Links

• UNC SILS
• UNC Grad School forms
• UNC SILS Faculty - read their bios; do my interests overlap with theirs?
• MSIS Overview
• Admissions to the Master's Programs - The 123 process is delineated here.
  • UNC: The Graduate School

The Friday Center, Part-time Classroom Studies Staff

http://www.fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cs/hb-staff.htm

Notes

4/24

Chat at EPA with an acquaintance of Heidi's who has a LS degree from SILS. She said the teachers are great.

==Name deleted to protect privacy==

• Read the prof's bios and see what their backgrounds are. Focus on the one whose interests match mine.
• Apply in Jan. The application pool is smaller and there's less competition.
• I'm an attractive candidate because I won't require a scholarship, and I bring good work experience.
• IS is wide open and encompasses a broad field. I should be able to find a place anywhere in there.
• Doesn't think they have an open house, but encouraged me to just call up and talk to someone.
• GRE is a formality if they think you'll contribute to the program.
• My interest in databases and UI experience is good.
• Suggested taking some classes as a continuing ed student, even online. Those hours could transfer in very easily if I get accepted. Also, begins to give me familiarity with the school and professors. That's an excellent idea.

4/25

Deadline for spring entrance: Oct 15

5/5

Sent email 3 days ago requesting information, no reply. Will have to call.

Called 962-8366, spoke to Meg McKee. She said to sign up as a continuing-ed/part-time student via Friday Center, specify the course I want, and I'd be put on the list. SILS students get first dibs. Can transfer up to 9 credit hours (2 classes).

Continuing Education at UNC-Chapel Hill--The Friday Center, Part-time Classroom Studies

http://www.fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cs/index.htm

SILS courses offered in second summer session

UNC School of Information and Library Science

http://sils.unc.edu/programs/courses/summer2006.html

Deadline is May 22!!

5/10

LM will only reimburse if you're accepted into a degree program they approve of. Liz suggested going ahead and paying for a summer class, see if I like it, don't worry about the reimbursement; decouple reimbursement from my desire to take the class.

checking now to scope out likely classes. jesus, but they're 90 mins long. count in the commute time. i'll have to make up lots of hours.

Continuing Education at UNC-Chapel Hill--The Friday Center, Part-time Classroom Studies

"Part-time Classroom Studies is the unit that serves part-time students taking classroom courses for credit on campus at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. " This is thd one I need for post-baccalaureate study.

http://www.fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cs/index.htm

Continuing Education at UNC-Chapel Hill--The Friday Center

"Part-time Classroom Studies - Student Handbook"

http://www.fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cs/hb-toc.htm

5/11

Degree Requirements for MSIS; required coursework and links to course descriptions: http://sils.unc.edu/programs/msis/curriculum.html

Talked to Jenny Brooks 962-3449, an advisor at Friday Ctr -- I have plenty of time to register -- SILS very accommodating to working students. Sign up for post-bacc here:

UNC-CH Part-time Classrom Studies Application Types

http://www.ais.unc.edu/sis/admissions/cspreapp.html

>>10 pm -- OK, signed up, wrote the check, stamped the envelope.

My SILS contact:

Meg McKee

Student Services Assistant

100 Manning Hall

CB # 3360

Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3360

Phone (919) 962-8366

Fax (919) 962-8071

memckee@email.unc.edu

Talked to Meg -- once I get my ID and stuff, I can sign up for the classes I want online ; the UI will tell me if the classes are full.

5/24

Christine Neely -- in cashiers office -- advised me to just send in a written check and bypass the cashiers web site.

http://cashiers.unc.edu/

University Cashiers

103 Bynum Hall CB #1400

Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1400

Student Central Portal v2.0

https://s4.its.unc.edu/SISMisc/browser/student_pass_z.jsp

this is the gateway portal to registration. my god, but it's so 1998 -- the web is set up for the convenience of the system, not the student

7/14

Talked to Paul Solomon today -- very polite, probably a little mystified as to why i was talking to him. i was very nervous but we made it through ok. he gave me good suggestions of classes to sign up for. gave me the name of laura bailey to talk, which i think is one of the names mary gave me.

ask rebecca to write a letter of recommendation?

7/16

Solomon suggested talking to Laura Bailey if I need more info

He suggested the following classes might match my interests; some are already full: information tools (if i feel i need it), human info interactions, organization and information, system analysis

8/13

Attended Classroom Studies orientation today. Discovered they have different cost structures for summer and fall. Fall will be more than twice the summer price. Write the check tonight and send it in tomorrow so it can be credited to my account. Liz recommends taking the online course for convenience sake.

re tuition reimbursement: LM will reimb up to $7500/yr, if you're enrolled in a program. You have to pay for the classes first and then apply for reimbursement. After you finish, you stay at LM another year as part of the repayment or you have to pay them back. Mike Uhl says if you go to a new job, you could negotiate repayment as part of the compensation contract.

INLS offers a single online course, which Liz thinks I should take.

Friday Center: Carolina Courses Online: INLS 461

http://www.fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco/inls461.htm

Its cost is only about $350, and it looks like all 10 spots are open. But only 1 seat avail in the realtime class. I need to call FC and ask about it.

UPDATE -- Signed up for the online class. Not a great class, but very easy and accommodating to my fall schedule.

9/30

Below is is the task list for this project, the bit of which I finally completed today.

• -write supplementary essay for sils admission: SilsSupplEssay. Send by 9/30. - DONE
  • put in Word as an attachment; send to admissions@ils.unc.edu
• Electronic grad school application: https://admprosapp2.admissions.unc.edu/grad/
  • created an account
  • wo meg mckee with answers to my ?s on references
  • complete the grad school app in one sitting 8/31/06
  • complete the sils app and submit: http://www.ils.unc.edu/internal/students/studentapp/ 8/31/06
  • send resume 8/31/06
• request 2 copies of ncsu transcripts: one for grad school, one for school
  • DONE 8/31, CONFIRMED 9/1
• get transcript for durham tech--biowork course
  • MAILED 9/1
    • received both transcripts on 9/8 instead of them being sent to where they should have been sent.
    • put them in envelopes for monday 9/11 mailout
• mike uhl recommendation
  • 9/11 get him to sign it
  • 9/13 mailed
• rebecca
  • MAILED TO ME 9/20, RECEIVED 9/23, MAILED TO SILS 9/25
• Notes: SILS requirements page, UNC Grad school application/reqts page. Use the same 3 refs for both sils and grad school (why is this coordinated so poorly????)

10/17

Received notice that I've invited to join the grad school program. So, I'm in. Feel curiously unexcited by it; am ready to move on to the next step.

11/14

Discovered last night I'd filled in all the medical info at applicantcentral web site; just needed to mail in the immunization forms, which I did today. Must call the grad school at 966-2612 and ask why they haven't contacted SILS yet; only after they've done that will SILS set up the meeting with me and an adviser.

Later -- called the grad school, where a person rather condescendingly told me that yes, I'm in the grad school, and she didn't know what kind of communication SILS was waiting on. So, em'd Lara this information and so I consider the ball to be in their court, now.