Decision making, needs help! NYC vs LA

[WendyWonderland]

Hallo, awesome community ppl!

The last week was quite a great plus torturing time for me.

I got officially accepted to a MA program in English at Loyola Marymount University in LA, and an unofficial acceptance from CCNY in NYC, English and American Studies.

 

I know for unfunded MA programs we are told to follow the money, but after doing the math it was quite the same since CCNY ‘s tuition is so much cheaper but the living cost in New York is EXTREMELY pricy.

 

So I checked the program, for CCNY, it offers an exchange semester in Europe, it is a Joint Degree.

Loyola’s courses seem really awesome, and the professors are really nice, the school is very helpful at helping students to find part time jobs on campus to survive. There is still a possibility that I could get a scholarship for the second year, and the weather is great of course.

 

My ultimate goal is a funded PHD program in a very good school, so my question is, do you guys know at which school I would get more chances?

I only applied to Ivy Leagues last fall, and they all rejected me, it was so depressing…anyway, I gathered myself together and I want to do a MA first to improve my English and academic skills and try again in 2 years.

It is a big commitment of time and money, so I would really prefer some help!

You guys here are so smart and much more familiar with the US education than me, can anybody help to give out some ideas or experiences?

Does it matter if you attend a public school or a private school?

 

I would appreciate the help a lot!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Wendy

[andrewcycs]

Ultimately I don't think PhD programs care what school you come from. They care about your research above all else! So go to New York!!!!

I am biased, but I would jump at the opportunity to live in New York City! I just graduated from UCLA and can say that LA is meh at best. Lots of things to do, but it's all very sprawled out with lots of traffic. On the upside LMU is a pretty campus and in a nice area.

[WendyWonderland]

Ultimately I don't think PhD programs care what school you come from. They care about your research above all else! So go to New York!!!!

I am biased, but I would jump at the opportunity to live in New York City! I just graduated from UCLA and can say that LA is meh at best. Lots of things to do, but it's all very sprawled out with lots of traffic. On the upside LMU is a pretty campus and in a nice area.

Oh thank for your apply! I am very confused right now. MA is only for 2 years, so I think most important would be be able to focus on academia and be able to get published and really learn something. Anybody know about the Emglish literature program in City College?

[ProfLorax]

As people said in the Decision Making thread, MA programs don't really have reputations or rankings, so it's hard for us to gauge which program is better for you. I'd suggest asking the DGS where students go for their PhD's after graduation, ask current students if they are happy there, and check which class schedule appeals most to you. At least in my observations, the majority of the MA is coursework, with some programs having a thesis or exam requirement at the end. I'd look at the Fall 2014 schedule and see which program offers the courses you are most excited about taking. Also, would you rather write a thesis or take an exam? That is something else to consider. You might also look into which program have a significant contingent of international students.

 

And since reputation isn't all that important a factor when deciding between two unfunded MA's, I think andrewcycs was onto something: where would you want to live? LA or NYC? One thing to consider is that you will most likely need a car in LA, given that their public transportation isn't all that great. I'd choose NYC in a heartbeat, but I also grew up in San Francisco, and we are trained to hate LA from birth.

 

Lastly, MA programs are really what you make of them. Choose the program you feel you can shape and shift to meet your needs.

 

And good luck!

[WendyWonderland]

As people said in the Decision Making thread, MA programs don't really have reputations or rankings, so it's hard for us to gauge which program is better for you. I'd suggest asking the DGS where students go for their PhD's after graduation, ask current students if they are happy there, and check which class schedule appeals most to you. At least in my observations, the majority of the MA is coursework, with some programs having a thesis or exam requirement at the end. I'd look at the Fall 2014 schedule and see which program offers the courses you are most excited about taking. Also, would you rather write a thesis or take an exam? That is something else to consider. You might also look into which program have a significant contingent of international students.

And since reputation isn't all that important a factor when deciding between two unfunded MA's, I think andrewcycs was onto something: where would you want to live? LA or NYC? One thing to consider is that you will most likely need a car in LA, given that their public transportation isn't all that great. I'd choose NYC in a heartbeat, but I also grew up in San Francisco, and we are trained to hate LA from birth.

Lastly, MA programs are really what you make of them. Choose the program you feel you can shape and shift to meet your needs.

And good luck!

Oh thank u so much! I wrote to the professors today and asked about their program details and where their students head to after graduation. To be honest, I really want to do a phd after my MA, a funded good program. I spent so much money to follow my dream, so the program had to be awesome, otherwise it would be a tragedy. LMU seems quite nice to their students. They offer all kinds of work study and assistantship. I would apply and wait for the result first. On the other hand CCNY is a Joint MA degree in cooperation with Europe. I heard that an exchange semester in Europe is a big plus for Phd application. NYC is very expensive. I have to do multiple part time jobs.... LA is great, but I can't drive...lol, life is not easy. Can anybody please tell me with which school I have a better chance to a good phd program? I know that I have to work hard, I would do it anyway. I am do afraid that I would be rejected on 2016 again! Thanks! Any differences between public schools and private schools?

[Eternal Optimist]

Since you talked about the financial aspect of it, I want to mention this.

As an international student you won't be able to work outside campus right? And are you sure you would find a job on campus? I am sure you would have thought of all this but I just wanted to bring it up because I am an international student myself and I cannot even dream of attending an unfunded program. But if you have enough savings or funds from loans, I would say go with the program you think offers more in terms of your area of specialization.

[WendyWonderland]

Since you talked about the financial aspect of it, I want to mention this.

As an international student you won't be able to work outside campus right? And are you sure you would find a job on campus? I am sure you would have thought of all this but I just wanted to bring it up because I am an international student myself and I cannot even dream of attending an unfunded program. But if you have enough savings or funds from loans, I would say go with the program you think offers more in terms of your area of specialization.

Thanks for your reply! Yes, money, urghhh, it's killing me. I worked for 2 years in Beijing, the salary just made me be able to be independent, and believe me , my salary is pretty high since I graduated from a very pretentious school with a literature MA. Housing in Beijing is as expensive as in the US but the salary is maybe 1/3 or 1/4. I wanted to do a funded phd but I did not succeed this year, so I am doing a second MA in English in order to get familiar with the US teaching system and to improve my language. My parents are paying for my tuition, BUT, I am almost 28, it is a shame if I can't be self dependent. So I would work myself for my living cost. My parents would help me through the first year, I am paying for my second and for the phd plan.

About finding a job on campus, I am pretty sure that in Loyola it would be very easy. The school has so many work study programs plus my Chinese friend studies there, she said she could help me out at the beginning to get into the Chinese community. Plus it's a catholic school, which means ppl are more helpful....And it is true, the DGS asked for my resume and I am waiting for possible opportunities.

In NYC, well, I am pretty much on my own then. The city is so expensive, but the tuition of CCNY is cheaper than Loyola, so it makes no difference for the first year. For the second I would live one semester in Germany for exchange. I hope that I could find something like teaching or tutoring on campus or a paid internship. It is true that with a F visa u can only work on campus, 20 hours per week, 40 hours during summer vacation. Off compus jobs are only allowed if the work is related to your research. I am thinking of oral translation or Chinese tutoring. My BA is Chinese literature and I have lots of tutoring experience. Do u think it is possible?

To be honest, all of my friends and colleagues I know who have been study abroad have experiences in working in a restaurant. Washing dishes and waitressing. I won't do that during the semester, but maybe during summer vacation. I am still comparing my 2 offers because one of my concern is if the living gets too stressful, it may affect my academic study. At the end, my goal is a phd, earning money is just for survival.

Edited April 15, 2014 by WendyWonderland

[hj2012]

Hi there!

 

What are your research interests again? I seem to recall that you applied to CompLit programs, but don't remember what your AOIs were. I'm going to give you some tough love because I've been in a similar position to you and I have lots of friends who've gone through what you're going to go through. I'm a U.S. citizen but Korean by birth...However, I just finished my PhD application season for 2014, so actual grad students might be able to chime in with more details.

 

Do you plan on applying to PhD programs during the second year of your M.A.? If so, I strongly advise against studying abroad. Frankly speaking, international students (especially from Asia) face an uphill battle forging close relationships with professors because of language and cultural differences. You will want as much face time as possible in order to get those LORs. Furthermore, I don't really see the value of study abroad in Europe if your primary purpose is to gain admission to an American PhD program. It's nice as an undergrad to get away and develop cultural understanding, but as a M.A. level candidate, I see this as detrimental to your overall purpose (familiarizing yourself with the American system, improving your English, etc).

 

Also, I'm afraid that it may also be more difficult than you think to find work off-campus. I have friends and relatives studying in NYC, and nearly all of them have had an incredibly difficult time securing off-campus work that also pays the bills. Many of my friends also went with lofty goals of finding jobs in translation, teaching, etc. The truth of the matter is that these jobs are nearly impossible to come by. Furthermore, CUNY is particularly notorious for not helping out their international students secure work-study on campus.

 

I've also found that Korean international students have an incredibly difficult time when studying abroad in the U.S., particularly in the humanities. Not only are there language difficulties, but cultural expectations for studying and student behavior are quite different as well. Also, my understanding is that a mediocre M.A. GPA will totally tank your chances at gaining admission to top PhD programs. You want to be able to focus on your studies without constantly worrying about paying bills.

 

And finally, I realize this wouldn't be what you want to hear right now, but you might want to consider deferring one of the schools and applying again to a mixture of MA and PhD programs. If I recall correctly, you only applied to the very tippy-top places; you may have better luck with funded programs if you apply more widely, especially since you already have a master's degree.

 

Good luck!

[WendyWonderland]

Hi there!

 

What are your research interests again? I seem to recall that you applied to CompLit programs, but don't remember what your AOIs were. I'm going to give you some tough love because I've been in a similar position to you and I have lots of friends who've gone through what you're going to go through. I'm a U.S. citizen but Korean by birth...However, I just finished my PhD application season for 2014, so actual grad students might be able to chime in with more details.

 

Do you plan on applying to PhD programs during the second year of your M.A.? If so, I strongly advise against studying abroad. Frankly speaking, international students (especially from Asia) face an uphill battle forging close relationships with professors because of language and cultural differences. You will want as much face time as possible in order to get those LORs. Furthermore, I don't really see the value of study abroad in Europe if your primary purpose is to gain admission to an American PhD program. It's nice as an undergrad to get away and develop cultural understanding, but as a M.A. level candidate, I see this as detrimental to your overall purpose (familiarizing yourself with the American system, improving your English, etc).

 

Also, I'm afraid that it may also be more difficult than you think to find work off-campus. I have friends and relatives studying in NYC, and nearly all of them have had an incredibly difficult time securing off-campus work that also pays the bills. Many of my friends also went with lofty goals of finding jobs in translation, teaching, etc. The truth of the matter is that these jobs are nearly impossible to come by. Furthermore, CUNY is particularly notorious for not helping out their international students secure work-study on campus.

 

I've also found that Korean international students have an incredibly difficult time when studying abroad in the U.S., particularly in the humanities. Not only are there language difficulties, but cultural expectations for studying and student behavior are quite different as well. Also, my understanding is that a mediocre M.A. GPA will totally tank your chances at gaining admission to top PhD programs. You want to be able to focus on your studies without constantly worrying about paying bills.

 

And finally, I realize this wouldn't be what you want to hear right now, but you might want to consider deferring one of the schools and applying again to a mixture of MA and PhD programs. If I recall correctly, you only applied to the very tippy-top places; you may have better luck with funded programs if you apply more widely, especially since you already have a master's degree.

 

Good luck!

Hey, thanks for your reply!

My research interests are immigrant literature,identity studies and crosscultural studies.

 

Yes, my intention is to apply for PhD programs during the second year of my M.A. If I go to NYC, the program is designed that everybody in the program has to do an exchange semester in Europe and probably also summer school in another country. It is an European Joint MA Degree, that is the reason. It is also the reason why I love that program so much. As a child I lived 5 years in Germany, I would love to go back and study for several months. I would apply for Com. lit. in 2015 fall again, so my plan is (if I go to NYC), 1 semester in the US, 2. semester in Germany, summer school somewhere in Europe, then come back to NY for 3.and 4. semester and prepare for Toefl, Gre,and applications. Of course do I have to write my MA Thesis as well. 

 

Actually I am not afraid with dealing with US professors. As far have I found them very nice and helpful.I speak German and English everyday in Beijing because of my job and my friends, so I guess the language barrior and the cultural misunderstandings might not that big for me.  But I do worry about finding work off-campus and I do worry about my time managing between surviving and studying.

 

One stupid thing I did last year was that I only applied to the very tippy-top pretentious programs. With an awful GRE Verbal score. My plan is to improve my English and my academic writing skills in the US.

Both opportunities seem great, but with Loyola it would be easier because the school helps the students a lot, and there might be a possibility for a scholarship for the second year. If I study hard enough. Browsing the 2 websites I found Loyola more organized. But I love the program in CUNY......so hard to chose!!!

I am not staying in China anymore, already quit my job.My job made my application process very difficult, because I always work till 21:00pm, sometimes even on weekends, not so much time left for anything else.

 

Another matter, CUNY still did not give me the official admission. They say I have to wait till May.......I seriously have concerns about the time I need for a F Visa...

 

Thank you again! Where are u going for graduate school?

[hj2012]

If you plan on applying to PhD programs the fall semester of your second year, you will have one year to forge strong relationships with professors.  I still contend that you will be doing yourself a disservice by studying abroad because you will then only have one semester (and your first semester, at that!) to secure the kinds of relationships that produce strong LORs that go beyond the generic, "She was in my class and did well" kinda thing. I understand the personal draw to study in Europe, but you should really think of the M.A. as a means to an end, rather than an opportunity to revisit childhood memories. If your purpose is to gain admission to a Lit program, I don't see this joint program helping you, unless you're heavily invested in crit theory, continental philosophy or another strongly European AOI. And if your proposed research project involves ethnic lit or Asian/Asian American lit -- one of my AOIs, incidentally -- time spent in Europe might be a detriment in that it makes you seem like a less focused candidate. 

 

That said, CUNY in general has some great people working in immigration and identity theory, particularly in ethnic literature. 

 

What a difficult decision you have ahead of you! 

 

I'll PM you where I'm going.

Edited April 15, 2014 by hj2012

[lostleaf]

Wendy,

 

I'm new in this gradcafe community, but I want to share with you my experiences studying in the U.S. because we share similar background. I'm also from China. With an undergrad degree in French I came to the States to study professional writing in a public university that has a good local reputation but definitely not up to par at the national level. I entered the program with a dream of pursuing fiction writing but quickly learned that it would not be a practical choice of field for me if I planned to stay in this country. Fortunately, I was introduced to the field of rhet/comp and fell in love with composition and teaching. With such a late switch I was also lucky to have started a project that have led to a publication and two conference presentations for me as I was preparing for my PHD application. Because I had no teaching experience at the master level, I decided to take advantage of my OPT year (you can work for a year on F-1 visa after you graduate) to teach. I've been teaching two writing courses as an adjunct at two different institutions so far, and since these part time positions would not lead to a working visa and I wanted to pursue a PHD anyway, I applied for doctoral programs in rhet/comp. Not knowing much what to expect, I ended up with two funded admissions and three waitlists of which one turned into a funded admission yesterday. Sometimes I feel proud of what I've accomplished, if nothing, just for the fact that I am teaching writing in English to native speakers. Sometimes I also feel very alone in this field as a non-native speaker. The point is, as I may seem to be rambling by now, that if you try hard, you WILL get where you want to be. 

 

As far as the schools, I cannot say how important the names and reputations are for your field of interest. Because lit focus can be more competitive than a rhet/comp focus. However, it seems like that you are also considering some rhet/comp programs, such as Syracuse's CCR. My impression about U.S. higher ed is that the big Ivy League names truly don't matter that much at the graduate level. It's what the program offers, its faculty members, its record of student performance and job placement and how all this fits with your interests. For example, Purdue may not be an Ivy League school, but it is one the most prestigious programs in rhet/comp. But I turned it down after they took me off the wait list. It was a difficult decision, but I realized that another program would really fit me better as far as my own research interests are concerned, and it's not like the other school has a bad record of job placement; the program and faculty are just as great. 

 

It seems like you are coming to the States with a stronger background and record from China as I did, and I'm sure with the cultural, linguistic, and academic immersion you will only strive. But you do want to consider what you want to do for your future career as well. Are you planning to stay in this country and work as a faculty member in academe or are you planning to go back to China? Generally, it is more difficult to find tenure-track positions in this country for lit majors than it is for rhet/comp thus more difficult for us non-native speakers. But that doesn't mean you can't do it. Besides, anything may change once you start your study here. However, I'd have to agree with others agains the study abroad program, which I also don't believe would add much to your profile, unless, of course, perhaps, you are doing comparative lit with American and European literature.

 

If you are into teaching, I also suggest, if you don't get much teaching experience during your master's here, take the OPT year to gain some. Because most likely you will be required to teach during your PHD program, and not doing it for the first time and learning so much new stuff all at once will make your life much easier.

 

I hope this helps in some way or at least makes you feel better, and I wish you good luck!

[WendyWonderland]

If you plan on applying to PhD programs the fall semester of your second year, you will have one year to forge strong relationships with professors. I still contend that you will be doing yourself a disservice by studying abroad because you will then only have one semester (and your first semester, at that!) to secure the kinds of relationships that produce strong LORs that go beyond the generic, "She was in my class and did well" kinda thing. I understand the personal draw to study in Europe, but you should really think of the M.A. as a means to an end, rather than an opportunity to revisit childhood memories. If your purpose is to gain admission to a Lit program, I don't see this joint program helping you, unless you're heavily invested in crit theory, continental philosophy or another strongly European AOI. And if your proposed research project involves ethnic lit or Asian/Asian American lit -- one of my AOIs, incidentally -- time spent in Europe might be a detriment in that it makes you seem like a less focused candidate.

That said, CUNY in general has some great people working in immigration and identity theory, particularly in ethnic literature.

What a difficult decision you have ahead of you!

I'll PM you where I'm going.

Dear HJ,

Thank you for your suggestions! To be honest, it made me reconsider the program in CUNY. I must go to Europe for an exchange semester, so do my classmates. I asked a professor at UCLA, she said she thinks that an exchange semester is a big plus for phd application. I guess that's because I am interested in comparative literature and according to big ivy leagues requirements, u should to able to speak 3 languages besides your mothertounge. I think I could improve my German or my French while doing that? Also you re right about fighting for profs attention. It's a hard choice.

Loyola offers a good program, I am very into it too, and the school is really amazingly beautiful. But private schools are so expensive. I am still asking about funding possibilities in terms of GA or TA.

You are right, I have a hard decision to make. There is something else, I am really afraid that community college GPA won't help me if I want to apply to pretentious schools again next year. Do you have experience in that field? The professors are all great and helpful in CUNY, but the administration office.....I already wrote many times to ask about if they got my Toefl scores or not, without that I won't get official admission. But no answers. I am frustrated and worried about time to get a F visa......Thanks again! I would PM u back!

[WendyWonderland]

Wendy,

I'm new in this gradcafe community, but I want to share with you my experiences studying in the U.S. because we share similar background. I'm also from China. With an undergrad degree in French I came to the States to study professional writing in a public university that has a good local reputation but definitely not up to par at the national level. I entered the program with a dream of pursuing fiction writing but quickly learned that it would not be a practical choice of field for me if I planned to stay in this country. Fortunately, I was introduced to the field of rhet/comp and fell in love with composition and teaching. With such a late switch I was also lucky to have started a project that have led to a publication and two conference presentations for me as I was preparing for my PHD application. Because I had no teaching experience at the master level, I decided to take advantage of my OPT year (you can work for a year on F-1 visa after you graduate) to teach. I've been teaching two writing courses as an adjunct at two different institutions so far, and since these part time positions would not lead to a working visa and I wanted to pursue a PHD anyway, I applied for doctoral programs in rhet/comp. Not knowing much what to expect, I ended up with two funded admissions and three waitlists of which one turned into a funded admission yesterday. Sometimes I feel proud of what I've accomplished, if nothing, just for the fact that I am teaching writing in English to native speakers. Sometimes I also feel very alone in this field as a non-native speaker. The point is, as I may seem to be rambling by now, that if you try hard, you WILL get where you want to be.

As far as the schools, I cannot say how important the names and reputations are for your field of interest. Because lit focus can be more competitive than a rhet/comp focus. However, it seems like that you are also considering some rhet/comp programs, such as Syracuse's CCR. My impression about U.S. higher ed is that the big Ivy League names truly don't matter that much at the graduate level. It's what the program offers, its faculty members, its record of student performance and job placement and how all this fits with your interests. For example, Purdue may not be an Ivy League school, but it is one the most prestigious programs in rhet/comp. But I turned it down after they took me off the wait list. It was a difficult decision, but I realized that another program would really fit me better as far as my own research interests are concerned, and it's not like the other school has a bad record of job placement; the program and faculty are just as great.

It seems like you are coming to the States with a stronger background and record from China as I did, and I'm sure with the cultural, linguistic, and academic immersion you will only strive. But you do want to consider what you want to do for your future career as well. Are you planning to stay in this country and work as a faculty member in academe or are you planning to go back to China? Generally, it is more difficult to find tenure-track positions in this country for lit majors than it is for rhet/comp thus more difficult for us non-native speakers. But that doesn't mean you can't do it. Besides, anything may change once you start your study here. However, I'd have to agree with others agains the study abroad program, which I also don't believe would add much to your profile, unless, of course, perhaps, you are doing comparative lit with American and European literature.

If you are into teaching, I also suggest, if you don't get much teaching experience during your master's here, take the OPT year to gain some. Because most likely you will be required to teach during your PHD program, and not doing it for the first time and learning so much new stuff all at once will make your life much easier.

I hope this helps in some way or at least makes you feel better, and I wish you good luck!

Dear lost leaf,

Thank you so much for sharing your story! It is so great to find a Chinese student in this community because I am sure that u understand what I am going through. Graduated from a Com. Lit MA at PKU I worked for 2 years then I found out that I miss academia and want to go back to school. I am sure u know what a pretentious school PKU is, and how I kicked my ass off to get into it, so I was silly enough last year only to apply to top tier phd programs. Rejected through and through. I decided to retake a MA and give myself 2 years to prepare for it. So, what I really care about now is which school can help me into funded phd studies in a decent school. I know what I have to sacrifice for that decision, money from my parents, time and energy, and I know I have to work hard at school ( They are native speakers!!!!) and maybe work in Chinese restaurants to earn money, but no pain no gain, right? My future plan is staying there for academia and teach Chinese American Literature. ( my BA is in Chinese).Of course it is hard, very hard. I am very interested in Immigrant literature and I also dream to write novels lol. Identity studies and gender studies are also my big interests. Thank you for the information of the OPT year, I don't even know that this exists. I guess, once started, a lot of chances and opportunities would pour out of which I can't even imagine in Beijing. I appreciate your help and I hope that I can make my decision soon. Loyola or CUNY is all what I can think about now. It's driving me crazy. I compare programs professors money cities and the attitude they treat candidates. But still hard!!!!

[lostleaf]

Dear lost leaf,

Thank you so much for sharing your story! It is so great to find a Chinese student in this community because I am sure that u understand what I am going through. Graduated from a Com. Lit MA at PKU I worked for 2 years then I found out that I miss academia and want to go back to school. I am sure u know what a pretentious school PKU is, and how I kicked my ass off to get into it, so I was silly enough last year only to apply to top tier phd programs. Rejected through and through. I decided to retake a MA and give myself 2 years to prepare for it. So, what I really care about now is which school can help me into funded phd studies in a decent school. I know what I have to sacrifice for that decision, money from my parents, time and energy, and I know I have to work hard at school ( They are native speakers!!!!) and maybe work in Chinese restaurants to earn money, but no pain no gain, right? My future plan is staying there for academia and teach Chinese American Literature. ( my BA is in Chinese).Of course it is hard, very hard. I am very interested in Immigrant literature and I also dream to write novels lol. Identity studies and gender studies are also my big interests. Thank you for the information of the OPT year, I don't even know that this exists. I guess, once started, a lot of chances and opportunities would pour out of which I can't even imagine in Beijing. I appreciate your help and I hope that I can make my decision soon. Loyola or CUNY is all what I can think about now. It's driving me crazy. I compare programs professors money cities and the attitude they treat candidates. But still hard!!!!

I would think the most important is to find out which program can best support your research interest. Which program has the most number of faculty members that are specialized in immigrant literature or related area so that you will get the best knowledge in the field. Also, many graduate programs have graduate assistantships; even if not within your program, you may find graduate assistantships in other departments of offices on campus. Perhaps you want to learn about those opportunities at both school. I would advise against any kind of illegal working because they often don't add anything to your professional experience and can be actually distracting. If you want to stay in this country, you don't want to risk creating any illegal record. If you can find GAs, it would cover some if not all of your tuition and also provide you with a stipend that will definitely help with your financials. One thing you should also know is that it is after all possible to transfer to other schools, better schools once you are here. My friend studied foreign language teaching in New York and he started off at Hunter College of CUNY because he couldn't get into a better program, a year into the program, he was able to transfer to NYU's equivalent program; the transfer process was much easier than the initial application process to NYU.

Edited April 16, 2014 by lostleaf

[lostleaf]

Dear HJ,

Thank you for your suggestions! To be honest, it made me reconsider the program in CUNY. I must go to Europe for an exchange semester, so do my classmates. I asked a professor at UCLA, she said she thinks that an exchange semester is a big plus for phd application. I guess that's because I am interested in comparative literature and according to big ivy leagues requirements, u should to able to speak 3 languages besides your mothertounge. I think I could improve my German or my French while doing that? Also you re right about fighting for profs attention. It's a hard choice.

Loyola offers a good program, I am very into it too, and the school is really amazingly beautiful. But private schools are so expensive. I am still asking about funding possibilities in terms of GA or TA.

You are right, I have a hard decision to make. There is something else, I am really afraid that community college GPA won't help me if I want to apply to pretentious schools again next year. Do you have experience in that field? The professors are all great and helpful in CUNY, but the administration office.....I already wrote many times to ask about if they got my Toefl scores or not, without that I won't get official admission. But no answers. I am frustrated and worried about time to get a F visa......Thanks again! I would PM u back!

why community college? CCNY and CUNY are two different schools. Which one are you considering? I would definitely not choose community college.

[cbttcher]

maybe work in Chinese restaurants to earn money

 

Just a heads up. You're not allowed to work off campus in the first year as an F-1 student.

[WendyWonderland]

why community college? CCNY and CUNY are two different schools. Which one are you considering? I would definitely not choose community college.

City college of New York. I am not that sure what it is...

[lostleaf]

City college of New York. I am not that sure what it is...

I just looked at their website briefly. CCNY is part of CUNY system. It's not a community college.

[HereToday]

CUNY is New York City's public university school system (City University of New York), there are several colleges that all are a part of CUNY.  As the poster above indicated, City College is one of these colleges and is a senior college that grants Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

On Grad Cafe: one of CUNY's other schools, the Graduate Center, is often referred to simply as CUNY, probably better to call it CUNY Grad Center.  CUNY Grad Center offers the PhDs, and at CUNY CCNY you can go up to the Master's level degree.

[WendyWonderland]

I just looked at their website briefly. CCNY is part of CUNY system. It's not a community college.

Oh, thank u so much! That's very helpful!

I am leaned to go to NYC I think, but I did apply for GA and TA at Loyola. I think I would follow the money of they offer me something.

I really appreciate your help!

[1Q84]

I'm an international student (from Toronto, Canada) currently in the English MA program at LMU. PM me if you'd like to talk!