I have just got off the phone with the administrator for the equality studies program in Dublin. I recieved an email from her this morning saying that they wanted to see my final transcripts because in order to enter any masters program at the univeristy the students need to have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. I phoned her immediately saying that this year I recieved a 3.6, but untill this year I was not recieving accomidations for my learning disability, and therefore my overall GPA was under 3.0. She said that she would talk to the director of the department (who by the way is very interested in having me in the program), she was going to say to her the my GPA was not adiquately examined until this year.

Five hours later she phoned me back. She explained how the system works. There are 14 positions for full time, 14 positions for part time and 14 posiitons for higer diplomia. The higher diplomia means that you take all the same course work, without writing your thesis. There is an opportunity if you are in the higher diplomia to move into the masters program after first half of our course work if you have an average higher than 60. The administrator and director pick the 28 people that they want in the program and then send those applications to the accidemic council. And this council has the final word to weither or not a student will get in. The thing is once the council says no to someone there application is garbage, they can no longer even offer them a postion taking the higher diplomia.

The fear that both the director and administrar have is that the council will not be understanding about the reason my overall GPA is lower and they will not accept me and I will not get into the program at all. The say they really want me in and are not comfortable taking that chance since they have no say in the accidemic council dession. So they are going to write me an offer for the higher diplomia program with the understanding that I would easily move over into the masters program by December. This is not my ideal situation since I will only have one year to offically work on my thesis with an advisor, but since I plan on moving over to the masters program, I am expected to attend the same research seminar as the masters students. So this will put my foot in the door and I can still be working on my thesis over the summer and during that first year. Plus I'm confident that I will get above a 60 in my first year there.

SOOOO I'm moving to Ireland!!!!

you all have to come visit me in Dublin, since I will be there for 2 years you have no excuses!!!