Acceptance!

Last Thursday after a rough week dealing with car trouble I was pleasantly surprised when I received an email informing me that one of the schools I applied to has decided to accept me.  In the email I was given some preliminary information on what the next steps would be and the things I should be looking for in the next couple weeks and months.

In light of these developments I would like to reflect on what is coming next and how this year and application cycle differs from last year.  Last year I was muddling through waiting to hear from schools, going back and forth between should the packet be thick or thin.  After all a thick envelope means there is more than just a letter expressing their regrets for my rejection.

Now I am trying to decide if I receive more than one acceptance how to choose.  Do I choose based on location, cost of attendance, or reputation?  I understand that these questions are in many ways moot.  I have only received one acceptance but I am still struggling with what will come next.  Will I need to move across the country?  I am ready for the adventure.  Grad school comes with a large portion of debt and moving does not reduce that debt one iota.  At the same time, acceptance into an in-state school reduces the amount of debt but that may not be an option and is not at this point and time.  I also am trying to figure out more about each school.  Are they more clinical or research, which school am I the best fit for and which is the best fit for me?

I applied to a total of 5 schools,  One in my home state, 2 on the east coast, one in the Midwest, and one in a state with no state income tax.  Except for the in state school tuition is about the same at each school.  Decisions decisions.

I will try to keep posting my thoughts and any news I receive from the schools I to which I applied.  I hope this blog will give others insight into how at least one other person handled this stressful time in life.