<p>I was an econ major as an undergrad in Iowa, my GPA was 3.3, which is not elite, so I figured I'll be doing ok to find a school that would accept me, and being a foreign kid, I figured I stay in familiar surroundings for grad school.
I'm now an International relations major but I'm beginning to think I could have been a TA or RA and get free waiver at a lower tier school even with my average undergrad.
I'm not a firm believer in rankings, my dad pays 30 grand a year for my tuition and my sister's, so anything to lower it is more important than ranking.</p>
<p>So is it possible to get it if I transfer, and which schools can I apply to. I think I'll 4.0 all my classes this semester, if that changes anything.</p>
<p>In the case of graduate school, it is not a transfer. It is an application for admissions to a different program. In many cases, any graduate credits that you have earned will not apply toward the new degree program.</p>
<p>You need to look for programs that would suit you, and apply to them. You also need to talk with your current professors, and find out if they have any RA or TA positions that you will be eligible to apply for. Something might be available for you as early as your second semester, although it is more common for MA candidates to get these kinds of assistantships for their second year.</p>
<p>Even if you transfer you might not be able to get a TA or RA. They’re competitive and they’re not always available in large quantities at schools. Is there a specific reason why you can’t get an RA or TAship where you are now?</p>
<p>thanks for responding, well I applied late, and basically the options are limited unlike engineering and natural sciences, where almost everybody has some assistantship.
My graduate advisor said 2 assitantship positions will be open next year, but we are 21 in the set.
It doesn’t matter if I change my major or something, i just feel weird that my parents are actually paying my tuition and my fellow international students are on scholarship. (Asian countries award many of those) while for Africa, it’s geared towards PhD students.</p>
<p>Most US students have to pay for a Master’s degree themselves. Often they do this with student loans, which can take a very long time to pay off. If your parents can pay for your studies, you truly fortunate. Once you do have a job, sit down and calculate how much you would have to pay for student loans equivalent to your cost of education, and then set aside that kind of money so that you can help your parents when they are no longer able to help you.</p>
<p>You might look at state schools that are big. Sometimes they need lots of TA’s to cover classes. Also, the state flagship schools tend to have lots of research and that can also lead to a number of TA/RA slots. </p>
<p>Honestly, I think you are looking at this the wrong way. You don’t want the cheapest Master’s out there – you want the Master’s degree in the field or under the professor that will set you up for your next career step. So look for the program that really speaks to your heart and your talents. </p>
<p>I have seen a Master’s done in 18 months — or in 8 years. So the 2 year Master’s at $30K a year is cheaper than the 4 year Master’s at $20K. There’s more to this than sticker price.</p>
<p>Not true…well it might depend on the school.</p>
<p>Most folks earn their masters degrees at schools at which they want to study and/or which provide them with the necessary certification or licensing skills they will need for their future careers. Some folks enroll in programs and attend grad school full time. Others work while they are attending grad school and attend school at night and/or on weekends.</p>
<p>What you need to figure out is if your field of study really is one you want to pursue. If it’s not, I would suggest taking some time off and working and rethinking what you are doing.</p>