Sooo what's it like to live in GA? Just found out I am moving there.

[lucy_love]

I got a letter today in the mail from UGA, they have accepted me for a PhD program

I live in Clearwater, FL now. Besides being far from the fort what is Athens like (really GA in general?)

I could live for FREE in Peachtree CIty, GA- how would the drive be to Athens? Would it be do-able since I will be living for free? What about if I just have to do the drive 3 times a week?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Live4FW]

Hi,

We live in NW Atlanta and Athens is on the NE side plus about 40 miles. I would not suggest living in Peachtree City as it is on the SW side. Especially with dealing with the Atlanta traffic.

We love GA, we have been here about 10 years and came up from the east coast of FL.

Athens is a really neat college town. Super music scene, but I am probablty a bit too old to appreciate that.

My oldest son starts at UGA in the fall so we have been making the trip over often. With no traffic, it is an hour and a half drive.

Congratulations!

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

I got a letter today in the mail from UGA, they have accepted me for a PhD program

Congratulations on your acceptance! My daughter and son-in-law live in Athens and love it! My son-in-law also goes to school at UGA. He's trying to get done with his coursework before going to Physician's Asst. school. Athens is a fantastic college town, and there is so much to do there. You will love it!

 

[kampfirekim]

I live in SC, but I've been to Athens. It was a very lovely town. Kinda like a Mayberry, good old American small town. I loved it!

Sidenote: It has been a while ago, so I don't know how much has changed since then.

 

[lucy_love]

Thanks everyone!!!

Money is tight (I am a public school teacher) and a PhD out of state costs a fortune. I am trying to figure out if the 2 hour drive from Peachtree to Athens is worth it since this is an opportunity for me to live for free. I guess I need to inquire more about financial aid. A PhD out of state costs about $120,000

 

[bama_ed]

Lucy_Love,

I used to live in Northeast Atlanta (Duluth up I-85).

Peachtree City is too far for a daily commute to Athens unless it is really something you want to do. Maybe you could arrange your classes/schedule to only drive it three days per week or something less than five.

But let me say, you haven't lived till you've been on the Atlanta Interstate ring highway (I-285) in rush hour...

Each way....

Every weekday....

All week.....

Every month.....

For years on end.....

Athens is a college town. As in "one horse" as in UGA. Not that there's anything wrong with that but that's what it is.

I admire your desire to go for the PhD but consider what the payback is (# of years for the incremental salary) to equal $120k incremental cost plus, what, about two years of lost income?

Since you are in Florida I"m sure you've considered their in-state alternatives?

If you want to get out of Florida and do something different a PhD would enable you to do that and in a different state as well. It's up to you.

All I'm saying is Atlanta traffic is a back-breaker and one reason why I got the heck out of there. You're time there is fixed (the length of your PhD program) so it might be tolerable but don't underestimate it. Hotlanta is a major metro and traffic is awful.

Seriously, it might be better to bite the bullet and live cheap in Athens (possibly get done with the PhD quicker being in town).

Good luck with what you decide!

Bama ED

 

[2goofycampers]

I hate driving thru Atlanta to get to The Fort, can't imagine doing it daily or 3 times a week.

Are there campgrounds near Athens? Do you have or have access to a camper?

 

[stacktester]

Hey Ashley just go rent a cabin at Durhamtown. When you're not in school you can go 4 wheeling.

 

[Live4FW]

I hate driving thru Atlanta to get to The Fort, can't imagine doing it daily or 3 times a week.

Are there campgrounds near Athens? Do you have or have access to a camper?

Actually not too many choices. However, there is an own-your-lot place but that is geared towards football fans and no long term stays.

http://www.bulldogpark.com/

Here is one that I haven't seen but looks decent. Around 400-500 per month.

http://www.pinelakervcamp.com/home

Trust Bama_Ed on the traffic!

 

[lucy_love]

Thanks everyone! I have A LOT to think about this weekend. This is a dream of mine and I am not going to pass it up. I never thought it would happen this early (I am 23). Everyone says it is easier to get a PhD while your young, unmarried, and no children.

My first semester I am going to take it easy to get a feel for the school. If I only have to be on campus twice a week I might just deal with the traffic because I am living for free in a nice home in Peachtree. After a year I will know the area better and can move. When I go up this summer maybe I will test out the dive to see how bad it will be. I can plan on leaving during non-rush hour times. I am hoping to get an assistantship for my second year that way tuition would be free.

I have to go out of state. In education, you really need to get your PhD from another state. This all happened yesterday so I am still in shock over the whole thing. I really did not think I was going to get accepted!

Again, thanks for the info. I am sure I will be back with more questions

 

[lucy_love]

Hey Ashley just go rent a cabin at Durhamtown. When you're not in school you can go 4 wheeling.

My dad and brother would want to move in with me

They try to make it up there once a year, I don't think I could handle all the clay Although I do have a spiffy pink MX outfit I hardly get to wear

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

Another thing to keep in mind is that because Athens is a college town, you should be able to easily find cheap housing. There are tons of apartments, and townhomes around there for rent.

I agree with everything that everyone else said about Atlanta traffic...it is AWFUL!!!

 

[taylor3297]

I wouldn't even want to drive from Peachtree City to Athens two days a week. Remember rush hour traffic in Atlanta lasts a lot longer than most cities. If there is an accident, then it can last even longer. I think after you have driven it a couple of times, I think you are going to see that driving it will costs you just as much, if not more in gas, in a month, than if you found a cheap place to live in Athens and walked.

I lived in GA for 16 years and loved it.

 

[AuburnJen92]

Just out of curiosity, as a fellow educator, was there not a prerequisite for years of teaching before you entered a doctoral program? I know I have been in the classroom for quite a while, but when I was going straight through with my bachelor's and master's, I had to stop (after my master's) because they had a three year teaching service requirement in order to go on to the specialist's and doctoral degrees. I was just wondering if that was true in GA. I was looking at when you graduated from UCF and UF and it caught my eye. I wish you the best of luck. I sure wish I could have gone straight through and earned my doctoral degree. It is certainly what I would have done if given the opportunity at the time. Go for it. You certainly will not regret it.

 

[lucy_love]

Just out of curiosity, as a fellow educator, was there not a prerequisite for years of teaching before you entered a doctoral program? I know I have been in the classroom for quite a while, but when I was going straight through with my bachelor's and master's, I had to stop (after my master's) because they had a three year teaching service requirement in order to go on to the specialist's and doctoral degrees. I was just wondering if that was true in GA. I was looking at when you graduated from UCF and UF and it caught my eye. I wish you the best of luck. I sure wish I could have gone straight through and earned my doctoral degree. It is certainly what I would have done if given the opportunity at the time. Go for it. You certainly will not regret it.

Yes and no, it depends on the program. 2 of the schools I applied to rejected me for what you mentioned (3 year rule). UGA accepted me after teaching for one year. But my program is Social Foundations of Education which is basically the history of education... not like ed leadership. Since it is more history based the 3-year rule is not as important. Does that make sense? It's more like being a history major. The actual program at UGA is called Workforce Education, Leadership, and Social Foundations. I am focusing on Social Foundations.

You should go for it too!! I must say now that I am a "real" teacher and not an intern getting into ed leadership is something of interest and I don't know if the 3 year road block will stop me OR since I have been accepted if I can switch majors? I don't know how it all works yet, I don't even know who my advisor is yet I also thought about taking my time and working while getting the PhD... would take me longer but I would get more years of teaching experience under my belt OR be a student full time and get the PhD quicker.

Make sure that if you do go for your PhD go out of state. Every professor of mine told me if I want to come back and work in Florida I have to get it out of state. I would have LOVED to finish at UF for my PhD because I had great professors but they all told me to go out of state

ok sorry for talking your ear off I am still kinda in shock this all happened so fast.

 

[AuburnJen92]

Yes and no, it depends on the program. 2 of the schools I applied to rejected me for what you mentioned (3 year rule). UGA accepted me after teaching for one year. But my program is Social Foundations of Education which is basically the history of education... not like ed leadership. Since it is more history based the 3-year rule is not as important. Does that make sense? It's more like being a history major. The actual program at UGA is called Workforce Education, Leadership, and Social Foundations. I am focusing on Social Foundations.

You should go for it too!! I must say now that I am a "real" teacher and not an intern getting into ed leadership is something of interest and I don't know if the 3 year road block will stop me OR since I have been accepted if I can switch majors? I don't know how it all works yet, I don't even know who my advisor is yet I also thought about taking my time and working while getting the PhD... would take me longer but I would get more years of teaching experience under my belt OR be a student full time and get the PhD quicker.

Make sure that if you do go for your PhD go out of state. Every professor of mine told me if I want to come back and work in Florida I have to get it out of state. I would have LOVED to finish at UF for my PhD because I had great professors but they all told me to go out of state

ok sorry for talking your ear off I am still kinda in shock this all happened so fast.

I understand completely what you told me, even if everyone else doesn't! If you were to go into any kind of curriculum and instruction (including admin), you would need to abide by the rule. I received my first two degrees from outside the state of Florida, so I have the unique option of either returning to my alma mater for my doctoral program or staying in the state. Either way, it would not be frowned upon, according to the scholarly types I have talked to. I actually had my application all ready to go at a doctoral program here in FL, however, circumstances changed and my husband is now in school and will finish in November. It will happen, it just will wait a little longer than I had planned. I still say go for it now. I still wish I could have gone straight through.

PS- I would think after you get your dissertation approved, you won't want to mess with curriculum and instruction. I would stick with what you have been approved for at UGA and go straight through. You can always add to it post-doc after you have taught for the required amount of years. That will just be icing on the cake at that point.

 

[lucy_love]

I understand completely what you told me, even if everyone else doesn't! If you were to go into any kind of curriculum and instruction (including admin), you would need to abide by the rule. I received my first two degrees from outside the state of Florida, so I have the unique option of either returning to my alma mater for my doctoral program or staying in the state. Either way, it would not be frowned upon, according to the scholarly types I have talked to. I actually had my application all ready to go at a doctoral program here in FL, however, circumstances changed and my husband is now in school and will finish in November. It will happen, it just will wait a little longer than I had planned. I still say go for it now. I still wish I could have gone straight through.

PS- I would think after you get your dissertation approved, you won't want to mess with curriculum and instruction. I would stick with what you have been approved for at UGA and go straight through. You can always add to it post-doc after you have taught for the required amount of years. That will just be icing on the cake at that point.

You're right! I just need to go with my gut. After I typed my previous response to you I re-read my SOP and it reminded me of why I picked Social Foundations in the first place

I hope it all works out for you and even though I am a Gator, Auburn is a great school

 

[RvUsa]

Ashley, I lived IN Athens for 12 years... LOL I personally couldn't stand the place, but that was because I am a pasty white northerner, and it was H O T HOT!!! I was just about your age when I moved there, and let me tell you, if you want to party, drink, eat and be a college kid then that is YOUR town!!!

OMG do not do the drive, you will be insane after about 2 weeks. There are 2 speeds on the roads around Atlanta: Light speed, and stopped! There are SOOO many housing options in and around the area. Don't just look downtown, I lived right outside in watkinsville, and it was nice and quiet but still close, as well as less expensive!

I was a bouncer at the largest club in town for about 4 years, I have seen about every "side" of the town you can imagine. There is nothing better than working till 4am and going downtown to the "grill" and having a burger!

The first thing I wanted to look at when I got in town was the famous "arches" as a college student from another state, I was expecting the arch de triumph, but they are uhhhh how do I put this.... PATHETIC!!! LOL

Let me know if you have any questions, I still have tons of friends that live there, I will help any way I can.

 

[plutospup]

Ashley... Way to go! You have a dream, and have been given a gift. If you truly have the desire you will do GREAT! Initially, the cost is a shocker. Again, if you are determined, and have some financial sense it will work out for you.

As for the drive... well only you can answer that. I know people from NYC, and Philadelphia who wouldn't think twice about the drive considering they would get free rent. On the other hand, there are days traffic can make a hard man cry!

Good luck... soon to be Dr. Ashley!