UMD

[SLPgradstudent]

So I thought I'd start a thread for those of us who are considering (or have decided to attend) UMD this fall.  Who's out there?  What other schools are you considering?  What do you like about UMD's program?  What do you think will be the deciding factor for you between UMD and any other options?

I'd love to chat with some of my potential future cohort members!

[SLPgradstudent]

Bump.  Anyone here going to UMD?

UMD is my first choice, and I was waitlisted at GWU, the other school I applied to.  So I will definitely be at UMD this fall.  As far as why I want to be at UMD, I love the potential opportunities for placement that UMD offers.  I'm also really excited for the opportunity to try research, but the clinic is probably one of the biggest draws for me.

[esopha]

I just keep refreshing the GAship listings page, waiting for something to pop up... But yes, UMD is still in the running for me!

[Rorororosy]

Got waitlisted at GWU still waiting to hear back from UMD, and Howard. I went to their open house, did you attend one? For both GWU and UMD. Depends in what you're searching for, GWU is beautiful. 

[SLPgradstudent]

22 hours ago, Rorororosy said:

Got waitlisted at GWU still waiting to hear back from UMD, and Howard. I went to their open house, did you attend one? For both GWU and UMD. Depends in what you're searching for, GWU is beautiful. 

Good luck with UMD!  It seems like a lot of people got waitlisted this year, I don't remember if that was typical in years past.  Maybe they had more applicants this year?

GWU is beautiful, and has newer buildings and facilities when compared to UMD.  However, I won't be living on campus, UMD is much more affordable (even before financial aid) and I like the clinical opportunities that UMD has to offer.  It would probably have been a harder decision for me if the cost was more comparable, but it's hard to say no to in-state tuition!  I would like to graduate debt-free if possible.

Best of luck, I hope you get good news soon!

23 hours ago, esopha said:

I just keep refreshing the GAship listings page, waiting for something to pop up... But yes, UMD is still in the running for me!

Yay @esopha!  It would be great to start with someone we "know" in our cohort!  I'm in the same boat, looking at the GA listings and refreshing the financial aid page.  I have both bookmarked.    I think we may hear something by next week.  It would be fabulous to get some sort of funding offer!

[esopha]

Yes, I'm hoping Maryland offers some kind of financial aid. That will really make or break the decision for me (or... make the decision much less confusing and stressful, at least!) because I love things about every program I got into.

I gently emailed the admissions secretary, and she mentioned:

If an incoming graduate student has accepted our offer of admissions and needs to take HESP 417 Principles and Methods, we do hold that spot for them. Your place in the program guarantees you a seat in the class.

And yes, the committee is still planning on releasing financial aid information in late march.

Which is all good info to have, I think.

[SLPgradstudent]

22 hours ago, esopha said:

Yes, I'm hoping Maryland offers some kind of financial aid. That will really make or break the decision for me (or... make the decision much less confusing and stressful, at least!) because I love things about every program I got into.

I gently emailed the admissions secretary, and she mentioned:

If an incoming graduate student has accepted our offer of admissions and needs to take HESP 417 Principles and Methods, we do hold that spot for them. Your place in the program guarantees you a seat in the class.

And yes, the committee is still planning on releasing financial aid information in late march.

Which is all good info to have, I think.

Thanks for passing all that info along!  I can imagine it would be difficult to choose between the many great programs you were accepted into.  Tough choice, but a really good one to have!  I'm sure you will be able to make the decision that is best for you, once you have all the information available.  I am happy not to have to make a decision now, since I knew going in which school was my first choice, and only applied to one other.  My options were restricted geographically, so that narrowed it down for me significantly.  It was nerve wracking at the time, but easier now that I don't have to choose between great programs.

Does HESP 417 have an equivalent course at USU, or was that not something offered to us?  And I guess now I have something to look forward to at the end of March!

[SLPgradstudent]

On 3/9/2016 at 7:55 PM, Rorororosy said:

Got waitlisted at GWU still waiting to hear back from UMD, and Howard. I went to their open house, did you attend one? For both GWU and UMD. Depends in what you're searching for, GWU is beautiful. 

I'm sorry @Rorororosy, I forgot to respond to your question about the open house.  Yes, I went to UMD's open house this year and last, and I went to GWU's application last year, but couldn't make it this year.  I grew up in the suburbs (or exurbs) of DC, so I had visited both campuses before.  The open houses were great to get more info about the details of the programs though.  I felt like that, more than anything else, helped me decide which school was right for me.  I appreciated hearing what the schools had to say about their programs and what opportunities they offered.  Although, when it comes down to it, it was a feeling of where I felt I belonged.

[Rorororosy]

2 hours ago, SLPgradstudent said:

I'm sorry @Rorororosy, I forgot to respond to your question about the open house.  Yes, I went to UMD's open house this year and last, and I went to GWU's application last year, but couldn't make it this year.  I grew up in the suburbs (or exurbs) of DC, so I had visited both campuses before.  The open houses were great to get more info about the details of the programs though.  I felt like that, more than anything else, helped me decide which school was right for me.  I appreciated hearing what the schools had to say about their programs and what opportunities they offered.  Although, when it comes down to it, it was a feeling of where I felt I belonged.

Awesome, I just heard back from UMD this morning and was waitlisted. So we shall see! It is a different environment, So happy for you!!!  good luck on all your endeavours, and may the odds be forever in your favor

[SLPgradstudent]

On 3/10/2016 at 10:23 AM, Rorororosy said:

Awesome, I just heard back from UMD this morning and was waitlisted. So we shall see! It is a different environment, So happy for you!!!  good luck on all your endeavours, and may the odds be forever in your favor

Thanks @Rorororosy!  Good luck to you too, I hope you get good news soon!

[lindsey8]

has anyone who has been accepted to UMD gotten any word about funding??

[esopha]

On 3/10/2016 at 7:47 AM, SLPgradstudent said:

Thanks for passing all that info along!  I can imagine it would be difficult to choose between the many great programs you were accepted into.  Tough choice, but a really good one to have!  I'm sure you will be able to make the decision that is best for you, once you have all the information available.  I am happy not to have to make a decision now, since I knew going in which school was my first choice, and only applied to one other.  My options were restricted geographically, so that narrowed it down for me significantly.  It was nerve wracking at the time, but easier now that I don't have to choose between great programs.

Does HESP 417 have an equivalent course at USU, or was that not something offered to us?  And I guess now I have something to look forward to at the end of March!

I think we have to take HESP 417 at UMD in the summer. That's my impression, anyway!

Although - aren't you doing a whole second bachelors? I'm just taking prereqs. Maybe the requirements are different?

[SLPgradstudent]

2 hours ago, esopha said:

I think we have to take HESP 417 at UMD in the summer. That's my impression, anyway!

Although - aren't you doing a whole second bachelors? I'm just taking prereqs. Maybe the requirements are different?

Thanks @esopha.  Yeah, I'm finishing my second bachelor's this semester.  I don't think I can take a class over the summer because I'm getting married in June, and then we'll be on honeymoon for two weeks.  Hopefully it won't be an issue!

[esopha]

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it won't be!

[SLPgradstudent]

12 hours ago, esopha said:

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it won't be!

Thanks @esopha!  How's your decision process coming?  Are you going on any visits or are you just waiting to hear about funding now?

[esopha]

On 3/14/2016 at 3:42 PM, lindsey8 said:

has anyone who has been accepted to UMD gotten any word about funding??

I haven't heard anything.

[esopha]

9 hours ago, SLPgradstudent said:

Thanks @esopha!  How's your decision process coming?  Are you going on any visits or are you just waiting to hear about funding now?

I'm going to be visiting UMD this month, and then crossing my fingers about funding. It's a pretty nervewracking process!

[MastigosAtLarge]

Admitted to UMD for an MA.  I have to decide between UMD and Boston College.  At least it's not quite as stressful as when I was waiting to hear.

I'm so sorry, I just saw this was under speech pathology.  I'm brand new to this forum, still working out the kinks.  I apologize!

Edited March 15, 2016 by HayleyM

[SLPgradstudent]

33 minutes ago, esopha said:

I'm going to be visiting UMD this month, and then crossing my fingers about funding. It's a pretty nervewracking process!

Are you going to the 3/25 open house?  I'll be there!  Hopefully we'll know soon.  I keep checking the page, although not as obsessively as I had been checking for acceptances!

32 minutes ago, HayleyM said:

Admitted to UMD for an MA.  I have to decide between UMD and Boston College.  At least it's not quite as stressful as when I was waiting to hear.

I'm so sorry, I just saw this was under speech pathology.  I'm brand new to this forum, still working out the kinks.  I apologize!

That's okay! Welcome to GradCafe!  It's definitely less stressful for me now that I've heard back from schools.  Although, really my decision was made the moment I got into UMD.  It's my top choice school AND less expensive that my other option.  Are you leaning one way or the other, or does your decision depend on financial aid/GAs?

[MastigosAtLarge]

3 hours ago, SLPgradstudent said:

That's okay! Welcome to GradCafe!  It's definitely less stressful for me now that I've heard back from schools.  Although, really my decision was made the moment I got into UMD.  It's my top choice school AND less expensive that my other option.  Are you leaning one way or the other, or does your decision depend on financial aid/GAs?

Mostly aid.  But I'm getting red flags from how big grad admissions were from last year.  They admitted 53 history PhDs and 29 MAs.  If that's the same every year...  

And they don't guarantee funding for even PhDs for history, so I'm worried the environment will be cutthroat and unsupportive.  Meanwhile, Boston College admitted 10 PhDs last year and 6 MAs.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but I'm just getting red flags from UMD.  Which, I mean, the three professors I'd be working closest with there are exactly what I do, if melded into one person.  There are so many factors, I just have to decide.  And the professor at UMD who would be my adviser put me in touch with another MA student of hers, so I'll talk to that student about the department culture.

And thanks for understanding, and then welcoming me despite my mistake =).

Edited March 16, 2016 by HayleyM

[esopha]

@SLPgradstudent, yup! That'll be fun - I'll look forward to meeting you in person.

 

@HayleyM, yikes... that's a lot of PhDs. And MAs. I don't blame you for being nervous.

[SLPgradstudent]

49 minutes ago, esopha said:

@SLPgradstudent, yup! That'll be fun - I'll look forward to meeting you in person.

 

@HayleyM, yikes... that's a lot of PhDs. And MAs. I don't blame you for being nervous.

@HayleyM, I'd check out this thread, on the "History" forum:

You might find some other history people who know more about UMD's history program.  As a speechie, I know nothing about other programs at UMD.

@esopha, I look forward to meeting you too!  I wonder if most of the people at the open house will be other accepted students.

Edited March 16, 2016 by SLPgradstudent

[SLPgradstudent]

Has anyone gotten funding information yet?  When do you expect to hear something back?  All I've gotten so far is the MCPS scholarship application.  I hope we hear back this week!

[esopha]

On 3/21/2016 at 3:10 PM, SLPgradstudent said:

Has anyone gotten funding information yet?  When do you expect to hear something back?  All I've gotten so far is the MCPS scholarship application.  I hope we hear back this week!

No news is no news, over here...

[SLPgradstudent]

6 hours ago, esopha said:

No news is no news, over here...

What's going on Maryland?  Seriously, don't you know it's April?