I applied to five anthropology programs: The University of Memphis--Medical Anthropology; The University of Southern Mississippi--dual Anthropology and Public Health; The University of Colorado, Denver--Medical Anthropology; Cal State Los Angeles--Socio-Cultural Anthropology; Cal State Long Beach--Applied Anthropology.
The day I sent all of my applications out Alabama was hit with a snow storm that literally shut down everything in the state. Birmingham was at a stand still with people sleeping in their cars, kids sleeping at schools. It was a huge mess.
I was accepted at Memphis, Southern Miss, and Cal State Los Angeles. I was able to visit Memphis and Southern Miss. When I started the process I really liked the Southern Miss program because it was a dual degree and I would have a great chance of being employable with the Masters in Public Health along with the Masters in Anthropology. When I visited I enjoyed the campus and all of the professors that I met with. I had great conversations with everyone I met with but when I left I didn't feel great about the program. I thought it was because I was nervous about the grad school process but something just didn't feel right it.
When I visited Memphis I was a little apprehensive because of the reputation of the city. The city isn't the safest so I had no idea what to expect when I drove into the city. The campus was beautiful. It's in a great section of town with neat little shops and bars right near the university. The faculty were beyond amazing. Everyone I met was fabulous. I had a great hour and half conversation with the chair of the department and not once did I feel like she was going to tell me she made a mistake in accepting me to the program because I was clearly an idiot. When I left the school I immediately called my mom and told her I wanted to go to Memphis. Everyone was very surprised with my final decision.
I didn't receive the acceptance letter to Cal State LA until three or four months after the letters from Southern Miss and Memphis. When I asked if I could visit to meet the faculty and see the program I was told that I had to give my decision by the Friday of the week I received my letter, which didn't give me enough time to get to Los Angeles. I had to turn them down because I didn't feel comfortable accepting a program that I was unable to see. As much as it would be great to live in LA with N.O.G. in the end I had to pick the program that was the best financially and that I would have the best job prospects after graduation.
I was not accepted at Cal State LB. I liked the program but it wasn't exactly what I wanted out of a masters program. I was a little disappointed that I was denied because it felt like I wasn't smart enough to get into the program but in the end I think it just means that the program wasn't meant for me and I wasn't meant for that program.
The University of Colorado, Denver was a big disappointment. I had been communicating with the graduate program coordinator all the way up to the deadline and as far as I knew everything was there and ready to be sent off to the program. Weeks went by and I heard nothing from the program. I emailed the program director and she didn't have any of my info. Turns out that my stuff wasn't actually sent to program because one of my letters of recommendation didn't get there on time. Even though I had been communicating with the coordinator. None of it makes sense to me. I was incredible frustrated. Colorado was never my top pick or even in my top three but it was a good program. I thought I had a slim chance of getting in but wasn't holding my breath for an acceptance letter. But to find out that all the money I spent and the time it took to get everything to them, on top of the many emails that were sent between the coordinator and I, it kind of pissed me off. I'm glad that it's all over and done with.
I moved to Memphis a few days ago. So far everything has been great. There was a hiccup with finding an apartment but I found one that works for Jack and I. We are less than 10 minutes from a huge dog park with ponds and hiking trails. I took Jack there yesterday and he loved it. He swam for about an hour and hardly acknowledged the other dogs. It was pretty nice.
No promises but I'll try and do better with updates.