Packing Up

Many of my friends know that I had applied for inter-school transfer and was accepted into the PsyD program at CIIS. I was scheduled to start the program this August. Many also know that I encountered one problem, after another, and another, and another thanks to the school’s administration during the PsyD application process. Sadly, these problems continued even after I was accepted. This raised serious concerns on my part, but I wanted this program so much that I simply pushed my concerns down and proceeded forward.

This past long weekend, Nik and I took a surprise trip up to Portland. This was primarily for personal reasons, but it also allowed Nik to meet with his advisor at Marylhurst University, where he is currently attending via online courses. While there, I received my financial aid award letter and was shocked to realize the award did not even cover my first term. I know there is yet another error, as I am very well educated on what I am eligible for.

While driving around Portland, I quickly realized it felt as if I had never left. The familiar and the unfamiliar alike combined with my dear chosen family grabbed firmly at my heart. Add to this the fact that Nik was feeling his education would be better served with on campus, rather than online only courses. We had already been discussing a possible early return to Portland, but when I received my financial aid award letter we reached our tipping point. In that moment I decided I was done fighting for my education with a school I no longer trusted. On our last day in Portland Nik and I decided it was time to return to Portland.

Effective this afternoon, I have officially withdrawn from CIIS. While in Portland, I discovered Pacific University, located in the Portland Metro area, which offers a PsyD program that will allow me to specialize more that CIIS would have. Pacific University has lower tuition coupled with opportunities for scholarships and even assistantships. I have an appointment scheduled with the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions at Pacific University in a few weeks. I have all confidence that I will be able to get into the program. Although it may be too late to be accepted for the 2010-2011 school year, I can take classes part-time at PCC to keep me in school until the start of the 2011-2012 school year.

We have given notice on our place here in Berkeley and a pretty sure we have a new place in Portland figured out for some time in July. I have moved back and forth between Portland and California several times over the last eight years. This time, however, I leave California knowing that I was able to be present here. I am no longer running away from my place of birth. Rather, I have found that Portland and so many of the people there are home to me. And while I am absolutely dreading the move, I am asking for help and know the looneyverse will provide.