I thought BMC was really cool when we stopped by on the way to visit Haverford. Good to hear your student got a scholarship that will make it possible.
@thingamajig Thank you!
Congratulations! Bryn Mawr is a fantastic college, and it also has a beautiful campus. I’m glad it’s all working out so nicely.
@LeastComplicated hi there! I want to first debunk a couple things before you decide as I attended Salem with the impression of taking Wake language courses. 1. There is NOT a shuttle to Wake. No matter how many people claim there is, there definitely isn’t. She has to have a car. Salem students at Wake must pay for parking and cannot park in “visitor” lots. Wake parking will ticket her. When I was at Salem (not too long ago) it cost 500$ per semester for parking. 2. It is really difficult for girls at Salem to keep up with Wake language classes. They are 4 days a week for 50 minutes plus the 15ish commute both ways. 3. Wake language classes = 4 credit classes, however that does not mean that she can take less credits at Salem. Each Salem course is 1 credit, which translates to 4 credits normal scale (they are private so they can make some of this up). The majority of her classes MUST be at Salem, which means it will be very difficult for her to take Chinese and media courses at Wake while also attending Salem. She will definitely have to overload. Additionally, she will not be able to minor, major, or get a certificate in anything at Wake. It will only show up as classes that she took on her transcript. It is inevitable that she will be forced to choose, either media or Chinese or no Wake classes dude to investments in other activities and coursework at Salem.
On the flip side, it is without a doubt that a women’s college will prepare her for graduate school and the real world, which I think you all are very aware of given the places she applied. Lessening the financial burden is really important, especially if she wants to pursue higher education. It’s statistically proven that women from women’s colleges obtain jobs in their desired career fields, make more money on average per year, and assume higher level positions in their careers than women who attended co-ed institutions. More importantly, Salem offers the freedom to pursue what you want to do with less competition and more support while diversifying your resume by attending a women’s college. It also offers more leadership opportunities, and opportunities to start clubs interest groups, etc. also, Salem will discuss the more controversial issues of women in the workplace, gender inequality, and work-life balance that most coed institutions don’t offer a forum for. I was definitely prepared and confident leaving Salem and am in the career I wanted to be in from the start of my higher education. Good luck!!
I also forgot to mention that Salem student are not allowed to take language classes their first semester at Salem unless the Dean of Undergraduate Studies approves it.
Agreed. One cross registered class at Wake at one time is what Salem will allow. They are very afraid of losing girls to Wake because of Wake offerings. However, there is no shuttle to Wake. Salem women must find their own way. Take it from someone who knows the struggle…
I love it when a plan comes together.
dare I say that your college decision has become … LessComplicated ?
I have a doctorate in school psychology but it’s not required to work in schools. I can’t speak to the specifics of current training programs but my home state requires a masters-plus degree at a minimum. There’s also an Ed.S. degree which involves additional graduate work but no dissertation. Best of luck to your D!
Whoops, I missed several pages of comments! Newbie mistake. I have held school psych licenses in 5 states and none of them required a doctorate.
Very happy to hear of your FA award!!
@Wien2NC Haha! Absolutely!
Thanks @Midwestmama17, Do you enjoy your work? We have heard that job opportunities are good for school psychologists. Do you agree? Thanks for your input!
@LeastComplicated I have never had trouble getting a job anywhere we have lived (we have moved several times due to H’s work) and I have appreciated the family-friendly schedule and option of part-time or contract work when my kids were young. There are many things I like about the job - collaborating with educators and families, working with and advocating for students, and helping try to help resolve challenging educational and behavioral issues. I love being in the schools but I am not a fan of the amount of assessment still required most places (IQ tests, etc). That said, I have colleagues who really thrive on the data-collection and evaluation and others who work at universities or do things other than work “in the trenches”. Although I consider myself a bit of a reluctant school psychologist, I haven’t found anything more appealing (although I do teach yoga on the side). So, I think it’s definitely worth exploring and could be a great fit for your D!
@Midwestmama17 Thank you for the input! I will share it with my daughter.