More Grad School, Oh Joy…Oh Rapture…
Posted by pimpcat on August 26, 2008
You might think that I would have said enough about grad school at this point, but there has been yet another confounding variable. Mah ho’aka, Feech also wants to go to grad school in approximately the same time frame that I do. For any who don’t know, she’s not an engineering major (she’s takin’ college algebra this fall…huzzah!) she’s majoring in speech-language pathology. Now, if we were married, it would make it somewhat more difficult to go to two different schools that are 2500 miles across the country.
Yes, I said 2500 miles…the two that we were thinking of were Georgia Tech for me and the University of Washington for her. That would leave us with a couple of options. We could get our master’s degrees at different times. (Probably hers first, since a bachelor’s in speech path is kind useless; whereas a bachelor’s in civil engineering can put food on the table.) Another option would be to choose another school that has good civil engineering and speech pathology programs. The last option that I can think of is for me to just get my master’s from the University of Washington…though I’d really rather not.
I think I’ve narrowed it down to about three or four actual options for timing and choices of schools.
Option A: Feech and I move to Seattle, Washington where she pursues a master’s degree in speech pathology. Afterward, we move to Hotlanta, Georgia, where I pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering.
Option B: We move immediately to West Lafayette, Indiana, where we pursue both of our degrees at the same time at Purdue University. Note: Purdue is ranked #2 in the nation in speech-language pathology and #7 in the nation in civil engineering grad programs according to US News and World Report. Similar cities/schools: Austin TX, U of Texas-SP #9, CE #4; Champagne IL, U of Illinois-SP #9, CE #1(tie)
Option C: We move to some awful town full of old people in Iowa where Feech pursues a degree in speech pathology from the University of Iowa and I establish state residency in order to pursue a degree in civil engineering at Iowa State University. Note: The University of Iowa in ranked #1 in the nation in speech-language pathology grad programs and ISU is ranked #41in engineering grad programs according to US News and World Report. Similar situations: Michigan: Western Michigan-SP #38; Michigan-Ann Arbor CE #9
Option D: I just suck it up, move to Washington and get my master’s from the university of Washington. It wouldn’t really be that bad, but it’s just not that impressive of a place to have a degree from.
I really don’t know what I’m going to do at this point, but I’m kind of leaning towards options A or B in all honesty. I’m thinking that Purdue would be the best school for option B since Feech never wants to step foot in Texas, I’m a big Texas A&M fan, neither of us like Illinois, and the University of Illinois doesn’t teach the sub-discipline of civil engineering that I want to go into. Though I’m still a big fan of Georgia Tech and could handle living in Washington. I guess only time will tell.
Char Lyn said
I have so many things to say on this subject, but can’t say them in a public setting like the internet for at least a few more months. But don’t worry, you and Feech will get an earful before you graduate.
mlleepinards said
I’m kind of partial to the options that involve only one of us being in school at a time. I dunno, I guess I’m paranoid and think that if both of us are in school, it means neither of us can work and we’ll starve and die! heh heh. I’m all for moving to washington right after graduation (mine, that is) and being the useless one for two years. Maybe I can work part-time…