English Education in NYC (TC, Steinhardt)

[dfree86]

Hi all,

I'm moving to NYC next Fall (2010) and will be looking for admission to one of the two big Ed schools in the city. My field is English Education and I think I'd be looking at an Ed.M or MA. I'm at the very beginning of this process; I'm pretty uninformed at the moment and I'm really just looking for any and all information about these two schools. If it helps kind responders, here's a quick hit of my vital stats: I've got a BA in English and a BSc in English Education from Boston University. I'm licensed to teach in Massachusetts (with reciprocity elsewhere), and (by the time I apply) I'll have spent 2 years teaching English full-time at an all-boys private boarding school in the UK. I think this means I shouldn't be applying to a program that does licensing and student teaching since I've done both.

The things that most concern me about these two schools include:

- Tuition. I've spent a lot of time browsing the respective websites but haven't been able to definitely determine which of these two is the cheaper. I think they're both by-credit.

- Duration. Obviously this will depend on Part-Time or Full-Time, but again any knowledge or advice about how long they last and which (PT or FT) seems the best approach would be great.

- Financial Aid. I'm almost certainly looking at Merit rather than Need here, but I'm still mostly uninformed about which of these is (by reputation or evidence) the more generous in the Merit aid department (specifics to English Ed. also very helpful). This is a big one.

- Program quality. I'm pretty sure I'd be happy at either of these fine schools, but any info about the respective natures of the programs would be much appreciated.

Housing shouldn't be an issue as I've got a plan to live (fairly cheaply) elsewhere in the city and commute. I'd love to hear sage words on these or other topics, especially (but not, of course, exclusively) from prospective or current English Ed folk. Thanks in advance for the boost.

[sonofcioran]

Hi all,

I'm moving to NYC next Fall (2010) and will be looking for admission to one of the two big Ed schools in the city. My field is English Education and I think I'd be looking at an Ed.M or MA. I'm at the very beginning of this process; I'm pretty uninformed at the moment and I'm really just looking for any and all information about these two schools. If it helps kind responders, here's a quick hit of my vital stats: I've got a BA in English and a BSc in English Education from Boston University. I'm licensed to teach in Massachusetts (with reciprocity elsewhere), and (by the time I apply) I'll have spent 2 years teaching English full-time at an all-boys private boarding school in the UK. I think this means I shouldn't be applying to a program that does licensing and student teaching since I've done both.

The things that most concern me about these two schools include:

- Tuition. I've spent a lot of time browsing the respective websites but haven't been able to definitely determine which of these two is the cheaper. I think they're both by-credit.

- Duration. Obviously this will depend on Part-Time or Full-Time, but again any knowledge or advice about how long they last and which (PT or FT) seems the best approach would be great.

- Financial Aid. I'm almost certainly looking at Merit rather than Need here, but I'm still mostly uninformed about which of these is (by reputation or evidence) the more generous in the Merit aid department (specifics to English Ed. also very helpful). This is a big one.

- Program quality. I'm pretty sure I'd be happy at either of these fine schools, but any info about the respective natures of the programs would be much appreciated.

Housing shouldn't be an issue as I've got a plan to live (fairly cheaply) elsewhere in the city and commute. I'd love to hear sage words on these or other topics, especially (but not, of course, exclusively) from prospective or current English Ed folk. Thanks in advance for the boost.

I don't get why you want to go to an Ed program in NY. Why don't you just apply to Harvard, BU, UMass? If you want to work in NYC and are planning English Ed, you're out of your mind. There's a hiring freeze right now and NYC doesn't really have reciprocity (you're still going to have to take the CST, LAST, ATS-W) and you'll still have to apply for certification. Did you student teach in US or the Uk?

There is NO PLACE to live cheaply in NYC. Housing will be an issue. If it's TC, you're looking at Morningside Heights. Astoria's commutable, too. Don't take my word for it, check the rents.

No program "does" licensing. You apply for that yourself.

PM me if you have any questions.

[dfree86]

Thanks much for the reply. In answer to some of your points:

- Moving to NYC (in part) because of significant otherdom, but also because, by a stroke of luck, I could live for free (and comfortably) in Brooklyn with a friend. Looks to be about 4 stops from NYU.

- Licensing reciprocity is something I'd have to look into, but given that I'm already licensed in Mass, I think it would just be a matter of taking the NY tests (the ones you mentioned, I think). I would also look into the private schools in and around NYC since licensing isn't an issue and I have private school teaching experience. I did my student teaching in the US.

- Both TC and Steinhardt, it seems, have 30-34 pt. MA programs designed for people who need a Master's for professional Certification. I think that's what I'm looking at.

Still unsure about the financial/merit aid tendencies of both schools, but at a glance it seems that NYU might be more generous. What do you think?

[sonofcioran]

Thanks much for the reply. In answer to some of your points:

- Moving to NYC (in part) because of significant otherdom, but also because, by a stroke of luck, I could live for free (and comfortably) in Brooklyn with a friend. Looks to be about 4 stops from NYU.

- Licensing reciprocity is something I'd have to look into, but given that I'm already licensed in Mass, I think it would just be a matter of taking the NY tests (the ones you mentioned, I think). I would also look into the private schools in and around NYC since licensing isn't an issue and I have private school teaching experience. I did my student teaching in the US.

- Both TC and Steinhardt, it seems, have 30-34 pt. MA programs designed for people who need a Master's for professional Certification. I think that's what I'm looking at.

Still unsure about the financial/merit aid tendencies of both schools, but at a glance it seems that NYU might be more generous. What do you think?

I really can't emphasize how few jobs there are out there in teaching right now in NYC - or most anything else, either - I may go back to bookkeeping (I still have a P/T gig from when I went to school F/T) until I finish enough credits on my second Master's in Special Ed (no hiring freeze in SpEd) to apply for independent evaluation in the Spring.

Re: funding - You won't get much money out of either program. M.Ed. programs are typically unfunded. You may get something out of Columbia.

I'm not trying to be dour, but if you currently have a job in MA and you don't have a job lined up in NYC, I think you'd be out of your mind to move, unless your SO is wealthy or can support you until hiring resumes. On the plus side, I doubt you should have any problems getting into Ed programs. Back on the downside, pay in private schools is awful, and it's tough to find jobs with them too. MA has a great school system, ELA job openings (listed publicly even for amazing places like Boston Latin), and you're already certified there.

I hope your SO is very, very pretty, rich, or at least related to a superintendent. Otherwise, I'd consider an upgrade -or at least the purchase of a large life insurance policy on him or her.....

FYI: Interstate Reciprocity - here read these. Scroll down to page 6 on the first one.

http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/187 ... 061109.pdf

http://schools.nyc.gov/TeachNYC/require ... efault.htm

http://eservices.nysed.gov/teach/certhe ... H&hidId=40

How many years experience do you have? What kind of certificate? You may have pathway deficits and may have to take add'l credits if you have less than a certain # of years experience. Most Master's programs are designed for residents or on the flip side there are those that more or less ignore licensure completely (there's a proscribed series of standard course types that are necessary for licensure). Columbia is notorious for the latter - they're all about theory and aren't even vaguely familiar with the licensure process. Not a very practical place. Heavy sociological bent. Read a book by Noguera. If you think 2 years of listening to that sounds good, by all means go for it. It has a good rep.

Oh incidentally, you're probably going to have to go down to HR on 65 court street if you want to actually find out what that reciprocity means for you. Or call HR Connect (718) 935-4000. Fair warning, they don't care, you may be on hold for a while, and they're generally rude and often wrong.

Anyway, HTH. Hope things work out for you. Pm with any ?'s I don't check the forums often.

-Mike

[dfree86]

Thanks for the informative reply, sonofcioran. Really useful stuff. I'm still looking at these two places - anyone else have insights about these two NYC schools?

How much do Graduate Ed. schools tend to care about the GRE (though I know TC and Steinhardt don't require it)?

[jrpk]

if you're not looking at any other schools, I don't know why GRE would be a concern, but that said, Education Students avg. the lowest GRE scores of any field in the ETS comparison charts. As for NYC, if you are living rent free, you just upgraded your income by about $40,000. So don't be discouraged about being in NYC with your future spouse. Everything in NYC is expensive but it's the Rent that kills you, pure and simple

Being a long time NYC resident, (who now lives on the West Coast) but has also been looking at both these programs for doctorates I'll tell what I know.

TC apparently has that TC Mafia thing going, so if you do wind up going elsewhere it probably has a better networking system than NYU.

Commuting to NYU from Brooklyn will save you 200 blocks of commuting probably an hour a day.

I don't know about funding from NYU, but serioulsy doubt you'll get anything from TC in a Masters program. Most attend there while they're working.

Have you looked at Hunter or CUNY? They're a lot cheaper. I don't know about tyour he particular specializaton, but the ed schools are decent (obviously not in the same rankings as NYU & TC)

good luck