life plans
Iowa State
UVermont
Ohio State
Florida State*
Penn State
Vanderbilt
UTexas- Austin*
UMichigan-Ann Arbor*
The issue is this.... The schools with the * are the the schools that also have my major. The schools in red are in the Top 10 for my program. Notice how they are one in the same? I would love nothing more than to believe that I could make it into a program like that, but the reality is that I don't have the under grad experience to warrant entrance into schools like that. I have a B average, which is the bare minimum for them to even look at your application. I have very few extra curricular activities due to my job as an RA. Unless I have truly phenomenal GRE scores, it's just not going to happen. I suppose I could wait until I take the test to decide for certain what I am going to do, but I plan on being pragmatic. Entrance into these schools is going to be extremely competitive. I don't know that I am up to par. It is also necessary to consider that with his chosen career path, Dan would be applying for assistantships, that would require that he live on campus. His housing would be payed for, and there is usually a tuition break as well. This of course means that living between 2 schools is not an option.
Dan's Parents don't want us to get married until after grad school. They think we will be more financially secure that way. I don't necessarily agree, as I feel that with even more student loans than we have now, we will just be further in the negative. I also know that we are considered dependant on our parents (for tax purposes) until we are 24 or legally married. This means that if we get married before grad school we get a TON more financial aid that we would if were were still dependant on our parents (I personally only qualify for the bare minimum as a dependant child).
My parents think it is a bad idea to take time off between undergrad and grad school, because they feel that it is harder to go back. I am not sure I agree with this either. Counselors have actually told me the opposite, and say that it often looks better on grad school applications to have some work experiance. I suppose there can be arguments for both sides.
All these problems lead to an issue... when do Dan and I get married and where do we go to school? Things that must be considered are my refusal to live with him unless we are married, and his need to live at the school where he attends (likely with his apartment paid for). There are multiple choices.
1) Ami and Dan get married before Grad School, but attend different schools, and thus do not live together
-----I don't like this option. I don't want to spend the first 2 years of marriage not living with my spouse... more than likely at least 2 hours away from him. This option also bothers his parents. Also, I have to pay for separate housing, and that's dumb.
2) Ami and Dan get married after Grad School, and attend different schools.
---- I'm bad at long distance relationships. Props to those who can do it. I, however, feel like we are growing closer as a couple, and moving apart would put undue stress on our relationship. Neither of us are fond of this choice.
3) Ami and Dan get married, and Ami does not attend Grad School right away.
---- This makes both sets of parents unhappy. Logically speaking, it makes the most sense. We would not have to be apart, and we are not paying for housing at all. We get to be married, which is totally awesome. Ami has to try to find a job in this economy, but Dan is making money with the assistantship too. This also allows me to go to school when Dan is done.
4) Ami and Dan get married after grad school, and Ami does not attend Grad School right away.
---- This potion is stupid. I would be living alone, in a new/strange town with no friends, and not going to school. But I would be close to Dan... but that doesn't redeem this option.
5) Ami and Dan get married before grad school, and Dan takes time off
---- This option doesn't make a whole lot of sense, because Ami would still have to try to find a school that has her program AND somewhere to live. Dan would need to find a job, and would either have to be a hall director only at schools Ami is looking at, or find an unrelated job.
6) Ami and Dan get married after grad school, and Dan takes time off
---- This option makes zero sense.... I can't think of any redeeming qualities in it except that I get to go to school.
WHAT DO WE DO????? I am really lost here and it is so very stressful to me. Any suggestions would be GREAT.
UVermont
Ohio State
Florida State*
Penn State
Vanderbilt
UTexas- Austin*
UMichigan-Ann Arbor*
The issue is this.... The schools with the * are the the schools that also have my major. The schools in red are in the Top 10 for my program. Notice how they are one in the same? I would love nothing more than to believe that I could make it into a program like that, but the reality is that I don't have the under grad experience to warrant entrance into schools like that. I have a B average, which is the bare minimum for them to even look at your application. I have very few extra curricular activities due to my job as an RA. Unless I have truly phenomenal GRE scores, it's just not going to happen. I suppose I could wait until I take the test to decide for certain what I am going to do, but I plan on being pragmatic. Entrance into these schools is going to be extremely competitive. I don't know that I am up to par. It is also necessary to consider that with his chosen career path, Dan would be applying for assistantships, that would require that he live on campus. His housing would be payed for, and there is usually a tuition break as well. This of course means that living between 2 schools is not an option.
Dan's Parents don't want us to get married until after grad school. They think we will be more financially secure that way. I don't necessarily agree, as I feel that with even more student loans than we have now, we will just be further in the negative. I also know that we are considered dependant on our parents (for tax purposes) until we are 24 or legally married. This means that if we get married before grad school we get a TON more financial aid that we would if were were still dependant on our parents (I personally only qualify for the bare minimum as a dependant child).
My parents think it is a bad idea to take time off between undergrad and grad school, because they feel that it is harder to go back. I am not sure I agree with this either. Counselors have actually told me the opposite, and say that it often looks better on grad school applications to have some work experiance. I suppose there can be arguments for both sides.
All these problems lead to an issue... when do Dan and I get married and where do we go to school? Things that must be considered are my refusal to live with him unless we are married, and his need to live at the school where he attends (likely with his apartment paid for). There are multiple choices.
1) Ami and Dan get married before Grad School, but attend different schools, and thus do not live together
-----I don't like this option. I don't want to spend the first 2 years of marriage not living with my spouse... more than likely at least 2 hours away from him. This option also bothers his parents. Also, I have to pay for separate housing, and that's dumb.
2) Ami and Dan get married after Grad School, and attend different schools.
---- I'm bad at long distance relationships. Props to those who can do it. I, however, feel like we are growing closer as a couple, and moving apart would put undue stress on our relationship. Neither of us are fond of this choice.
3) Ami and Dan get married, and Ami does not attend Grad School right away.
---- This makes both sets of parents unhappy. Logically speaking, it makes the most sense. We would not have to be apart, and we are not paying for housing at all. We get to be married, which is totally awesome. Ami has to try to find a job in this economy, but Dan is making money with the assistantship too. This also allows me to go to school when Dan is done.
4) Ami and Dan get married after grad school, and Ami does not attend Grad School right away.
---- This potion is stupid. I would be living alone, in a new/strange town with no friends, and not going to school. But I would be close to Dan... but that doesn't redeem this option.
5) Ami and Dan get married before grad school, and Dan takes time off
---- This option doesn't make a whole lot of sense, because Ami would still have to try to find a school that has her program AND somewhere to live. Dan would need to find a job, and would either have to be a hall director only at schools Ami is looking at, or find an unrelated job.
6) Ami and Dan get married after grad school, and Dan takes time off
---- This option makes zero sense.... I can't think of any redeeming qualities in it except that I get to go to school.
WHAT DO WE DO????? I am really lost here and it is so very stressful to me. Any suggestions would be GREAT.