The International Schools Review Forum

Yet I'm in admin with no admin certificate, but with a leadership masters, having moved up from mid-level positions... Schools will understand if you have the masters but your jurisdiction does not offer any type of leadership cert (as mine didn't and doesn't).

Reviving this dead thread with a hypothetical.

Let's say there is a have that I might actually get accepted into a global Ivy (knock on wood).

I had previously stated that dual citizenship between UK/CAN would help me not get charged extra fees, turns out this is likely to be incorrect. Due to residency rules, tuition cost will be a bunch more than I expected.

My plan would be to study part-time and work near full time so I will be able to continue having some income. Let's say this is doable for the sake of the hypothetical. So it would be like a couple years where I don't save much and am basically supported by my partner who works in another industry but I would have an M'Ed from an Elite Uni at the end of it. That is option 1.

Option 2 would be to pass and pursue a more affordable degree.

I know there is no right answer here and it depends on a lot but what would you go for.

1. Keep plugging away in a classroom and knock out an online M'ed with less of a financial commitment?

OR

2. Take a hit financially to get the degree from the big name and hope that translates into financial gain in the longer term?

6 of one, half dozen of another. One thing to consider is that if you want to move into leadership, does the director/superintendent/principal WANT to hire someone who might be perceived as threatening, having a 'better' masters? There is that in the field of international education.

Not trying to dispute your point at all but that is tough advice to take action on.

Should I not look to have too good a CV otherwise people won't hire me because they may perceive me as a 'threat'?

How do you reasonably proceed then in developing your CV to maximize your opportunities. Would the same logic apply to working at an Elite School then trying to move?

I was at a school where the director had a PhD and a principal had one too. Every night after hours, the director was in yelling and saying the nastiest things to the principal... in the end, family emergency and there was only one PhD on campus. That said, the director arrived after the principal. But...the principal never would have been hired had the director been there first. And this was/is a very solid, reputable IS.

My advice if you want to do the Ivy - do it - work domestically for 2 -4 years, get your experience and make your mark(s), THEN springboard overseas. It would likely be easier than doing the degree and then trying to get something with no experience.

YMMV - that's my two halalas.

@steve416

What do you want to do with this degree?

If its specifically springboard into leadership or something like counselor, tech.dir, or librarian but especially leadership than absolutely getting the global Ivy is the better play here. There are third tier ISs that will give you the keys just on that basis alone. If its staying in a classroom position than its going to have less utility but still substantially more value than a non-global Ivy. The global Ivy is likely to help you move up to the next tier more easily but its not going to do much in terms of salary increase.

I disagree with @SJ in that, If your going to wait 2-4 years building experience anyway your forgoing a lot of the gains a global Ivy degree would provide to you.
I do agree with his description that there are conflicts over leadership when it comes to doctoral degrees. Its happened.

Thank you for the feedback.

I would like to move into leadership.

It is an educational leadership M'ed. Still waiting for any concrete news so all a hypothetical!

@steve416

Than yes, get the Ivy. Leadership is the hardest to break into.