Grad school (Vanderbilt) or Fulbright ETA?

[kaitlynlea]

I'm an out-of-field applicant and was very unsure of what to expect going into this process. I'm still in shock that I got into several great schools and have finally decided on attending Vanderbilt. However, I haven't formally accepted yet because I just found out that I won a Fulbright grant to teach English in Europe next year. All my professors assured me that if I won, I would be able to defer grad school for a year and do both. When I called Vanderbilt, this wasn't the case. So now I have to decide between going straight to school next year or going to Europe instead and reapplying next year. I don't want to risk it again with the 6% acceptance rate, but I also don't want to miss out on going to Europe again. I know it's a great problem to have, but I don't know what to do. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[dude_diligence_]

First off, congratulations! I'm an Alternate for the Fulbright ETA in Andorra but I'm just happy I made it this far haha. Since I had been thinking about what I would do if I was in a similar situation, I would recommend pursuing the option that will best help you achieve any goals you might have.

There's no question that both the ETA and Vanderbilt SLP will offer formative experiences but in different ways.

The Fulbright ETA will be a memorable year for you, no question. Not only will it look good if you choose to work in academia but it’ll also develop your language skills and cultural awareness through traveling and teaching in your capacity as a representative of the U.S. Two of my friends are currently completing Fulbright years (one in research and the other on an ETA) and they have enjoyed their time so far.

If you choose the ETA (definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience), I’m sure your application can only get stronger for Vanderbilt and other programs. There’s truly no downside as long as you view the decision in light of good discernment. Whichever option you select, you will still have the potential to become a good clinician and so you’re not missing out 

[Crimson Wife]

Take the Fullbright as I'm sure you will get in again to grad school if you re-apply. If they liked you without the Fullbright on your application, there's no reason to think that they wouldn't like you with it. This seems like a no-brainer to me.

[kaitlynlea]

I know it would make sense that Fulbright would strengthen my grad school application in the future, but I also have to factor in that I'm already a year behind. I studied and worked abroad for 1.5 years already, so It doesn't feel like I'd be missing out on a once in a lifetime thing. Part of me wants to go because I love living there, but a bigger part of me knows I really don't want to be a teacher.

[dude_diligence_]

9 minutes ago, kaitlynlea said:

I know it would make sense that Fulbright would strengthen my grad school application in the future, but I also have to factor in that I'm already a year behind. I studied and worked abroad for 1.5 years already, so It doesn't feel like I'd be missing out on a once in a lifetime thing. Part of me wants to go because I love living there, but a bigger part of me knows I really don't want to be a teacher.

It sounds to me like you have already made a decision at least on some level. I guess you’ll have to reevaluate your motivation for applying for the Fulbright ETA, especially since you have had international experiences and don’t necessarily want to pursue a teaching career (I had mentioned my SLP plans in my application). If your heart really isn’t into it, it might be nice to allow someone else to enjoy the fruits of a Fulbright year. Otherwise, you may end up regretting giving up the opportunity to go to Vandy (even though you still might have a chance at getting in again for the next admission cycle).

Also, you’re not necessarily a year behind. Everyone goes at their own pace so it’s no use rushing into things. Instead, you probably are a year ahead of others who don’t have extensive travel or work experience.

[Crimson Wife]

Honey, you're not "behind" if you're still in your early 20's. I'll be in my 40's before I start grad school. My mother-in-law didn't go back to school until she was in her 50's.

[high jump coach]

So, the faculty told you deferral was a possibility when you applied, but now the graduate school is telling you otherwise? Have you spoken with faculty since receiving the Fulbright award? What did they say?

46 minutes ago, kaitlynlea said:

I know it would make sense that Fulbright would strengthen my grad school application in the future, but I also have to factor in that I'm already a year behind. I studied and worked abroad for 1.5 years already, so It doesn't feel like I'd be missing out on a once in a lifetime thing. Part of me wants to go because I love living there, but a bigger part of me knows I really don't want to be a teacher.

So you've already lived abroad in your Fulbright country, or was it a different country? Do you think there would be an opportunity to apply to a research/study Fulbright during your grad program? 

I'm having a similar (but not quite as torturous) dilemma myself. Wait listed at an awesome, fully funded MFA program in the Midwest whose acceptance rate is <2%, but was also awarded an ETA in Italy for next year. I have another Master's degree already though, and I've always wanted to live abroad (never have) and become bilingual. Removing prestige (in my field) and the corresponding implications for my young writing career, Fulbright seems to be clearly more in line with what I actually want to be doing next year. But it would still be very tough to say no to such an exclusive grad program (been kinda hoping for a deferral all along, but doesn't seem likely).

My rule of thumb: go with the choice that genuinely excites you more. If you can't figure that out, ask your friends/family. Sometimes the right decision is painfully obvious in the way you speak about the choices to your closest friends and loved ones. This is actually why I applied to Fulbright in the first place. I was so certain more graduate school was the next step for me, but a close friend told me I sounded way more excited about possibly moving abroad than I did about more school. Didn't take long to realize she was right.

[kaitlynlea]

Thanks guys, this has actually been really helpful. Deep down I know I just want to go to school next year. I applied for Fulbright a month after I got back to the US, when I was desperately missing Germany and didn't expect to get into any SLP programs. The idea of going back feels like a safe choice to me, but I don't imagine myself enjoying the work. When I take the prestige factor out of it, I know it's not for me, so I should let them choose an alternate who will be thrilled.

[KLSLP]

5 hours ago, kaitlynlea said:

Thanks guys, this has actually been really helpful. Deep down I know I just want to go to school next year. I applied for Fulbright a month after I got back to the US, when I was desperately missing Germany and didn't expect to get into any SLP programs. The idea of going back feels like a safe choice to me, but I don't imagine myself enjoying the work. When I take the prestige factor out of it, I know it's not for me, so I should let them choose an alternate who will be thrilled.

I was a Fulbright USTA in Austria for two years, and it was a phenomenal experience...but you have to go with your gut.  I spent six years after getting my bachelors teaching English in Europe because that was without a doubt what I wanted to do--it's definitely not for everyone. As far as Fulbright goes, I was originally waitlisted for the spot.  I don't know who the first choice candidate was who gave it up, but I'm eternally grateful that they did!

[kaitlynlea]

Actually this is the Austria USTA program. I just refer to it as Fulbright so people understand what I'm talking about. What city did you live in? And how much autonomy/responsibility do you have in the classroom? Are you like an actual teacher or like an assistant? What level of German proficiency would you say is ideal? I'm confident that I can "get by" but I don't know how I would do socially in German all the time. When I lived in Germany, I hung out with international students who all used English as the lingua franca...

Edited April 5, 2016 by kaitlynlea

[KLSLP]

I lived in Vienna, but I taught at three schools in a town called Tulln which was about 25 minutes away by train.  Most of the young teachers also lived in the city and commuted out to Tulln, so we often ended up commuting together. I was given a great deal of autonomy.  Usually I contacted the teacher of a class about a week in advance to get the lesson topic, and everything after that was up to me.  The teachers weren't technically supposed to leave me alone with classes, but many (particularly at one of the schools) did after asking me if I was comfortable teaching alone.  I had three years of experience as a full-time teacher in Czech schools before I started, so that may have been a factor.  I think the level of autonomy depends mostly on the TA's experience and confidence in the classroom. 

One nice perk:  It is common (though not required) for schools to schedule the TA for a four-day work week, which was great.  I had two four-day weekends each month my first year (alternating Mondays and Fridays off) and a three-day weekend every week my second year.

My German proficiency...ahahaha...oh man.  I passed a B2 level course at Uni Wien, but I think that WAY overestimates my skills.  My receptive knowledge is strong (C1-ish) because I absorbed a lot while living with an Austrian family for two years, but I'm really timid about speaking (B1-ish).  I rarely had conversations in German, as most of my colleagues, even the ones who weren't in the English department, were eager to speak English with me.  I know one of the previous assistants was nearly fluent in German, even picking up various dialects, but I didn't feel like that was expected of me either professionally or socially.

Please let me know if you have any more questions about the experience!  Three years ago, I opted for the USTA program over a master's program in linguistics (+ tuition waiver and living stipend) in the US, and I still remember how difficult it was to make that choice.  Die Qual der Wahl

[Glasperlenspieler]

I'm a current USTA and will be doing a second year. It's been a great experience and I can't speak highly enough about it, although I can definitely see why you've got a difficult decision ahead of you.

In my experience, the amount of autonomy depends heavily on the indiviudal teacher. In some cases you're running the show in others you're more there to help out. However teachers are typically pretty responsive if you have specific ideas about what you want to do or how to operate things.

How much German you need will heavily depend on where you are placed. In Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, etc., you could easily get by with hardly speaking any German if that's what you wanted. In a smaller town that will be much more difficult especially if you are looking for a social life beyond other TAs. Living in a small town and trying to speak German as much as possible, my German skills have improved significantly since I got here. I could probably pass a C1 exam with some practice, although my reading/writing/listening far outstrips my speaking ability. For what it's worth, I do get the sense that my German proficiency is probably in the top half of assistants.

Good luck with the decision and if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to PM me!