I never thought for one second that I would even consider declining an offer to grad school, especially without a backup plan in place, but here I am, struggling with the possibility. A school in New York has offered me a position in their DPT program. After the party balloons and confetti fell to the ground after that news, I was left with a decision I would really rather not make.
You see, the real snag here is that this school in New York has given me only 4 weeks to decide if I want to go there or not. That decision, coupled with a check for $1,000 they are asking for, has left me feeling rather ill about the whole situation. New York is kind of far away. It probably would be a cool place to be for a little bit, but it is far away. And it's expensive. It would probably amount to about 20k or more in debt above what most other schools would cost me. Did I mention New York is kinda far away? I'm a homebody....
Another thing that is slowing me from throwing a grand at this school was the absolutely amazing interview I had at another school in Pittsburgh. The actual interview part went well I thought, but everything about the school just really felt right to me. It seemed like a place that was a really good fit for me, and I could totally see myself being a part of that program. The city and the school were both great. I think that the interview went well, but who is to say that I was one of the top 36 people they want for their school? I had a good feeling, but I'm not sure it was good enough to not accept the offer to the school in NY. I can always rescind my offer, but then I'm out $1,000. Probably not a huge deal in the long run, but a big enough deal to put me in this predicament.
I still have 5 or 6 schools that have not contacted me yet, so there is still quite a bit of hope that I could get into somewhere else, but the 3 rejection letters I got also drag a little bit of that hope away. The school I was accepted into in NY has a larger class size (70 people) and a slighter lower minimum GPA, sooo...I don't know. Just a lot of things to think about. I never thought being accepted into grad school could be so stressful!
My solution for now: Call the Pittsburgh school tomorrow and see if they are willing to give me an expedited answer. That would really ease my mind. So, for anyone who is still reading: I could use some advice as to what I should do. Or maybe, you just have an extra G lying around you could donate? :) Either way, I appreciate the responses and readers!
Peace.
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
This is a DISASTER
This week, thus far, has been a rough one for me spiritually. Even with the actual payment (upwards of $800) and submission of my PTCAS application, I still am very discouraged about getting into a physical therapy school, preferably one that is not across the country (but i'll take what I can get). One of the most frustrating things in this whole situation is my desire for instant gratification. I'll chalk this one up to my generation, but my incredible need for a answer right now is getting in the way of me relaxing about the process being done. Realistically, I probably won't have an answer (good or bad) until sometime in late January or February, maybe later. Most likely, I will be a nervous wreck until then.
The thing I've done most today is think about things I wish I would have done differently. They tell us not to dwell on the past or wallow in our mistakes, but maybe some young, aspiring pre-PT student will be reading my blog and think, "Wow, I really wish there was some sort of list of things I might wish I had/had not done in my early undergraduate studies." Well, kiddo, here's to you:
1. Think about what you really want.
One of the weakest things on my application is probably my observation hours. Since I switched to PT so late in the game, it was hard to accumulate hours in a short amount of time. I picked pharmacy for Lord knows what, and, although I don't consider it a waste of time, it sure would have been nice to know what I wanted from the get-go. Find something you love and go for it. Money and perks aside, a career is a long-term commitment. Don't get stuck doing something you find absolutely dull.
2. Make that first (and second and third and fourth) year in college count.
It is really easy to screw up your GPA. Standing at 99 credit hours right now, even a 4.0 in a class doesn't move my cumulative up very much. Getting good grades right off the bat is pretty important. Over-study for the first few tests and go from there. It is never OK to feel the first test out. Yeah, I did it a lot. My GPA isn't horrible, but it is something I wish would be a little more stronger for me.
3. Networking
Meet anyone and everyone that you can. Eventually, I met someone who served on the selection committee for the GVSU PT school. She was a great resource for me and gave me great tips for what to say during the interview process. College gives you the opportunity to get to know a bunch of people. Find people that will benefit your career in some way, and you will go far!
4. Be confident! (and if you're not: get confident!)
No matter what happens after college, you will eventually have to go through some sort of interview. One thing that really helped me get connected with the right people and the right opportunities. Be persistent and confident whenever you go into a situation. This will show people that you are the right person for the job.
Not an all-inclusive list, but certainly the few things that are really coming to mind right now. I'll just be sitting here waiting for a call or an email from some physical therapy school telling me they want me to come to campus for an interview. Maybe that will mean flying to Arizona, or driving to Virginia, but any little thing like that would certainly make me feel a little better about the process. Now please excuse me while I try to find some way to recover my monetary losses of the week.
The thing I've done most today is think about things I wish I would have done differently. They tell us not to dwell on the past or wallow in our mistakes, but maybe some young, aspiring pre-PT student will be reading my blog and think, "Wow, I really wish there was some sort of list of things I might wish I had/had not done in my early undergraduate studies." Well, kiddo, here's to you:
1. Think about what you really want.
One of the weakest things on my application is probably my observation hours. Since I switched to PT so late in the game, it was hard to accumulate hours in a short amount of time. I picked pharmacy for Lord knows what, and, although I don't consider it a waste of time, it sure would have been nice to know what I wanted from the get-go. Find something you love and go for it. Money and perks aside, a career is a long-term commitment. Don't get stuck doing something you find absolutely dull.
2. Make that first (and second and third and fourth) year in college count.
It is really easy to screw up your GPA. Standing at 99 credit hours right now, even a 4.0 in a class doesn't move my cumulative up very much. Getting good grades right off the bat is pretty important. Over-study for the first few tests and go from there. It is never OK to feel the first test out. Yeah, I did it a lot. My GPA isn't horrible, but it is something I wish would be a little more stronger for me.
3. Networking
Meet anyone and everyone that you can. Eventually, I met someone who served on the selection committee for the GVSU PT school. She was a great resource for me and gave me great tips for what to say during the interview process. College gives you the opportunity to get to know a bunch of people. Find people that will benefit your career in some way, and you will go far!
4. Be confident! (and if you're not: get confident!)
No matter what happens after college, you will eventually have to go through some sort of interview. One thing that really helped me get connected with the right people and the right opportunities. Be persistent and confident whenever you go into a situation. This will show people that you are the right person for the job.
Not an all-inclusive list, but certainly the few things that are really coming to mind right now. I'll just be sitting here waiting for a call or an email from some physical therapy school telling me they want me to come to campus for an interview. Maybe that will mean flying to Arizona, or driving to Virginia, but any little thing like that would certainly make me feel a little better about the process. Now please excuse me while I try to find some way to recover my monetary losses of the week.
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