Thanks so much for your response -- the info you provide is quite helpful. I'll be contacting NYU (my undergrad institution), and will hope to find them agreeable...

One thing -- am I to understand from what you've written about the state of the profession currently with respect to practicing rights, that NY is not one of the states currently allowing for AAs to practice? Do you know which are the 16 states (if this number that I've read is correct) that do currently grant these rights? (Assuming I were to enroll in a program elsewhere, I would most likely be looking to return to NY. Wouldn't pan out so well if there was no work available here!)