Current school choices flux
So this all began Wednesday evening. Described aptly by my Twitter/Facebook post at that point: "I posted on a law school forum about my options. They are telling me to wait a year then go to Harvard based on my numbers. #seriously? #wow"
It kind of made me stop in my tracks to realize that might be seriously possible. Stop and think I guess. The last two days I've been trying to sort through options. I didn't want to delay my fall start, but if doing a dual degree at UT I could start with law or social work, so I wanted to see if I could start the MSSW in the fall here, then go to law potentially somewhere else next year, and have that still work out.
I started an email discussion with the UT MSSW folks about trying to accomplish this using some summer classes and such, but today I got a very definitive no from them. The only option I have is to start their standard 2-year program, in the fall, or to start the dual degree (via first year social work or law) in the fall. It's a little strange to me that they aren't more flexible with the exact plan, as long as they are offering courses when I would need to take them, but there's not much I can do. At least I know now.
So my options now are basically:
- start UT in the fall, four year dual law/SW program, graduate in 2016
- start Northwestern in the fall, three year law program, graduate in 2015
- wait an extra year, find a job somewhere so that I can afford a years worth of living expenses before financial aid begins, apply to the top programs, start a three year law program somewhere next fall, graduate in 2016
I've also been seriously thinking about my child welfare lawyer then judge idea, versus having some kind of public policy / lobbying career. Still both good-person-law and public service, but from a different perspective. That would affect my educational choices some as well.
UT's decision deadline is April 15th, Northwestern's is April 30th. UT's admitted students weekend is next Thursday/Friday. I think I want to visit Northwestern for theirs too. I'll have to pay for my own flight, but they'll try to match me to a current student to crash with. It's April 13/14. So I'm hoping UT will let me delay my decision date slightly, maybe until the end of April as well.
Also affecting things will be scholarships. UT is currently offering me a total of $45K. I submitted the Northwestern scholarship application on Tuesday, so I still need to hear from them. People are saying I should be getting a full-tuition scholarship at either of those schools with my numbers. I still haven't heard about admittance from a couple of schools. They all might be willing to adjust based on what other folks are offering. Etc.
Other than knowing I should probably go to these visits and see what happens, and wait for more scholarship info, I'm a little lost. Hopefully things will get clearer in the next month.
It kind of made me stop in my tracks to realize that might be seriously possible. Stop and think I guess. The last two days I've been trying to sort through options. I didn't want to delay my fall start, but if doing a dual degree at UT I could start with law or social work, so I wanted to see if I could start the MSSW in the fall here, then go to law potentially somewhere else next year, and have that still work out.
I started an email discussion with the UT MSSW folks about trying to accomplish this using some summer classes and such, but today I got a very definitive no from them. The only option I have is to start their standard 2-year program, in the fall, or to start the dual degree (via first year social work or law) in the fall. It's a little strange to me that they aren't more flexible with the exact plan, as long as they are offering courses when I would need to take them, but there's not much I can do. At least I know now.
So my options now are basically:
- start UT in the fall, four year dual law/SW program, graduate in 2016
- start Northwestern in the fall, three year law program, graduate in 2015
- wait an extra year, find a job somewhere so that I can afford a years worth of living expenses before financial aid begins, apply to the top programs, start a three year law program somewhere next fall, graduate in 2016
I've also been seriously thinking about my child welfare lawyer then judge idea, versus having some kind of public policy / lobbying career. Still both good-person-law and public service, but from a different perspective. That would affect my educational choices some as well.
UT's decision deadline is April 15th, Northwestern's is April 30th. UT's admitted students weekend is next Thursday/Friday. I think I want to visit Northwestern for theirs too. I'll have to pay for my own flight, but they'll try to match me to a current student to crash with. It's April 13/14. So I'm hoping UT will let me delay my decision date slightly, maybe until the end of April as well.
Also affecting things will be scholarships. UT is currently offering me a total of $45K. I submitted the Northwestern scholarship application on Tuesday, so I still need to hear from them. People are saying I should be getting a full-tuition scholarship at either of those schools with my numbers. I still haven't heard about admittance from a couple of schools. They all might be willing to adjust based on what other folks are offering. Etc.
Other than knowing I should probably go to these visits and see what happens, and wait for more scholarship info, I'm a little lost. Hopefully things will get clearer in the next month.