This afternoon I received an e-mail stating that I've been accepted into the University of Oregon's education program. This should be a cause for celebration, right?
Since applying to the university a couple of months ago, I've reconsidered my decision to become a high school teacher. Though I think I could be a good public school teacher, I think I'm better suited to work as an instructor at a community college, or maybe even as a professor.
Recently, I submitted an application to enroll as a post-baccalaureate student at the U of O with the intent to enter the history program. I hope I can raise my GPA by retaking a few classes, finish two years of a second language, and then apply and be accepted into a graduate program (hopefully outside of Oregon).
My friends and family have been very encouraging but have also warned me to be realistic. Trying to land a full-time position in the humanities at a university will be very difficult and this path will take me many years to complete.
But now that I know I can be accepted into a teaching graduate program, I am confident that I can re-apply to become a high school teacher if getting a master's or a Ph.D. doesn't work out.
We'll see how it goes. I'm filled with a mix of both naivete about the whole process and greater awareness of my strengths and weaknesses. I'm apprehensive about being a student for many more years, but I'm also very excited about what lies ahead. We'll see how it goes.
I am durnk? I AM DURNK!
I am hrungovner. Also, congratulations on the acceptance–it's definitely a good sign even if you don't pursue it right now. Good luck with the other application(s)!
Brandon: Did you finish that case of Miller High Life last night? That's the impression that I got from your spree of early morning comments on various blogs. If so, rock on.
Vague: Thanks! It will be a little upsetting if I don't get accepted to do post-bacc work this summer after declining my acceptance to the College of Education. But if that happens I'll re-apply for fall term, or winter term and so on. If a year goes by and I'm still not accepted for post-bacc, then it's back to becoming a H.S. teacher for me.
It is good that you are pursuing a history degree. Try to take classes from Mohr, May, and Luebke, because they are cool. I should warn you, though: history is the most common undergraduate degree among law students. Beware the dark side.
So, I could go to the light side, be a student for a really long time, and make little money, or take the dark path, be a student for not as long, and make lots more money.
Hmm. Then again, the light side does offer summer vacations.
It is really easy to get accepted as a post-bacc, I did it when we first came back to eugene. My only caution is that there is nothing that will make you feel old faster than sitting next to someone your first day of class and realizing that they are 18 or 19 and still live in the dorms!
Thanks Mrs. Danimal, that's really comforting to hear!
I'm sure I'm going to feel old in class, but at least my Asian genes will keep bartenders carding me for a few more years yet.
No, just the MacTarnahans at the Goose Hollow. The first thing that goes when I drink is my ability to stop myself from leaving random, incoherent notes on other people's blogs. Sorry about that. If that Contra 3 ROM hadn't locked up on my Mac, none of this would have happened.
Robert (fr)P(r)OST is starting to wonder about the posts not traveled.
Also:
i aM KNURD!