Well, it turns out that I did not pass the all-important test I took a couple weeks ago.  What this means for me is that I can no longer continue in the mathematics Ph.D. program here at UCI.  However, I’m in the process of petitioning the school to stay on campus until the end of the year to get my Master’s degree.  From what I understand, most students are allowed to stay through the end of the year, so I’m not to worried about the appeal process.  Unfortunately, failing the exam means I lost my department funding (which came in the form of a teaching assistantship and fee fellowship), and the university will not offer me any other financial support.

So, since I don’t have any funding but we still want to stay on campus, I’m currently looking for a way to pay for a year of school.  This kind of responsibility is really making me feel independent and maybe a little worried, but I think that a lot of good can still come of this.  Namely, I’m hoping to find a new job that will hopefully help me decide what I’d like to do for the rest of my life.

Irvine is a good place to be for someone with my background, because there are a lot of tech companies in the area: Google, Broadcom, Microsoft and Blizzard all have a major presence in Irvine.  Hopefully, one of these places can provide me with a part-time job to at least sustain us for this year.  And it would really put the icing on the cake if I were offered a job that I’ll enjoy.

Keep us in your thoughts.

Tags: Life, School