[Ncabs] Ncabs Digest, Vol 73, Issue 13

Tue Oct 29 19:04:15 UTC 2013

Travis,

Thanks for your response. The only school I know of in NC that offers
the MPA online is UNC Chapel Hill, which I understand is a tough
school to get accepted to. Additionally, the MPA usually requires an
internship, and I would want to be somewhere where I would be close to
more opportunities for that, as these are limited in my hometown. I
also feel strongly that professional networking is important,
especially in the public service field. My preference is to be on
campus in a decent-sized city in order to facilitate that. Based on my
research so far, it seems that NCSU/Raleigh would be the ideal place,
but I certainly want to have a plan B and plan C in case I don't get
accepted there. I have also considered East Carolina University, but
it's a bit further down my list than the other schools.

On another note, I think it's great that you are pursuing a Master's
in Library Science. I love to read, so I am grateful for all our
libraries and librarians.

Shickeytha

On 10/29/13, Travis Sherrill <tssherrill at windstream.net> wrote:
> Shickeytha:
> I have a couple of questions for you.  First of all, let me say that I am a
> current grad student at UNCG.  I am taking classes online and hope to
> graduate next December with my masters degree in Library Science.  Your
> field of study is important and I'm not sure if online classes is something
> you would consider but they would save you money.  The overall environment
> in grad school verses undergrad are not similar.  Also, if you would
> consider taking courses online, you could live anywhere you wanted and take
> the courses.  As far as the disability services department at UNCG, I
> honestly haven't done much if anything with them.  Being online, I don't
> have them scan my materials for me because I would have to send the
> materials to them and they in turn would have to send them to me.  If you
> could find someway to have someone assist you in scanning your own books, I
> recommend that.  Also, in my particular program, I don't have any tests.
> Thus far, my faculty members have gone above and beyond to assure that I
> have everything I need.  I have had a few technology issues but the faculty
> are more than willing to help me figure out ways to get around them or in
> some cases, they will go to the source of the problem and actually help me
> fix my problem.  If you are interested in online classes, or the masters in
> library science, I can talk to you more directly about that.  For my
> degree,
> the only time I actually have to go to Greensboro is if I want to walk
> across the stage to receive my deploma.
> Hope this helps.
> Travis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ncabs [mailto:ncabs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> ncabs-request at nfbnet.org
> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 8:00 AM
> To: ncabs at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Ncabs Digest, Vol 73, Issue 13
>
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>
> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. question about NC grad schools (Shickeytha Chandler)
>    2. Re: question about NC grad schools (Alan A. Chase)
>    3. Re: question about NC grad schools (D Minter)
>    4. Re: question about NC grad schools (Cindy Bennett)
>    5. Re: question about NC grad schools (Shickeytha Chandler)
>    6. Re: question about NC grad schools (Cindy Bennett)
>    7. Re: question about NC grad schools (Cindy Bennett)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 11:31:34 -0400
> From: Shickeytha Chandler <shickeytha at gmail.com>
> To: ncabs at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Ncabs] question about NC grad schools
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAFCkBpvBMengaV+fsDQc_RvFHn7-YR6U594WnVtNpeSdbiYEEg at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Hello all,
>
> I live in the western part of the state and received my undergraduate
> degree
> several years ago. I am now looking at a few graduate programs and would
> like to see if any of you can give feedback about any of the following
> schools: UNC Wilmington, NC State University, and UNC Greensboro. I know
> that having a strong Disability Services office and a campus culture that
> is
> open to people who are blind can make life so much more pleasant when one
> is
> trying to focus on studies and does not need distractions such as worrying
> about getting appropriate accommodations, etc. And I am sure that will be
> even more important at the graduate level. So do any of you have any
> experience at any of these schools? Also, I would be open to any insight
> any
> of you have about being a blind grad student in general. Thanks in advance!
>
> Shickeytha
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:20:11 -0400
> From: "Alan A. Chase" <aachase1 at gmail.com>
> To: North Carolina Association of Blind Students List
> 	<ncabs at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ncabs] question about NC grad schools
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAABjKXmv6r2MC8xTPpHGhJK2hXSURVz_CFUfxfOa_KR4G10cfA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Shickeytha,
>
> Thanks for your post.  There are several NCABS members who have experiences
> at those institutions.  Further, there are several who have graduate school
> knowledge.  Personally, I attended NCSU for my master's and doctorate
> programs and I also attended UNCW graduate school for a certification
> program.  I'm happy to share my experiences.
>
> Otherwise, I'd encourage other individuals to contact Shickeytha (you know
> who you are, hint hint) so that she can get more information and other
> perspectives.
>
> Thanks!  Alan
>
> On Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 11:31 AM, Shickeytha Chandler
> <shickeytha at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I live in the western part of the state and received my undergraduate
>> degree several years ago. I am now looking at a few graduate programs
>> and would like to see if any of you can give feedback about any of the
>> following schools: UNC Wilmington, NC State University, and UNC
>> Greensboro. I know that having a strong Disability Services office and
>> a campus culture that is open to people who are blind can make life so
>> much more pleasant when one is trying to focus on studies and does not
>> need distractions such as worrying about getting appropriate
>> accommodations, etc. And I am sure that will be even more important at
>> the graduate level. So do any of you have any experience at any of
>> these schools? Also, I would be open to any insight any of you have
>> about being a blind grad student in general. Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Shickeytha
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ncabs mailing list
>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ncabs:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/aachase1%40gmail.co
>> m
>
>
>
> --
> Alan A. Chase, M.Ed.
> Special Education Teacher, Wake County Public School System Program
> Coordinator, Envisioning Youth Empowerment Retreat President, North
> Carolina
> Association of Blind Students Secretary, Governor Morehead School Alumni
> Association
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:26:32 -0400
> From: D Minter <cmin79 at gmail.com>
> To: North Carolina Association of Blind Students List
> 	<ncabs at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ncabs] question about NC grad schools
> Message-ID: <3C79BE89-5BB6-4FDC-B7AF-CE5C1C8D3567 at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=us-ascii
>
> I would love to hear these responses also.
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Oct 28, 2013, at 11:31 AM, Shickeytha Chandler <shickeytha at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I live in the western part of the state and received my undergraduate
>> degree several years ago. I am now looking at a few graduate programs
>> and would like to see if any of you can give feedback about any of the
>> following schools: UNC Wilmington, NC State University, and UNC
>> Greensboro. I know that having a strong Disability Services office and
>> a campus culture that is open to people who are blind can make life so
>> much more pleasant when one is trying to focus on studies and does not
>> need distractions such as worrying about getting appropriate
>> accommodations, etc. And I am sure that will be even more important at
>> the graduate level. So do any of you have any experience at any of
>> these schools? Also, I would be open to any insight any of you have
>> about being a blind grad student in general. Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Shickeytha
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ncabs mailing list
>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ncabs:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/cmin79%40gmail.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:36:16 -0700
> From: Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com>
> To: North Carolina Association of Blind Students List
> 	<ncabs at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ncabs] question about NC grad schools
> Message-ID:
> 	<CACUFQdwdK=Mfzw0pJ1vgtZnadgukYSZEqstSywF7YF9VjwXChQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Hi Shickeytha,
>
> I grew up in Asheville, graduated from UNC Wilmington and now live on
> the west coast in Seattle.
>
> I personally had a great experience at UNCW! The disabilities office
> was great although I feel that I did not need a lot of accommodations,
> so my experiences with them were pretty minimal. They scanned my books
> and provided a reader for math-related classes which was super nice.
> They even allowed me to choose my reader and bring them in to fill out
> paperwork so they could get paid. I had a few old-timey professors who
> insisted that I take tests in the disabilities office. I prefer to
> take my tests with the students so I can ask questions of the
> professor if I need to, but I picked my battles and did not argue too
> much, because in these particular classes, the tests were rather
> straight-forward. I did take tests separately for math-related classes
> when I needed to use my reader. However, if that is an accommodation,
> the office will work with you. Overwhelmingly however, my professors
> were willing to work with me directly and we did not typically need to
> involve the disabilities office.
>
> When you sign up, you will see a list of accommodations. I would just
> check all of them even if you do not plan to use one. For example, I
> didn't think I would need a reader, but the process of getting one was
> so much more seamless because I had checked it off from the beginning.
>
> I will say all of this with the disclaimer that I have not been to
> UNCW since 2011 so staff may have changed, but I hope that they still
> exhibit the positive and not overbearing qualities that I enjoyed as a
> student.
>
> The campus itself is beautiful and walkable. However, the bus system
> really sucks. I did not have a lot of independent travel experiences
> when I went to UNCW and was ok with getting rides and such. But now
> that I have had blindness training, I wouldn't give up the big city if
> someone paid me. So if public transit is super important to you,
> especially if you will have a lot of practica, you might want to think
> twice about UNCW.
>
> There is a DSB office in the area, and you can get some O&M on campus
> before if you would like. However, you probably know from your
> undergrad experience that you will ultimately just have to get out
> there and explore, because O&M can't teach you everything. I do not
> think the campus is overly confusing by any means. From my experience,
> everything was accessible. When I moved into my freshman dorm and
> asked for braille signs, they installed them immediately. So if there
> is a need like that that arises, the university seems to consider
> improvements.
>
> Grad students can live on campus, but as of last time I checked, there
> is no dedicated grad housing. there are apartment complexes in walking
> distance from the university. Unfortunately, many of the streets with
> shopping centers near UNCW are not very walkable.
>
> I am not familiar with being a grad student as I am applying to grad
> school myself, but I know that the grad programs tend to be well
> acclaimed, not quite as hard to get into as some other universities,
> and that the community of professors and students is still small and
> intimate.
>
> I am most familiar with the psychology department and have maintained
> contacts. If you are pursuing one of the masters programs in
> psychology, then feel free to email me offlist with your interests,
> and I will be happy to introduce you to faculty that I know if they
> fit with your interests. They just got a great new building, and when
> I was an undergrad research assistant, I worked on a cohesive team
> that respected my strengths; blindness was never a big deal.
>
> And best of all, it is near the beach!
>
> HTH!
>
> Cindy
>
> On 10/28/13, D Minter <cmin79 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I would love to hear these responses also.
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>> On Oct 28, 2013, at 11:31 AM, Shickeytha Chandler <shickeytha at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I live in the western part of the state and received my undergraduate
>>> degree several years ago. I am now looking at a few graduate programs
>>> and would like to see if any of you can give feedback about any of the
>>> following schools: UNC Wilmington, NC State University, and UNC
>>> Greensboro. I know that having a strong Disability Services office and
>>> a campus culture that is open to people who are blind can make life so
>>> much more pleasant when one is trying to focus on studies and does not
>>> need distractions such as worrying about getting appropriate
>>> accommodations, etc. And I am sure that will be even more important at
>>> the graduate level. So do any of you have any experience at any of
>>> these schools? Also, I would be open to any insight any of you have
>>> about being a blind grad student in general. Thanks in advance!
>>>
>>> Shickeytha
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Ncabs:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/cmin79%40gmail.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ncabs mailing list
>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Ncabs:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> --
> Cindy Bennett
> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>
> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
> clb5590 at gmail.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 18:49:52 -0400
> From: Shickeytha Chandler <shickeytha at gmail.com>
> To: North Carolina Association of Blind Students List
> 	<ncabs at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ncabs] question about NC grad schools
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAFCkBpsSfj7jkUgCEW9XfsANcmBRvdZkwXYMC9y_ivTbYLQq3A at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Wow, thanks Cindy. This is helpful and definitely the type of
> information I am seeking about these schools. And you are lucky living
> in Seattle! I would love to live in a place with great transportation
> like Portland or Seattle. I was in a Baltimore suburb for a couple of
> years, but was not close enough to DC to benefit from the Metro, so
> transportation options were relatively limited. And we will not even
> speak about what transportation is like in rural western NC. (smile)
>
> Alan, I will also be interested to hear of your experiences at these
> universities.
>
> I am definitely feeling just a tad nervous about grad school, but I
> know it can be done. My current challenge is preparing for and taking
> the GRE, which will be the first seven-hour exam I have ever done.
> (That is with the extended time accommodation, of course.)
>
> Thanks again, and I look forward to further discussions with members
> of this list.
>
> Shickeytha
>
> On 10/28/13, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi Shickeytha,
>>
>> I grew up in Asheville, graduated from UNC Wilmington and now live on
>> the west coast in Seattle.
>>
>> I personally had a great experience at UNCW! The disabilities office
>> was great although I feel that I did not need a lot of accommodations,
>> so my experiences with them were pretty minimal. They scanned my books
>> and provided a reader for math-related classes which was super nice.
>> They even allowed me to choose my reader and bring them in to fill out
>> paperwork so they could get paid. I had a few old-timey professors who
>> insisted that I take tests in the disabilities office. I prefer to
>> take my tests with the students so I can ask questions of the
>> professor if I need to, but I picked my battles and did not argue too
>> much, because in these particular classes, the tests were rather
>> straight-forward. I did take tests separately for math-related classes
>> when I needed to use my reader. However, if that is an accommodation,
>> the office will work with you. Overwhelmingly however, my professors
>> were willing to work with me directly and we did not typically need to
>> involve the disabilities office.
>>
>> When you sign up, you will see a list of accommodations. I would just
>> check all of them even if you do not plan to use one. For example, I
>> didn't think I would need a reader, but the process of getting one was
>> so much more seamless because I had checked it off from the beginning.
>>
>> I will say all of this with the disclaimer that I have not been to
>> UNCW since 2011 so staff may have changed, but I hope that they still
>> exhibit the positive and not overbearing qualities that I enjoyed as a
>> student.
>>
>> The campus itself is beautiful and walkable. However, the bus system
>> really sucks. I did not have a lot of independent travel experiences
>> when I went to UNCW and was ok with getting rides and such. But now
>> that I have had blindness training, I wouldn't give up the big city if
>> someone paid me. So if public transit is super important to you,
>> especially if you will have a lot of practica, you might want to think
>> twice about UNCW.
>>
>> There is a DSB office in the area, and you can get some O&M on campus
>> before if you would like. However, you probably know from your
>> undergrad experience that you will ultimately just have to get out
>> there and explore, because O&M can't teach you everything. I do not
>> think the campus is overly confusing by any means. From my experience,
>> everything was accessible. When I moved into my freshman dorm and
>> asked for braille signs, they installed them immediately. So if there
>> is a need like that that arises, the university seems to consider
>> improvements.
>>
>> Grad students can live on campus, but as of last time I checked, there
>> is no dedicated grad housing. there are apartment complexes in walking
>> distance from the university. Unfortunately, many of the streets with
>> shopping centers near UNCW are not very walkable.
>>
>> I am not familiar with being a grad student as I am applying to grad
>> school myself, but I know that the grad programs tend to be well
>> acclaimed, not quite as hard to get into as some other universities,
>> and that the community of professors and students is still small and
>> intimate.
>>
>> I am most familiar with the psychology department and have maintained
>> contacts. If you are pursuing one of the masters programs in
>> psychology, then feel free to email me offlist with your interests,
>> and I will be happy to introduce you to faculty that I know if they
>> fit with your interests. They just got a great new building, and when
>> I was an undergrad research assistant, I worked on a cohesive team
>> that respected my strengths; blindness was never a big deal.
>>
>> And best of all, it is near the beach!
>>
>> HTH!
>>
>> Cindy
>>
>> On 10/28/13, D Minter <cmin79 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I would love to hear these responses also.
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>>> On Oct 28, 2013, at 11:31 AM, Shickeytha Chandler
>>>> <shickeytha at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hello all,
>>>>
>>>> I live in the western part of the state and received my undergraduate
>>>> degree several years ago. I am now looking at a few graduate programs
>>>> and would like to see if any of you can give feedback about any of the
>>>> following schools: UNC Wilmington, NC State University, and UNC
>>>> Greensboro. I know that having a strong Disability Services office and
>>>> a campus culture that is open to people who are blind can make life so
>>>> much more pleasant when one is trying to focus on studies and does not
>>>> need distractions such as worrying about getting appropriate
>>>> accommodations, etc. And I am sure that will be even more important at
>>>> the graduate level. So do any of you have any experience at any of
>>>> these schools? Also, I would be open to any insight any of you have
>>>> about being a blind grad student in general. Thanks in advance!
>>>>
>>>> Shickeytha
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> Ncabs:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/cmin79%40gmail.com
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Ncabs:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cindy Bennett
>> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>>
>> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
>> clb5590 at gmail.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ncabs mailing list
>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Ncabs:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/shickeytha%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 19:01:05 -0700
> From: Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com>
> To: North Carolina Association of Blind Students List
> 	<ncabs at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ncabs] question about NC grad schools
> Message-ID:
> 	<CACUFQdxOXKYwUsvoUNwKbmcL485OuHnonBtvkambZn4eR=+j-Q at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Great, what do you want to study? In grad school, the program is so
> much more indicative then the school itself.
>
> Cindy
>
> On 10/28/13, Shickeytha Chandler <shickeytha at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Wow, thanks Cindy. This is helpful and definitely the type of
>> information I am seeking about these schools. And you are lucky living
>> in Seattle! I would love to live in a place with great transportation
>> like Portland or Seattle. I was in a Baltimore suburb for a couple of
>> years, but was not close enough to DC to benefit from the Metro, so
>> transportation options were relatively limited. And we will not even
>> speak about what transportation is like in rural western NC. (smile)
>>
>> Alan, I will also be interested to hear of your experiences at these
>> universities.
>>
>> I am definitely feeling just a tad nervous about grad school, but I
>> know it can be done. My current challenge is preparing for and taking
>> the GRE, which will be the first seven-hour exam I have ever done.
>> (That is with the extended time accommodation, of course.)
>>
>> Thanks again, and I look forward to further discussions with members
>> of this list.
>>
>> Shickeytha
>>
>> On 10/28/13, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Hi Shickeytha,
>>>
>>> I grew up in Asheville, graduated from UNC Wilmington and now live on
>>> the west coast in Seattle.
>>>
>>> I personally had a great experience at UNCW! The disabilities office
>>> was great although I feel that I did not need a lot of accommodations,
>>> so my experiences with them were pretty minimal. They scanned my books
>>> and provided a reader for math-related classes which was super nice.
>>> They even allowed me to choose my reader and bring them in to fill out
>>> paperwork so they could get paid. I had a few old-timey professors who
>>> insisted that I take tests in the disabilities office. I prefer to
>>> take my tests with the students so I can ask questions of the
>>> professor if I need to, but I picked my battles and did not argue too
>>> much, because in these particular classes, the tests were rather
>>> straight-forward. I did take tests separately for math-related classes
>>> when I needed to use my reader. However, if that is an accommodation,
>>> the office will work with you. Overwhelmingly however, my professors
>>> were willing to work with me directly and we did not typically need to
>>> involve the disabilities office.
>>>
>>> When you sign up, you will see a list of accommodations. I would just
>>> check all of them even if you do not plan to use one. For example, I
>>> didn't think I would need a reader, but the process of getting one was
>>> so much more seamless because I had checked it off from the beginning.
>>>
>>> I will say all of this with the disclaimer that I have not been to
>>> UNCW since 2011 so staff may have changed, but I hope that they still
>>> exhibit the positive and not overbearing qualities that I enjoyed as a
>>> student.
>>>
>>> The campus itself is beautiful and walkable. However, the bus system
>>> really sucks. I did not have a lot of independent travel experiences
>>> when I went to UNCW and was ok with getting rides and such. But now
>>> that I have had blindness training, I wouldn't give up the big city if
>>> someone paid me. So if public transit is super important to you,
>>> especially if you will have a lot of practica, you might want to think
>>> twice about UNCW.
>>>
>>> There is a DSB office in the area, and you can get some O&M on campus
>>> before if you would like. However, you probably know from your
>>> undergrad experience that you will ultimately just have to get out
>>> there and explore, because O&M can't teach you everything. I do not
>>> think the campus is overly confusing by any means. From my experience,
>>> everything was accessible. When I moved into my freshman dorm and
>>> asked for braille signs, they installed them immediately. So if there
>>> is a need like that that arises, the university seems to consider
>>> improvements.
>>>
>>> Grad students can live on campus, but as of last time I checked, there
>>> is no dedicated grad housing. there are apartment complexes in walking
>>> distance from the university. Unfortunately, many of the streets with
>>> shopping centers near UNCW are not very walkable.
>>>
>>> I am not familiar with being a grad student as I am applying to grad
>>> school myself, but I know that the grad programs tend to be well
>>> acclaimed, not quite as hard to get into as some other universities,
>>> and that the community of professors and students is still small and
>>> intimate.
>>>
>>> I am most familiar with the psychology department and have maintained
>>> contacts. If you are pursuing one of the masters programs in
>>> psychology, then feel free to email me offlist with your interests,
>>> and I will be happy to introduce you to faculty that I know if they
>>> fit with your interests. They just got a great new building, and when
>>> I was an undergrad research assistant, I worked on a cohesive team
>>> that respected my strengths; blindness was never a big deal.
>>>
>>> And best of all, it is near the beach!
>>>
>>> HTH!
>>>
>>> Cindy
>>>
>>> On 10/28/13, D Minter <cmin79 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I would love to hear these responses also.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>
>>>>> On Oct 28, 2013, at 11:31 AM, Shickeytha Chandler
>>>>> <shickeytha at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello all,
>>>>>
>>>>> I live in the western part of the state and received my undergraduate
>>>>> degree several years ago. I am now looking at a few graduate programs
>>>>> and would like to see if any of you can give feedback about any of the
>>>>> following schools: UNC Wilmington, NC State University, and UNC
>>>>> Greensboro. I know that having a strong Disability Services office and
>>>>> a campus culture that is open to people who are blind can make life so
>>>>> much more pleasant when one is trying to focus on studies and does not
>>>>> need distractions such as worrying about getting appropriate
>>>>> accommodations, etc. And I am sure that will be even more important at
>>>>> the graduate level. So do any of you have any experience at any of
>>>>> these schools? Also, I would be open to any insight any of you have
>>>>> about being a blind grad student in general. Thanks in advance!
>>>>>
>>>>> Shickeytha
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> Ncabs:
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/cmin79%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> Ncabs:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Cindy Bennett
>>> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>>>
>>> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
>>> clb5590 at gmail.com
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Ncabs:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/shickeytha%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Ncabs mailing list
>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Ncabs:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> --
> Cindy Bennett
> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>
> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
> clb5590 at gmail.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 19:05:57 -0700
> From: Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com>
> To: North Carolina Association of Blind Students List
> 	<ncabs at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ncabs] question about NC grad schools
> Message-ID:
> 	<CACUFQdwZpL5yFbbp2Gy_u6kR7i_z813nSvn9nekf_hCzp8EKEQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Oh, and good luck on the GRE. They have great accommmodations, and
> information can be found at the ETS website. They can send you
> practice materials so you learn how to use the self-voicing system
> beforehand. By communicating with the disabilities department with the
> testing center you intend to use, they can initiate contact with the
> center and make sure all of the accommodations are in place for the
> day of. You can also ask for braille or large print supplements for
> your test. I am a braille reader and found that and the tactile
> diagrams especially helpful.
>
> I recommend studying for the math more than the verbal unless you're
> pursuing English or something similar. The rigor of the math is
> college algebra, and it is a lot easier to practice those type of
> problems even ifyou are terrible at math and apply them to math
> problems you see on the test than memorize millions of words to find
> about 3 on your test. I did not study the math much and now I know
> that if I had concentrated my efforts there, I could have done almost
> perfect on the math and probably the same as what I got on the verbal.
>
> Oh and have a good idea of which grad schools you are applying to
> beforehand so you can get the results sent for free. I think you get 4
> free, results sent to aditional institutions cost like $20.
>
> Cindy
>
> On 10/28/13, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Great, what do you want to study? In grad school, the program is so
>> much more indicative then the school itself.
>>
>> Cindy
>>
>> On 10/28/13, Shickeytha Chandler <shickeytha at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Wow, thanks Cindy. This is helpful and definitely the type of
>>> information I am seeking about these schools. And you are lucky living
>>> in Seattle! I would love to live in a place with great transportation
>>> like Portland or Seattle. I was in a Baltimore suburb for a couple of
>>> years, but was not close enough to DC to benefit from the Metro, so
>>> transportation options were relatively limited. And we will not even
>>> speak about what transportation is like in rural western NC. (smile)
>>>
>>> Alan, I will also be interested to hear of your experiences at these
>>> universities.
>>>
>>> I am definitely feeling just a tad nervous about grad school, but I
>>> know it can be done. My current challenge is preparing for and taking
>>> the GRE, which will be the first seven-hour exam I have ever done.
>>> (That is with the extended time accommodation, of course.)
>>>
>>> Thanks again, and I look forward to further discussions with members
>>> of this list.
>>>
>>> Shickeytha
>>>
>>> On 10/28/13, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi Shickeytha,
>>>>
>>>> I grew up in Asheville, graduated from UNC Wilmington and now live on
>>>> the west coast in Seattle.
>>>>
>>>> I personally had a great experience at UNCW! The disabilities office
>>>> was great although I feel that I did not need a lot of accommodations,
>>>> so my experiences with them were pretty minimal. They scanned my books
>>>> and provided a reader for math-related classes which was super nice.
>>>> They even allowed me to choose my reader and bring them in to fill out
>>>> paperwork so they could get paid. I had a few old-timey professors who
>>>> insisted that I take tests in the disabilities office. I prefer to
>>>> take my tests with the students so I can ask questions of the
>>>> professor if I need to, but I picked my battles and did not argue too
>>>> much, because in these particular classes, the tests were rather
>>>> straight-forward. I did take tests separately for math-related classes
>>>> when I needed to use my reader. However, if that is an accommodation,
>>>> the office will work with you. Overwhelmingly however, my professors
>>>> were willing to work with me directly and we did not typically need to
>>>> involve the disabilities office.
>>>>
>>>> When you sign up, you will see a list of accommodations. I would just
>>>> check all of them even if you do not plan to use one. For example, I
>>>> didn't think I would need a reader, but the process of getting one was
>>>> so much more seamless because I had checked it off from the beginning.
>>>>
>>>> I will say all of this with the disclaimer that I have not been to
>>>> UNCW since 2011 so staff may have changed, but I hope that they still
>>>> exhibit the positive and not overbearing qualities that I enjoyed as a
>>>> student.
>>>>
>>>> The campus itself is beautiful and walkable. However, the bus system
>>>> really sucks. I did not have a lot of independent travel experiences
>>>> when I went to UNCW and was ok with getting rides and such. But now
>>>> that I have had blindness training, I wouldn't give up the big city if
>>>> someone paid me. So if public transit is super important to you,
>>>> especially if you will have a lot of practica, you might want to think
>>>> twice about UNCW.
>>>>
>>>> There is a DSB office in the area, and you can get some O&M on campus
>>>> before if you would like. However, you probably know from your
>>>> undergrad experience that you will ultimately just have to get out
>>>> there and explore, because O&M can't teach you everything. I do not
>>>> think the campus is overly confusing by any means. From my experience,
>>>> everything was accessible. When I moved into my freshman dorm and
>>>> asked for braille signs, they installed them immediately. So if there
>>>> is a need like that that arises, the university seems to consider
>>>> improvements.
>>>>
>>>> Grad students can live on campus, but as of last time I checked, there
>>>> is no dedicated grad housing. there are apartment complexes in walking
>>>> distance from the university. Unfortunately, many of the streets with
>>>> shopping centers near UNCW are not very walkable.
>>>>
>>>> I am not familiar with being a grad student as I am applying to grad
>>>> school myself, but I know that the grad programs tend to be well
>>>> acclaimed, not quite as hard to get into as some other universities,
>>>> and that the community of professors and students is still small and
>>>> intimate.
>>>>
>>>> I am most familiar with the psychology department and have maintained
>>>> contacts. If you are pursuing one of the masters programs in
>>>> psychology, then feel free to email me offlist with your interests,
>>>> and I will be happy to introduce you to faculty that I know if they
>>>> fit with your interests. They just got a great new building, and when
>>>> I was an undergrad research assistant, I worked on a cohesive team
>>>> that respected my strengths; blindness was never a big deal.
>>>>
>>>> And best of all, it is near the beach!
>>>>
>>>> HTH!
>>>>
>>>> Cindy
>>>>
>>>> On 10/28/13, D Minter <cmin79 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> I would love to hear these responses also.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Oct 28, 2013, at 11:31 AM, Shickeytha Chandler
>>>>>> <shickeytha at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello all,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I live in the western part of the state and received my undergraduate
>>>>>> degree several years ago. I am now looking at a few graduate programs
>>>>>> and would like to see if any of you can give feedback about any of
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> following schools: UNC Wilmington, NC State University, and UNC
>>>>>> Greensboro. I know that having a strong Disability Services office
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> a campus culture that is open to people who are blind can make life
>>>>>> so
>>>>>> much more pleasant when one is trying to focus on studies and does
>>>>>> not
>>>>>> need distractions such as worrying about getting appropriate
>>>>>> accommodations, etc. And I am sure that will be even more important
>>>>>> at
>>>>>> the graduate level. So do any of you have any experience at any of
>>>>>> these schools? Also, I would be open to any insight any of you have
>>>>>> about being a blind grad student in general. Thanks in advance!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Shickeytha
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>>>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> Ncabs:
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/cmin79%40gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> Ncabs:
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Cindy Bennett
>>>> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>>>>
>>>> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
>>>> clb5590 at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> Ncabs:
>>>>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/shickeytha%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ncabs mailing list
>>> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Ncabs:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ncabs_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cindy Bennett
>> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>>
>> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
>> clb5590 at gmail.com
>>
>
>
> --
> Cindy Bennett
> Secretary: National Association of Blind Students
>
> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
> clb5590 at gmail.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Subject: Digest Footer
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ncabs mailing list
> Ncabs at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ncabs_nfbnet.org
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of Ncabs Digest, Vol 73, Issue 13
> *************************************
>
>
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