<p>@tfaoldster: That is exactly what I needed to hear! Good advice.</p>
<p>@ssadiesades
I know how you feel. At the end of the day, as long as you put your best foot forward and gave your full effort, that’s all you can do. I would just heed wise tfaoldster’s advice and just keep yourself busy with other stuff (like finishing out your last set of classes strong, exploring other opportunities, etc.) and don’t think about it until the 12th of April rolls around…because cathecting energy towards it isn’t going to change anything at this point. You’ve done all you can…it’s out of your hands now.</p>
<p>But, sincerely, good luck to you…and to the rest of you 5DL’s out there =)</p>
<p>@texaslov12 and balliztik, I am thrilled you took something good from my post. I was concerned that it sounded a bit “old school” 
yep the play. If you can’t laugh at yourself then others do laugh at you :))</p>
<p>So for tonight I’m having a nice glass of red wine, watching a show I am sadly addicted to for the “really?” factor. . .“Bethany Ever After” guilty pleasure.</p>
<p>What are you all doing to either study or relax?</p>
<p>@tfaoldster: I am definitely trying to take the studying route and pour myself into that as much as I can, although there are definitely other things I would rather be doing haha. Getting into a tv show is always a good distraction/relaxation technique as well!</p>
<p>That was a great piece of advice!!! </p>
<p>I have so much to do for school (classes + honors thesis) I am just focusing on it, plus I am getting my house all nice and clean and ready for my baby who is arriving this summer 
So yes, it’s impossible to take my mind completely of TFA results but keeping busy makes the time fly!!</p>
<p>Good luck everyone!!!</p>
<p>@texaslove12 and bubblerj. Thank you for your responses </p>
<p>Texaslove12 go for it and make it the best darn thing they have ever seen, you will do it, I know you can!</p>
<p>Bubblerj, if I read correctly you are having a baby during this tough time about a teaching position? Amazing. Just another piece of advice if I may, cleaning up a bit is good, but spotless, don’t worry about it, take care of you and the babe, let the support system clean, cook and do laundry so you can do what you need to do.</p>
<p>@KinkyG, texaslove12, bubblerj and any others that might like to keep in touch if and when we are accepted. . .then have to do the interviews with the school districts and all that implies. . .what are your preferred regions?</p>
<p>For me Memphis and Dallas #1 and #2, prefer High School over Middle School.</p>
<p>So if my transitional funding says its complete, how is that possible? Because placements are not determined until next week and I thought where you are placed has an influence on the amount of funds you get. Or is it that having your transitional funding complete implies that your paperwork is good?</p>
<p>@tfaoldster: That is exactly what I am trying to do…find things to keep me busy. I have a few papers to work on this week and I need to hand in my thesis proposal by the end of this month…plus I have work to take my mind off of things. Mainly I am studying for the Praxis II ESOL, I take that on the 28th! So, I think that for now I am going to take what you said to heart and will be leaving the forum…I shall return on the 12th to every one’s good news! Soshi te, rai-shuu ni kiite kairimasu! (I will return next week!)</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, whether or not your transitional funding says “complete” is not the indicator. Last year, on the day of notification, my transitional funding changed (around 9am) from complete to two dollar amounts that looked something like this: $2339.28935728921. Based on what applicants have been saying from DLs 1-4, I think the same thing is happening this year. I could be wrong though!</p>
<p>That being said, I wouldn’t depend solely on the transitional funding change…especially if you applied later than the suggested date.</p>
<p>@QUWordArt: Thanks for posting that. I won’t worry about my TF status as much until day-of (April 12!) I also applied slightly late for TF so it might not even matter for me.</p>
<p>Darn it! I just missed the “Spotlight on Math and Science” webinar. If someone on this thread was able to attend, can you please post a brief synopsis. It would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Is anyone attending the “special invitation” webinar for “High Priority Areas” later today?</p>
<p>Have to give a giggle about this. My 1st choice is Memphis, a high priority area. During my final interview there was a pitch for the Delta and when I asked if Memphis was part of that area there was a definite no answer. Sadly there was no follow up such as “but Memphis is also a high priority area”.</p>
<p>That being said I am attending the webinar to find out more about my first choice, Memphis.</p>
<p>By the way, I am taking my own advice and not stressing about the acceptance. Just couldn’t sleep tonight as we have some severe weather in our area so thought I would check in to keep my mind off tornadoes.</p>
<p>Challenges are all relevant aren’t they? Hope everyone in the South to Mid West are safe and well.</p>
<p>I went to sleep at 11pm last night and and found myself awake at 2am (b/c I awoke after some weird Seinfeld episode dream…but anyway). After unsuccessfully trying to fall back asleep until 3am, I was overcome with an ominous feeling that I am NOT going to get accepted to TFA (based partly on statistics and partly on self-introspection of how my final interview day went). </p>
<p>With this feeling washing over me, I proceeded to hit the inter-google to research my options for reapplication for DL1 2013. During this search, I came across (what has got to be) the best resource/blog I have seen about the application (and reapplication) process to date:</p>
<p>[Teach</a> for America- Wes’ Teach For America Adventure - Wes’ TFA Adventure](<a href=“Wes' TFA Adventure”>Teach for America- Wes' Teach For America Adventure - Wes' TFA Adventure)</p>
<p>I don’t know if this particular blog has been mentioned previously on this thread. But if you’ve already come across this blog before, then I envy you. For those who haven’t, I just wanted to share it with you (you’ll thank me later). IT IS A MUST READ. Very insightful. Very informative. Very honest.</p>
<p>Happy humpday all!</p>
<p>@Balliztik, I know what you mean! I keep rethinking in my head what I could of done better in my interview. As of now, being selected for Teach For America and its mission is equivalent of winning the mega millions jackpot to me. I would feel so honored to be part the program to inspire real change. Ehhh… at least its almost a week left! </p>
<p>I am still unclear on how they evaluate us. Some say its a point system others say its more of a holistic process. Who knows?</p>
<p>GAH just 8 more days… I’m slowly going insane. I think I’ve read every word on the TFA site like 3 times at this point… not to mention how often I visit Teach For Us. If I don’t get accepted, I will be devastated and sort of upset I wasted so much of my time obsessing over every single detail that CMs post about their lives… :(</p>
<p>@tfaoldster: I am attending the “Spotlight on Priority Regions” webinar tonight, I listed Oklahoma as one of my highly preferred so I want to hear more about it.
@rustyhalos & @tfaaman: I feel the same way about TFA, I feel like it would be such a privilege and honor to join TFA as a corps member, although at this point I am not sure where I stand or if it will happen for me. I have a passion to work with those who have fallen between the cracks and want so badly to make a change by filling that education gap for future generations and the current generation we live in. I just feel like I am meant to do something along those lines and if TFA isn’t where that is then I am eager to see where I am meant to work. I am still of course hopeful and excited! I wish you all the best of luck & to have made it this far is such a great accomplishment, no matter where everyone goes-it will be a great journey!</p>
<p>Once again, anyone who has questions about Oklahoma (or TFA in general) is free to ask me!</p>
<p>And Texaslove12, that is an awesome attitude. There are so many ways to work towards ensuring that every child receives a good education; TFA and teaching isn’t the only way to do that. At any rate, good luck to you and everyone else! I’m antsy with anticipation now myself, though for different reasons (I’m waiting to hear about a post-TFA job opportunity!).</p>
<p>After going back and reading the reflections of 4DL applicants as they heard… jeez. I definitely don’t think I got accepted. I felt horrible coming out of my individual interview, just as though it did not go well at all. </p>
<p>Do you suppose if we have more information we want to add to our applications at this point we can somehow do so?</p>
<p>@bookaddict, could you talk a little about the environment where you taught in OK, both TFA and otherwise? Eg was the community tight knit and welcoming, or a wary and unfriendly? I’m considering preferring OK but I’ve lived in major cities my whole life, and am worried about how the culture shock might be. And as paranoid as it is, I’m a little concerned about racial tension. I’m Asian, and have a friend who’s from OK that told me that before he moved out west, he’d never seen anyone Asian before, and that he knew people who might make me feel uncomfortable in OK. I don’t know how credible this is, but i’m definitely thinking a lot about it. This doesn’t just go for OK… I’m thinking about this in regards to other regions as well, so if anyone has any input it would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>The community as a whole, as well as the district, is very supportive of TFA in Tulsa (I don’t know as much about OKC). There was some wariness, though, particularly from other teachers. I was in the second corps in Tulsa (before we even had corps members in OKC), and was one of the first three corps members at my school. The district had just laid off a bunch of teachers the summer before (though they hired most back by the beginning of the school year), so there was certainly some wariness. I never experienced any outright hostility, but I know some others did. I’ve heard far less about such things this year, and I think there are different reasons for that, but one of them is that TFA is getting more established in Tulsa.</p>
<p>There are some racial issues here due to the fairly segregated nature of the city, but you’re unlikely to experience much of it directed to you as an Asian (I’m Asian myself). The students may make insensitive remarks, but most of them stem from the fact that they really don’t know very many other Asians. I’ve never heard anything from an adult that made me way uncomfortable. But then, I’m used to not being around very many other Asians, even though I did grow up in California, so you may see things differently. Also, there may be other regions where it’s worse; my sister goes to school in Alabama and is sick and tired of the racism she sees and hears there. (I’ve never been there, so I can’t say if I agree or not.)</p>