<p>Polarscribe, I know. The certificate program is for preparation. If I can do well enough on the GRE, prove myself in grad classes and obtain good letters of recommendation from those graduate professors then I can potentially receive a fellowship or assistantship AFTER I complete the certificate and apply to grad school. </p>
<p>Clearly, the purpose of the certificate program is being misinterpreted. It is merely to prepare me for the PhD program and point me in the direction I need to go in-i.e. I will take all Human Factors electives to meet Human Factors faculty so that I can have significant and relevant letters of recommendation. But in the long run if I am only taking out loans for 2 semesters for the certificate and then able to obtain other forms of aid for graduate school then I can potentially reduce the amount of debt I would obtain through just applying to grad school now with a sub-par GPA and ok, but not necessarily great or significant faculty recommendations.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I will even qualify for the PSLF program so that’s not something I’m counting on right now.</p>