I applied to several schools, and while I would have been happy to attend any of them, there were a couple number-one picks, a couple of back-ups, and a few that fell in the middle. I received responses early on from University of South Florida (at the top of my list), Eastern Michigan, and Kent State. Unfortunately, USF offered me nothing in the way of financial assistance (they only had 1 assistantship to offer the masters students they accepted and I was first runner up), a definite make-or-break criterion when considering the already enormous debt load I’ll be carrying from my undergraduate studies. Kent State, a school with tremendous resources, accepted my application and presented me with a financial package that not only included a full tuition waiver, but a graduate assistantship worth several thousand in exchange for 20 hours of work a week; however the communications program there was not exactly in line with my research interests. I began to ponder whether I really could be comfortable in such an environment, even if for only a couple of years before moving on to doctoral studies.
I decided to make a last-ditch appeal to the graduate director at USF, with whom I had been communicating throughout the process and who seemed to really want me at her school. I explained the situation I was in and the competing offers I had received. After a long and nervous weekend, she called me back with the fantastic news: not only would USF be happy to waive my tuition expenses, but they had rearranged the budget to offer me a graduate teaching assistantship that would provide me a stipend worth a fair amount more than my previous best offer, and for about half the time demands. I was ecstatic, especially when I found out that the woman with whom I want to work with as my advisor had a hand in making that happen!
In several short weeks, I’ll be on my way to Tampa, Florida to spend the next few years at a world-class school… woo!!
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