SMRT

Well, folks, my very particular type of intelligence has been validated by an outside agency and I'm very excited because, actually, it's a very prestigious outside agency. I have been accepted into the University of Chicago's Harris School for Public Policy "based on outstanding academic achievement, professional commitment, and personal motivation." What's more, they're giving me a scholarship worth 2/3 of the total tuition for the first year with a chance to renew it based on my performance.

My toes are wiggling and I have a goofy smile on my face.

I mean, this is the school of Carl Sagan and Studs Terkel. Kurt Vonnegut and Phillip Glass. Indiana Jones and Susan Sontag. And, of course, the ever-popular Martin Gardner, everybody! We are stardust, indeed. This program last year only accepted 122 students out of 635 applicants and most of those applicants had to have thought they were some sort of hot shit even to apply. I'm very excited. Did I say that before?

I'm also a little nervous. I applied before I got my current job and the tasks that I signed on to do at work will not be completed before the fall. Also, the school recommends taking an introductory microeconomics class and brushing up on one's calculus before one starts the program, as well. I never took calculus! I'm considering asking them to let me defer for a year to finish the job that I've started. If the added bonus is that I get a little time to brush up on my quantitative thinking, then, so be it. We'll see, though. It also depends on what they say at work.

I'm very excited, though. Three weeks ago, my roommate Paige got accepted to study for her doctorate at Brown, with a full ride plus a stipend for the next five years. We've been waiting to hear from U of C so that we can have a joint party. Wait, careful, not a party where joints are smoked, just a party thrown together in honor of two of us. :-) I think we should call it the Paige-and-Rebecca-are-a-certain-kind-of-smart-enough party. I think I may get voted down on that, though. I'm going to fight for it, though, unless one of my gentle readers has another suggestion?

I'm very excited.