This past Wednesday, I got some really good news! News that I wasn't expecting for another month, but it absolutely made my day!
I got my acceptance letter from graduate school!
Though the decision came much sooner than I thought, this hasn't been a short process.
In December, I attended the New Employee Orientation program at Appalachian, where I learned that ASU will pay for its employees to take two classes each year, (one per semester) at absolutely no cost to the staff member. This sparked my interest and got me thinking. College classes with no debt...sounds like a pretty good idea to me! I also spoke to a few people that decided to pursue their masters while holding a full-time job as well, to get some additional insight.
In January, I signed up for the GRE, borrowed a book from a friend (Thanks, Lizzy!) and started studying. I took the test about a week later. At that time, I hadn't decided the exact program that I wanted to pursue, but with deadlines quickly approaching, I needed my scores, and fast!
The two programs that I considered were a Masters of Arts in College Student Development and one in Higher Education. Though College Student Development sounds like the more "fun" of the two programs, it had a lot of internship/graduate assistant time commitments that would have to be met, and without being a full-time student, that was going to be very difficult! The Higher Ed. degree is just as intensive, but offers all of its courses in the evenings, for students also working full-time jobs, just like me!
A Masters of Arts in Higher Education provides a graduate the qualifications to hold a director's level position in a community college or four year institution in many different areas. It's made up of 12 classes, most of which are offered all year long (including summer), and will take me two years to complete. Though that may sound like a while, we all know that two years goes by at the speed of light in college, I know my first four did!
The deadline for priority decision for the Higher Ed. program here at Appalachian is March 15, 2013, this coming Friday. That's why I was so surprised when I heard back so soon! One of my goals for 2013 was to decide what direction I wanted my life to go in professionally. I don't know about you, but something's telling me graduate school is it.
Cheers to the next BIG step in my life!
I can't wait!
As always, Have a Sweet Day!
7 comments:
congrats. I want to go back to grad school. I am working on a graduate certificate at NCSU but am waiting for my husband to finish his PhD and get a full time job before I start. He is in his last year and it would be easier to start after we move. I am a teacher but I have been looking to to higher education or curriculum and instruction
Congrats love! This is so exciting! I cannot wait until I have made my official decision!
CONGRATS!
Congratulations! I'm in my first semester of my graduate program, and truly feel it was one of the best decisions I made. I can't wait to read more about your journey as a grad student!
Congrats Melody! I'm so excited for you! it's awesome that you're able to define the next step in your career so soon after graduation! I'm still lost as to what comes next.
Ah! Congratulations. So exciting. You will do great. :) That's really neat that you won't have to pay!
Hi Melody! I'm just stumbling across your blog. I'm a fellow NC girl, too! I live just down the mountain from you in Morganton and work at the community college there. Its so rare to find people working in our field, so I'm so glad I've found your blog! I actually interviewed at ASU for the College Student Development program back in February, but wasn't admitted. I'll be doing an online program through Ole Miss in Higher Education! I'm so glad to have found your blog and look forward to following your Student Services/Grad School journey!
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