Music graduate school students or graduates, what would you do in this situation?
I recently started graduate school on an assistantship. I found out some things that I had no idea was going on with the full time status. The graduate program is new, and boy does it show. I have been bounced back and forth since school started. I can't access my financial aid money. Every time I ask them is there anything else I need to do, they tell me no, only to find out there is more for me to do AFTER THE FACT. I've been promised the aid several times in the last couple of weeks and still no access. This is after I have asked several times will I have access to the funds once I started school. Of course they tell me everything is fine. Only for me to find out its not.
In addition, I am the only grad student with kids, and I feel as if the program is too much like an undergraduate program. I am taking graduate level classes with undergraduates. The exception is graduate students get extra papers or other things here and there. I find out things that I have to attend AFTER my schedule is finished. Not only that, but I had no say in scheduling my classes. I still don't understand that. Luckily, I got the voice teacher I wanted, but I had no say in that (I was supposed to). People have been constantly telling me one thing, only to find its something else. My husband is having issues with his job here (that's a whole new story that actually isn't his fault). I guess that is just how this small town runs, and it is annoying.
My assistantship, when I applied for it, said 4 hours of work. Now, on the website it states 4, but they are making us do 6 ours. I find that odd. Being the fact that the school will not let me access my money, I will be behind on bills. I am taking a job. However, this graduate school program is so close to an undergraduate ideal that it will be impossible for me to take on another job unless it is a church job. I am required to attend all these functions, take role, and I have no freedom. I don't know how they are going to cast me for the upcoming opera, because I am so ahead of everyone else in my studies (since I have been doing operas, oratorios, and recitals before hand). Thank God I have a great teacher, but I am beginning to wonder if I've made a mistake. Now don't get me wrong, I expected grad school to be extremely hard and painstaking. But a friend of mine working on her doctorate told me the things that I've told her shouldn't be going on in a graduate level. I've drug my whole family here, quit a GREAT job, left my singing connects for a school that I am not sure can give me what I need. I thought I did my research. You know, schools always MAKE themselves seem attractive and pretend to offer accommodations that they can't just to get you hooked.
Am I overreacting? I know there are other grad students complaining, but theyare only mumbling among other grad students. I have been vocal about it, but then again I am the only one with kids. I feel so bad about my decision now, and I wish I would have applied for the other grad schools. I was hoping that this school would give me more of an intimate setting for classes since my undergrad was pretty large in number. However, my undergrad was much more organized and realistic. I am thinking to reduce my classes and take the minimum amount, get a job, and look to Boston University, except it would mean I would take music education (I am sure some of you have heard of that program). I can always continue to study with my teacher, and continue to work in the professional world. The biggest issue is since the other voice grad student hasn't really had a career as I have (she's only been out but 2 years), I am the only person thinking things are redundant, and you shouldn't have to tell a graduate student to do these things. Please tell me if I am in over my head. If you have experience, any thoughts?
Wirechoir, did you do Boston University online? Since I am stuck in these woods with a year long apartment contract, I can't just up and move. I am considering taking that graduate program while studying with my current voice professor. I'm so mad, I could spit fire. LOL!
And I've gotten some great responses by you all thusfar. I appreciate these and the new ones to come.
To Edik: Thanks for your reply. However all of those things about hours and other issues I have addressed. I am not in danger that way. Where? Well e-mail me and we can talk about that. I posted this question here because music graduate school is so different from others (for example, my girlfriend has a masters in consumer blablabla, and she only needed 6 hours for full time and assistantship). You know how music is so out of the norm for most grad programs, that's why I posted it here and also to see what others in my area had experienced. Sometimes the higher education section is too random.
Mamianka- THANK YOU. I agree, but I thought perhaps I could have that education to back me up while I continued to study with my professor. That way I can have some type of study until I looked into another performance program. The great part out of my school deal is, I am training with someone who really knows my instrument and he is what I was looking for in my studies. I'm still on the border line. I went to talk to someone in another office, and they told me some wise things to do. Also, after I threatened to drop my classes to just enough to be full time, and that I might not make it through and I would need a part time job, my professor contacted the head over grad studies (who I really couldn't get moving like I needed) and lo and behold. In less than 24 hours, my check was ready. Isn't that ironic? So at least I had someone in my corner. Keep us in your prayers. They have changed some rules without documenting it, so I talked outside of the department for counsel.
However they are going to need to shape up some things if they want to keep valuable grad students. And we are a sharp group as a whole. They need to accommodate us as well as we are accomodating for them.
Tahitipo or whoever you are- Don't you think I've done all those things? Also I am not a granny slow typer. I type rather fast, unlike those who think a couple of typed paragraphs takes 12 hours of their lives. Just because it took you 12 hours to type your response doesn't mean it took me 12 hours to type mine.I guess you're still burned by a comment I probably made in the past about your sour attitude. Get over it. You don't like my question, don't answer it. It wasn't a question for your kind anyway.
Thanks to the rest of you EDUCATED musicians who have something valid to say and have REAL careers.