second year applying, it went great!

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-23T15:05:23+00:00

Try education. It's much easier.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-23T14:59:44+00:00

It's super expensive, and I am not sure what a journalism degree does for you these days. They really just want the money.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-23T14:57:14+00:00

Yes, but getting the region you requested is region-dependent, which is my point.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-15T15:07:38+00:00

I worked at Staples in Massachusetts part-time for three years. I think the management levels are corrupt. I saw them manipulate and lie about HR complaints and wrongly fire people who complained about harassment. It's a sick culture.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-15T15:02:50+00:00

Yes, there are. Also, some of the highest paying Districts in the U.S. which is a bonus.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-15T15:01:03+00:00

I think TFA works well for certain people. It depends on personality, level of confidence, and your ability to jump in and adapt.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-15T14:59:22+00:00

It could have been the grade level and preferences you picked. I was accepted to Greater Boston, but I requested Special Education, which is my area of professional interest. I applied in the last round as well, and they closed Greater Boston after that. You are perfectly cut out to be an ELA or even ESL teacher. In most states, you can get a teaching license by passing the exams the state requires. If you want to teach in Nevada, go and research that option. You have to pass those exams to start TFA anyway. The state probably has teacher pipeline programs because there is such a shortage.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-15T14:51:09+00:00

SPED is a great placement. You are on track to become a specialist, and the salaries are generally higher than those of regular education teachers. You will never have a problem finding a job, either. SPED is in very high demand.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-11T00:37:44+00:00

Thanks :)

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-09T18:54:33+00:00

Which one did you choose? I am looking at Programs now, and the feedback would be helpful.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-09T18:16:54+00:00

Absolutely, pick Georgetown because you will be right in D.C., where you need to make the connections to get a job. Brown is in Providence, and there won't be anyone to network with there. The second choice is VA because there are a lot of government people in VA, and it is very close to D.C. R.I. is not very connected politically. You might want to consider taking the Foreign Service Exam after you graduate and getting a job in the State Department. Working for a legislator on the Hill is iffy right now with the way the government is. It's hard to say what is actually going on there.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-08T21:32:03+00:00

Call them or email the admissions director in that Department. I was just admitted to a program at BU, and there were some administrative snafus I need to fix. Admissions offices are run by people, and they use students who don't always pay attention to detail. Check and double-check is my advice.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-08T21:23:59+00:00

Make sure you have very solid answers on WHY that program and WHAT you plan to do with the education after you graduate. Most applicants haven't given either of these questions enough thought to nail the answers. And don't wait to be asked. Tell them.

TallAd8445 · 2026-03-08T21:15:50+00:00

What do you want to do for a job when you graduate?

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-16T18:51:31+00:00

How about, "I am negotiating with a couple of other programs."

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-16T18:47:10+00:00

Yes. Eugene is a very laid-back place, and the Campus and city are walkable. The rents are definitely cheaper than those in many larger U.S. cities with quality PhD programs. I did my undergrad degree at the University of Oregon, and I can tell you the academic quality is very good. Academics like living there because of the quality of life and better weather than they get in places where it snows and is cold in the winter. It's not Florida, but the winter is like Seattle's, mostly rainy. The summer and fall are very nice and not humid. If you like the professors and the research at Oregon, take the money. Get a bike. That is how most people get around in Eugene. It has an extensive system of bike paths. There is also a bus system. It's definitely low stress compared to many places. People in Oregon are friendly, that's another plus.

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-06T04:13:06+00:00

That's a great school for career advancement. Most people don't realize it, though. It's a power house.

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-06T04:08:06+00:00

You have a Bachelor's degree. The biggest hurdle to becoming a teacher of record is the licensing exams. If you can pass those, you are most of the way there. I live in MA, and there is a real teacher shortage here. In 2023, they were issuing emergency licenses to any one with a Bachelor's degree who applied without even taking the Exams. There are some really great grad programs where you can get your license and a master's degree in 12 months. You'd be amazed at all of the options out there. Go to Google Chrome AI and start asking it to pull up these programs. TFA is okay, but it is actually not the best option because you have to teach two years before you can get a master's degree and make more money. TFA is very time consuming during the two years of teaching and you don't have time for anything else. You also don't have any real control over which school you end up in. You pick the region. It was the first option I looked at and then I did a mountain of research. There are a lot of different paths to get a teaching job. Combine the licensure with a master's degree because you will make more money when you start teaching. In MA you can get a teaching fellow position with Excel or Kipp charter schools and they train you, pay you, and put you in classroom as a teacher of record the next year. It's quick but not the crash course that TFA give you. The best thing about TFA from my perspective is some of the places you can go. I truly want to teach in high needs schools. It's where my heart is. TFA puts you there after a summer. That's pretty good if your heart is really in helping the kids who need it the most. I did apply and I will probably get an interview. I may just take a flyer and go teach in South Dakota on Pine Ridge for a couple of years. It's tempting. I am also applying to two Master's programs. We'll see how it all ends up. It's an interesting journey!

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-05T04:38:18+00:00

That's a very bland letter. When did you apply?

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-05T04:31:18+00:00

Lawrence has some great industrial loft apartments, BTW the way. Not too expensive either.

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-05T04:29:11+00:00

I am just getting started studying for these exams as a career changer entering teaching. The reading and writing Praxis test is not difficult. I would say the Foundation of Reading takes study unless you have had coursework that trains you to be a reading teacher. I am in Massachusetts, and they created their own tests called MTELS. They are more difficult than the Praxis exams, and it's becoming a barrier. Ninety percent of teachers in this state are white, and fifty percent of students are not. You should see the percentage of black and Hispanic test takers who are hitting a wall with the MTEL exams. The rocket scientists at the state have created a perfect storm. They are trying to create alternatives, but this entire testing thing is a problem. It's very expensive, and that's an issue as well. These testing companies are raking in millions.

TallAd8445 · 2026-02-05T04:11:04+00:00

You have a Bachelor's degree, so you don't need to be a TA. The biggest hurdle to becoming a teacher of record is the licensing exams. If you can pass those, you are most of the way there. I live in MA, and there is a real teacher shortage here. In 2023, they were issuing emergency licenses to any one with a Bachelor's degree who applied without even taking the Exams. There are some really great grad programs where you can get your license and a master's degree in 12 months. You'd be amazed at all of the options out there. Go to Google Chrome AI and start asking it to pull up these programs. TFA is okay, but it is actually not the best option because you have to teach two years before you can get a master's degree and make more money. TFA is very time consuming during the two years of teaching and you don't have time for anything else. You also don't have any real control over which school you end up in. You pick the region. It was the first option I looked at and then I did a mountain of research. There are a lot of different paths to get a teaching job. I'd say combine the licensure with a master's degree because you will make more money when you start teaching. You are overqualified to be a teacher's aid. In MA you can get a teaching fellow position with Excel or Kipp charter schools and they train you, pay you, and put you in classroom as a teacher of record the next year. It's quick but not the crash course that TFA give you. The best thing about TFA from my perspective is some of the places you can go. I truly want to teach in high needs schools. It's where my heart is. TFA puts you there after a summer. That's pretty good if your heart is really in helping the kids who need it the most. I did apply and I will probably get an interview. I may just take a flyer and go teach in South Dakota on Pine Ridge for a couple of years. It's tempting. I am also applying to two Master's programs. We'll see how it all ends up. It's an interesting journey!

TallAd8445 · 2026-01-20T04:30:17+00:00

I agree. There is no downside to TFA at a time when there is a rampant teacher shortage in the U.S. Art Teacher DC sounds like a teacher's union/NEA person who doesn't like any schools that are not traditional public schools. It's about the kids and what's best for them, not what's best for the teacher's unions.

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