Ciarrai300]

Where did you do your master's?  Have they said if there will be funding this year? Oregon was on my shortlist of ideal schools.

[misskira]

There's funding... if you look at their webpage they have a short description of their LINKS funding that is new this year.  Looks like a great package and there's room for 6.  They also have other leadership grants, and GTF funding that is pretty good.  I did my undergrad at UO, then my masters/licensure at Pacific University.  I'll look through my email form last year to see how many were accepted in the first round.  I turned in a late application and was accepted off the waitlist.

 

eta:  nevermind, I don't know how many were initially accepted. I know that by March 4 they had 5 people accept the offer, and that "they hadn't heard from others..." I was offered my spot April 15, but with no funding guarantee because their leadership grants were already given out.

Edited November 21, 2013 by misskira

[Ciarrai300]

I say if you can get the funding go for it!  In my experience it isn't too difficult to find a sped teaching position so if you enter the PhD program and decide that it isn't the route for you it shouldn't be too difficult to get back into teaching.  On the other hand, if you pass up on your acceptance this time around you'll have to start from scratch again if you decide you want to go for your PhD later. 

[misskira]

I say if you can get the funding go for it!  In my experience it isn't too difficult to find a sped teaching position so if you enter the PhD program and decide that it isn't the route for you it shouldn't be too difficult to get back into teaching.  On the other hand, if you pass up on your acceptance this time around you'll have to start from scratch again if you decide you want to go for your PhD later. 

 

SPED positions around here are pretty slim pickins, especially for my specific area of elementary life skills... I have a husband and 2 kids so I'm limited to this area geographically.  Anyways, we're still thinking about it.  The best for my family is me staying at my current position, since I'm teaching at my own kid's school and bringing in the health insurance and income.  Best for me may be teaching, but my work load is getting insane (15 life skills students, 11 classified staff) and I miss the intellectual side of school and research.  I do think if I decide to delay I could go in a few years when both my kids are in school full time.  It's a tough decision, that's for sure.  I wish I had a crystal ball...

 

eta:  I should also add that my current school is amazing as far as accepting my students goes.  We have worked hard to create a program that is highly focused on inclusion and integrated in the school as a whole.  So it's a hard baby to give up.  The current working conditions are exhausting, so it would be so much easier to decide if I knew what working conditions next fall were looking like.  I won't know until next April or May though.  I might go ahead and put in my application again and give it until April 15 to decide.  I'm afraid I'll burn bridges if I do that and don't accept though.  We work closely with the University now and I need to keep a good relationship with them.

Edited November 25, 2013 by misskira

[Ciarrai300]

15 life skills students is tough but 11 classified staff is even tougher. Hopefully, no matter what you decide that class size is reduced.  I don't think it would be burning bridges at the University if you applied and didn't accept.  Do you know many of the faculty in the program you're applying to?  If so if you apply and choose to decline you'll be able to explain your extremely valid reasons for holding off.  I don't think anyone could fault you for worrying about the financial security of your family.  Then again, no one could fault you for running screaming from your class if you have another year with such a huge caseload.

[birdy-bear]

This reply is a tad late, but I'm also applying for Masters programs in Special Education this year! I'm applying to the SpEd and Child Studies programs at Peabody, as well as a few schools local to my current abode, Mills and San Francisco State University. 

 

Good luck, everyone--I'll be rooting for all of you! Keep me posted on your application processes!

Edited December 18, 2013 by birdy-bear

[Ciarrai300]

Hey Birdy!

 

I just saw you posted this.  As I said I also applied to Vanderbilt.  I turned in my application the last day for priority so we'll see if I hear back soon.  How about you, have you heard anything? When did you turn in your app?

[SLPM23]

I will be attending my home school, University of Nevada Reno for a Masters in Special Ed as well focus in intervention ages 0-3 and autism.