The Last Few Days

So I'm two weeks away from school. Tomorrow I'm headed to Mexico with my family, should be a refreshing vacation. I do have a case study I need to review before orientation. I'm going to print it off, should be a nice read while I'm on the plane. Good luck to all those that have started school in the past week and enjoy your last few days of summer to those who are on their way :)

One Year Later (OYL): Law School

"One Year Later" (OYL) is a new column that will highlight what has happened in the year since you walked across the stage and picked up the next degree.

Today we look at Rhonda's life since she has become a legal eagle (go girl!), you want to hear more from her, let me know at gschooldiaries@gmail.com.


1. What is the first thing you did when you finished school?
The first thing I did when I finished law school was move to Atlanta! Literally the morning after graduation the movers came, I packed up my car and hit the road.

2. Your first job after getting the next degree, how is it working out?
My transition to corporate America has been a trying one. Work for a young associate in a large law firm is very time consuming and full of politics. However, I have enjoyed the many people I've met and opportunities I've had. No matter what lies in my future, this has been a great place to begin my legal career.

3. What do you think are some of the advantages to having your degree?
I'm much more marketable with my law degree. I can do anything and go anywhere. Its practical enough to help get my friends out of speeding tickets but is prestigious enough to get me staffed on billion dollar litigation.

4. If you could change one thing about your grad school experience what would it be?
I would have studied abroad if I could do it all over again. Spending a semester in Spain would have been great.

5. Any advice for those looking to go to Law School?
Approach law school as a full time job. Your first year is the most important. As an interviewer and recruiter now I understand the importance of looking good on paper--that's what gets you in the door. Personality comes second. Study, study, read, write, discuss and study. Plan to spend at least 12 hours per day "doing law school" during your first year.

6. Thoughts? Comments? Suggestion? Speak to the people!
Going back to school is a great move. In these competitive times it takes another degree to put you out ahead of the masses. Enjoy the process because once you are a part of the real world again, there's probably no going back to life as a student!

The Rankings Are In!

U.S. News & World Report has released its annual rankings of graduate schools in the 2008 Edition America’s Best Graduate Schools. Below is a partial list (top 3) for business, education, engineering, law, medical, sciences and fine arts programs. To view the entire list, including specialties and various other programs, as well as details on how each school received its rankings, visit www.usnews.com or purchase the magazine at your local bookstore.

Business Schools:
1. Harvard University
2. Stanford University
3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Schools of Education:
1. Teachers College, Columbia University
2. Stanford University
3. Harvard University
Vanderbilt University

Schools of Engineering:
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. Stanford University
3. University of California – Berkeley

Law Schools:
1. Yale University
2. Harvard University
Standford University

Medical Schools:
Research
1. Harvard University
2. Johns Hopkins University
3. University of Pennsylvania
Primary Care
1. University of Washington
2. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
3. U. of Colorado - Denver and Health Sciences Center

The Sciences
Biological
1. Stanford University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of California - Berkeley
Chemistry
1. California Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stanford University
University of California - Berkeley

Fine Arts
1. Rhode Island School of Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Yale University

Need a change at work?

The below information was taken from the Forte Foundation web site. Check it out if it comes to your town and let me know your thoughts.

WOMEN FOR HIRE CAREER EXPO

Fall 2007 (September 27-November 13)

Are you looking for a great new job or a new networking opportunity? Attend the Women For Hire career expo when we arrive in your city. Meet recruiters from great companies from top fields like accounting, aerospace, consulting, education, engineering, finance, financial services, government, healthcare, hospitality, human resources, insurance, law enforcement, pharmaceuticals, retail management, sales, and technology.

Check out http://www.womenforhire.com/ and see when we are coming to a city near you. Also, be sure to look for details and register for our Early Morning Seminar held the morning of each career expo.

Fall 2007 Schedule
Washington, DC: September 27 Tampa: October 9 Atlanta: October 11
Chicago: October 16 New York: October 18 Dallas: October 23
Houston: October 25 St. Louis: October 30 Boston: November 7
Los Angeles: November 13

The Test: GRE

So times they are a changing. Those out there set to take the GRE, please know that come this November, the GRE is making some changes. Originally there was a plan to overhaul the entire test. Those plans have changed slightly, and changes will be made to the GRE over time, with no firm timeline. Personally, I think that is wise to wait. I took the GRE and it was ok, but change on a test like this is never good.

In November, there will be two new question types, one in the verbal reasoning section and the other in the quantitative reasoning section. In the verbal section, sentence completion questions will now have two or three blanks to fill in as opposed to just one. The quantitative section will add number entry questions with a box for students to fill in numbers or fractions.

Check out the new question types and find out more here.

The summer is coming to an end

Like the first time...
Originally uploaded by CláudiaM

So to celebrate my last summer of freedom for a while, I have made it a point to do everything I possibly can do, and take as many vacations as possible. Since Memorial Day weekend I have either been out of town or had people come in town to visit, all but 3 weekends. I have added to my skymiles account this summer while going to my cousin’s wedding in Connecticut (congrats cuz!), Charlotte, Topsail Island, Durham, and DC. I’ll be in NYC/CT this weekend and next weekend I am going to Mexico with the family. That will be fun, a long week to sit at a resort and think about nothing, absolutely nothing! That is exactly what I need before I start the next chapter of this thing called life ☺

The countdown has begun...

In exactly one month, I will have taken my first grad school class. Today I have mixed emotions about it. I’m excited, nervous, thinking what exactly have I done? Will this really pay-off? What awaits me? What is I get in and realize I want to do something totally different with my life, then what happens? I guess a month from now I will know what I really got myself into. The reality is, it may be years from now before I really know the answers to these questions, but hey such is life!

I have friends that are in grad school or professional school, hey my little brother is getting his PhD- God bless him, and I guess heading in everyone starts out on the same path. It takes a year or more just to get your self together and apply, you have to determine if you want to go full-time, part-time, relocate, online classes, etc. Once you get through that, then you have to visit schools, study for THE TEST, interview, write and re-write essays, pay those application fees and then wait. The waiting kills you, but then you get in and everything is great!

Then you begin the process of figuring out "how am I are going to do this?" For those like me who have been out of college longer than the 4 years they were in, you have to remind yourself to let your old habits die. No more studying at the last minute, deciding whether or not you want to go to class, partying late and sleeping in. At this point everyone is telling you “you are an adult and need to act like one”, so it begins!

I created this blog to help all my folks out there that are deciding whether they need to “go back to school”, and everything it entails from info sessions, test prep, interview tips, financing, and once your in all that is at your finger tips!

Good luck to all those trying to make that decision, hope this help!