The Future is Going to Eat Me

[shankyknitter]

So went to a seminar on getting into grad school today. I now have the firm belief that I'm not going to be able to get in. Why you ask? I can't even afford the GREs and application fees and mailing costs and transcript fees ect... to even apply to grad school. Let alone the actual tuition once there.

I can't just not go to grad school since in order to teach what I want to, where I want to, I need a MA in Education. I could take my teaching certification exam in the spring and be certified to teach and get a job. However I still need to get my MA within 5 years and with the lack of teaching jobs and the glut of teachers in the job market at the moment no one is going to hire someone with just a BA.

[KiaKat]

How do you feel about NYC? They're always looking for teachers here, and they don't require that you get your MA until 10 years in. I think they might even subsidize some of the classes.

[Eisa]

May I say I totally understand what you mean? I need to get in grad school for my Ph.D. in psychology and it keeps trying to look utterly impossible.

[shankyknitter]

How do you feel about NYC? They're always looking for teachers here, and they don't require that you get your MA until 10 years in. I think they might even subsidize some of the classes.

I can't afford to live in the city itself and I can't afford transportation if I live in Jersey. I've been unemployed since July. Otherwise I would go teach there, since if I teach at an 'in need urban' district for 5 years the feds forgive the loans I have out with them. This is an appealing thing.

[AdminAssistant]

Yeah, it can be really expensive, and the GRE's are an especially painful pain in the ass. (And completely unnecessary, IMO). Some MA programs do not require the GRE, but it depends on the university. However, to my knowledge, all Ph.D. programs do.

The best thing about the MA, however, is that you can almost always bang it out in 2 years and you're done.

[Taboo]

I can't afford to live in the city itself and I can't afford transportation if I live in Jersey. I've been unemployed since July. Otherwise I would go teach there, since if I teach at an 'in need urban' district for 5 years the feds forgive the loans I have out with them. This is an appealing thing.

Could you afford to live somewhere off of MetroNorth or share a place with roommates in Queens? Long commute, but I know some friends of mine were paying about $500/month for rent and utilities up there last year. Still expensive, but less horrifyingly so.

[crazyofficeclerk]

I too understand. I couldn't afford to start my masters until this year. I found a totally online program that is less than $100 a credit hour with minimal fees from a local university. Is online an option for you?

[Seshat]

Otherwise I would go teach there, since if I teach at an 'in need urban' district for 5 years the feds forgive the loans I have out with them. This is an appealing thing.

Are there more affordable 'in need urban' districts you're willing to teach at? I hear Detroit's got major problems since the manufacturing largely shut down.

[AdminAssistant]

Some more tips now that I'm thinking more clearly.

A few, but not many, universities offer teaching and research assistantships to Master's students. (Look for universities that don't have a lot of Ph.D. students, since they get first dibs on funding.) There are Ed master's students here who TA Western Civ and history...as a bonus, you get to expand your CV, always a good thing.

You can also look for various fellowships. Many of my friends are on what my school calls a FLAS, basically it's a foreign language fellowship. You sign on to learn a language, and they pay you money. It's a pretty awesome deal. The only trick is that it only applies to certain languages - Russian, East European, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Farsi, etc. Western European languages need not apply.

Now none of this helps you with the GRE and application fees, but a master's can be paid for.

[trailerparkmedic]

Like Seshat said, are you willing to relocate? Texas is still hiring teachers, especially in urban schools. Not that you'd have to come all the way to Texas if you relocated.

[csquared]

Take a job (it has to pay better than the part time work you have been doing). Pay down some bills. Save some money. Then go back for the MA

That is what my sister did. When she went back to college, she even got a job at the university. She got paid and the classes were free.

[shankyknitter]

I think I'm going to end up staying in the school I'm in even though its really not where I want to be for grad school. However they don't require the GREs or application fees since its all in house. I also plan on begging my adviser for a grad assistant position.

For relocating: I wouldn't mind relocating but I'd prefer to stay in the North East if at all possible, I'm a spoiled little liberal pagan girl that can't handle heat of any kind. I grew up in Buffalo, I need my winters with snow.

For taking a job and eventually going back: For anyone else I'd suggest this as a course of action, but I know myself and I know I'd never go back if I don't go straight through. I'm hoping I can find a job of any kind right now since I've been unemployed since July.Even part time would make my extremely happy right now