Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with university and school

Screw Ivy League. What should i do?

freddymetz — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:42:27 -0800

Screw Ivy League. What should i do? Im currently spending a year doing social work in a developing country and the time has come to start applying to universities.

Ive been working on my ivy applications ever since i finished high school (in germany) half a year ago, but somehow I lost sight of my old goals and do not wish to study in these institutions anymore.

Ive also come to doubt the effectiveness of studying there whilst spending approximately 30000 dollars per year.

I also believe that i dont need to study at university to create and build up businesses, but i have enough common sense to at least have a plan B if it all goes wrong.

So where should i study?

Im looking for types of institution or names of instutions (country doesnt matter, it can be in mexico, usa or japan) i should be looking at if princeton, duke and co dont work out.
They shouldnt be too expensive either.

If anyone has been in a similar situation and has relevant advice to give, im all ears for that too!

thank you.

How do I get myself to speak up in class?

magazineaddict — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:39:39 -0800

How do I get myself to speak up in class? I'm studying in an Asian business school that's modeled its practices after the American's college system. What this means is that we've done away with lectures and tutorials, and, in their place, we have 3-hour long seminars with smaller class sizes and more room for class discussion.

This is huge problem for me as I'm not the sort who enjoys drawing attention to myself, much less a roomful of undergraduates waiting for their own turns to speak up. Class participation is graded and is a fairly significant component of my grade, and yet I keep struggling with myself to pick up the courage to speak up in class.

Going to the same university for undergrad and grad-good or bad idea?

pdx87 — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:28:34 -0800

Did you receive your graduate degree at the same university that you received your undergraduate degree from? If so, do you regret not branching out and going to a new university for graduate school or are you happy with your decision? Graduate school is coming up. Yikes!

Option 1-Stay in the city that I am currently in and pursue an MS at the school I am currently attending.

Option 2-Move 3 hours away and pursue the same degree at a different institution.

I guess I am worried that I will burn out after going to the same school for so long. I would love to hear from people who went to the same university for undergrad and grad. What was your experience like? Do you wish you had gone to a new institution for graduate school? I'd even like to hear from people who went to different institutions for undergrad and grad. Thanks!

Currently enrolled at two universities. What to do?

2X2LcallingCQ — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:52:59 -0800

Currently enrolled at two universities. What to do? Last year I applied to and was accepted by University A. I deferred for this past school year and am expected to attend this fall.

However, this past fall, I applied to University B, to see if I could get in. I did, yet I have still decided for financial reasons to postpone going to university for financial reasons so that I can keep working/saving money for one more year.

The plan was to withdraw my enrollment from University A, and then defer University B for this upcoming year. However, I was informed that I could defer University A for a second year.

My question is, is it legal to be enrolled in two universities at the same time, deferring from both of them for a year?

I have no qualms with withdrawing from University A, but I certainly don't mind having the extra option for in a year's time. I would ask one of the universities this question, but if this is something that could get me into trouble, I'd rather not bring it up with them (as I already am currently enrolled in two universities), and just withdraw right away from University A without pursuing a second year of deferral.

Thank you!

1. ??? 2. Ph.D. 3. Profit!

ailouros08 — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 12:05:09 -0800

The eternal question: A 2d bachelor's degree, or straight to grad school? Another rehash of a fairly common question on AskMe, but with a fun, crushing-financial-burden? spin.

My darling girlfriend is considering going back to school for a Ph.D. in Ecology or Environmental Science. She is currently the not-so-proud owner of a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies (her particular brand includes a mixture of biology, chemistry, environmental science, sociology and anthropology). She's been out of school, working in retail, for about five years. While she has managed to avoid the lay-offs so far, the chances that her company will still be around by next February are vanishingly small. So, she's finally mustered the courage to take a stab at her dream: Getting her Ph.D. in Environmental Science.

Complications? Her graduating GPA was a mere 2.3, so it would be difficult, if not outright impossible, for her to get into grad school without some prep work. So right now she's trying to decide between getting a 2d bachelor's in Biology, taking classes as a Post-Bacc at a local university, or taking classes at a local community college in order to boost her GPA.

Her question really revolves around the cost-benefit of each of these paths. The financial considerations, while still significant, will lessen considerably once I finish school in May 2010. Though I won't be earning the big bucks, I'll be able to replace her earnings (we live quite frugally) and she'll be able to focus entirely on being a student.

1. A 2d Bachelor's would take longer, but it would be easier to get financial aid. All the past AskMe's we've looked at suggest that its effect on admissions to a graduate program would be negligible.

2. Post-Bacc classes would be the fastest way for her to beef up her GPA. Additionally, she would be taking them at one of three great research universities in the area, so she'd have networking opportunities. However, Post-Bacc students aren't eligible for financial aid, so this would be the most expensive option (and she would probably have to work part-time to help defray the cost.)

3. Taking community college classes is the cheapest option by far, but unless she actually enrolls in an Associate's Degree program, she won't be eligible for financial aid. Her worry with this option is that the rigor of the classes (or lack thereof) may hinder her when she applies to a grad program.

I apologize for the long question, but she is at a very big crossroads in her life, and needs all the advice and encouragement she can get. So, fellow mefites, have you taken any of these paths? What would you recommend? Should she focus on quality or affordability? Advice/warnings? Alternatives?

Is there anything else I can do? If not, help me let it go.

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:34:41 -0800

Is there any further action I can take to recoup the financial loss and and deal with the emotional frustration resulting from my university's swine-flu-panic decision to cancel a much-anticipated field research opportunity? For over a year, my fellow grad students and I had been planning for a month-long field research opportunity in [foreign country]. For several of us, it was part of our motivation to attend this university – research opportunities in our field for non-PhD grad students are rare, and this is a small and amazing program to benefit a community in need. The summer research has been going on successfully for several years now. Our professor works unbelievably hard to arrange this...it takes an amazing amount of coordination and resources to make it all come together.

A few days after swine flu was initially announced in the media (late April) – and almost two months before our research was to begin, this June – I received notice from our professor that our trip had been canceled by a [certain office at the university in charge of assessing risk]. Upon hearing this, we all made many attempts to salvage the situation on many fronts, to no avail. Because swine flu is no longer a major threat, the tickets are booked through online travel companies, and the flights are international, none of us are able to reschedule or refund our tickets. Even with insurance, which I bought at booking. We also can't afford to take a "forced vacation" (ie. taking our flights and spending a month playing in [foreign country]). For me, this is $600 of sunk cost. Additionally, this research would have provided us with a summer opportunity to earn a necessary 3 units towards our graduation. Without it, many of us must spend an extra unplanned semester at our university, including the cost of tuition, books, and time spent. And of course, not to mention missing out on the experience of a lifetime, which can't really be compensated for any other way.

Two weeks after the decision, I contacted the person at the university office that made the cancellation, and sent them a very professional yet personal email explaining how this negatively impacted us students, and that we are unable to resolve things. He ignored all that, and replied with a generic response and blamed the State Dept. for the decision. This prompted me to send a follow-up email, calmly expressing my frustration with his manner of communication, lack of concern, and the financial cost and emotional distress his/their decision has left us with. He remains unconcerned, and frankly, somewhat hostile with his minimal replies. This all has left me feeling bitter, disillusioned, and now angry.

My flight leaves this Friday, without me on it. As it approaches, I feel increasingly helpless and frustrated. I cannot seem to let this go. Especially if there is something more I could do to resolve the financial or emotional aspects of this unfortunate situation.

Are there any things I can do, big or small that will:
a) Make me/us feel better.
b) Get the university to acknowledge us and/or take some positive action, however small, to help us out and/or prevent their lame handling of a situation from happening again. I do not wish to start controversy or create problems however.
c) Help recoup the $600 airline cost – even if it has nothing to do with the airline, flight insurance or booking agency. I've tried calling all places, several times. There is no getting the money back. I can however dump an extra $200 + additional cost of airfare to take a flight I don't need anymore to a place I don't want to go to (and can't afford to go to) in the next six months, if I so wish.
d) Help me just let it all go, if that's where I really should be focusing my energy.

The positives from all of this are helping somewhat...I do get to do some important things and attend some events that otherwise wouldn't get to (since I would have been out of the country). However, I keep thinking about the lack of concern by the school and missing out on this amazing experience. What can I do?

French-speaking university for a student from the U.S.?

non-kneebiter — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:36:49 -0800

What are some universities which teach in French that a student from the U.S. should consider? (Especially in Quebec.) I'm a high school student in the U.S. currently trying to figure out where I would like to go for college. I'm interested in going to a school in a French-speaking location and at a school where classes are taught in French. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions for places to consider, especially in Quebec (or New Brunswick?), from anyone who has attended one or knew someone who has.

Thanks!

What topics should be covered in a "new media" class for journalists?

Lownotes — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:22:12 -0800

What topics should be covered in a "new media" class for journalists? I am putting together a class on "new media" for journalism students at the university level.

I am a journalist with lots of experience in the field of convergent/Web 2.0/new media - and that's why I'm asking the hive mind to help.

This class will be a companion to The History of Journalism, and will probably be listed as The Future of Journalism.

It will be for journalism students who have already covered all the basics - AP stylebook, ledes, nut grafs, interviewing, writing and so on.

If you were to teach or take a class like this, what do you think should be the topics covered?

Feel free to go into great detail and include links - also, if this turns out well, I'll showcase to students how I used AskMeFi to help create the class.

Are expensive American undergraduate educations worth it for foreign students?

Mo Nickels — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:44:41 -0800

Is it worth it for a foreign parent to squeeze his budget to manage very expensive undergraduate educations for his children in elite American schools? A respected colleague in Asia writes with this query. It's not so much about how to get financial aid when you are a parent of foreign student seeking an undergraduate education in the United States so much as it is a question as to whether it is worth it at all, even if you can pay.

His words are below, posted with his permission. I have stripped out identifying information. The family is not in Singapore, for what that is worth.

«I have 2 children entering university at the same time this year.

My son has won a partial scholarship to the Eastman School of Music, but even then, the amount we'd have to come up with to send him there is rather forbidding.

My daughter has been accepted into New York University to do Liberal Arts -- but without any aid, which makes it virtually impossible for us to help her realise her dream.

What resources can I apply for in the US or elsewhere to help them? We've tried ones in our country but so far without success.

Would you recommend they take up the places offered them by the 2 schools, given the constraints? Are the schools really worth the astronomical expense? (Well, I know Eastman is about second to Juilliard, and NYU is reputable, although its Arts programme is 15th in the world.)

Would it really count so much that these would be for undergraduate study? Do people look more at one's postgrad pedigree? Would it be just as well that they did their first degree elsewhere (more affordable) and seek to go higher at Eastman and NYU afterwards? (In fact, my son has also obtained a full scholarship to theYong Siew Toh Coservatory of Music in Singapore. But then, what is YST compared to Eastman?)

I'm sorry if I sound inane but this issue of my children's further education has been keeping me from sleep for quite a while.»

Help me find the right school

baphomet — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:33:13 -0800

How can I find the right school for me, given the programs I'm looking for? So after failing college once, and kicking around for a few years, I'm back in school and kicking ass. Last semester was my first semester back after a 3-year lapse, and I got a 3.88 with 17 credits. I'll graduate with my Associates degree in the spring, and I'm shooting for a 4.0 this semester, so I should graduate with an institutional GPA of around 3.94. I mention this to indicate that I'm serious about school, and my grades won't prevent me from getting into good schools. I'm 25 and will have access to financial aid, assuming the world financial system doesn't implode before September (fingers crossed there).

I want to major in Geography and minor in Japanese. I currently reside in Minnesota, but am willing to go to school just about anywhere. My ideal school:

1) Has a geography program
2) Has a Japanese minor available
3) Has a Japanese study abroad program

Right now the University of Minnesota and the University of Tennessee are at the top of my list. If I go out of state, I'd be relocating there to establish residency as promptly as possible. I don't mind paying out-of-state for a year.

While recommendations for schools would certainly be helpful, what I'm really looking for is a site that will help me search schools based on a few criteria. Wading through university websites gets a bit tedious after a while, so a site that could help me narrow my search would be incredibly useful.

Thanks!

Questions about Grad App Questions

davidstandaford — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:32:38 -0800

A few questions that I'm running into while submitting my graduate school applications about fellowships, diversity statements, other schools I am applying to, and accepting admission without funding. I'm applying for PhD programs in Political Science, and have about 7 programs left, and I've run into the same thing on a number of applications and I'm not sure how to handle it.

1) Most applications have a place where I can note any fellowships that I have applied for. I hadn't identified any to apply to (although I haven't looked very hard) and I'm wondering if it hurts me that I'm not applying for any outside sources of funding? Will it help my chances at the remaining schools if I apply to some fellowships?

2) Some schools allow for an optional diversity statement. As a generic white/upper middle class student of two people with post-bachelor degrees, I don't have a very compelling diversity/adversity statement. Although I'm a good writer and could probably craft something good, it doesn't feel to me like I have exactly what they want and my statement might not compare well to others, so I'm wondering about whether I would be better off writing the best one I can or not submitting one at all.

3) Most programs ask me about which other schools I am applying to. Does anyone know what they use this for and how it might hurt or help my chances at any one individual school?

4) Finally, for programs that don't fully fund all students, some ask me whether I would accept admission with partial or no funding. Ideally, I would want full funding, but to be accepted anyway even if they couldn't offer financial support, but I don't want to mark yes that I would accept admission without funding because then it would allow them to admit me without funding, even if they were willing to admit me with funding. Any idea on how best to deal with this?

Two Master's Degrees... What are my options?

msposner — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:57:38 -0800

This spring I will be finished with my second Master's degree. I've been at my current job for almost three years and while I enjoy it immensely, I am wondering about other opportunities that having two graduate degrees might open up for me. Am hoping to obtain answers especially from individuals who have multiple degrees and have gone into somewhat different career paths. My first graduate degree is a M.S. in Secondary School Education. I am qualified to teach in public school (context area: Social Studies). I also am certified to teach at schools for the deaf but that is not something I want to focus on because of how such institutions are being shut down at an alarming rate.

My second graduate degree is going to be a M.S. in Professional/Rehabilitation Counseling, which I'll be obtaining in May of 2009. I'm not going to be pursuing my Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certificate because I was recently on their advisory panel and signed a waiver stating that I promise not to take the CRC test for at least five years due to first-hand exposure to potential test questions. This is perfectly fine with me because I'm not planning on having my own independent counseling practice and I have no desire to work for any of the major insurance companies around here.

I currently work at a state agency as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and while I do enjoy this job very, very much, lately it seems as if I'm often hearing from people (respected professionals) that I should be doing something "better" and so forth.

For me, "better", would be to obtain employment as a researcher (researcher scientist?) or a professor at a college/university, which is actually my ultimate goal but I'm also open to acquiring other, relevant experience that might enhance myself as an educator. I'm a voracious reader and I'm always conducting research- I'd really like to go into education/rehabilitation policy if the opportunity ever presents itself.

For now, my intention is clearly to "stay put" because as I mentioned, I love my job and I enjoy working with my colleagues, however, I have my goals outside of this field and have oftentimes thought about returning to the classroom as a high school teacher.

In a nutshell, my inquiries are defined as follows:

(I) I've been told that having Master degrees in both education and counseling will make me very attractive to school systems. True?

(II) Will the fact that I do not have terminal degrees in either fields (education and counseling) hurt my chances in obtaining research-based positions and/or work as a college instructor?

(III) For someone with two Master's degrees, what are the other fields I could go into when I have specialization in both education and counseling?

(IV) Has anyone experienced negative pitfalls of having multiple graduate degrees such as frequent rejections on the basis of being overqualified?

--------

Caveat #1: I am profoundly deaf. This, unfortunately, creates a lot of barriers for me in the workplace. Many schools have refused to hire me because in order for me to instruct in public schools, they would have to also pay for a full-time sign language interpreter since I communicate primarily in American Sign Language. In their eyes, I'm not cost effective- I'm a budget burden. As I mentioned earlier, I do not want to work at schools for the deaf because of the lack of job security and their notoriously low salaries.

Caveat #2: I've mentioned that I love my current job. However, I am also trying to plan ahead (1-3 years) and have always been open to other opportunities.

Caveat #3: Not really looking to relocate anytime in the near/distant future. Wife loves her job and is pregnant with our first child. We also put a lot of work in our present home.

Caveat #4: I'm 27 years old.

Caveat #5: My current job is paying fully for my second graduate degree, which is really the only reason why I went back to school after I completed my first Master's.

Thanks in advance for all of your suggestions/insights.

Questions for Grad Programs I'm Interested In

davidstandaford — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:21:57 -0800

I will be applying to graduate school soon and I cannot visit all of the campuses that I am applying to. I have been contacting these schools so that they can put me in touch with current graduate students who I can ask about their campuses, and I wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything important in my list of questions below. [For what it's worth, I'm applying to political science phd programs, but I'm assuming generic concerns applicable to humanities in general would be helpful for me.]

What is the relationship between graduate students and the faculty? Are grad students treated as colleagues and respected or are they a source of labor and looked down upon?

Does the department provide adequate funding or do students have to seek outside grants and scholarships?

What sort of research and teaching positions are required for funding? Does this interfere with a student's own research priorities?

Does the department attempt to rush students out as quickly as possible? Or are students delayed from finishing in a reasonable amount of time because of other responsibilities that they have?

Is it a large program in size or character where many other students and professors are distant acquaintances, or does everyone get to know each other well.

What is the best part about the program? What would you like to see improved?

If there is anything missing from this list that I should be sure to ask, please let me know.

Four year loyalty vs. seven year's work?

parmanparman — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:24:07 -0800

RelationsFilter: If you are a master's or doctoral graduate, what are some of the reasons you joined or chose not to join the alumni association of your graduate school? More to the point:

1. Do you feel an affinity to your graduate school if it's not the place you also received your B.A.?

2. Would you rather get information about jobs and networking events in your field or get information about parties and other events thrown by the graduate school in your area?

3. If you received fundraising appeals from your graduate school, how did you respond to them versus your BA institution?

Learning to Teach

pywacket — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:38:34 -0800

I need a good overview in recent Secondary Educational theory. Whatever is currently in fashion in Academia. Any books to recommend? Any journals that are especially helpful? I'm new to this field and not sure where to start. I'm taking a senior level pre requisite class for a Master's in Teaching. This could be my second career. I wanted to teach High School English when I was (much) younger (before my many years detour into Systems Engineering). I do have a Master's in English. I haven't been in school in over 14 years. I can't actually start in freshman classes--it's a money thing at the very least. I also have a family to care for and a step parent in hospice--so four or five years in school isn't a go. But school is something for me, something I really want to do and I have already put it off a couple of years. I need to find out finally if this is what I want to do.

I've been tossed into the deep end of the pool and need to spend some of my off hours reading about this "scholar practitioner" model and other assorted buzzwords I'm unfamiliar with. Any guidance on the praxis II English Subject tests would rock too, but hey I'll take anything I can get.

Advice on Emailing Professors When Applying to Grad School?

davidstandaford — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:40:09 -0800

Any advice concerning email communication with professors who I'll be contacting at the various schools that I will be applying to for PhD programs in Political Science? As part of my application process I've been identifying the schools that I want to apply to and the professors at each campus that I would want to work with. I've been reading some of their recent writings so I can begin contacting them via email.

At the moment, my plan is to email them sometime soon letting them know I'm thinking of applying to their school, my planned research statement, and letting them know which of their articles I've read. I was going to include a comment about the articles I had read and ask them some question about something I'm unsure about or how their article might be in conflict with some other research.

If/when I get a response I was planning to follow up by asking to see any unpublished articles if they are working on something that also fits with my interest.

Firstly, I was wondering if anyone involved in academia has any thoughts about communicating with professors during the application process.

Also, is there some maximum number of emails that should be exchanged and at some point I would begin to annoy them, or it's ok to email back and forth for a couple of months?

Is there some number of emails I should exchange before I tell them explicitly that I am applying to their school and explicitly ask them for any help they can provide in the admissions process?

What about arranging a time to speak to them on the phone? Also good?

And finally, anything in my emails that I should be sure not to mention/include, or anything I should be sure to tell them?

[I'm focusing on email communication because, alas, I am out of the country and not able to make any more campus visits.]

Getting the Group out of Group Project

theichibun — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:17:37 -0800

What's the best way to approach a professor about going solo on a group project? Group projects scare me. Partly because I'm a productive procrastinator and don't like to do things way early, which is when a lot of people want stuff unofficially turned in. Partly because I tend to get a bit paranoid about other people pulling their weight (although not to a level that would be diagnosable as a psychological problem as far as I can tell).

I know I'm stereotyping here, but the idea of working with freshmen/sophomores (I'm a senior) that I don't know on something that is almost 20% (75 out of 400 points) of my grade scares the piss out of me.

The assignment for my Intro to Archaeology (taken for a social science requirement) is broken down as follows:

1 - 25 points for straight data input on two cemeteries.
2 - 10 points for some basic statistical analysis.
3 - 8 points for graphs based on #2
4 - 25 points for a 3-3.5 page paper interpreting the data
5 - 7 points for how well I worked with the group.

None of that seems like it would be too much trouble to do on my own. There are just a few things that make me wonder if it's worth it.

A) New professor at my school, although it sounds like she's taught other places before. So I can't ask anyone how she is.

B) What would I ask her to do with those 7 points for playing nicely with others? They can't be split evenly between the other categories. So would asking if I can just have those 7 points be appropriate since I would be doing 100% of the work anyway?

C) We're picking groups on Friday (the 2nd time the class meets), so I won't have any time to really get to know anybody in the class to alleviate my fears.

I've already checked, there aren't any other classes that would fit into my schedule that look even the slightest bit interesting. So switching to something else isn't really an option.

The best thing I can think of to do is to contract the class as honors and have my special extra work be that I have to do the project by myself. No mention of how I feel about group projects needs to be made if I do it this way if you ask me.

Is that a valid option? How would you feel as a professor if someone asked you if you could do this?

How to Improve My Grad School Chances

davidstandaford — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:35:35 -0800

Is there anything I can do to help myself get into grad school (PhD, political science/international relate) between now and January? I'm working on my grad school applications and I'm wondering if there is anything I can be doing over the next six months that might help me get into a good program.

I graduated from college three years ago and spent the last two years working on a college campus and this year I'm in a foreign country doing a one year study program (both unrelated to what I would be doing in grad school).

One of my thoughts was to start a blog about something I'm interested in concentrating on in a grad program (Sierra Leone) and writing about it for the next six months. Would grad school admissions committees consider something like that a plus?

Is there anything else I can be doing that would make me seem like a stronger candidate? Any info or advice would be a big help. Thanks!

Changing academic direction (am I being foolish?)

oneirodynia — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:46:11 -0800

Trying to transfer to a four year college, and changing direction mid -stream. Am I being foolish to consider shifting from aiming for a landscape architecture degree to one in ecological engineering, especially when engineering colleges have completely different requirements than what I've been focusing on? I've been going to community college on-off for many years now. A year ago last February, I decided to quit my job and go to school full time, with the intent of transferring to a four year college. At the time, I was designing and building gardens for a design-build landscape company, and had been taking numerous horticulture and drafting classes, plus the basic GE requirements. However, I'm kind of ... bored by basic landscape stuff. I want to design gardens that perform a function, like rooftop gardens that recycle HVAC water, or living machines. It seems to me like a degree in ecological engineering is the route to take, but it means basically starting over, with 2 years of calculus, plus physics, biology, chemistry (per UC Davis' website) The issues are:

I'm nearly able to transfer for Fall 09', but this change would definitely set me back. I'm impatient, and afraid of burning out.

I'm not good at math. I finished trig in high school with a D. That was 20 years ago, and I haven't taken math since. Surprisingly, I'm actually a little better at understanding it (I had no problems with the algebraic equations needed in my soil science and plant nutrition classes), but I've got to pass a math assessment to be placed in any math class, let alone get to where I can do OK in 2 years of calculus. Does it make sense to study for the assessment test, and try to get placed as high as possible, so I'm not going to school for 3 more years? I'm OK with any science or physics, but will I be killing myself trying to do all these more intense classes as quickly as I can? More realistically- is it even possible to cram for a math assessment course, and not wind up over my head in calculus?

My community college bureaucracy is understaffed, and no one in the transfer center will return my calls. I've been told to send emails to UC Davis and Berkeley, to talk to professors in the departments I'm interested in. I feel incredibly shy about writing to randomprof at dot edu.
Is this the right thing to do?

My other option is to stay the course and go for landscape architecture, with a minor or something in ecological engineering. My fear is that I won't get the toothy, nitty gritty science background I want to be able to build these types of ecological recycling systems, or that I'll be forced to mess around with a bunch of fluffy theory classes. But I'm also worried that it doesn't make sense to try to go for broke and start over on a course that may be extremely difficult, time consuming, and frustrating. If you've done this, please let me know how it turned out.

Help with student loan

Black_Umbrella — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:17:05 -0800

I am looking for the best general student loan company. What are your experienes with specific student loan companies? So I have managed to pay for the first 4 years of my 5 year program. But now I am completely broke so I need a student loan.

I have talked to a financial officer at my school who more or less said "most are good". What I would like from the hive are some of your experiences with specific loan providers.

Perhaps you may even know the "best of the best" loan providers if you have recently spent time researching this.

My permenent address is considered to be Maryland and my school is located in New Jersey.

I already recieve federal perkins and direct loans.

Misc. Information:
I NEED the loan to cover everything...i.e.: food, housing, books, tuition, etc

I just put myself into credit card debt by flying back to my school from Australia (study abroad). Can I increase my loan to pay off this debt and consolidate it under a better APR?

Am I allowed to increase my loan by a few grand, 3K - 4K, for my own personal use during my last year? Most will be spent on drinks, concerts and the occasional weekend trip - so not exactly a school expense, just a little NECESSARY relaxation.

Being the bright kid at 30

dcrocha — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:18:40 -0800

I would like to be the bright kid again, but I've just turned 30. What should I do? To make a very long story short: I was always the bright student, the one who'd have an amazing future, study in the best universities, get the highest paid jobs and be rich. I was also supposed to discover the cure of cancer, or at least have enough money to pay somebody to do so. Jokes aside, now.

During primary & high school, I studied in many different cities and schools but my results were the same: a perfect GPA , many compliments from teachers, many prizes, etc. In my country we must take a mandatory exam for each college you're applying to. I have applied to one of the best and got in without much effort.

During my first two years, still the bright kid: straight A's, few friends, "the one with the bright future" and all that crap. Then, in the 3rd. year of college, I decided I'd had enough of that sh*tty course and dropped out, going to work for an Internet startup instead.

Forwarding it to the present, so I won't bore you to death, I made a reasonably successful career as a software developer, working curently as a systems engineer for one of the greatest companies in the world, earning a decent (not fantastic) salary, and as I had some time to spare in the past 3 years, I finished a degree (with the same low level of interest) so I could have a diploma.

All seemed well, but a couple of weeks back I was flying to the U.S. reading my fave magazine ("Economist"), and took a more detailed look at its jobs section, which features many great jobs at the world's most prestigious companies and organizations such as the UN, European Comission, etc. Then I was struck by a lightning, having instantly realized I wasn't qualified for any of those positions. I got depressed.

The following week, I was in Boston for business and as I had a free Saturday I decided to have a look at the Harvard square. Pretty nice place, but I only got more depressed realizing I will never be part of such a community because I stopped being the bright kid the moment I dropped out of college, 10 years ago.

I am very proud of having taught myself everything I know, professionally-wise: English, Spanish, computer programming, etc. However I became very sad since this last trip, as I realized I'm just one more in the crowd, my predicted "bright future" didn't happend and I'm here having a standard corporate job, which I tolerate (but don't love), when I feel I could be doing much more with my life, had I followed the path "originally" planned for me.

I have already tasted having a normal life with a normal career. I'd like to see what my life would be if I become again the bright kid I once was.

How do I do that?

Send me back to skool

sambosambo — Sun, 11 May 2008 13:00:07 -0800

How does a 25-year old college dropout go about getting a fresh start at a new university? I dropped out of San Jose State about 2 years ago. I want another shot at getting my degree, but I have no idea how to go about choosing a school to attend.

I chose San Jose State mostly out of fear and laziness, as it was the closest and cheapest university that I was accepted into. After an on-again-off-again relationship with the school, I eventually dropped out. It's been 2 years now, and I have a better idea of what I'd really like to study, and have glimpsed what the future holds for me without finishing my education.

For a number of reasons, I don't want to go back to SJSU. The top reason being that it just wasn't a good fit for me. The second reason is that given the amount of credits I'd have to makeup I'd simply prefer to use the time to start over again rather than play catchup.

I'm very open and would love to get away from the SF Bay Area and California, so how do I narrow my choices and find schools that will fit me?

Advice about applying to graduate school while abroad

andoatnp — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:07:22 -0800

I'm looking for information for applying to grad school while abroad. (PhD programs in Political Science/International Relations). I graduated from college in spring 2006, and I'm planning on applying next year (Fall '09) to start in Fall 2010. I'm also considering going to Israel in July and staying for about 10 months, and I want to make sure this won't impact my grad school plans in any way. All I've really done so far is had 3 professors write letters of recommendations that are on file at my undergrad school. In Israel, I would have to take the GRE (which is offered regularly) and do my personal statement and applications for the schools I'm applying to.

Is there anything else about the process that I'm not realizing that would make doing an application while in a foreign country particularly difficult? I tried googling, but all the results I got were about going abroad as an undergrad to prepare for grad school or grad schools that feature an abroad component.

I would almost certainly not be able to visit any of the schools I'm applying to, which I'm ok with in terms of picking a school because getting a real physical feel of the campus isn't important to me, but is that an expected part of the process, and would it weaken my chances if I can't visit anywhere I'm applying to?

Does anyone have any experience applying to a PhD program while abroad, or receiving applications to a program from someone that was abroad? Anything that I should do in advance to make things easier for me when I'm abroad? Thanks!

How to pay for Grad school?

limon — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:59:32 -0800

Best book or online resource for funding Grad School? I keep hearing about how you can fund your studies through external sources, but all I see are scholarships that are either impossibly selective (for example, the Rhodes Scholarship) or fairly meager (under $1000). I don't mean to scoff at a thousand dollars, but I'd have to win twenty or thirty of these scholarships to pay for a year of school.

My situation: I got accepted into a doctoral program at a prestigious school. I haven't gotten an official acceptance letter yet, just a quick congratulatory note from the chair of the program. I therefore don't know what funding is going to look like, but said chair has mentioned the program is not in a position to fund their students throughout their students, and that the students are primarily externally supported. I can't afford to pay my own way. Before I give up, I'd like to know where I should look for funds.

What colleges offer a doctorate in comparative myth?

jackypaper — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:15:39 -0800

What schools other than Pacifica offer a Ph.D. program in comparative mythology? My Google-fu has failed me. I understand that certain institutions offer interdisciplinary studies that can be bent in the direction of mythology, as can certain programs in English. But I can't seem to find any that offer the richness of mythological courses found at Pacifica. Surely that isn't the only university out there!