archphd

Has anyone heard anything yet?

2nd year PhD with a fairly solid preliminary topic for my dissertation. I am applying for the SSRC and the Lewis and Clark, as well as a few minor grants offered through my institution, but I am finding a lot of grants are either 1) for at least 3 months residence (my fieldwork is only 6 weeks long) 2) or for students who are ABD. Specifically, looking for grants related to archaeological research -- I will be incorporating GIS and 3D modeling into my project, longterm, but it needs to be a social sciences eligible award! List any! :-)

Has anyone gotten this grant? Any tips for a successful application?

Hi everyone I decided to start a blog about how to save most of your hD stipend, focus on savings in a roth IRA, couponing, and paying off loans (all on your stipend!!). Please see my blog at: http://fancycheapside.blogspot.com/ I'd appreciate the look! There's only two posts so far, but I feel like there should be a blog like this.

Note that if you have subsidized federal loans, the interest does not accumulate until after your period of deferment-- this means if you are enrolled in a program, you don't get any interest added onto the loan until after you graduate. An unsubsidized loan gets interest tacked on even if you are in school.

Interestingly, I've applied to the same program three times. The first two, I got in with no funding, and the third time I got in with full funding! I'll be going in the fall. I have slightly difficult academic interests (Mediterranean archaeology intersecting anthropology) so it's been difficult to find program with a good fit. Here is what happened to me: Round 1: Senior year of college. 1 PhD acceptance (no funding); 3 MA acceptances with funding Round 2: Finishing MA #1. PhD acceptance (same school no funding). 2 MA acceptances Round 3: Decide to do a second MA (this is a big decision and I only recommend it if you have a strong idea rom faculty that it could help your education). While in the second year, I apply, and get 3 PhD acceptances, all funded. I say it's worth a shot. If they want you, they'll take you. In my case I had difficulties due to a restricted search region and my own research interests, as well as the fact that languages are not my strong point and they are really emphasized in Mediterranean archaeology. Hence doing two MA's to build up those skills. Keep your chin up! I know it's hard, I've been there.

Was there an issue with the taxes? My first year of fellowship is service free, and my mom's accountant told me that if they gave the fellowship as "service free" and did not consider it income, and contributions I made that exceeded the income would have been taxed. I note this also because in my acceptance note they said my first year fellowship would be "my responsibility to claim through taxes" and subsequent years they would be reporting my income to the IRS, since it would be through teaching/employment. Should I wait to see how my first year fellowship money is going to be distributed and what sort of tax form it will include?

I was thinking about starting a Roth IRA with my stipend once I start. But, I am not sure how I am receiving the stipend, because the school's wording didn't clarify if it would be from a 1099 or a W2 (the first year of my fellowship is service free). I heard that if you contribute more to an IRA than your taxable income (ie if I got a 1099) you could get severely taxed. Anyone else thinking of doing an IRA with their stipend? If not, anyone else thinking of starting some type of retirement fund? I have CDs already but was thinking of something that could yield higher earnings.

Thanks! Some clarifications-- the job is a computer-based researched position that I have worked my way up in, since originally attending the university for my first MA. My funding package stipulated "at least $20,000 for 5 years", the first year service free, and the four years after that could be service related or not. This is what the funding is (from the letter): During your first year, the fellowship will be in the form of a Dean's fellowship during the 8-month academic year. In subsequent years, your fellowship may be a teaching fellowship, a doctoral research assistantship, a dissertation fellowship or a combination of these fellowship options. It also said if I got more funding (ie NSF) I should tell them. I would like to keep the job because 1) I enjoy it 2) I am in charge of a long term project that I care about 3) extra money wouldn't be bad and 4) the research is related to my eventual dissertation work (I know I am being vague, doing so on purpose). I can't work under the table because the position is through a university. I also have an adjunct position teaching at another school, but I am ok with giving that up, so obviously I am not trying to maintain a full work schedule while in school. I just really care about the job and would hate to give it up without trying (but I obviously will give it up if I need to). So, I am getting the impression that if I hide the job I could get in huge trouble-- especially since they clearly said not to outright in the letter. Next question: how do I approach asking to keep the job? Do I ask the dean or the department? My future adviser is the director of graduate studies. Or should I talk to other students in the program, first?

I have two MAs and they were both supplemented with federal funding. Do keep in mind what was said above, that there is a limit to the amount of you can borrow. I only loaned about $20,000 in Stafford loans for both MA degrees, so it was ok for me.

So I have a question-- I just got the official letter that I was accepted to a PhD with funding. The letter also says that so long as I am under my fellowship (five years) I am forbidden from holding employment within or outside of the university. I have two MA degrees, and at both of these schools, theoretically MA students aren't allowed to work more than 20 hours a week. I do work that much, and no one has ever checked up on it, and my advisers know. So I have had experience with work restrictions, but never have had one mentioned in an acceptance letter before. So is this "forbidden" thing a technicality, or is this phd program serious? And once I hear back from all the schools I applied to and might need to make a decision between this university and another school, should I outright ask my adviser about the issue? It could be something that sways my decision, as this school and others were fairly level on my list. It's not like I want to waitress or something...I have a really good job at another local university that I could keep because the two locations are really closeby. I have had this position during the course of my two MA degrees, and it's sort of remotely related to my research. I'm not looking to work 30 hours a week, because this is a big commitment, but is there any harm in me working like 10-15? I know I can handle it. I'm scared if I ask my future adviser about it and he catches wind of me wanting to keep the job, it will eliminate any chance of me working on the downlow. I'm pretty sure that some students in the department do have outside jobs. I've met them before, but I don't know the status of their funding.