With less than 50 days to go, we know many of you are preparing to move to Boston from various places throughout the country, and indeed throughout the world. As you prepare to load your suitcases and U-Hauls to make the trek, we have compiled a short list of things you might need to be a true Bostonian:

• Reading material for your T ride to campus: Paperback books and magazines work best
• A good pair of walking shoes: So you can experience the Freedom Trail without getting a blister
• A blanket to sit on in Boston Common: it's the perfect place to study
• Beach attire: There are numerous beaches accessible by car, T, or commuter rail
• Good cocktail party attire: Many Emerson students love frequenting exhibit installations, theater productions, and other swanky social events
• A good map of Boston: With all the exploring you're going to do in the first semester, you'll use it almost daily

That's what all my friends who have lived in this area for years kept telling me in the lead up to this past weekend's Independence Day celebrations. I was, of course, a little skeptical. I admit, I have fallen head-over-heels in love with Boston since moving here last fall. But while I knew I could expect a great show, somehow I didn't think it could compete with the shows I've seen in Washington DC and Philadelphia in years past.

Our day started at 3 PM when we took the train down to the Esplanade: a thin, long stretch of grassy land right along the Charles River. We picnicked, while admiring the great skylines of Boston and Cambridge, listened to some awesome music, played cards, and enjoyed the gorgeous Massachusetts afternoon. Around 8 PM, the world-famous Boston Pops began their live set of music, including a rendition of the 1812 Overture, set to fireworks. Being the out-of-towner, I thought that was the highlight of the night...little did I know the best was yet to come.

Neil Diamond then took the stage down at the end of the Esplanade, delivering awesome renditions of his two hit songs "Sweet Caroline" and "Coming to America"...where nearly all 200,000 people lining the Charles sung along to (if you don't know the lyrics to "Sweet Caroline", you may want to learn them before going to a Red Sox game, you'll thank me later...).

Finally, at 10:30 PM, the most spectacular fifteen minutes of fireworks I have ever seen commenced, complete with coordinated music, and awestruck crowd members. The night was simply perfect.

For those of you considering a move to Boston, this is a weekend you'll want to stay in town for. I learned firsthand: there is nothing quite like the Fourth in Boston.

We all know the biggest (and scariest) decision in pursuing a graduate degree can be deciding how to fund it...or just the thought of the loans that will need to be repaid in the end. One of the most frequent questions I get from students is, "Are there assistantships and financial aid available?" The funny thing is, most students don't ask about or think to seek aid outside of the college. Trust me, it's out there. I am speaking from experience.

My first year in the program, I wasn't resourceful. I didn't even think to look for scholarships or grants because I assumed they weren't worth my time, but boy did I miss out. Halfway through my first year, though, I finally realized there must be a way to offset some of the loan debt I was accumulating. So I did my research. I found a scholarship and the description sounded like they were talking about ME! I found this scholarship right under my nose, on Emerson's financial aid website. I decided to go through the process, not even knowing how much the scholarship was for. To my surprise I not only won the scholarship, but it was worth $10,000!

If you have any questions about the requirements for international students, please visit our page for international applicants or email us. Best of luck!

You can keep up with Seglin's treatment of other ethical conundrums, from wind chimes to Madonna's adoption efforts, at his blog, The Right Thing. This speech and Seglin's blog are great examples of Emerson professors' extensive involvement in their professional communities outside of the classroom.

The first round of merit aid awards have been made for publishing and writing, creative writing, and health communication students. The media art awards will be sent out early next week. If you have not yet received an award offer, you may be getting one in the next week or so. We will also continue to make additional awards over the next few weeks as students accept or decline their awards.

We hope this information helps you know where you stand in the vast plain of admission. Good luck!

Emerson's Open House gives graduate school hopefuls a chance to experience Emerson first hand. Information sessions on financial assistance and the admission process, as well as program-specific seminars on academics are offered. Prospective students get a chance to speak with faculty in person and get more detailed information on graduate program curricula. Campus tours are also offered and are especially helpful in establishing a comfort level with Emerson and its surroundings for students who will be joining us in the Fall.

If you're new to Massachusetts, you'll notice that Dunkin Donuts (founded in Quincy, Mass.) is a local phenomenon. Often, you'll enter a Dunkin location only to find another right across the street when you walk out. In addition to coffee and donuts, Dunkin also has bagels, pizza, sandwiches, and plenty of Red Sox promos. (And if you're a Starbucks fan, don't worry--we have those here, too.) Check out this map to see the many Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks locations where you can get your caffeine fix near Emerson.

After touring the campus and seeing all of our cutting-edge facilities, you could end the day by sitting in our historic Beaux-Arts style opera house that was built in 1903. This is fitting, for Emerson is a place where things that seem to be opposites exist side-by-side and complement one another. Every day, individual inspiration meets collaboration and teamwork in our classrooms. Art and science come together. A small community thrives in the middle of a big city.

In 50 words or less, tell us your own example of two things that seem to be opposites, but perfectly complement one another. Submit your thoughts as a comment to this post. The first five people who submit will each win two free tickets to The Hunchback of Notre Dame (a $110 value!). We'll save two more tickets for the most creative post, and will select that winner on Friday, March 20.

I can't wait to read your posts, and I look forward to seeing you at Open House!

Kristin Burke
Director of Graduate Admission

I write a small travel column for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, the newspaper from my home state, and when my editor wrote to let me know that the people at Mutual Publishing were trying to figure out how to get in touch with me I assumed it was about the column. It actually turned out that they wanted to use a short story that I'd written while at the University of Hawaii Manoa for a new anthology about Honolulu—the newspaper just acted as a convenient means of tracking me down. The short story was a somewhat vague memory, but I was thrilled to be included, so I said yes.

Besides being sold as a trade publication, the anthology—Honolulu Stories—was also meant to be used in Hawaii's classrooms. This excited me because I had briefly taught high school English in Hawaii and there didn't seem to be a single resource from which the students could see the range of our home state reflected. The anthology would be a fantastic opportunity for a vast variety of local literary voices to be sampled.

I moved to Boston from Alabama in the summer of 2006, and in retrospect I realize I needed Emerson for a number of reasons:

Academically - Emerson is one of the few schools in the country that offers a masters program in Publishing. I knew that I wanted the business skills, but I always wanted to be in an environment that fosters creativity and would allow me to grow not only as an editor, but also as a writer.
Professionally - Boston is a GREAT place to be if you want to start a career in publishing. I wasn't ready for NYC (I honestly don't know if I every will be!), but Boston was a nice and easy transition. There are so many opportunities for internships and employment in the city, and you can intern or work in a large house or a small operation.
Personally - I was ready for a change of pace. I grew up in the South, earned a BA in English at Auburn University, and I never lived in a "city." I cherish my undergraduate experience, but I wanted something different the second time around. Emerson's urban campus was a huge draw for me.

And the answer to my question: Absolutely! Emerson gave me more than I expected from my graduate program. I have made great friends and contacts in the program. I have grown professionally and personally, and I'm ready to begin the job search. While the current forecast for the publishing industry may be bleak, I know that Emerson gave me the skills and confidence I need to find that coveted job.

Check back as I continue to blog on my job search. But for now, time to celebrate. I'm a MASTER!