Post-Schna-ulations

How to go from 0 to 50 in just 3 seconds

Here is the story of how my life suddenly got really crazy as of Tuesday at 3:30pm:

I was looking into grad programs here at Pitt. I figured that, even if I could only complete 1 year of a program, I could always transfer, and I’ve been getting very anxious to be back in school. I sort of stumbled across a program that is relatively new here, but PERFECT for me (MS in Rehabilitation Counseling). So yesterday, I went and talked to the director of the program about starting in the spring (as they have rolling admissions). After learning my background and listening to what I wanted to do, he agreed that this was a good program for me and encouraged me to apply to start THIS FALL (that's a week and a half from now!!!!). So, today I have to throw together and application, get letters of recommendation, write a personal statement, get transcripts - all that stuff. I will be starting classes Monday the 29th of August. Classes will be M, T, W, TH from 4:30-7:30pm and F from 9-12. The Friday is the only one that conflicts with work, and today I'm sitting down with my boss to work around that. Next semester, there won't be a Friday afternoon class - just the evenings.

This program lasts for two years full-time through the summers. I will finish with a MS in Rehabilitation Counseling and will be a Nationally Certified Rehabilitation counselor. I will also be prepared to take state licensing exams to be fully licensed as well.

Unfortunately, this program is not funded at all. So, I will have to continue to work full-time in order to pay the rent and the bills and to eat, and I'll have to take out student loans to cover tuition (which is pretty ridiculous for a state school, but what can you do?). BUT, I will end up in two years being able to do what I really want to do, with the possibility of getting my PhD down the road still open.

Needless to say, I’ll be busy. Work from 8:30-4:30, class from 4:30-7:30 - by the time I get home and eat dinner, it will practically be time for bed!!!! Weekends will be spent writing papers, reading, and doing all my other school work.

I will probably leave my job a year from this spring (most likely end of April, 2007) so I can do my 600 hour internship over that summer (some of these internships are paid). At that point, LHPJ will most likely be done with his program as well and will hopefully have a job somewhere starting that Fall.

So, that's the news. I was OVERWHELMED yesterday. I went in to see what the program was all about and IF I could get in for the spring semester (or at all!), and he practically told me I was admitted before I even applied (If I can't get all my transcripts and letters together before classes start, he said that they will admit me provisionally until I do - so I can start taking classes no matter what).

Sometimes, things just happen that quickly. Three weeks ago, I’m just started to have an idea of the TYPE of program I want. Two weeks from now, I will have already had my first two classes IN that program.

To sum it up in a word (and a word I’m particularly fond of as of late): FABULOUS! :)

posted by Schna @ 10:54 AM