Update: got into Fordham today as well! It is not a big deal to take the GRE, but I wanted to see where I could get in without having to take it since I missed those deadlines and suffer from extreme test anxiety. My plan is that if these schools are too expensive even with aid, I will try again for NJ schools next year and take the GRE. I am open to having the flexibility of being able to teach in NJ OR NY. I also will say that I am interested in research
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I will ask as a follow-up, if I am interested in research or possibly a PhD/higher degree within Educational Policy or English- do you think school prestige/rank matters? Thanks to everyone who replied! Again, trying to explore and be open to all options right now
If you are interested in moving on to doctoral work, then it really depends. If you want to get an Ed.D. or Ph.D. in some field of education, perhaps to move into admin, then the prestige of your MA program does not matter. You would likely work on your doctorate as you continue to teach, and as with the MA program, local reputation matters more than national prestige. If youâre going for a Ph.D. in English, then the prestige of your MA program might hold slightly more weight â BUT if your MA is in education, then youâd have to start from scratch with the Ph.D. program, anyway, and earn another MA in your discipline. This is exactly what I did, but in another discipline (MA in education, followed by several years of HS teaching, followed by an MA/Ph.D. program in my discipline and a jump to academia). If you want to go into academia (which would require an entirely different conversation about the depressingly bad job market in the humanities), then youâd be thinking more about prestige, because getting into a good program would become really important. If you want to get a doctorate and continue to teach in public school, then it doesnât matter as much.
I think itâs in your best interest to apply to NJ state schools. It is the most direct path and there is no reason to spend more money.
Once you get your masters and gain some experience, you can absolutely go back for a degree in education policy. A degree from one of the NJ colleges will not hold you back. I recommend teaching first so that you have an understanding of the field, problems that exist, etc.
You can also obtain a PhD in education or Ed.D with a degree from a NJ school. I know several people who have gone this route after working for awhile. Some teach HS full time while teaching a college course, others are now department chairs etc.
I canât speak for English, but when my daughter was in college she had a prof who did her undergrad at a NJ public school (her PhD was not in English). What is it that you intend to do with a PhD in English? A tenured position as a college prof is extremely difficult to get.
Update! Fordham just awarded me a very generous scholarship, as well as a graduate assistantship- so that will help offset costs greatly!
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