Applications

So it's been a bit of a low week for reading, but not in the Library Science and job end of things. I have finally started my applications to a variety of iSchools across the country (and out of it!), being:
- University of Toronto (MI concentrating in the History of the Book)
- University of Michigan (MSI concentrating in Archives and Records Management)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MLS concentrating in History, Economics, and Policy and/or the Midwest Rare Books and Manuscripts program)
- University of Maryland (MLS concentrating in Archives, Records, and Information Management)
- Catholic University of America (MLS concentrating in Cultural Heritage Information Management)
- Simmons College (MLIS concentrating in Archives)
- UNC Chapel Hill (MSLS concentrating in Archives and Records Management)

Whew!
So I could end up in 5 different states, or Canada. It took me going through the deceptively simple looking list of accredited library science programs at the ALA website and researching almost all of them meticulously, although I did rule out places I wouldn't want to live such as Los Angeles (really? Me in LA? Hahaha...) or Texas (also a laughable idea). Some of the schools I could rule out at first glance because they had absolutely no programs in Archives or Speciak Collections, such as the U of Washington in Seattle, where I would love to live, in addition to the fact that one of my best friends goes to grad school there now.
Others just didn't interest me, or didn't have faculty I would be interested in working with, so, I ended up with these seven. I picked them based on the quality of the programs I was interested in, their locations (in or close to a big city where I could feasibly get internships), and their proximity to or possession of good programs in Medieval Studies.
Now I just have to apply. I'm starting my personal statements, which may very well be different for every single school. I have to see if I need to apply for separate pieces of financial aid, and what other additional paperwork I will have to send their way, not to mention letters of reference. Most of it is under control, and I hope to have everything out by the end of November. Technically REALLY on the early side as most apps aren't due until March, but they're accepting them now and I want to get in early.

A final note: I caved and applied to Borders the other day, and I'm hopeful the result will be good- I should hear back from them early next week. We'll see!