A Little MS with a Little MSW

I took the GRE recently. It was quite humbling. I outdid myself with a single-digit percentile ranking for math. The actual single digit I managed to score is irrelevant because stupid is as stupid does, and all single-digit percentile rankings on the GRE wear stupidity like a freakin’ spandex glove.

I took the GRE because I have been considering pursuing a PhD in Social Work. Thankfully, only 3 of the schools on my list of hopefuls require GRE scores. So now that my stellar scores are in, I am faced with the decision of re-taking the exam, or reducing my list of hopefuls by three.

Another big component of these applications is the Personal Statement. And boy am I going to play the MS card! Most PhD programs only admit 4-5 students per year – did you all know that? The field of social work is all about addressing discrimination and inequality, so I figure it’s a good field to be applying to as a middle-aged woman with a chronic illness.

How I am going to pay for this little mid-life academic endeavor with two kids in college, you might ask? Oh I don’t know… in my deluded fantasy, a top-notch school is just dying to throw money at someone with zero research experience and an Academy-award-winning level of deficit in quantitative skills.

Stay tuned…