rgreen Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 (edited) Anyone else applying for Higher Ed & Student Affairs masters programs starting in 2016? What schools are on your list so far? If anyone's interested I'd love to exchange personal statements.. rgreen326@yahoo.com Edited September 8, 2015 by rgreen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSuperRaquelx Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Me!!! I feel like theres no one out there talking about HESA programs.Currently this is my list:Ball State University University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Connecticut Michigan State UniversityUniversity of RochesterIm not super confident in it. Im scared that Im aiming too high with some of these...Whats youre list looking like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelgirl125 Posted September 13, 2015 Share Posted September 13, 2015 I am considering applying for some Higher Ed programs! I applied to 8 grad programs last year but chose to take a job instead, and now my interests are going in a slightly different direction. I didn't see myself going to grad school for this, but given that I want to work in the field of study abroad/international education, I think I'm going to have to I'm trying to look mostly for 1-1.5 year programs that offer good financial assistance. Any recommendations? Trying also to stay on the East coast, no further West than Chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChasingMavericks Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 I'm in the consideration stage as well! I am still on the prowl for which schools exactly, but my interest is in masters in counseling programs that focus on college counseling/student development. I have a list I'm still going through, but so far I'm really interested in the North Carolina State University program and the University of North Carolina Greensboro program that is an MS/Eds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAgal Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 (edited) I'm applying! I too feel as though there isn't anyone talking about student affairs/college student personnel on here!Are you interested in the student affairs side of things (counseling), the higher ed side of things (administrative), or the research side? There are many different directions that programs take! Edited September 15, 2015 by highheelsandhighered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradnick Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 I'm considering Higher education programs. I'm in NYU, and will be attending a Information session/open house at NYU in a few weeks. Its my reach school mainly because of the cost but I'm keep all my cards on the table at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgreen Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 I am considering applying for some Higher Ed programs! I applied to 8 grad programs last year but chose to take a job instead, and now my interests are going in a slightly different direction. I didn't see myself going to grad school for this, but given that I want to work in the field of study abroad/international education, I think I'm going to have to I'm trying to look mostly for 1-1.5 year programs that offer good financial assistance. Any recommendations? Trying also to stay on the East coast, no further West than Chicago. I'm not sure about the financial assistance, but if you're interested in international education I'd check out GWU, American, SIT (in Vermont), Loyola Chicago, and Bowling Green. Also, it's not on the east coast, but Monterey Institute of International Studies (I think they have a new name) in California has an interesting program! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelgirl125 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I'm not sure about the financial assistance, but if you're interested in international education I'd check out GWU, American, SIT (in Vermont), Loyola Chicago, and Bowling Green. Also, it's not on the east coast, but Monterey Institute of International Studies (I think they have a new name) in California has an interesting program!Thanks so much! I actually did apply to MIIS last year for their International Education program. I really loved it, but they didn't give much aid =\ I will definitely look into those other programs though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAgal Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Me!!! I feel like theres no one out there talking about HESA programs.Currently this is my list:Ball State University University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Connecticut Michigan State UniversityUniversity of RochesterIm not super confident in it. Im scared that Im aiming too high with some of these...Whats youre list looking like? URI, UConn, and MSU are on my list as well!I'm trying to narrow my list down because as of right now I feel as though I have every school with a program on it. I've never lived outside of New York, so I'm struggling with figuring out what area/school would be best for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSuperRaquelx Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 URI, UConn, and MSU are on my list as well!I'm trying to narrow my list down because as of right now I feel as though I have every school with a program on it. I've never lived outside of New York, so I'm struggling with figuring out what area/school would be best for me.Im finding it impossible to narrow down my list. I know UConn is a reach school (especially because of the full tuition waiver) but because all of these schools are out of state I dont know which one would be a good safety school. Maybe you should try visiting a couple of the schools that are high on your list, that way you can get a better feel of the area and what youre really looking for when choosing a school. I went out of state for undergrad, and I when I visited on of the campuses, it really clicked for me. I dont know where in NY you live, but UConn or URI could be a nice day-trip for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookworm1 Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 I'm not sure about the financial assistance, but if you're interested in international education I'd check out GWU, American, SIT (in Vermont), Loyola Chicago, and Bowling Green. Also, it's not on the east coast, but Monterey Institute of International Studies (I think they have a new name) in California has an interesting program! Thanks so much! I actually did apply to MIIS last year for their International Education program. I really loved it, but they didn't give much aid =\ I will definitely look into those other programs though.I'm also looking at International Education programs, mostly on the east coast. I've been looking at NYU, Lesley, NC State and UNC in addition to a few already mentioned.MIIS is my top choice so fingers crossed for financial aid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelgirl125 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 I'm also looking at International Education programs, mostly on the east coast. I've been looking at NYU, Lesley, NC State and UNC in addition to a few already mentioned.MIIS is my top choice so fingers crossed for financial aid Best of luck!! If I can help you with anything concerning MIIS or NYU, please let me know I applied to both last year and was accepted to both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow21 Posted September 27, 2015 Share Posted September 27, 2015 I'm wavering between doing this for fall 2016 or 2017. HESA is a recent interest of mine. Right now I'm researching. I would love to stay in the PNW if possible. I've got family and folks that can't just be uprooted and moved around. I've got Seattle U and the University of Washington Seattle on my list right now. I'm not sure about UW's leadership in education program, but Seattle U's Student Development program sounds pretty good. Just weighing my options and trying to decide if the M.ed is necessary to move forward in this career. This would be my second Master's and I'm feeling a little old to go back to school but I'm really interested. Sigh, hopefully thegradcafe can help me make some decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSuperRaquelx Posted October 1, 2015 Share Posted October 1, 2015 I'm wavering between doing this for fall 2016 or 2017. HESA is a recent interest of mine. Right now I'm researching. I would love to stay in the PNW if possible. I've got family and folks that can't just be uprooted and moved around. I've got Seattle U and the University of Washington Seattle on my list right now. I'm not sure about UW's leadership in education program, but Seattle U's Student Development program sounds pretty good. Just weighing my options and trying to decide if the M.ed is necessary to move forward in this career. This would be my second Master's and I'm feeling a little old to go back to school but I'm really interested. Sigh, hopefully thegradcafe can help me make some decisions. I think the masters will be required if you plan on becoming a director or some kind of department head. Maybe even a PhD depending on how far you want to want to go. Snow21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaArsenault Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) Hey guys, I was #SAGradHunt for a long time and recently started my masters at The University of Missouri. It's a fantastic program and I hope you will consider applying!Here is what I like most:- We have the possibility of writing a thesis or not- Both student affairs and higher education administration tracks are available- Advanced standing. Opportunity to take classes with PhD students- The program is really student-centered and there are a very high number of electives to fit our needs. Class sizes are small.- The College of Education has a great reputation (check the website for rankings. My LinkedIn page also lists some of them) (it's improving too!)- I get to be part in a Graduate Student Leadership program (was competitive). It adds so much value to my experience and focuses on bringing me to the next step of my career faster.- We have a strong student association with many free social activities (ELGSA)- We can get funding to present or even attend national/international conferences. We're encouraged to do so- The city of Columbia is a great place to be. It's a big college town and it has a lot to offer. It's also very affordableLet me know if you have any questions. The website is: http://education.missouri.edu/educational-leadership-policy-analysis/degrees-programs/higher-education/. Feel free to check out my Instagram to see pictures of my journey here so far!https://instagram.com/paarsenault/ Patrickhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickarsenault*** I have not been asked to post this by my department. It was my own initiative. I used this forum as a resource a lot last year, Edited October 2, 2015 by PaArsenault Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaArsenault Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 I'm wavering between doing this for fall 2016 or 2017. HESA is a recent interest of mine. Right now I'm researching. I would love to stay in the PNW if possible. I've got family and folks that can't just be uprooted and moved around. I've got Seattle U and the University of Washington Seattle on my list right now. I'm not sure about UW's leadership in education program, but Seattle U's Student Development program sounds pretty good. Just weighing my options and trying to decide if the M.ed is necessary to move forward in this career. This would be my second Master's and I'm feeling a little old to go back to school but I'm really interested. Sigh, hopefully thegradcafe can help me make some decisions. Hey,I think you will need a masters to progress. Virtually all positions in student affairs require a masters. This is also my second masters and I do feel a little old, but so far it's wort it. Get in touch if you have any specific questions. I'm happy to help! I don't really know the programs in your area though.Patrick Snow21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaArsenault Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 I'm also looking at International Education programs, mostly on the east coast. I've been looking at NYU, Lesley, NC State and UNC in addition to a few already mentioned.MIIS is my top choice so fingers crossed for financial aid I am very interested in international higher education. I considered the University of Wisconsin and MIIS, but the funding wasn't existent or not good enough so I didn't apply. I also wanted to get a general enough degree to keep my options open. My compromise ended up being the University of Missouri. I got matched with a faculty member producing research in International and Comparative Higher Education. She teaches a classes on international education (which I'm taking next semester), I want to pursue a thesis in that area and the College has an office for international and intercultural initiative. So, I can definitely set up an internship abroad or have their help to develop a project that is internationally focused. A lot of the assignments enable me to focus on the international aspect. I also found an assistantship as an international programs coordinator and my office is going to pay for me to attend professional development activities with NAFSA. I've also been connected with a group with international educators and administrators from everywhere in the state and attend their meetings. My mentor here is the chair of a coaching program by NAFSA and is often in DC for that. She has relationships with many embassies and has 20+ years of experience in international education.To be honest, I feel like it's easy to pursue international education as an interest in many programs, given that they offer sufficient support and resources. I've definitely found that at the University of Missouri. You should check it out!Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow21 Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Hey,I think you will need a masters to progress. Virtually all positions in student affairs require a masters. This is also my second masters and I do feel a little old, but so far it's wort it. Get in touch if you have any specific questions. I'm happy to help! I don't really know the programs in your area though.PatrickHey Patrick Yeah, I was pretty sure a Masters would be necessary to pursue this career. I am glad to know I'm not the only one who went this way after a different original career path. Can I ask if you feel like the first Master's degree hindered your application in any way? I'm worried they're going to see that and just think I'm trying to rack up degrees or something. The other masters degree is recent-ish. I originally wanted to go on for a Phd and be a professor but by the time I realized how much I didn't want to do that it seemed silly not to finish the MA I was working on. Now I'm seriously wanting to work in HE/SA and I'm worried my history is going to be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaArsenault Posted October 2, 2015 Share Posted October 2, 2015 Hey Patrick Yeah, I was pretty sure a Masters would be necessary to pursue this career. I am glad to know I'm not the only one who went this way after a different original career path. Can I ask if you feel like the first Master's degree hindered your application in any way? I'm worried they're going to see that and just think I'm trying to rack up degrees or something. The other masters degree is recent-ish. I originally wanted to go on for a Phd and be a professor but by the time I realized how much I didn't want to do that it seemed silly not to finish the MA I was working on. Now I'm seriously wanting to work in HE/SA and I'm worried my history is going to be a problem. Hi,The thing is that professional development is incredibly valued in the field. Many will eventually get an Ed.D to progress in their careers. There aren't many other fields that require a doctoral degree to be a senior administrator. So, they should value your previous masters a lot. It was the case for me in all the places where I applied to. They will feel confident you can reach a certain level of success and that you know what you're getting yourself into. I know the main thing the University of Missouri looks for is fit in terms of career progression. I'm not sure how other institutions would look at it, but if you could explain how your previous masters intersects with HESA and how it can be useful in your practice, I think that would help. Graduate degrees in the social sciences tend to purposely seek out diversity (research shows that a diverse group of individually weaker individuals will outperform an homogeneous but individually stronger group - I could get you a reference for that if you need it). Be very direct about what you bring to the table and try to match it with research interests of faculty if you can. Use your masters to your advantage.One key advice: You know what you're getting yourself into. Ask questions and show how you are already able to navigate graduate school. Give directors of the program a call and explain you already have a masters and want to ask specific questions to see how this degree would complement your professional journey.P.-S. Don't worry... I have way too many degrees and it worked out well for me Patrickhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickarsenault Snow21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow21 Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hi,The thing is that professional development is incredibly valued in the field. Many will eventually get an Ed.D to progress in their careers. There aren't many other fields that require a doctoral degree to be a senior administrator. So, they should value your previous masters a lot. It was the case for me in all the places where I applied to. They will feel confident you can reach a certain level of success and that you know what you're getting yourself into. I know the main thing the University of Missouri looks for is fit in terms of career progression. I'm not sure how other institutions would look at it, but if you could explain how your previous masters intersects with HESA and how it can be useful in your practice, I think that would help. Graduate degrees in the social sciences tend to purposely seek out diversity (research shows that a diverse group of individually weaker individuals will outperform an homogeneous but individually stronger group - I could get you a reference for that if you need it). Be very direct about what you bring to the table and try to match it with research interests of faculty if you can. Use your masters to your advantage.One key advice: You know what you're getting yourself into. Ask questions and show how you are already able to navigate graduate school. Give directors of the program a call and explain you already have a masters and want to ask specific questions to see how this degree would complement your professional journey.P.-S. Don't worry... I have way too many degrees and it worked out well for me Patrickhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickarsenaultThank you so much. This makes me feel so much better. I'm definitely going to figure out how to work in how my other degree is useful and how I came to HE/SA in my statement. Also thanks for the advice about showing that I know what I'm getting into. I'm feeling a lot better about getting started on my app now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSuperRaquelx Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I havent had a lot of experience in one particular area of student affairs, but rather a little experience across many areas, so I dont really know what a typical career path looks like beyond entry level type positions. Basically, I dont know how to answer the common question of "what are your long term goals?" for applications because Im not sure what long term goals really looking like in this field. Realistically, what would be the next step? Who are the supervisors and other further up positions past being a resident director or academic advisor etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blthr Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 (edited) I havent had a lot of experience in one particular area of student affairs, but rather a little experience across many areas, so I dont really know what a typical career path looks like beyond entry level type positions. Basically, I dont know how to answer the common question of "what are your long term goals?" for applications because Im not sure what long term goals really looking like in this field. Realistically, what would be the next step? Who are the supervisors and other further up positions past being a resident director or academic advisor etc? I'm not sure if you'd find this helpful @xSuperRaquelx, but I was able to navigate the "...so what's next?" question by: a. requesting a 1:1 with my supervisor or other individuals whose work I wanted to learn more about (I set up informational meetings with my institution's VP of Student Affairs, Assistant Dean of Students & Residence Life, Director of Multicultural Affairs etc), and b. research organization charts (i.e. who reports up, or down, and what that specific position would be responsible for). The discussions were rewarding... not only do you get a sense of where they are heading next in their career, but also for getting a glimpse of where they have been. I'm sure you've figured out that there isn't a singular route into this field!Beyond that, I think it might also help you to do a little reflection on what it is you see yourself doing or what it is you're good at/ will improve on once you obtain this type of degree (if you haven't already had that chat with yourself). Do you envision more interaction with students? More of the back end/ logistics/ "campus politics"/ finance side? I can't say that this is true for all positions, but in my chats with some professionals in Student Affairs, the more they advanced in their career, the less interaction they had with students (there are exceptions... i.e. conduct, Title IX matters etc.). I hope this is helpful, and good luck to you on your application process! I'm also going through mine (I'm in the process of applying for second master's degree, this time in Higher Ed, and empathized with the comments of @Snow21)... I look forward to keeping up with this thread. Edited October 7, 2015 by blthr xSuperRaquelx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAgal Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Does anyone know any "second tier" programs that may be worth applying to? All of the schools on my list right now are extremely competitive and while I am a very strong applicant, I want to cover my bases.I'm looking at large public universities, but am open to private as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaArsenault Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 (edited) Does anyone know any "second tier" programs that may be worth applying to? All of the schools on my list right now are extremely competitive and while I am a very strong applicant, I want to cover my bases.I'm looking at large public universities, but am open to private as well.Hey,Here is a list I made when I was looking at grad schools. I am actually now enrolled at The University of Missouri. I was also accepted at the University of Vermont and chose to go to Mizzou. It's a fantastic program; it's just still a little off the radar. If you look at older posts you will find one where I describe my experience so far. Feel free to look at my LinkedIn and Instagram to see more details about the program and my experience. I would definitely say that it is a top-tier program and it could be a great Plan B for you as the program does not get many applications. It is actually well ranked; better than UVM who has much more applications. We actually had more assistantships than accepted students this year! It also fit your description. It is a large AAU public flagship institution. We are around 12-16 in our classes.This list is in no way complete. It's just programs that I was looking into. In the end, I applied to The University of Connecticut, The University of Vermont and the University of Missouri. I was not accepted at UConn, but got in UVM and Mizzou. I chose to come to Mizzou and I have not regretted it! If you do apply, make sure to start early enough. The application process is longer than other schools. You are required to submit answers to many questions.Let me know if you want to chat more about the program. I know the program at UVM very well as well and I have personal connections with students, alumni, faculty and staff of that program. Let me know if you want more info on that as well.Institution# of applicationsCohort size% enrolledUniversity of Connecticut330206%University of Maryland-College Park150107%Colorado State University292228%University of Vermont183169%University of Massachusetts – Amherst1501510%Ball State University2003015%Bowling Green State University2203516%Western Illinois University1202218%Miami University (Ohio)1302519%Indiana University - Bloomington2004020%Oregon State University1002020%University of Wisconsin-La Crosse1403525%The Ohio State University2005025%University of Kansas1203025%University of Nebraska752027%Baylor University501530%Iowa State University752837%Old Dominion University602542%University of Missouri-Columbia582848%Patrickhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickarsenaulthttps://instagram.com/paarsenault/ Edited October 15, 2015 by PaArsenault Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAgal Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Hey,Here is a list I made when I was looking at grad schools. I am actually now enrolled at The University of Missouri. I was also accepted at the University of Vermont and chose to go to Mizzou. It's a fantastic program; it's just still a little off the radar. If you look at older posts you will find one where I describe my experience so far. Feel free to look at my LinkedIn and Instagram to see more details about the program and my experience. I would definitely say that it is a top-tier program and it could be a great Plan B for you as the program does not get many applications. It is actually well ranked; better than UVM who has much more applications. We actually had more assistantships than accepted students this year! It also fit your description. It is a large AAU public flagship institution. We are around 12-16 in our classes.This list is in no way complete. It's just programs that I was looking into. In the end, I applied to The University of Connecticut, The University of Vermont and the University of Missouri. I was not accepted at UConn, but got in UVM and Mizzou. I chose to come to Mizzou and I have not regretted it! If you do apply, make sure to start early enough. The application process is longer than other schools. You are required to submit answers to many questions.Let me know if you want to chat more about the program. I know the program at UVM very well as well and I have personal connections with students, alumni, faculty and staff of that program. Let me know if you want more info on that as well.Thank you so much! I've been looking at information like this. It's nice to seen the competitiveness laid out!Where were you able to find this information? I'd love to see it for some of the other programs out there... xSuperRaquelx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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