grad school update...

I just got back to the office after my graduate school interview in DC. I'm not sure if it went well or not. They were doing a lot of head nodding and writing as I was answering their questions, but they were very hard to read. I don't know what type of student normally applies, but they asked a lot of questions around my writing skills and undergrad grades.

As part of the application I had to submit two articles, essays, or stories that I've written, which I didn't have. I explained that most of my work involves technical writing and facilitators guides, thus why I didn't have published articles to submit, and turned in some of my guides. They seemed okay with that, and then went on to explain that you learn how to do the writing in the first class anyway.

I will freely admit that I didn't do well my first two semesters at VJC, which ruined my cumulative GPA and I lost my academic scholarship. However, I have over a 3.0 for my last 60 credits. But they seemed to be giving me conflicting information, saying that I may be conditionally accepted to the college because of that, yet on the criteria that I remember reviewing, one needed at least a 3.0 in the last 60 credits to be fully accepted.

They also kept using the word "if" - "if you are accepted..." maybe that's just the language they use. But I was also offended that I got lumped into the "Catholic Corner." I had put on my resume the OD work that I'm doing with my church - as it pretains to my field of study. One of the first questions they asked me was about that work, and what I was doing. So I explained the reasoning behind it, and what sort of work that was taking place. The director then asked me before closing the meeting if I would be okay working in the cohort with people who did not agree with my religious views and were either gay/lesbian/transgender because that may stand for everything my religion is against. I told her that I didn't have any problem working with diversity, and some of my close friends are gay/lesbian. But I think she needs to take a class on diversity if she thinks that all Catholic's are the same, and I would make a hostile environment based on that.

Anyway, I'm probably reading way more into all of this then there is, as they were using a standard form, and the one lady kept saying "you won't have any problem being successful here" - but it just struck me as odd to ask those sorts of questions. They even asked about money, and if it would be a financial problem with me paying for the program... just struck me as odd!