Job Discussion Forums

jreyno29 · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Switzerland

Has anybody done their MA TESOL at Teachers College or know something about the program's reputation? I recently found out that I have been accepted there, which is very exciting because of the school's reputation and its affiliation with Columbia, but I have also heard some surprisingly negative things about the program (cookie-cutter classes, profs only interested in doctoral students, low class participation, students becoming disillusioned with the field, etc) and would like to balance these views out with some more positive ones as I make my decision about where to go in the fall. Thanks!

VanKen · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 139 Location: Calgary, AB Canada

It would be interesting to know where graduates of this program eventually ended up.

Zahara · Joined: 07 May 2005 Posts: 10

I did NOT get my degree there (my M.A. is from a CUNY college) but I have several friends who have. In my opinion, the main benefit to getting your degree there is name recognition/reputation. TC is known internationally and generally considered to be one of the best programs in the country. This is most benefoicial for you if you are planning on going on for a PhD, want to get published, or work in administration.

On the other hand, as a student at CUNY, most of my professors were current or former faculty at Columbia as well, and from my discussions with colleagues who got their degrees at TC, I would say the programs were quite similar.

The main difference in my eyes is the tuition. I teach full time ESL at a college and make a decent wage for this field. However, if I had to pay off student loans (as my friends from TC now must do) I would be living in abject poverty right now. Basically, my advice is that you should go to TC if: 1- You are very ambitious about being a top person in the field of ESL or 2- Money is no object to you.

Otherwise, check out CUNY or another public college. Just my opinion.

comenius · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject:

I agree with Zahara. I considered TC but ended up going for New York University instead.

I feel I got a great education there, and the name recognition internationally has likely been as strong if not stronger that TC would have been. After all, who hasn't hear of New York, right? Smile

dan · Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 247 Location: shanghai

ummmm, who hasnt heard of columbia university?

jreyno29 · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Switzerland

Yes, TC is very expensive and that is frightening but after thinking about it carefully, I've decided to go there anyway. Education is always a good investment. I just wish there were more scholarships available for those of us who aren't going the K-12 certification route. I think TC will be a very inspiring place to be. It offers a wide range of courses and the name recognition will hopefully help me launch an ELT or related career in the States.

Will anybody else be starting the MA TESOL program at TC this fall?

rtm · Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: US

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

jreyno29 · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Switzerland

rtm - It sounds like you made a smart decision! To wind up with no debt at the end of graduate school will definitely be a good thing. Plus, like Gordon said, you'll get relevant work experience. What kind of work do you ultimately hope to do?

In hindsight I wish I had applied to more of a variety of schools. All the ones I applied to are very expensive and none offer TA or research assistant positions. I wanted to go to a top program, so in the end I had to pick between four $$$ programs. Maybe that was just a dumb move that I'll fully comprehend when I have to start paying back my student loans! Since all four programs are expensive, I didn't let cost guide my final decision.

One big factor was location. I decided I wanted to be in NYC to be closer to family and friends after living abroad for 7 years. Plus I think NYC would just be an exciting and stimulating place to live at this point in my life. So that decision narrowed my choice down to TC and another NYC school.

Between the two schools, TC's reputation and affiliation with Columbia won out in the end. At one point in my decision making process I found out that TC was ranked the #1 School of Education in the US this year. Rankings aren't everything but I couldn't help but feel proud and excited that I had gotten in to the #1 school. Of course, that's not saying the TESOL program is #1, but it's still a nice feeling. And should I ever decide to leave the field, TC/Columbia gets a lot of name-recognition.

Other (professional and personal) factors: 1) TC has a program in Blindness and Visual Impairment (BVI). I have been teaching English to blind and visually impaired adults for over 4 years and would like to incorporate this experience into my studies and/or research. I am also interested in special needs learners in general and I think TC offers more along those lines. 2) I like how the TESOL and AL programs are strongly linked so that students can take the courses in each program that interest them most 3) Chance to take courses at other Columbia schools 4) Two of my recommendation writers and the professor of an online course in special needs I'm doing right now all seemed to think TC was the best choice for me. 5) A friend of mine is a current student (different department) and has been drumming up TC ever since I told her I was interested in applying 6) My grandmother went to Columbia for an MA in comparative literature which makes me feel reconnected to her even though she passed away 8 years ago � Basically, my gut went with TC so I'm going to follow it.

Well, it's all a bit of a gamble, isn't it? I hope that TC will be worth it in the end for me and I hope you will be happy with your program too, rtm!